WASHING HORSES LEGS. 99 



but if on the return of the animal to his stable 

 the worst of the mud is brushed off with a stiff 

 brush, and when dry well brushed again, the 

 increased circulation so produced will excite a 

 healthy action of the skin and prevent all 

 disease. Horses' feet can very well be cleansed 

 by means of a pick and a cloth without resort- 

 ing to water, which being absorbed by capil- 

 lary attraction into the horn-fibres, causes them 

 to dilate ; and thus the horn-substance, instead 

 of being liard and compact, is rendered soft 

 and spongy. Again, horses' feet should not be 

 ' stopped,' nor should they be suffered to stand 

 in their excretions, for the ammonia given off 

 from the dung and urine dilates to a great 

 extent the horn-fibres, thus causing the horn to 

 be so soft that ' thrush ' is the consequent 

 disease. I have lately made microscopic ex- 

 periments on the healthy horn, the horn soaked 

 with water, and that with ammonia and water, 

 and found the fibres in the horny sole soaked 

 in water to be twice the size of the natural or 

 healthy horn, whilst that in contact with am- 



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