148 Stable Management. 



a hose. From this cause a man is almost con- 

 stantly kept to dress the legs, which are un- 

 usually affected. In one establishment,, from out 

 of nearly one hundred and twenty horses, one-third 

 had to be thrown off work in consequence of 

 internal disease arising. Carriage horses and 

 hacks suffer much from cracked heels, while their 

 breed defends them frequently from grease. All 

 this comes from the treatment to which they are 

 subjected afterwards. 



To the mere washing of horses'' legs, if con- 

 ducted properly, none can offer objection. In 

 wet dirty weather, when the hair is matted with 

 mud, no animal can rest comfortably with such 

 an accumulation about them. If allowed to 

 remain, the sand and grit is moved during exercise 

 to the wrinkles of the skin about the joints and the 

 parts are chafed, soon becoming raw, and pre- 

 senting obstinate sores. By all means let the 

 filth be removed as quickly as possible, using in 

 summer cold, and in winter warm water. A 

 good brush with a small quantity of soap will 

 also be required. 



Next press out the superfluous water and 

 briskly rub with coarse towels kept for the pur- 

 pose, and put loosely a bandage upon each leg as 

 high as the parts that have been washed, which 

 should scarcely ever be above the knees or hocks. 

 This process will very certainly limit the number 

 of cases of cracked heels, grease, &c., all of which 

 occur from the amount of cooling to which these 



