Chapter VIII. 



MEGRIMS OR VERTIGO. 



This disease sometimes attacks a horse when he has 

 been subjected to excessive work under a very hot sun. 

 It is evidently due to temporary congestion of the brain, 

 and is more frequent in harness than in saddle 

 horses. It has been noticed that a close-fitting collar 

 €r a tight bearing-rein are sufficient to aid in bringing 

 en an attack ; and also that a horse subject to megrims 

 in harness never suffered after he was used solely for 

 riding, though this latter may have been but a coinci- 

 dence. When attacked the animal comes to an abrupt 

 standstill, shakes his head violentlv or throws it up and 

 •down, then staggers about or turns round and falls down, 

 remaining either quite quiet and apparently insensible, 

 cr he may exhibit convulsions ; in either event he 

 usually recovers in a few minutes, when he will, if 

 required, proceed on his journey as though nothing had 

 happened. But, naturally, a humane person would get 

 the poor creature back to his stable, and see him made 

 comfortable, with the least delay. The attacks are said 

 to be connected with a disordered stomach, so that a 



