Management of Farm-Horses. 277 
the tact and talent of a professional man to discriminate between 
slight and dangerous disease ; for the latter often assumes symp- 
toms so masked and obscure, as to require the utmost knowledge 
and experience to detect, and the unwary, in many instances, may 
consider the animal in little danger when he may absolutely be 
in the jaws of death. Now surely if the ignorant man is incom- 
petent to treat an obscure and dangerous case, he is also unable 
to distinguish between such a case and one unattended with dan- 
ger, and yet it is he or the farmer himself that must decide on 
the character of the case, and the propriety of seeking further 
advice. The writer has known several instances in which the 
farrier has confidently foretold the recovery of the horse when 
he has absolutely been in a dying state. One instance is very 
familiar to his recollection, in which the farrier arrived post haste, 
and almost without condescending to examine into the symptoms, 
immediately put into practice his round of remedies, bleeding, 
hUstcring, rowelling, and clystering, and then resting from his 
labours in a corner of the stable, whistled complacently, and 
foretold the speedy recovery of the animal. The words had 
scarcely issued from his mouth, when the poor brute that had 
been dying all the time he had been thus needlessly tortured, 
fell forward, and with one severe struggle expired. 
The advantages in favour of compounding on the principle of 
insurance for the medical attendance of farm-horses are various : 
disease may be often prevented by early attention, dangerous dis- 
orders may be checked in the bud, and severe or incurable illness 
or lameness may thus be prevented. Medicines, with proper 
directions, may be left, so as to be administered immediately in 
sudden cases, as, for instance, in spasmodic colic ; and thus the 
interest of the farmer and the veterinary surgeon may both tend 
towards one and the same object, i.e., the prevention of disease. 
If any epidemic should break out (the horses being contracted 
for), the expense of treatment is moderate and limited, which 
is so much the better for the farmer ; and if the horses should 
continue free from disease, it is so much the better for both 
parties. 
With regard to the stabling of farm-horses, it should be com- 
fortable without being too hot, and well ventilated without being 
draughty. Means should be afforded at the upper part of the 
stable (but not just over the horses' heads) for the exit of the 
heated and impure air, and if this be done we need not trouble 
ourselves about affording inlets for the pure and cool air ; it will 
enter quickly enough we may depend on it. In addition to venti- 
lation there ought to be sufficient light afforded by means of win- 
dows, which should be made to open so as to be used in summer 
for keeping the stable cool. They should, however, be provided 
with shutters, or lattices, to exclude the light. For after horses 
