FOMENTING BUCKETS AND SHOES 21 



the march, etc. ; because they are uncomfortable to the 

 horse, who, \nth one on, is apt to bolt his food or chuck 

 it out; and he cannot help tainting his corn with his 

 breath and rejected saliva. Besides, it is difficult to 

 keep nosebags clean and sweet. When used, they should 

 be made of canvas or sacking, and not of leather ; should 

 be deep, not too wide; and should narrow off to the 

 bottom, so as to allow the animal, towards the end of 

 his feed, to readily pick up the remaining grains of corn 

 without having to chuck the bag up. 



A common plan for preventing a horse from throwing 

 corn out of his nosebag is to tie a string at the place 

 where either end of the head-strap is fixed to the bag, and 

 then attach it just above one of the animal's knees, at 

 such a length that he cannot throw up his head. 



When nosebags are employed, horses should have some- 

 thing on which to rest them, for instance, a low wall, or 

 a bundle of hay. Dray horses may often be seen support- 

 ing their bags on their companions' quarters. Without 

 such aids, the animal will be liable to spill his corn, in 

 his attempts to get it into his mouth. 



Fomenting Buckets and Shoes,— A couple of long 

 narrow leather buckets for applying warm water to horses' 

 legs are useful in cases of accident. They should reach 

 up to the knee, should be made of stout hide, and should 

 be provided with wooden bottoms to preserve them from 

 injury. Water at a temperature higher than that which 

 the hand can comfortably bear should never be used in 

 fomenting the horse's skin. A pair of shoes, with wooden 

 bottoms, made of pliable leather, and reaching only to a 

 little above the fetlock joint, can be kept for poulticing 



