104 HUNTING. 



and put their feet hurriedly into them of their own accord imme- 

 diately they were placed before them. The softening of the hoof 

 by water, thereby causing increased pliability of the crust, dimi- 

 nishes the pain occasioned by the want of room for the expansion 

 of the blood-vessels consequent on inflammation. The symptoms 

 will be marked by the horse standing with his hind legs in a much 

 more forward position than usual, for the purpose of relieving his 

 fore feet of their proper proportion of weight. If the foot be felt 

 it will be discovered to have an unusual degree of heat, and if 

 pressed or squeezed by a pair of pincers an unusual flinching will 

 be perceptible. On running him out, the weight will be thrown 

 principally on the heels a marked contrast to the symptoms of 

 navicular disease, in which the toes are almost the only parts of 

 the feet placed on the ground when the horse trots. Bleeding is 

 certainly not advisable where the inflammation is not very acute ; 

 since it weakens the foot so much that it will be unfit for hard 

 work for many weeks afterwards. The food should consist of bran 

 mashes and a little hay ; and, although a violent purge should be 

 avoided, when the inflammation runs very high, laxatives should 

 be freely administered ; the best dose being 2 drachms of emetic 

 tartar and half an ounce of nitre, given every day for a week. 



A very common source of trouble arises from cracked 

 heels, due generally to overwork in an unfit condition. Glycerine 

 or vaseline should be carefully applied to the seat of this very 

 painful disease ; this, with liberal diet and abstinence from 

 work, will in time effect a cure. 



Swelled legs, another evil from which many horses suffer, 

 usually arises from over-work and under-feeding or from work- 

 ing animals when they are unfit. The remedy is the removal 

 of the exciting causes. 



Colic is of various kinds, and due to various causes, the 

 precise nature of which it is most essential to discover. A 

 homely but often effective remedy is a quart of warm ale con- 

 taining a glass of spirits and a tablespoonful of powdered 

 ginger. A dose of aloes may be tried if relief is not obtained ; 

 and should the illness still be obstinate, 2 ounces of tincture of 

 opium in a pint of water may be administered. If this does 

 not bring about a cure it will be well to consult the surgeon, 



