PHYSICKING. 143 



that is wished with a nervous flighty horse ; it very 

 commonly disagrees, or it operates too strongly ; in 

 either case more or less debility ensues, and a month 

 is not sufficient to restore the strength. Should heats 

 have to be run, a pound too much flesh, recollect, is 

 far better, for a light clear- winded horse, than a pound 

 too little. The last description of horses are general- 

 ly easily purged, and, in lieu of physic, oftener need 

 gruel with four or five cordial balls, or cordial drench- 

 es, every week : they should have gentle training, and 

 not be put to trial until within five weeks of run- 

 ning, and then never overtasked. 



If a slight sprain, blow, or other injury occurs ; or 

 the space between the shank-bone and suspensory 

 ligament, and between that and the back sinews, 

 should " fill," and there is no time to be lost, a drench 

 of physic may be admissible, as the only means of 

 cooling the leg and preventing loose flesh being 

 thrown up ; and the horse afterwards very gradually 

 brought about by flannel, or linen bandages, single* 

 being kept on during the day, and wetted every half 

 hour with the sal ammoniac lotion, p. 153. The 

 greatest difficulty, however, always attends the bring- 

 ing any "go-wrongs" up again, even in the best 

 hands ; and if the sprain has been at all severe, it is 

 useless, as well as cruel, to attempt it, for you run 

 the risk of ruining the leg for life. 



As a general rule, then, no purgative physic should 

 ever be administered within six weeks of running. 

 When exceptions do occur, however short time you 

 may have to spare, never be persuaded to ram it 



* In bandaging for a strain, let the bandage begin at the bottom of the 

 pastern, close to the hoof, and go spirally upwards, instead of downwards. 



