THE HORSE : ITS KEEP AND MANAGEMENT. 87 



they are kept bandaged and are looked after as they 

 ought to be. 



I have seen horses from five to seven years old 

 puffy in the legs and moving very stiffly when going out 

 in the morning, looking as though they were worn out. 

 After careful treatment in bandaging their legs and 

 soaking their feet in water, in twelve months' time their 

 legs have been perfectly right again. When a horse 

 shows weakness or puffiness about the legs it is well to 

 use a little embrocation and rub it well in. If the 

 attendant has none by him, a little vinegar and water 

 helps the horse very much if it is rubbed well in the 

 leg and then bandaged at once. The legs always 

 look nice and smooth if treated in this way. In the 

 Summer I believe in using plenty of water for the horses 

 legs, in fact, if they are really weak, I often use wet 

 bandages. In cold weather, if the legs are very dirty, 

 wash them down and dry them as much as possible with 

 a sponge and wash leather, then rub them down well 

 with a wisp of hay or straw and put dry bandages on at 

 once. A horse's legs become dry quicker while he is 

 warm, and they should never be washed in the Winter 

 when he comes in, either day or night, unless he is 

 bandaged at once, if so, it is liable to cause a chill, 

 which at times brings on mud fever. I do not say it 

 will always do this, but it does very often. 



As the legs of a horse are very little but skin, 

 sinew and bone, and the blood circulates through the 

 legs and feet, they soon become cold if they are washed 



