222 THE HORSE. 



known the penknife used in half-a-dozen different places to cut 

 down upon what was supposed to be a buried thorn, which was 

 never discovered, for the plain reason that no such matter was 

 present in the leg. 



Overreaches must be dried up as quickly as possible, and 

 should not be treated like common wounds, for the reason that the 

 horny substance of the foot, when it becomes softened and decom- 

 posed by the matter flowing from a wound near it, acts like a 

 poison upon the ulcerated surface. It is better, therefore, to apply 

 a little friar's balsam, or some other astringent, such as sugar of 

 lead, rather than to use wet bandages or bran poultices, whi«?h I 

 have sometimes known to be applied. 



Simple as well as contused cuts are far better treated in 

 the horse with hot fomentations than by any attempt to heal them 

 at once. Unless they are very extensive or deep, the only point 

 in which they are to be regarded is with reference to the blemish 

 which they may leave. Sometimes the edges gape so wide, that a 

 stitch or two must be inserted, but in such a case it is better to 

 intrust the operation to a competent veterinary surgeon. 



SUMMERING. 



Until Mr. Apperly first drew attention to this subject, forty 

 years ago, at which period those horses which were not required 

 to work through the summer, were invariably turned out to grass j 

 hunters, as a regular rule, were stripped of their clothing in April, 

 and sent to grass on or about the first of May, that is, as soon as 

 the first young blades showed themselves, this kind of food being 

 supposed to be particularly advantageous to them, from its cooling 

 powers. 



The sudden change from a warm stable to the cold nights often 

 met with in May frequently produced inflammation of the lungs 

 or bowels, and this alone was sufficient to cause the plan to be looked 

 on with great suspicion as soon as it was shown that it was by no 

 means absolutely necessary. But not only was this danger incurred ; 

 for even if the hunter remained in good health during the summer, 

 yet when he came up in August he was so f\it and unwieldy from 

 eating the succulent grasses of that season, that he was quite unfit 

 to be ridden, and had to go through a series of severe sweats, 

 which he was ill able to bear. Considering the slow pace at which 

 hunting was carried on in the eighteenth century, a horse recently 

 up from grass, if he had been allowed corn while out of doors, as 

 was generally done, was able to go through a run, though it might 

 be at the expense of the coat tails worn by his rider, which were 

 liberally lathered with soapy sweat. But in the present day, when 

 the hunter requires to be as fit as a race-horse, he must have the 

 same amount of preparation; and we all know what sort of chance 



