CARE OF THE TROOP HORSE. 
603 
from dry cold, though much, from wet cold. If, as in England, you do not 
get supplied with rugs (though I would recommend trying to do so some¬ 
how), clip as high as the saddle flap or trace line, and shade olf with a 
singeing lamp well up the sides and flanks, this will answer very well. 
I did so for some years and really left but little coats at all (if you 
are careful with the lamp it shows but very little), and the horses kept 
in excellent condition. No horses can do their work properly and be 
clean and well turned out that are left with their coats on, besides it 
breaks the hearts of the men who have to groom them. More than 
half the colds and coughs are caught froin undried legs and bellies, and 
from horses breaking out again and the sweat in the long hair laying 
cold on them. Now that all sensible men clip and singe as far as 
possible, colds are but rare, but you must leave the doors and windows 
open, never mind the coats staring a bit, the horses will be healthy ; if, 
however, doors and ventilators are closed and stopped up with straw, 
the horses when they go out and stand about feel the change and will 
suffer. An airy and cold stable is the best preventative against auy 
epidemic of colds, or influenza. A hot and close stable will breed any 
disease. All grooms and soldiers like hot stables. 
In concluding my remarks on grooming and stables, I must again 
draw attention to the unfailing receipt for good condition, viz. “ elbow 
grease/’ 
All horses are liable at times to surfeits, spots and, in India, to 
prickly heat. For ordinary surfeits and spots, a few days of soft food, 
no corn, and 4 ozs. of epsom salts a day, for a week, will generally 
answer. 
An excellent alterative is two parts sulphur, two parts epsom salts, 
and one part black antimony ; two tablespoon fulls evening feed for ten 
days or so. 
Prickly heat is a most troublesome disease to deal with, it generally 
breaks out about the middle of May and lasts till October. 
Horses get very itchy and fall away rapidly in condition, and unless 
tied up and care be taken, will rub themselves raw in many places, 
especially about the manes and tails. 
Nearly every remedy has been tried, and though many men have 
specifics, none appear to do very much good, especially with horses that 
have apparently got it into the system. I tried to cure myself of 
prickly heat for six weeks and failed. 
Personally I recommend : a liberal diet, avoiding gram and heating 
grain, substituting linseed and oats; keep the skin acting well and give 
a course of alterative powders as above. 
As external dressing I have seen every sort of thing tried, one 
appears to suit one case, another another. 
1 oz. of sulphur mixed in a wine bottle of linseed oil in fresh cases, 
and sometimes in old cases, appears about the best. Dress one day with 
this, the next day wash all over with soap and water. Dress again the 
third day, and so on. 
If there be raw places dress them and the manes and tails, with a 
mild solution of prussic acid and lead lotion, this allays irritation and 
heals up the raws. • 
Skin 
Diseases. 
Prickly 
Heat. 
