88 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOK 



himself daily by drawins^ himself through bushes, brambles, 

 etc., and industriously rubbing himself against trees. On 

 the Continent, too, stall-kept oxen are in many places 

 regularly curried night and morning, to the great advantage 

 of their working capabilities. 



Rub his legs exceeding well, from the knees to the 

 cambrel-houghs, downwards, to his very hoofs, picking 

 and dressing them very carefully about the fetlocks from 

 gravel or dust, which will harbour in the bendings of his 

 joints. 



We cannot forbear from pressing on the minds of all who 

 are concerned in horses that friction to the legs is both a 

 preventive and a cure of disease. The eminent veterinarian, 

 Delabere Blaine, thus bears testimony on this point : " Leg- 

 rubbing prevents gorgings, which are the forerunners of 

 cracks and grease, and disperses such accumulations as are 

 already made. Few actions relieve the tired horse more 

 than well rubbing his legs ; and it is remarkable that 

 whatever else a horse resists, he very seldom resists this. 

 Further, whenever a horse comes home in a dirty condition, 

 it is prudent first to attend to his legs and feet, which should 

 be well washed ; but when the weather is frosty, it should 

 be done in tepid water : it is essential to his health, and it 

 also affords him much comfort and refreshment. We know 

 how grateful it is to ourselves to put our feet into water 

 after great fatigue ; and we cannot but observe by their 

 manner, also, that it is the same to them. The feet of horses 

 require also daily examination ; they should always be well 

 picked out whenever they come in, to remove stones and dirt 

 which may have lodged between the shoe and the sole ; and 

 which, if suffered to remain but a few hours, might do 

 irreparable injury. The state of the shoes should likewise 

 be looked to everj^ morning, not only as to their actual wear, 

 but also to see that the clenches do not protrude to cut the 

 legs, or that the shoe may not have gotten awry, or become 

 loosened. Whenever a set of shoes has been on three weeks, 

 particularly w^here the hoofs grow fast, even if such shoes 

 be not worn out, they should be removed ; for in every 

 instance, as soon as the horn of the foot grows too high, it 

 begins to contract; and there are more horses ruined by 

 standing too long without paring down the hoof than by all 

 the bad shoeing that is practised." 



Watering should follow dressing, and then a second feed 



