342 THE HORSE. 



whose feet generally so much interferes with each other, may advance 

 the hind foot a little more rapidly, or raise the fore one a little more slowly, 

 so that the blow may fall on the heel of the shoe, and loosen or displace 

 it ; or the two shoes may be locked together, and the animal may be 

 thrown ; or the contusion may be received even higher, and on the tendons of 

 the leg", when considerable swelling and lameness may follow. 



If the animal is young, the action of the horse may be materially im- 

 proved ; otherwise nothing can be done, except to keep the toe of the 

 hind foot as short and as round as it can safely be, and to bevil off and 

 round the toe of the shoe, like that which has been worn by a stumbler for 

 a fortnight, and, perhaps, a little to lower the heel of the fore foot. 



A blow received on the heel of the fore foot in this manner has not 

 unfrequently, and especially if neglected, been followed by quittor. 



PAWING. • 



Some hot and irritable horses are restless even in the stable, and paw 

 frequently and violently. Their litter is destroyed, the floor of the stable 

 broken up, the shoes worn out, the feet bruised, and the legs some- 

 times sprained. If this habit does not exist to any great extent, yet the 

 stable never looks v/ell. Shackles are the only remedy, with a chain 

 sufficiently long to enable the horse to shift his posture, or move in his 

 stall ; but even these must be taken off at night, otherwise the animal will 

 seldom Jie down, 



QUIDDING. 



A horse will sometimes partly chew his hay, and suffer it to drop from his 

 mouth. If this does not proceed from irregular teeth, which it will be the 

 business of the veterinary surgeon to rasp down, it will be found to be 

 connected with sore-throat, and then the horse will exhibit some other 

 symptom of indisposition, and the swallowing of water will be accompanied 

 by a peculiar gulping effort. In this case the disease (catarrh, with sore 

 throat) must be attacked, and the quidding will cease. 



ROLLING. 



This is a very pleasant and perfectly safe amusement for a horse at grass, 

 but cannot be indulged in the stable without the chance of his being 

 dangerously entangled with the collar rein, and being cast. Yet, although 

 the horse is cast, and bruised, and half-strangled, he will roll again on the 

 following night, and continue to do so as long as he lives. The only 

 remedy is not a very pleasant one to the horse, nor always quite safe ; yet 

 it must be had recourse to if the habit of rolling is inveterate. * The 

 horse,' says Mr. Castley, in the Veterinarian, * should be tied with length 

 enough of collar to lie down, but not to allow of his head resting on the 

 ground ; because, in order to roll over, a horse is obliged to place his head 

 quite down upon the ground.* 



SHYING. 



We have briefly treated of the cause of this vice at page 98, and observed 

 that while it is often the result of cowardice, or playfulness, or want of 

 work, it is at other times the consequence of a defect of sight. It has 

 been remarked, and we believe very truly, that shying is oftener a vice of 



