78 PEETENTIOSr Or SOEE BACKS. 



Peetention oe Soeb Backs. — "WTien horses enter the 

 stable hot and perspiring from being severely ridden, as a 

 general rule it is not advisable to remove the saddle immediately. 

 The admission of cold air to the skin, at a time when it may be 

 in a state approaching that of being parboiled, is all but certain 

 to cause a severe soreness of the back. An excellent mode to 

 prevent this, is simply to slacken the girths, and allow the 

 saddle to remain upon the horse for at least half an hour after 

 he enters the stable. This cannot, however, on all occasions be 

 done, particularly when the animal is to be washed in the man- 

 ner I have detailed. The best substitute for the saddle upon 

 such occasions, is an old saddle pannel, appUed weU warmed to 

 the back, and buckled firmly down with a surcingle. The 

 application of the pannel in the way suggested, and allowing 

 it to remain for about half an hour afterwards, will generally 

 be found to answer the end required. 



I conclusion, I have merely to observe, that the medical 

 treatment necessary to check superpurgation, and the surgical 

 and medical treatment best to pursue with sore backs, the 

 reader will find fuUy detailed, under their proper headings, in 

 Part II. of the present volume. 



I have also to observe, that Section YI. will relate to the 

 hygienic treatment of the sick' horse, in which the reader wUl 

 find many observations of a special and general kind, all 

 applicable to the subject treated upon in this section. The 

 two sections, in fact, are intimately associated, inasmuch as 

 they treat upon subjects of a like nature and importance. 



