144 DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



thrown on carelessly, while the driver is perhaps enjoying 

 himself with his friends in some drinking saloon, toasting 

 his shins while the poor animal stands shivering at the door. 

 The effect of such bad treatment will not then have time to 

 develope itself, but will be seen in a few hours, or at farthest 

 on the following day. This is the common cause of acute 

 laminitis (founder) and of pleuro-pneumonia (pleurisy). 

 The three principal points in the health of a horse are feed- 

 ing, air and exercise. In the first place, irregularity of 

 feeding will certainly produce disease. (See article on 

 feeding.) Ventilation — the stable should be neither too 

 hot nor too cold. The animal will show the effect in a few 

 days by coughing or having slight irritation of the mucous 

 membrane of the throat. 



A horse can take cold as easily by going out of a cold 

 air into a hot stable, as he can by going from a hot stable 

 into cold air, and vice versa. It is the sudden change of 

 temperature which produces the change on the mucous coat 

 of the larynx and throat. 



The clothing of the horse in the stable should be neither 

 too hot nor cold. But if kept too warm, he will be more 

 likely to take cold when he goes out to exercise on a cold 

 or chilly day. The stable should be well ventilated with 

 pure air at all times, and all poisonous air and gases, par- 

 ticularly the ammonia, which is formed from the urine, 

 should be allowed free egress from the stable, as the animal 

 cannot be expected to keep in good health while compelled 

 to inhale such malaria. 



Let me tell you, one of the great points in keeping horses 

 in good health and condition, is regular feeding and good 

 care, being careful, after a sharp, hard drive, especially if 

 there has been exposure to wet and cold, to blanket warmly 

 — anticipate and look for a chill, or being off of food. If 

 so, a little fever medicine and a warm bran mash should be 

 given at once, and a serious attack of pneumonia may be 

 thus averted. Men who talk and slash horses around reck- 

 lessly, I have a low opinion of as horsemen. To keep 

 horses doing well, even though worked hard, requires at- 

 tention to little things. If the road is heavy or up-hill, 

 and the horse shows fatigue or is warming up excessively, 

 hold up and shove; if necessary, on good road and down 

 grade, aiding and nursing along by watering often but not 

 much at a time. 



