l86 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



healed up after birth, and to prevent the admission of these 

 dangerous organisms the greatest cleanliness is necessary, 

 not only of the wound itself, but of the stable or shed in which 

 the mare and foal are kept. If a number of foals are reared 

 in the same establishment, the appearance of the disease 

 should be the signal for immediate attention to the others. 

 This should consist of daily dressing of the navel cord or sore 

 with some disinfectant, such as carbolic acid and olive oil, 

 one part of the former to fifteen of the latter, applied with a 

 bit of sponge ; or after the wound has been cleaned with tepid 

 water, the part should be well covered either with powdered 

 boracic acid, or equal parts of iodoform and .starch powder, 

 and covered with a piece of carbolised lint or fine tow, main- 

 tained in its place by a wide cotton bandage round the body. 

 In about a week there will be no more danger. This treat- 

 ment should be resorted to soon after birth. 



Whether young foals are reared in straw yards or at 

 pasture, or both, the hoofs require attention, and more 

 especially in straw yards, where they are inclined to grow 

 long and irregular in shape, which again is apt to react upon 

 the limbs and cause their deviation from a good direction. 

 A little judicious management here may save. much trouble 

 and disappointment afterwards. 



When foals run about on very hard ground, not only are 

 the hoofs sometimes too much worn and the feet consequently 

 tender, but the concussion may injure the bones and joints of 

 the limbs, and it is probable that some of the diseases of these 

 which are supposed to be hereditary may be originated in this 

 way in early life. " Cecil," many years ago, drew attention 

 to the damage sometimes done to the hoofs from hard dry 

 ground, and recommended that a couple of barrowfuls of clay 

 or soil retentive of moisture should be deposited in a part of 

 the yard or paddock where the manger or receptacle for food 

 is placed, so that the foal might stand in it during the time 

 of feeding ; this soil is to be kept soft with water when mois- 

 ture is required, and a little common salt may be occasionally 



