OPERATIONS OF DECORATION. 121 



Mix these well together ; divide the whole into sixteen doses, 

 and give one every night in the last feed. If the weather be 

 moderately warm and dry, or the horse not much exposed, he 

 may, on every second night, have two doses, or he may have 

 one at morning, and another at night — that is, two every day. 

 At the end of ten or twelve days, the coat ought to be much 

 improved, and by the time all the doses have been given, the 

 antimony will be glittering on the skin. If the horse have to 

 stand any time out of doors during cold weather, these pow- 

 ders must not be given. They render him very sensitive of 

 vicissitudes of temperature ; and they are apt to make him 

 sweat a little in the stable ; but this is a matter of little con- 

 sequence. The night-sweats will disappear as the horse gets 

 into condition. 



Besides the physic, the cordials, and the diaphoretic pow- 

 der, some grooms are in the habit of giving other things. It 

 is a common practice to force whole eggs raw down the 

 throat. The shell is starred, so that it may be crushed as the 

 horse swallows the egg ; but sometimes this is not done suf- 

 ficiently, the egg sticks in the gullet, and chokes the horse. 

 He dies in two or three minutes, if he do not obtain immedi- 

 ate assistance. I do not believe that eggs, either raw or boiled, 

 have any or much influence on the coat. If it be certain that 

 they have, they can be given in the food without danger. 

 Break them into dry bran, and ^ive that after fasting. Lin- 

 seed oil is not a bad thing. If the owner fancies it, he may 

 give a quart bottle, instead of the ordinary physic-ball. It is 

 most useful when the skin is rigid, sticking to the ribs. Of 

 tobacco, mercury, and several mineral preparations, which are 

 occasionally given to fine the coat, I can give no account. I 

 have had no experience of them. The means I have already 

 recommended seldom fail, and 1 have never tried any others. 

 [Mercury and most mineral preparations, we know, from sad 

 experience, are extremely injurious. We have had several 

 horses nearly ruined by them ; and as other medicines are 

 equally effective, and less dangerous, minerals should be 

 rarely prescribed.] 



Drugs are often employed to give a fine coat when there is 

 no need for them. When warmth, good grooming, and good 

 food, or particular kinds of food, will produce the desired 

 effect, drugs should not be used. A lazy man is always fond 

 of those expedients which save his labor. He is apt to make 

 the wariiitli and drugs do that which should be done with the 

 brush. Instead of dressing the horse frequently and thorough- 



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