476 SWIMMING FOR STRAINED LIMBS. [BOOK III. 



work. Before he can be fit for his former occupa- 

 tion, it generally is found best to give the horse a 

 run at grass ; but previously he may try his powers 

 in a contracted plot of ground in the homestead, 

 to prevent his indulging too freely in exercise, see- 

 ing that he is very liable to a relapse, which is ge- 

 nerally more difficult to overcome than the original 

 attack. 



Swimming the horse " for strain in the shoulder 

 joint" was a favourite remedy formerly, but is de- 

 servedly exploded, although we could be certain 

 that the joint intended to be cured were the elbow. 

 This accident, however, does not happen often: 

 we never saw a marked case, and merely deem it 

 possible ; yet has the practice still its advocates. 

 And it may be serviceable in other respects, as 

 the muscles are thus brought into play, and the 

 whole limb employed in quite different kind of 

 action to that of walking on terra fir ma. Some 

 persons submit their horses to bathing, by entire 

 submersion ; an operation that was performed most 

 adroitly, about thirty-five years ago, by a stable- 

 man named Denis Laivler, in the bay of Dublin. 

 His manner was to ride his horse to a convenient 

 depth of water, and then jumping forward suddenly 

 on the animal's neck, thus souse it head- foremost to 

 the bottom. The feat caused great marvel at the 

 time ; but not so the total disappearance, upon 

 one occasion, of the performer : poor Denis is sup- 

 posed to have received a kick to the bottom, and 

 his body drifted out to sea, as his Howth friends 



