296 THE HORSE 



administering a ball, or if the horse is an awkward one to 

 deal with. It should be remembered that medicine should 

 never be mixed with a bran mash till it is stone cold, as 

 a warm one will extract the utmost taste from a drug, and 

 then a horse soon becomes suspicious and refuses to eat. 

 A bran mash should be made with boiling water, and then 

 allowed to get cold before adding anything the taste of 

 which may be repugnant ; and all powders should first be 

 mixed in a cup with a little dry bran, or oatmeal, and then 

 afterwards be thoroughly stirred into the cold mash. 



Peofuse Staling. 



This frequently is caused by improper food, such as over- 

 heated hay or kiln-dried oats ; and it also frequently follows 

 from the action of the skin being checked by standing in a 

 draughty stable, or from the administration of an overdose 

 of turpentine ; or from the turpentine being given in too 

 raw a state, and not sufficiently incorporated with the oil 

 which should accompany it. In any case the cause should 

 be sought for and removed, and if the food is in fault none 

 but the best must be given ; anyway it is wise to make a 

 change in the forage. 



It is advisable also to give no water to drink for some 

 time, but instead to keep a bucket constantly present, filled 

 with linseed tea, for supplying the necessary liquid. When 

 making it sufficient linseed should be put in the bucket, and 

 then enough boiling water poured over it to cover it well ; 

 and after a short time the bucket should be filled up with 

 cold water and then left to stand all night. In the morning 

 the liquid portion should be poured off and given to the 

 horse, while some more linseed, with hot and then cold 

 water, is added to the first bucket, which must be thus 

 filled up as required and always kept going ; and as the 

 horse empties the supply left with it, that bucket must be 

 replenished from the other. This is an excellent method 

 with any delicate, non-thriving horse, being continued for 

 months if necessary, and is of especial value for horses in 

 training who may be delicate and do not thrive. 



