THE CARE OF HORSES. 309 
vinegar. The blue vitriol, about two ounces, may be 
put in a quart bottle of water, filled with vinegar, the 
vinegar to be used when it has aquired a rich green 
or blue tinge. It is best applied by means of a small 
oil can with a spout. Thus the liquid can be directed 
where it is needed, without touching the sound parts 
of the foot. Tar and many other remedies are also 
used for thrush. 
When the horse is groomed in the morning, his feet 
should be well picked out, and in summer washed. 
In most good stables, the foot is washed also when 
the horse comes in. I have noticed that horses seem 
to enjoy this process; and a thorough soaking of'the 
hoof when they are groomed in the morning, and 
again when they come in after work, will go far to 
keep their feet soft and healthy. Care should be 
taken, especially in winter, that nothing but the hoof 
is wetted. It is very easy for the groom to splash a 
little water on the heels and under the fetlock, and 
thus scratches may be induced. For this reason, the 
safer plan is to omit washing the foot in winter unless 
your groom happens to be absolutely trustworthy. 
At grass, the foot never becomes hard, but when 
the horse stands on straw or wood it is apt to become 
hard and dry, and many horses require to have their 
feet stopped once a week. The time-honored material 
for this purpose is a mixture of cow-dung and earth; 
but if it be used, the foot should be well washed the 
next morning with soap and water. In city stables, 
oil-meal and bran are commonly employed. A recent 
invention for this object is petrolatum,—a packing 
saturated with petroleum. It comes in pails which 
are sold at $1.50 apiece, and a pail will last a long 
