CHAPTER VIII 



MANAGEMENT OF HOESES ON BOARD SHIP 



As my experience extends only to the transport of single 

 horses on board ship, and not to that of large numbers, I 

 shall confine my remarks to the former. 



The frogs and soles of a horse's feet, before he is em- 

 barked, should be hard, strong, and as fully developed as 

 possible. Hence, it is advisable to let him go barefoot for 

 a couple of months beforehand, or to shoe him a la Gharliery 

 or with tips, while the crust and heels are kept low, and to 

 forbid all paring of the soles and frogs with the drawing 

 knife, as well as " stopping " with cow-dung, etc. If thrush 

 be present, the animal's feet should be treated for it with- 

 out delay. Shortly before being put on board, the shoes 

 (if they be used) should be taken off, and the heels and 

 walls of the hoofs should again be lowered, so as to obtain 

 frog and sole pressure. These precautions are necessary 

 in order to lessen the possibility of the animal getting in- 

 flammation of the feet {laminitis) from long standing. 



For ten days or so before sailing, the horse should be 

 put on laxative food, if he be at all gross, so as to protect 

 his system as much as possible from the attacks of any 

 kind of inflammation. With this object in view, I would 



