ACCIDENTS OF WORK. 



339 



and safe stimulant. It dissipates dejection and weariness, 

 fines the legs, excites an appetite, empties the bowels, and in 

 some degree removes stiffness. From five to fifteen minutes, 

 morning and afternoon, may be sufficient. The exercise- 

 ground should be soft, the horse lightly clothed, and both body 

 and legs should be kept dry as possible. Unless the bowels 

 be confined, the ordinary food may be given ; carrots or bran- 

 mashes will obviate costiveness. Oatmeal gruel, well made, 

 but quite weak, is the best drink, should the horse crave much 

 water. 



If the horse be slightly fevered, his eye red, mouth and skin 

 hot, urine high-colored, bowels out of order, and appetite bad, 

 one or two alteratives may be given. In this case the diet 

 should consist entirely of bran-mashes, carrots, or green food ; 

 and these will give place to the ordinary feeding, by degrees, 

 as the horse regains his appetite. If he stand at night, with- 

 out lying down to rest as usual, the lungs are injured, and the 

 veterinarian should be called immediately. 



Subsequently, as the horse recovers, his exercise is in- 

 creased ; and if his work be such as to require four or five 

 olank days, he may have a gallop, or a gentle sweat on the 

 last. 



ACCIDENTS OF WORK. 



The accidents of work are very numerous. A full descrip- 

 tion of each would form a volume as large as this. I select 

 a few from those which occur most frequently, from those 

 which may be prevented, and from those which require im- 

 mediate attention. 



Cutting. — Young horses, timid horses, and those having 

 ill-made legs, are apt to strike the fetlock-joint with the oppo- 

 site foot. This is termed cutting, brushing, or interfering. 



Fig. 18. 



