-^—S

KJ

&4T-K

THE

HORSE - TRAINER'S AND
SPORTSMAN'S GUIDE;

WITH ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

ON THE DUTIES OF GROOMS, ON PURCHASING BLOOD STOCK,

AND ON VETERINARY EXAMINATION.

BY DIGBY COLLINS.

LONDON :
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.

1865.

PREFACE

A brief treatise on the formation of the horse, so
far as it is of importance with regard to his action —
of training the racehorse, steeplechaser, and hunter — to-
gether with his management in health and disease — has
long since appeared to me as wanting in the sports-
man's and groom's library.

I was induced to believe that a work on this sub-
ject, published at as small a cost as possible, so as
to bring it within the reach of every stableman in the
land, might be beneficial in rooting out old and care-
fully-cherished prejudices, which have thriven with
greater luxuriance in stable management than in any
branch of industry with which I am acquainted.

I am unwilling to lay myself open to the suspicion
of wishing to claim for this work any importance as a
literary or scientific production. I have endeavoured,
in each portion of it, sedulously to avoid all technicali-
ties, and never to use two sentences where one would
sufficiently explain the matter in hand.

VI PREFACE.

It is a practical subject to which tiresome and long-
spun paragraphs would be utterly meaningless and
irrelevant.

I am encouraged, in laying this before the public, by
the conviction that my conclusions have not been
arrived at by unprofitable conjectures and high-flown
theories ; but by careful study of, and practical labours
in, each branch treated of.

Perhaps some apology may be thought necessary for
treating the veterinary portion of the subject so feebly ;
but I was less afraid of saying too little than too much,
and have endeavoured to direct the course of treatment
of diseases which would be the safest, and, if insufficient,
at any rate not injurious.

It is impossible, without going more deeply into the
veterinary art — which would have defeated the object
of this work — to explain the nature and treatment of
every disease ; and, therefore, it occurred to me that,
by setting forth as briefly as possible the nature of
some of the diseases most frequently met with, and
explaining the symptoms of each in sufficiently clear a
manner to lead to their detection and treatment —
previous to the services of a professional man being
available — I should go as far as would be prudent in
addressing the class of persons for whom this work is
intended.

It has been my endeavour to explain in every in-

PREFACE. Vll

stance 'the reason why the treatment recommended is
desirable, in order that in simple matters those persons
who may follow it may not be acting in the dark.

For the nse of trainers or the veterinary student, no
portion of this work is intended; since the one has
access to men of superior practice and information to
myself, and the other to works which treat of each
subject discussed more fully and elaborately, but
which would be at once both wearisome and unin-
telligible to the greater bulk of sportsmen and grooms.

Hugely, Staffordshire: Sept. 1865.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

PAGE

PAGE

Size

3

Race riding

65

Formation .

4

After the race

67

The head .

5

The steeplechase horse

73

The neck .

5

Action

74

Shoulders .

7

Further qualifications .

74

The chest .

9

Blood

75

Fore limbs .

9

Size ....

76

Fetlock joints

14

Breaking .

77

Pasterns

14

Riding

81

The foot .

14

The character of the steeple-

The trunk .

15

chase horse of the present

Ribs and back

17

day as compared with the

Loins .

. 19

past

82

Hind quarters

. 19

Hunters

89

The hock .

. 22

Breeding the hunter .

94

On breeding the raceh

3rse

. 24

Jumping

99

Training for the turf

. 37

Condition .

102

Training the two-year

old

. 41

Work

111

Training three and fc

ur-year

Summering the hunter

117

olds

. 49

The riding horse .

. 120

Training of five-year c

Ids and

The lady's horse

. 123

upwards .

. 49

The covert hack .

12

Quick work

. 54
CHAP'

rER i.

DISEASES (

)F NERVES.

Apoplexy .

. 128

Paralysis .

132

Tetanus — Lock-jaw

. 129

Megrims

. 132

Stringhalt .

. 132

X

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER II.
DISEASES OF THE ARTERIES AND VEINS.

PAGE

Accidents and wounds of

arteries . . . .134
Aneurism .... 136

Glanders
Farcy

CHAPTER III.
DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS.

PAGE
136

137

Common cold . . . 139

Chronic cough

144

Sore throat . . .140

Pleurisy

145

Influenza . . . . 141

Congestion of the lungs

146

Bronchitis . . . .141

Inflammation of the lungs

147

Broken wind . . .142

Roaring

149

Thick wind or high blowing 143

CHAPTER IV.
DISEASES OF THE ABDOMEN.

Inflammation of the liver

Dysentery .

Diarrhoea .

Colic ....

Gastritis

Inflammation of the womb

152
153
153
154
155
155

Inflammation of the kidneys 156
Inflammation of the bladder 157
Spasm of the bladder . . 157
Inflammation of the intestines 158
Worms . . . .158

CHAPTER V.
DISEASES OF THE EYE.

Simple inflammation
Ophthalmia

. 160
. 161

Cataract
Glass eyes .

. 162
. 163

CHAPTER VI.

DISEASES OF THE SKIN.

Grease

Cracked heels
Swelled legs
Mange

. 167
. 169
. 170
. 171

Surfeit
Warts
Saddle galls

. 172

. 173

173

CONTENTS.

XI

CHAPTER VII.
DISEASES OF THE SYNOVIAL MEMBRANES.

Bog spavin
Thorough pin

Bone spavin
Splints

PAGE

176

177

Corns .

. 184

Sanderack .

. 185

Thrush

. 186

Canker

. 187

Quittor

. 189

. 175 I Wind galls

. 176 | Capped hocks and elbows

CHAPTER VIII.

DISEASES OF BONE.

. 179 ] Ringbone .

. 182 I Ossification of the knee

CHAPTER IX.

DISEASES OF THE FOOT.

Navicular disease . .190
Founder, fever in the feet, or

laminitis . . .191

Pumiced feet . . .193

183
183

CHAPTER X.

ACCIDENTS.

Wounds from stubs,

stakes,

Strains ....

206

&c

.

. 194

Strain of the shoulder

206

Injuries to the eye

. 197

Strain of the back and loins

207

Poll evil .

. 198

Strain of the back-sinews, anc

Fistulous withers

. 199

rupture of the sheath of the

Broken knees

. 200

tendons ....

208

Fractures and dislocations

. 202

Breaking down, or rupture o:

Wounds of the foot

. 204

the suspensory ligaments .

209

Overreach .

. 205

Curb . .

210

Speedy cut .

. 206

Epidemic fever .

211

CHAPTER XI.

ADVICE TO GEOOMS.

On dishonesty, &c.

. 214

Care of clothing and saddlery

227

On driving .

. 221

The purchase of horses

232

Grooming .

. 224

Veterinary examinations

239

ON

THE THOBOUGHBEED HOBSE.

INTRODUCTION.

The Racehorse, perhaps, combines in the greatest
degree perfection of symmetry and power with grace-
fulness of action, and therefore I propose first to intro-
duce him to my readers.

To see one or two dozen three-year olds of the best
blood in the world, in blooming condition, stripping for
the great contest at Epsom, is a most impressive sight.
Vivacity and courage mark every movement of their
eyes and limbs as they lash out as if to feel their
elasticity, while the head lads cautiously remove their
neatly-made clothing.

There is something one may almost say supremely
aristocratic in their whole demeanour as they step out
of the enclosure, scarcely deigning to touch the sward,
with their talented pilots looking neatness itself.

Without entering into any details as to the history
of the present thoroughbred horse, I will merely say
that it appears to me, from the information at my dis-
posal, that we are indebted to the cross with the barb
for the fine, speedy, and high-couraged animals to be

B

2 ORIGIN AND SIZE OP

found anions: our thoroughbreds. First-class barbs
appear to have been animals standing 15h. 2in., not
very strongly built, but having fine trotting and gal-
loping action, and, moreover, possessed of indomitable
courage and endurance, but at the same time inclined
to be restive ; or, in the phraseology of old writers,
* difficult of management.' It has been asserted by
some that our thoroughbreds have been descended
from Eastern mares and horses. But there is no evi-
dence of this ; and, moreover, there certainly are two
or three gaps in the pedigree of Eclipse — that prince
of the stud-book.

But, apart from this, we have evidence that in the
early part of the seventeenth century racehorses, and
successful ones, were bred from barb stallions out of
English mares, and that such a cross invariably de-
feated both the pure-bred English, and pure-bred barb
horse. This can readily be understood from the happy
combination of the fine quality, action, and courage of
the barb, with the finer size, length, and stride of the
English mare.

There cannot be the remotest doubt that the charac-
teristics of our thoroughbred stock have very materially
changed since these days.

The fine pastures, liberal diet, and careful and judi-
cious crosses have all tended to produce the noble
thoroughbred that we sometimes see, with all the fine
size, power, and action necessary for all purposes for
which the animal horse can be required, combined
with the finest quality of his eastern ancestors.

THE RACEHORSE. 3

From this it will be, as a matter of course, utterly-
hopeless ever again to attempt to find a more fitting
sire elsewhere than is to be found anions the ranks of
our stud-horses, and equally hopeless to attempt to in-
troduce from any other lineage an animal capable of
coping successfully with them on the turf. Since their
quality must be about the same as their best rivals, and
with the addition of so much size and length, the issue
of such a contest could never be for a moment in doubt.

But were we as jealous of retaining our finest speci-
mens of thoroughbred stock — save and except in the
case of our colonies — as the Arabs were of old, we
should not have to lament that dearth of sound, power-
ful sires that now exists in nearly all parts of Great
Britain.

SIZE.

Most men have their peculiar fancies with regard to
the size of the racehorse, and will hold out for some
particular limit in the standard measure as perfection.

I am not prepared to take up either the high or the
low limit very strongly, as I have seen about as many
good little as big horses, and vice versa, on almost
every racecourse in the kingdom.

Take, for instance, the race between Stockwell and
Teddington. The one was big enough to carry the
other, yet the little one had the greatest weight, in ad-
dition to being a little amiss on the clay ; but neverthe-
less defeated his great adversary after, perhaps, one of
the most severe struggles ever witnessed. We will

B 2

4 COMPARISONS.

also take Fisherman and compare him with Blink
Bonny, and further say that he was not superior to
either Saunterer or Vedette, and a host of other mo-
derately-sized animals. We have seen how, when up
to his hocks in mud, the then pigmy Daniel O'Rourke
cut down his opponents ; how Midas bore Lord Exeter's
colours to the fore so often ; how the Flying Dutch-
man had enough to do to get the best of Hotspur ; how
Rowton, the Hero, Sweetmeat, Euclid, Venison,
Beeswing, Andover, Weathergage, Saucebox, Under-
hand, Saunterer, Blink Bonny, Vedette, St. Alban's,
Caller Ou, Tim Whiffler, the Marquis, and Macaroni
were careless of the weights they carried and the dis-
tance of ground they went over ; while Charles XII. ,
Sir Tatton Sykes, Fleur cle Lis, Hetman Platoff,
Bay Middleton, the Flying Dutchman, Voltigeur,
Stockwell, Rataplan, Surplice, Wild Dayrell, Fisher-
man, Leamington, the "par nobile fratrum, Lifeboat
and Gunboat, Buckstone, and Dictator, have shown
us about equal results. Whatever the weight may
be, however, there must be size and length somewhere,
and, in my opinion, the more size and length there is
on short legs the better.

FORMATION.

Were we to cull six out of all the horses we have
ever seen that we think most nearly approaching per-
fection, they would be Sweetmeat, St. Alban's, Saun-
terer, Fandango, Tournament, and Vedette, and we
should place them in the order named.

FORMATION. 5

I am especially fond of strong, muscular backs, loins,
and quarters, added to great length and compactness,
combined with well-moulded and short limbs. But, in
my opinion, to pick out certain points in a racehorse
and uphold them as outweighing all others, because
such and such horses may have run very successfully
with only this or that good point to recommend them,
is the height of ignorance, and shows an utter want of
careful consideration as to what constitutes the i rule '
and what the ' exception.' Unless this be determined,
all discussion on the subject will be fruitless.

That certain forms do run the best I am confident,
in spite of the hackneyed theory that ( horses run in
all forms.' But I do not deny this ; though I fearlessly
assert that in proper forms horses run most successfully,
which is surely the point at issue.

THE HEAD.

To begin with the head, I prefer a clean, blood-like
head, but do not care what the size is so long as it
is not out of proportion to the general frame ; though I
must confess to a decided objection to the small Arab
head, which is generally indicative of more cunning
and temper than is desirable.

Large, long ears I have long esteemed as a sign of
gameness, and appreciate them accordingly.

THE FECK.

To the formation of the neck I am inclined, from ex-
perience and comparisons, to attach the greatest im-

6 FORMATION OF

portance. The lower surface of the neck, or portion of the
oesophagus or gullet perceptible, — i.e. from the larynx
to the breast — cannot be too short. The distance or
length from the top of the withers to the end of the
cervical vertebras should be more than double that of
the former ; because this formation presents the smallest
possible distance for the air-pumps to work, and conse-
quently renders rapid respiration more easy. Also,
such formation is effected by the proper formation of
other portions of the frame, and more especially by
proper formation of the shoulders, — i.e. by the base of
the scapula or shoulder-blade being pushed forward,
and the apex being thrown back in a corresponding
degree. Thus the apex of the scapula, being well
inclined backwards, or thrown into the back or dorsal
vertebras, lengthens the superior surface of the neck,
while the base of the scapula and apex of humerus, or
arm-bone, being pushed forward, shortens the inferior
surface of the neck — or, in other words, lessens the
space between the breast and the larynx.

I have scarcely ever seen a good neck on a bad
animal, or a bad neck on a good one. By a good neck
I mean a strong, deep, broad neck running right into
the shoulders imperceptibly, and formed as above de-
scribed. I abhor either the weak thin ewe-necks, or
the light tapering arched peacocky roaring necks, which
indicate weakness, not only of this particular organ, but
of the whole system.

This I take to be a rule. A well-developed muscular
neck, properly formed, indicates strength, and a thin,

THE RACEHORSE. 7

and therefore badly developed, neck indicates weak-
ness.

I have often been told that a good neck should be
light, arched, long, and airy ; but in answer, all I have
to say is this : when it can be proved that a want of
muscular development constitutes a good neck, I shall
then, and not till then, alter my opinion.

SHOULDERS.

I must pass on to a point of all others the least
understood, or rather the most misunderstood, by
ninety-nine out of every hundred persons conversant
with horseflesh. Among such it is very common to
hear what are termed clean, or rather thin, weak,
knify shoulders upheld as a sine qua non of a race-
horse; though how the Sweetmeats, Blair Athols,
Fandangoes, Voltigeurs, Fishermans, Stockwells, Life-
boats, Touchstones, and numerous other notoriously
muscular-shouldered horses, go to prove the correctness
of such opinions, I am at a loss to comprehend ; and if
we are not to derive our conclusions from living horses,
from whence can they be obtained ? That the scapula
must be properly placed, — i.e., in an oblique position, I
think all must agree, though Teddington and one or
two more come in as the exceptions ; but why such
formation should be unattended by a proper covering
of muscle, is an enigma. The Touchstones can all stay,
and we never heard it stated that they were deficient
in speed ; but if any one should be tempted to make
such an assertion, the fact that Touchstone has some

8 FOKMATION OF

two hundred winners attached to his name in these
days of flying handicaps should set this question at rest
for ever. Yet almost invariably the Touchstones have
strong and muscular shoulders.

And, moreover, what can thin and light shoulders
consist of but so many bones with a paucity of
muscle to work them ?

Surely the trapezius and the antea and postea
spinatus are not useless muscles ; and, if not useless,
why should there be so great an objection to seeing
them well developed ? Without these muscles the
shoulder cannot move, for the scapula must remain
motionless. Surely, then, if they are well developed,
may we not expect quick and vigorous action ?

There is yet another point that I must not omit, and
which I consider of great importance in a racehorse,
which is the inferior extremity of the scapula, or
shoulder points. I like to see this point taper gradu-
ally, or fine down. That is, the two points of the
scapula and humerus should incline towards each other,
be well covered with muscle^ and yet narrow percep-
tibly to the eye, as you stand in front of the horse ;
and immediately behind the scapula the fifth, sixth,
seventh, and eighth ribs should appear to swell and
bulge out boldly.

This formation does not render the chest narrow, but
ensures more compact and vigorous action of the
shoulders, since the points of the bones thus converg-
ing, if properly placed, are too far forward to interfere
in any way with the capacity and formation of the chest.

THE RACEHORSE. 9

THE CHEST.

Of the chest in a racehorse I need say but little, as
the proper action of its organs depends more on the
development of the contiguous muscles than on its
own formation.

The chest should be of sufficient breadth to allow of
the proper action of the respiratory organs ; but I have
no fancy for a wide chest as you stand before the horse,
not seeing how, with such formation, the frame can be
so compact and regular as is desirable, and even neces-
sary for maintaining continued exertion.

FORE LIMBS.

In spite of continual opposition and assertions that
forelimbs have little or nothing to do with racing, I
nevertheless hold that a horse is unworthy of the name
of a racehorse which does not possess properly-formed
fore legs.

That a horse cannot race in good company with
badly-formed fore legs, I will not attempt to prove, for
the simple reason that I do not wish to offer decided
opinions on what must be a great uncertainty, depend-
ent on the nature of a particular course, &c. I do say,
however, that I never yet saw such animals bring any-
thing but disappointment and vexation on their deluded
owners and trainers.

Pray watch the next racehorse you may chance to
see in his gallop still more closely. See how, when
fresh and well, the good fore legged horse sends out his

10 FORMATION OF

limbs like darts from the shoulder points, and how the
elasticity of the tendons bears the concussion harm-
lessly. Then look at a bad legged one. Here he
comes stumping along, keeping his action as if in
bonds, and evidently chary of letting his limbs get too
far ahead of him. And why ? Because he feels his
weakness, that the muscles and tendons are unable to
perform their duties as they should. Never shall I
forget gazing at Saunterer's sweeping, straight, and
grand action, as he cantered down previous to running
third in the Cambridgeshire under the unprecedented
impost of 8st. 121b. Where, I thought, can such
wonderful powers lay ? At a distance, and looking at
the whole animal, he seemed somewhat mean ; so I
waited patiently until he appeared on the Suffolk side
of the Cambridge Road, and right well was my patience
rewarded and my curiosity gratified. Where does it
lie ? that was the question. After scanning him from
head to foot, from shoulder to tail, the result was this
question, Where does it not lie ? It is true that he
was not big anywhere, but so truly balanced was his
whole frame, that it looked like working at any rapidity
and for any length of time !

I was satisfied and went my way, still worshipping
* formation ' as something real after all, and with in-
creased devotedness.

I have somewhat wandered from the dry formation
details, though I think every one likely to be a reader
of such very practical sentences must have justly
settled what the true formation of a racehorse's fore leer

THE RACEHORSE. 11

should be. Imprimis, the arms should be broad and
flat as you look at them sideways ; the muscles going
full into the knees. The legs should stand in a per-
fectly perpendicular position, — i.e. the elbows should
be in a direct line with the stifle joints, and neither
point inside nor outside the hind legs ; if the former,
the action will be jarring, stilty, and weak, owing to
the concussion being more direct ; and if the latter, it
will be sprawling and ineffective.

Thus, if I were to choose between the out or in-
elbowed racehorse, I should manifestly choose the
latter as being the best adapted for racing, but never-
theless very far from being what is desirable. Were
I called on to mention the best les^ed racehorse I ever
saw, that one would be far and away Sweetmeat by
Gladiator, my especial favourite.

From the knee downwards it is simple enough;
since it is chiefly composed of tendons, it stands to
reason that the space between the knee and the fet-
lock joint cannot be too short nor too broad; and
above all, the tendons should appear to enter the
posterior portion of the knee boldly. That I may
better explain my meaning — as you look at the leg
sideways, as a whole, it should not appear as if the leg
were made up of so many different joints, but present
a beautiful and gradual tapering all the way from the
elbow to the fetlock joint.

If there appear — even to the casual observer —
various indentations and abrupt lines, then there is an
undue contraction of the muscles or tendons somewhere,

12 A CAUTION.

as the case may be, and consequently their powers will
be diminished. Once more let me advise the inex-
perienced to look at the whole fore leg, and not at parts
and parcels of it, which are very apt to deceive them ;
inasmuch as they hardly know what fault to find, and
if they feel the leg cool and hard conclude that they
possess a valuable wearing animal. Alas! once round
the Ascot course would very soon undeceive them.
What secrets, what stable truths, has not this royal
course revealed ! How many owners are yearly curs-
ing their luck, and yet how few profit by such unto-
ward circumstances ! Surely ' experientia docet ' was
only meant to be quoted in irony !

What is meant by an infirm horse but a bad fore
legged one in ninety-nine cases out of every hundred ?
A naturally infirm horse, — i.e. one with improperly-
formed fore legs, can never pull satisfactorily through a
long course when the pace is good ; though a good
legged horse which has become infirm from over
exertion may do so, when carefully patched up ; though
I confess I am dead against the experiment. If, then,
there be any truth in these statements, do they not go
to prove that, unless a horse has good fore legs to begin
with, a man had better throw his money over a bridge
than become the possessor of him, however many good
points he may have, and, however well the stable may
speak of his home performances. Keep him at exer-
cise, with his tendons at a gentle tension, and all may be
well, and he may show great speed and promise ; but
begin to try a weakly strung bow with your fullest

A CASE IN POINT. 13

force, and the tale is told. The brute will become
more infirm every day ; though his owner may and
often does wonder at such an untoward result.' He
finally breaks down after having been first favourite
for at least half-a-dozen good stakes, and never even
having won a bad one, — and the next you see of the
brute is perchance at a country market town, and ask,
though not for information, but for the sake of some-
thing to say, ' how he broke down ? ' and you are
immediately told with admirable candour, ( Struck 'is
leg h 'exercising one mornin' ; ' and, pointing at the
manifest decrepitude, ( that lost he the Derby, that did ! '
With such men argument is fruitless. Accuracy of
formation is nothing to them : indeed I fancy that
they harbour a sort of jealousy towards good formation
and manners in the animal horse, being blessed with so
little of either themselves !

Having said thus much on the formation of the fore
leg, I will only add in conclusion, that a calf-kneed
horse, or as the dealers have it c back at the knees,'
must be avoided most carefully for racing purposes,
however well-proportioned the leg may otherwise be,
since the strain on the tendons must be too severe to
be long endured without serious consequences. On
the other hand a horse rather s over at the knees,' if
naturally so (and by natural — I mean natural con-
traction of the tendons, and not contraction consequent
on inflammation), will be able to undergo a more severe
tension, and therefore it is that such formed legs in-
variably wear the longest.

14 FORMATION OF

FETLOCK JOINTS.

It is necessary that great attention be paid to the
formation of this joint, badly-formed joints being the
curse of many otherwise good racehorses.

First examine the joint laterally; the suspensory
ligament should appear to go right unto the bone,
clearly and well defined; the joint itself should be
somewhat flat at the sides and posterior surface, but
nicely rounded in front. The bones should feel clear
and distinct, or what is termed clean, — i.e., free from
all synovial or osseous enlargements.

PASTERNS.

The pasterns should be large, long, oblique, and
not upright ; which is occasioned by undue contraction
of the flexor pedis perforans, which must consequently
destroy that elasticity of action so essential to the
success of a racehorse. If the pasterns are short, they
indicate a want of speed, and tax both foot and leg
unduly, and should therefore be avoided even if well-
shaped otherwise. I recollect making a memorandum
of some thirty thoroughbreds whose legs had given
way, and the result was that twenty-eight out of the
thirty had short pasterns.

THE FOOT.

The foot in a racehorse may not be of so much im-
portance as in general purpose horses ; but neverthe-
less, I have seen more than one race lost by weakness
in this organ on hard ground.

THE RACEHORSE. 15

The foot should be high at the heels, and indeed
tolerably high all over ; very concave underneath, and
tolerably wide at the bars ; for if not wide at the bars
the frog cannot be well developed, and is more liable
to disease, on account of which the chief support —
indeed, the greatest protector attached to the action
of the foot — is lost. The frog, being so elastic and yet
firm, is capable of resisting the most terrible shock,
and without injury to the foot. In examining the foot
great care should be taken that there is no swelling
nor enlargement on the coronet, and that the horn
be of a healthy colour, and of an even regular form ;
if rings are evident, of a sort of dirty reddish hue,
disease has been going on, and most probably an odd
foot will be the consequence.

This has very frequently been the weak point in
many of the Orlandos, good and racing like as they
nearly all are. That grand mare, Melissa, used fairly
to pick her way, avoiding every stone in the road
about as carefully as an old maid's cat shrinks from the
trap-like puddles in her path.

On a flat or slightly uphill course, a bad footed horse
may run successfully, but when he is called upon to go
down a steep pitch at the top of his foot on tolerably
hard ground, nothing but sheer gameness can enable
him to persevere.

THE TRUXK.

Great importance is generally attached to what
is termed great depth of girth. Indeed, I have fre-

16 CASES IN POINT.

quently been told that unless a horse be six feet and
more, he cannot be considered a Derby or Leger
horse. Yet how strangely did Tecldington, who was
nearer five feet six inches than six feet when he won
the Derby, upset this theory ! How also did Sweet-
meat, Fandango, St. Alban's, and Saunterer, with
comparatively light girths, support this theory !

But let us look into the formation of the girths,
or true ribs, and ascertain how a very deep girth does
or does not constitute strength. First then, in passing
the tape behind the withers, and judging of the mea-
surement, you should remark of what the measure-
ment be composed. Should the true ribs be flat and
deep, like those of some greyhounds, with an exag-
gerated development of the pectoralis magnus (as is
often the case with such formation) no great object will
be obtained.

Rather see that the horse has a properly formed
girth, for the tape passes over muscles (serratus mag-
nus) that alone extend and draw forward and outward
the ribs that expand the chest, that move the shoulder
blade in action (latissimus dorsi), that retract the
humerus and brace the muscles of the back (pectoralis
magnus), that aid the muscles of the haunch in
propelling the body. It will thus be seen that great
development of these muscles, or as the jockeys term
it " thickness between the knees," is a great sign of
strength of wind and limb. I know from repeated trials
that this latter formation will not measure so much as
the former. It was only the other day that I measured

FORMATION. 17

two thoroughbred hunters in the same stable, that
fully exemplified this. One measured 5ft. 9in., the
other 6ft. 1 Jin., both being in a fine condition. The
former had more muscle, was thicker through, seemed
up to more weight, and I was informed could stay-
longer than the latter.

Thus I conclude that these measurements, without
proper formation and proper development of the lateral
muscles, is utterly useless and inconclusive.

RIBS AND BACK.

The false ribs, or as they are more frequently termed
back ribs, in a true made horse will form a beautiful and
gradual decline from the girth. As you stand before
the horse, the back ribs should not appear to swell out,
which the jockeys justly call f swill bellied.'

It may seem somewhat strange that I should speak
of the back and ribs together ; but they are, on in-
vestigation, so mixed up with each other, that separately
their powers of action could not be described.

Between each rib, externally and internally, there
are very powerful muscles (called intercostals) in con-
nection with the diaphragm internally, and externally
with the whole muscular formation of the back. The
internal and external muscles of the ribs are most
beautifully formed for action — their fibres running in
adverse directions or crossing each other, which gives
additional strength to their united action, which is to
contract or draw closer the ribs, and thus acting in
direct connection with the diaphragm — a muscle that

c

18 PECULIARITIES OF

extends from the chest to the termination of the loins
by distinct fleshy fibres — the viscera are forced back-
wards, and inspiration is performed. The muscles of
the abdomen then contract, and converging the ribs,
push back the diaphragm, and expel the inspired air
from the lungs. It will now be understood that jockeys
and trainers dislike what they term ( a spare rib,' with
some reason; as it shows a want of development of
muscles which act on the respiratory organs, and con-
sequently any deficiency here must gradually exhibit in-
ability to perform extraordinary exertions satisfactorily.

The huge muscle along the dorsal vertebras or back-
bone (latissimus dorsi), which is generally so conspicu-
ous in the Touchstones and some of the Birdcatchers, is
of importance, inasmuch as it is connected with the
muscles of the loins, &c, bracing all the muscles of the
back, as well as aiding in working the humerus. The
proper formation of the loins is great width. The
muscles of the loins being spread over the hind quarters
are necessarily of the utmost importance ; more especi-
ally in carrying weights, going uphill, or indeed in
performing any extraordinary exertion. We must
conclude, therefore, that a racehorse cannot be cursed
with a worse defect than a want of sufficient muscular
development in the back, and I think that living horses
bear me out in this opinion ; the two best-backed race-
horses of these days having been the best performers
— St. Alban's and Saunterer.

A roach-backed horse I hate most cordially, notwith-
standing that some assert that it is a sure sign of
strength.

FORMATION. 19

I am, however, of opinion that it is a sure sign of
cramped action, and consequently weakness. I never
saw one of this formation that did not stretch out his
neck and go blundering along over-reaching, most fre-
quently tumbling on his knees and head, and not always
ending there, without apparent cause. Such horses, how-
ever, stand, as the dealers say, e all of a 'eap,' which
most truly represents the badness of such formation.

I do not at all dislike a rather hollow-backed horse ;
they are nice to sit on, and many racehorses have
proved that they can run well with this formation, of
which, perhaps, Glencoe was the most remarkable ex-
ample.

The back in a racehorse should be long, broad, and
rather straight ; but if slightly hollow it should not be
objected to.

LOINS.

The loins in a racehorse should be very broad and
well rounded, or curved slightly. Most of the best
horses have been thus formed, and, perhaps, this point
being thus exaggerated enabled Saunterer to climb
the hill for the Cambridgeshire so successfully.

The bones of the loins should be broad for manifest
reasons ; for, in proportion as is the length of the spin-
ous processes, so is the extent exposed for the insertion
of the muscles and tendons.

HIND QUARTERS.

The hind quarters are, indeed, worthy of a great
deal of study, both as to the structure and action of

c 2

20 PECULIARITIES OF

the principal muscles. In the first place, then, the
hips should be wide though not ragged, and square,
which proves that there is a grievous defect in the de-
velopment of the gluteus muscles. Nevertheless, such
formation is frequently met with in strong, dashing
goers and great fencers, though very seldom in suc-
cessful racehorses. Such hips, however, are generally
wide and long, and therefore present an immense sur-
face for insertion of the muscles ; so that, if there be a
paucity of development of muscle, there is neverthe-
less, also, an extended space for their action ; therefore,
although ragged hips are not, generally speaking,
characteristic of great racing properties, they should
not be condemned too hastily.

From the hip-bone to the setting on of the tail the
length should be considerable, though the structure
should never be level, or what jockeys term ' peacocky '
and 'high, setting on of the tail.' Most first-class
horses, both on the flat and across country, have their
tails set on low, with long and wide quarters — almost
approaching what racing men term ' mean quartered,'
from the circumstance, I believe, that most butchers'
horses with such quarters are celebrated as trotters.

Possibly the two most remarkable instances of the
extremes of this formation are Mr. J. Anson's two
very successful mares, the Oaks and Derby, and the
St. Leger victors, Blink Bonny and Caller Ou.

Still it must not be forgotten that there is no other
reason, anatomically speaking, for condemning straight
quarters, than that the angles being less, the hind

FORMATION. 2i

legs are generally placed too far behind them in
consequence.

From the tail to the thighs powerful muscles for
locomotion are passed. The posterior muscle of the
quarters is called the rotator tibialis, and, as its name
implies, it rotates the tibia; the bone between the
hock and thigh, or indeed what is generally termed the
thigh. Next to this comes the most powerful muscle
of all, the adductor femoris ; it is easily distinguished
from the preceding by the indentation or line called by
grooms the ( quarter mark,' which is very evident in all
horses in racing condition.

As these muscles are the most powerful agents in
moving the hind limbs, it stands to reason that they
should not only be large, but long, that there may be
greater leverage.

A line drawn from the round bone and stifle joint
should fall immediately on the centre of the loins.
From the stifle to the hock the distance cannot reason-
ably be too great, nor the muscles too large, for there are
not so powerful agents in the whole muscular system as
the anterior and posterior muscles of the thigh. They
are known to the anatomist as the i gastrocnemii,' and
almost in proportion to their development is the pro-
pelling power of the horse, great or small. I thought
in 1858, that Arsenal's quarters and thighs were about
as near perfection as possible.

It would seem, therefore, that a racehorse with thin
and weak thighs or gaskins would be an utter anomaly,
at least anatomically speaking ; and practically I have

22 FORMATION.

seen no reason for altering the verdict, since not one
first-class horse can I call to mind with this defect.

In spite of tins, one frequently sees people who
ought to be good judges overlooking this point in toto,
and having to pay pretty dearly for their carelessness
in consequence.

THE HOCK.

Scarcely less important than the thigh is the
hock ; for by reason of malformation and consequent
weakness in this part, the muscles of the thigh will be
deprived of the force of their action, or at any rate
they will have to perform their action with unsatisfac-
tory and feeble results.

The calcis or point of the hock should be a consider-
able distance from the other bones of the hock, inasmuch
as the power of action or length of leverage of the
tendons will be in exact proportion to the distance ;
therefore, to come to the point, the hock should be very
broad as you look at it sideways. The hock should
taper gradually into the shank, and not present a tied or
wasted appearance at its inferior extremity. The hock
should be free from all fleshiness between the calcis
and the other bones, as well as behind and below the
calcis. I have seen horses with rather full hocks (I
neither talk of thorough-pins nor curbs) that always
go sound and well ; but still I have never found them
to be remarkable as jumpers or stayers. Indeed, such
formation must arise either from inherent weakness in,
or incipient inflammation of the bursae of the joints or
ligaments, as the case may be. I am quite indifferent

ILLUSTRATIVE SPECIMENS. 23

about the shape of the hock, — i.e. whether it be ( sickle-
shaped,' as it is commonly termed, or ' straight ' ; but
I think the greatest number of wearing powerful hocks
that have come under my notice are rather straight
than otherwise. Perhaps the most remarkable instance
of this formation known to the public was ( Cassio,' a
celebrated hunter which was knocked down for 640
guineas, to Mr. Joseph Anderson, at the Wynnstay
sale in 1858. There was also a similar peculiarity in
The Huntsman's hocks — that wonderful weight-carry-
ing steeplechase horse by Tupsley ; most of the Hark-
away's have it to a very remarkable degree, and very
wearing and* good they are in this point as a general
rule.

I have now gone through briefly the formation of
the horse connected with the muscular action as deter-
mined by anatomy, and when practicable, illustrated
by living specimens, that the force of my theories may
be more easily comprehended. I must here, however,
state that my conclusions are, that although horses
may run well, follow hounds well, and perform other
offices satisfactorily, though not shaped in accordance
with my theories, I am convinced that horses so shaped
seldom belie their looks.

I know of few instances where it has been in the
power of any one man to test the superiority of certain
formations in the racehorse ; but this fell to the lot of
one man well worthy of the opportunity. I allude to
' Lord George Bentinck,' that Prince of the Turf, who

24 BREEDING.

was amongst the first to reduce horse-racing to a
science.

He was anxious to test the superiority (for of this
he had been convinced) of horses with arched knees ;
and to effect this he tried several horses over different
courses, and the result Avas that on level and inclined
courses there was no perceptible difference ; but over
up-hill courses their superiority was most marked.

Otf BREEDING THE RACEHORSE.

What sort of animal, asks every breeder, am I to
choose to ensure successful produce on the turf? This
must depend entirely on the description of course over
which your produce will have to race.

If they will have to run principally in flying handi-
caps (which pay as well as anything in these days) and
are not expected to be sufficiently good for the Derby,
Oaks, and Leger; or, Doncaster, Goodwood, Chester,
and Ascot Cups, then mere formation must be thrown
to the winds, and the character of the blood be care-
fully weighed. But if the desired formation with the
desired blood can be obtained, then you may be sure
that, barring accidents, the produce will be a race-
horse ; but the one will never do without the other, nor
the other without the one. The breeder must only
estimate good looks and formation for just so much as
they are worth. The folly of going for looks alone in
breeding hunters has been the cause of so many sad
disappointments that one wonders people do not turn

SELECTION OF BLOOD. 25

over a new leaf. But the folly of it in breeding race-
horses is so transparent that it is nothing short of mad-
ness to neglect that all important point, character of
the blood. Without diving into the annals of the stud
book to reproduce the celebrated stout and equally
celebrated speedy sires, I will merely add that the
produce of Bay Middleton, Birdcatcher, Harkaway,
Sweetmeat, and Orlando, all have a fine turn of speed;
while Voltaire, Venison, Emilius, Touchstone, and
Melbourne appear to like a distance better. Thus if
speed and stoutness be aimed at, a judicious combina-
tion of these bloods must be tried : but if speed alone
be desired, the former strains of blood should be closely
adhered to. I am persuaded, however, that a combi-
nation will pay the breeder better ; for it will not do in
these days that a racehorse be able merely to stay at
his best pace for some three or four miles ; but he must
be possessed of a fine turn of speed as well, or he
never can be anything but a second-rate horse. A
very interesting and brief letter appeared in the Sport-
ing Gazette a few days since under the signature of
( Philippos,' which so nearly embodies my opinions on
the results of breeding from certain strains that I can-
not do better than quote it. It runs thus : — ( As you
appear to encourage discussion in your columns on the
subject of crosses in breeding, I venture to mention a
few instances of successful " hits " which have occurred
to my mind at different times. Now, in the first place,
that the Sultan and Birdcatcher blood combine suc-
cessfully we have two notable instances in the cases of

26 SUCCESSFUL 'HITS.'

Stockwell and Saunterer. The dams of both are by
sons of Sultan, viz., Glencoe and Bay Middle ton, and
whilst Saunterer is by Birdcatcher himself, Stockwell,
as all the world knows, is by the Baron, one of Bird-
catcher's most illustrious sons. And if we wished to
o-o still further into their affinity we need not dip deep
to discover that Ennui's great grandsire Woful, and
Pocahontas's great granddam Web, are own brother
and sister. The blood of Sultan, and son too, seems
to have harmonised well as the latter's two sons, Tad-
mor and Wild Dayrell, taking Tadmor's dam Palmyra
being by Sultan, whilst Ellen Middleton owes her
patronymic to her sire, Bay Middleton.

' Again, Melbourne and Touchstone have crossed
very successfully, West Australian to wit by Melbourne
out of Mowerina by Touchstone, and Blanche of
Middlebie, that beau ideal of brood mares, by Mel-
bourne out of Phryne by Touchstone ; whilst by sons
of Touchstone out of Melbourne mares we get the
first and third horses in this year's Leger, viz., Lord
Clifden by Newminster out of the Slave by Melbourne,
and Borealis by the same horse out of Blink Bonny
by Melbourne ; and to another of Touchstone's sons
Orlando, that famous Melbourne mare Canezou, is in-
debted for Fazzoletto, the winner of the Two Thousand
Guineas and other races. Nor will it be difficult to
predict an equally brilliant future for her this year's
produce by Newminster, now a foal in Lord Derby's
possession. Pantaloon also and Camel do not seem to
try conclusions vainly, as we find the Libel was got by

YOUNG MARES PREFERRED. 27

Pantaloon out of Pasquinade by Camel; whilst from
the loins of Camel's son, Touchstone, sprang Lord of
the Isles out of Fair Helen by Pantaloon ; and reverse
the parentage, and Ave get Windhound, Hobbie Noble,
Elthiron, &c., by Pantaloon, out of the Touchstone
mare Phryne.

6 Alarm, Elcot, and Caractacus tell us how well the
Venison blood has suited the Defence mares.

f In fact the examples of successful coincidences in
breeding might be multiplied till they wearied my pen,
and more than exhausted your readers.'

Young mares are to be preferred for many reasons
to old ones. First and foremost they can adapt them-
selves better to change of food and temperature, but
all thoroughbred stock must have corn and good food.
They have been accustomed to it since they were
foaled, and therefore their circulative organs require
such treatment in a moderate degree, if they are to
withstand the searching rains and piercing winds sub
Jove frigido from October to April. In this climate
the change from heat to cold, combined with damp
atmosphere, are so great and so frequent that mo-
derately good living is indispensable to health and
stamina ; and most of the dangers during the process
of foaling are due to the feeble action of debilitated
organs, not to mention a host of cutaneous diseases
which may be traced to similar causes.

Nevertheless a caution may not be out of place in
certain seasons of the year, when the grass is too luxu-
riant and mares fatten and eat too much, thereby

28 TREATMENT

frequently contracting plethora and inflammation of
the bladder. I mean the autumn, when the foal has
been weaned and the udder has not ceased secreting
milk. At this period a poor pasture with plenty of
clean water at hand, should be chosen. Some breeders
are particularly favoured by having within their boun-
daries some moor land, which is particularly useful for
all breeding animals at this season of the year.

It may be objected, and often is, that there can be
no necessity for exposing the mare to cold and low
diet, and that it is merely a false economy ; but to any
one really conversant with the generative system, such
arguments will appear utterly opposed to reason.

A mare cannot be kept too cool either internally or
externally. Anything that tends to increase excite-
ment of the general system must in like ratio tend to
lessen the chance of generation. Still it must not be
understood that keeping a mare cool is half-starving
her and exposing her to every inclement season without
shelter ; for this would be equally prejudicial, by causing
great debility, which would most likely terminate in
death both of the mare and her offspring, or, at least,
render the constitution of both feeble for life : or, what
is more common, the mare might contract a chill on the
kidneys, producing violent inflammation of this and
contiguous organs, the result of which would be equally
fatal. Therefore, though the food should be of a
cooling description, it should, at the same time, be
good and nourishing ; it should sustain the system, and
keep up animal heat without creating anything like

OF BROOD MAKES. 29

plethora. It should consist of good sweet hay, carrots,
oats, peas, or beans, with bran or the like. But for
mares, and indeed all horses exposed to the changes of
atmosphere, I consider peas or beans and bran the best
and most wholesome food. Of which two quarterns
per day with a quartern of bran will be ample, com-
mencing on November 1, and ending May 1.

The mare will thus be kept in fair condition, and
should any untoward event present itself — such as
slipping her foal, inflammation of the womb or udder —
she will have sufficient stamina to contend with either
the one or the other, with reasonable hopes of a favour-
able result, and will thus lessen the greatest risks of
horse-breeding.

I consider that a good roomy shed with the east,
north, and west sides well secured from wet and
cold winds, affords ample shelter for both mares and
foals.

Where there is convenience for bringing in every
mare to a comfortable loose box every night, it should,
no doubt, be adopted ; though I am confident it is
unnecessary, and greatly adds to the expense.

One thing, however, is indispensable, and that is, that
each mare be tied up to consume her food morning and
evening, or some will be sure to fare better than others.

One man can look after and feed twenty-five mares
without help, if kept in the ordinary way, but when
each mare is to be brought home separately, half this
number would be as many as he could attend to
properly.

30 TABULAR STATEMENT.

Thus the cost of attendance at 14s. per

week would he per head . . .1

2

0

24 hush els of heans at os. . . .6

0

0

4 cwfc. of hran 1

8

0

2 acres of grass at 80s 3

0

0

Hay chaff, half ton 2

5

0

Straw chaff, half ton . . . .1

5

0

15

0

0

Thus it will be seen that with liberal diet a mare
may be kept in the ordinary way for the sum of 15/.
per annum inclusive of good attendance.

The cost of foals will be nearly the same until they
enter the training stable, and I consider from experi-
ence that about 307. will clear both the mare and foal's
expenses through the twelve months ; and if we take
25 guineas as the average charge for the use of first-
class stallions, we shall have a total of 551. on the year-
ling's head at the time he is offered for sale or enters
the training stable.

It is commonly asserted that to render breeding
remunerative, yearlings should average at least lOOgs.
per head ; still I think breeders might justly be content
with some 251. per head under this, unless the mares
had been very high priced indeed.

The public, however, are very variable in matters of
horse-flesh, and unless certain strains become fashion-
able, very low prices are obtained. It should always
be remembered that although no animal commands so
high a price as the thorough-bred colt if of high cha-
racter, no animal is so valueless as the reverse. There-
fore it stands to reason that a breeder must go for

JUDGMENT OF THE FRENCH. 31

first-rate blood in both stallion and mare, or else leave
breeding alone altogether. The market never flags
( thanks to foreigners) for really good animals, and the
latter have become such good judges that they will not
only have blood and performances, but great size and
power in addition, for their money.

Indeed, it appears to me that Frenchmen go more
for a class of animal we should think best adapted for
steeplechasing, if one is to judge by their stables, the
prominent in which has been Cosmopolite, by Lanercost
(who should have been left entire but for his light
neck), than whom we have many a worse 2000/. custo-
mer at the stud.

It is far from improbable that ere long we shall have
reason to wish we had gone on the same principles.

Thus it seems that size and power do represent money
value after all. At any sale of yearlings the great
upstanding furnished animals always make the most
money, unless there chance to be a remarkably fashion-
ably-bred one among the smaller division.

There are certain defects which I should not be
inclined to pass over in either horse or mare, but if
especially partial to either a mare or stallion with a
serious defect, I should endeavour to counteract it to
the best of my ability.

Many good horses have crooked fore legs, toes pointed
out or in, &c, but in either case I should pause before
breeding from such animals ; but if determined to do so,
I should look far and wide for the best and straightest
legged partner I could find.

32 GOOD RACEHORSES SOMETIMES BAD SIRES.

Thus the failing might be modified in the progeny,
and a racehorse might be the result ; but if careless on
this point the offspring might, and most likely would,
be well-niffh deformed and useless.

o — -

I utterly deprecate the system so ruinously adopted
by many, of breeding from animals merely because
they were good. If we consider the essential qualifi-
cations of a racehorse, we must see that an animal
may be extraordinarily gifted in certain peculiarities :
as temper, handiness, immense nervous action, and in-
domitable courage. These then may, and often do,
outweigh some grievous defects in conformation; but
unless we can be sure of such peculiarities being
handed down to their progeny in equal ratio, we ought
not to regard them more highly than their worth.

For this reason, I say that Bay Middleton and the
Flying Dutchman, &c, have proved decided failures
at the stud ; yet no one will deny, I imagine, that they
themselves were quite unsurpassed as racehorses.

To sum up then, I like a very long, low, and rather
loosely built mare, in opposition to a compact closely
ribbed up animal. They generally throw finer and
more racing like foals, although Crucifix and Beeswing
come in as the exceptions.

This is the only point on which I think the stallion
should differ from the mare. He cannot be too com-
pactly set, so long as he has freedom and length.

February is the best time to put the mare to the
horse ; and if only just out of training, she should
have a dose of physic and cooling diet ; and if then she

ON GENERATION. 33

shows no symptoms of being stinted, a few quarts of
blood as a last resource should be taken.

She should on no account be allowed to see the
horse again under three weeks, for I am convinced
that many mares are rendered barren from the foolish
notion of allowing the mare to see the stallion fre-
quently, to ascertain whether she be really stinted.
Some animals get so irritated by such excitement, that
they rarely prove in foal.

The food should be cooling for another ten weeks from
this point, when the sooner the mare is put to grass the
better. Of all things it is desirable to avoid cooping
mares up in sheds and yards in the day-time. Exercise
is always necessary for the proper function of the
digestive organs, and not more than six mares should
be put together in one field, which should consist of at
least ten acres.

Nothing renders animals so liable to mange, dropsy,
water farcy, worms, &c, as a want of sufficient space
for exercise. The secretions of the whole system be-
come morbid, or, at best, enfeebled and inactive;
which state of things is not very likely to render
the process of foaling, when the time comes, more
easy.

If any symptoms of the kind are apparent, rub the
body with a mixture of sulphur and oil of turpentine,
and give internally linseed gruel with half a drachm of
iodide of potassium daily to increase the action of the
absorbents, and continue this for a week. The mare
cannot be left too much to herself when foaling,

D

34 CAKE NECESSARY.

taking care that no dangerous place is at hand, such as a
deep muddy ditch, pit, or the like ; for to such places
mares invariably turn when their labours commence.
Immediately after foaling the mare should be removed,
together with the foal, to a well-littered roomy box,
and have moist bran and beans, with a large supply of
water always at hand, and all other liberal, but not
heating diet. If the mare should be very weak, there
is no better food than bean flour, linseed gruel, and old
ale, given warm. If she prove an indifferent milker,
which can be readily ascertained by the colt not filling
himself, the best new milk should be given after the
foal has dried its dam, and a soda water bottle will
prove the most convenient feeder for this purpose.

After a little perseverance, a colt will drink milk as
fast as a calf, and the future of a colt need in no way
be despaired of, either because it had a bad mother or
even if its mother die. The very names of Cade,
Milksop, and last and not least the gallant little Sauce-
box, almost make one wish many a colt were mother-
less ! But, whether with a mother or without, the foal
must have sufficient nourishment, or it will never come
to early maturity ; and I cannot deprecate the absurd
notion too strongly, that a colt should be left to itself.
Left to itself, forsooth, when it represents a debt to us
of something like 40/., putting aside the loss of an
object of one's wishes for the last twelve months !

Still, monstrous as this may seem, we daily hear men
give vent to such a pitiable and imbecile thesis. Indeed,
I am acquainted with one gentleman who goes to the

ILLUSTRATIVE ANECDOTE. 35

expense of procuring some of the stoutest and best
bred mares, and breeding rare animals, which are
fatted on rich pastures till November, starved on litter
till the following April (if they live so long),* then
fatted again, and so on until another year ; and if they
survive such treatment, are sold at five or six years old
at no very great size or price, as may well be imagined.
Yet the whole object of this gentleman's life is that of
breeding blood stock — merely to starve them !

On remonstrating with him one day, he replied that
( It made them harder ; at least, such as lived had done
great things, and earned the character of being tough,
wearing animals in every instance,' forgetting to add
that for every one that lived through such treatment,
three died ; and that if an animal did live through it,
he must of necessity have an iron constitution, and
consequently would, under any circumstances, have
proved equally good and sound, with the advantage of
greater size. I tried to persuade him that nourishment
tends to the formation of bone and muscle ; want of it,
emaciation and death. I might as well have endea-
voured to persuade Mr. Lincoln that his slave emanci-
pation Act was the act of a madman.

It is always true that no people are so obstinate in
their theories as those who have neither reason nor
facts to back them. Still, in these days of enlighten-
ment one is astonished to witness such things. Colts
should be weaned early in October and turned into a
good fat piece of clover for another six or eight days ;
at the expiration of which they will have gained flesh,

D 2

36 VALUE OF CONDITION.

and be ready for a feed, both morning and evening, of
some finely-crushed beans, bran, and hay chaff, in some
home paddocks, on which there should be a good bite
of grass.

If the colts can be conveniently separated from the
fillies at this period, the condition of both will be ma-
terially improved thereby.

Colts intended for geldings should be castrated in
April or the end of May, after which operation they
should have one hour's walking exercise per day to
prevent swelling and inflammation, and great care
should be taken that no heating food be given at this
period. Bran mashes and a little hay will be the most
proper food for the week following the operation, after
which, if the operation have been properly performed,
the colt may be put to grass again.

The making up process will now begin in real ear-
nest, for buyers like to see a big sleek-looking yearling
inasmuch as it gives evidence of his having suffered
from no serious illness up to tins time ; and very fre-
quently are yearlings left unsold or absolutely begged,
which give evidence, by the poverty of their condi-
tion, of having been afflicted with mange, worms, in-
fluenza, &c.

Therefore no means should be neglected to furnish
their frames. Corn, linseed, beans, peas, Indian corn,
or all mixed up together, and as much of them as they
will eat, should be allowed ; in addition to which they
should be well dressed over, morning and evening,
which will not only make them put on flesh the faster,

PRINCIFLES OF TRAINING. 37

but render them more healthy, and will consequently
render the trainer's task a much easier one. No one
but a practical man can imagine the anxiety and
trouble attending the conditioning of a half-starved
light-fleshed yearling. Some drugs must be used in
addition to good food for many months, and then you
only get an artificial soft brute, incapable of undergoing
any real work. And in these days, when trainers have
so much on their hands, it is doubly necessary that, so
far as is practicable, yearlings should be properly pre-
pared for them, previous to being consigned to their
charge.

TRAINING FOR THE TURF.

In training for the Turf, the great object to be at-
tained is the least amount of bulk combined with the
greatest amount of muscular action, or, in other words,
to reduce the system from a dropsical habit, softness of
muscle, and consequent incapacity for severe action, to
an active and healthy tone, as well as to increased
vascularity of the whole muscular system ; which will
produce the required increase of strength, activity,
and stamina usually designated by the simple word
condition.

Having thus briefly explained the first principles
and the objects in view, I will proceed to show how this
condition is to be brought about.

In the first place, too great caution cannot be given
as to too great anxiety in attaining this object, or what
trainers term i hurrying.' Consider what a change you

38 PATIENCE NECESSARY.

have to effect — the change of the whole cumulative
organs, the secretions, absorbents, as well as the whole
muscular and nervous system ! Amongst the many
difficulties you will be sure to encounter, let ' nil des-
perandum' be your motto. Commence your work
slowly but surely — use gentle means — and to use Dr.
Abernethy's words, don't begin 'by bullying your
(horse's) guts into order.' It is true that I have wit-
nessed two or three animals reduced in about three
weeks from a state of Aldermanic obesity to fair con-
dition for a country flat race. But in this, great care
and experience was required, repeated stoppages in
work, counteraction of nervous depression, and loss of
appetite by means of tonics, &c, which is a course of
treatment never to be recommended, I may say, always
to be avoided, if possible.

As surely as a political revolution upsets the entire
organisation of a state, so does a rapid revolution from
obesity to condition upset and unduly stimulate the
whole nervous system of the horse. In the first place,
you must study the constitution of your horse very
closely, and if you are not very gifted in that desirable
faculty, ( diagnosis,' don't satisfy yourself too rapidly
on the subject.

If you have ten horses in training and treat all of
them in the same way, you will assuredly, unless they
all have similar constitutions, which is not probable,
have only a few of them in good condition.

Of all things throw routine overboard altogether,
and use the intelligence that Providence has blessed

EMPIRICAL TREATMENT. 39

you with, both as to the quantity and quality of the
food, as well as the pace and duration of work, best
adapted to the peculiar constitution of your horse.

Some horses require a great deal of physic to reduce
their secretions to a healthy condition ; others require
next to none, and would be reduced to patients if
physicked to a like extent. Some require to be sweated
twice a week, others will carry no muscle if sweated
once a month. These considerations will, in a measure,
pave the way for a due consideration of this subject ;
and I must here state that in handling this subject, 1
do not for a moment intend these remarks for trainers
or training grooms worthy of the name ; who, if they
would take the trouble to do so, could add to their
greater experience far greater ability than is in my
power to bring to bear on the subject.

But I have some hopes that those who, having the
proper condition of their horses at heart, and occasion-
ally try their hands at private training, and leave, in a
great measure, their valuable animals to the ignorance
and caprice of their ( grooms, who know no more of
training than consists in physicking and galloping horses
to death,' as I once heard an old and clever trainer re-
mark, by which means a highly-bred and gifted horse
is frequently brought to the post literally unfit to gal-
lop, much less to race, the usual distance of from one
mile and a-half to four miles ; either in a puffy, feeble
state, or else something like one's idea of a hunted devil ;
but, nevertheless, if he has been subjected to the pre-
scribed number of nostrums, sweats, and ' go-downs of

40 WANT OF CONDITION.

water ' (hateful term), he is forthwith pronounced by
his attendant faculty, with the utmost assurance, to be
' bang up to the mark.' The result is, that the race is
run in which this poor creature is able to take no part,
and his owner, who perhaps knows his horse to be a
good and fast hunter, believes him incapable, notwith-
standing, of performing successfully against horses of
his own calibre, and attributes his defeat to want of
pace, and more frequently to want of stoutness ; when,
in numerous instances, he is wanting in neither, but
terribly wanting in fitness for the task he was called
upo?i to perform; and thus frequently a good sports-
man, not wishing again to figure so ingloriously, re-
frains from ever entering the lists on future occasions,
and so the support of many honourable sportsmen (and
they are sadly wanting in these days) is entirely lost,
and the sport of hunt and welter flat races and steeple-
chases, which, whatever cavillers may say, encourage
the breed of horses most universally in demand in all
parts of the world, becomes sadly depreciated, and
maintains only a flickering existence.

It is frequently urged that gentlemen have no busi-
ness to train their own horses; that they can send
them to trainers and have them brought to the post in
as high a state of condition as skill and experience can
effect. But the numerous huntraces in which horses
that have been in training-stables are either excluded,
disqualified, or penalised, must ever be an answer to
this. I am, however, ready here to admit that any
trainer of skill could bring a horse to the post at least

TRAINING STABLES. 41

seven pounds better than nine private individuals out
of ten, even if the latter were gifted with the same skill
and experience, which is not either probable or possible.
In the first place, a trainer has the advantage of a
good training ground, close to his stables, by which
( tramping for miles ' along a hard stony road is avoided;
and also, he has the command of horses equal to the
task of testing his progress from time to time, both in
speed and stoutness ; and, moreover, can usually com-
mand the services of a rider of a weight proportioned
to the horse's powers, which immense advantages are
rarely ever within the reach of private individuals.

In addition, it is oftentimes inconvenient to part with
a horse for the necessary time at a training stable, in-
asmuch as he can carry his owner, almost up to the day
of running in a steeplechase, the greater portion of a
day's hunting, by which means he is not altogether de-
prived of the use of his horse, nor compelled to make
an addition to his stud which would be both inconvenient
and expensive. Moreover, the value of such stakes
do not often warrant the expense of a trainer's bill.

TRAINING THE TWO-YEAR OLD.

The colt should reach the stables somewhere about
October, immediately after which he should be bitted,
which should be performed by placing a roller on his
back having a buckle to either side, to which is at-
tached the reins, with a loop at the back through
which to pass the strap of the crupper. This being
accomplished, put in his mouth a smooth, straight

42 BREAKING.

snaffle attached to the head collar by buckles or spring
clasps, and allow him to run loose about the box for
two or three hours during the first three days, after
which his mouth, having become accustomed to the
pressure, reins may be attached, and at such a length
as will cause him to bend his neck and give his mouth,
so as to avoid pressure from the bit. Keep them thus
for an hour a day during the next three days, shorten-
ing the reins a little each succeeding day.

A week will now have elapsed, after which attach
the reins as before, and make him trot gently in a
circle, attaching the reins just so as to keep his head
in the right place; but carefully avoid distressing him.
No animal at this age should be kept at work for more
than one hour a-day. And severe work this is when
they have their backs ( set ' in a way to which they are
wholly unaccustomed.

Continue this practice for another week, after which,
at the termination ?of the sixth longe, let a light lad
mount him and ride Mm back to the stable.

It will thus be seen that by this simple method,
twelve colts can easily be broken by one man and a
lad, at the same time, and that two weeks have elapsed
previous to his being mounted. On the next day let
the lad be in readiness to mount, after the colt has
been longed gently for half-an-hour ; then let him
mount and ride out the remaining half-hour of the
longe, walking and trotting alternately. All longeing
should now cease, and the colt may be safely ridden
out for an hour by any lad who can be depended on ;

DUMB JOCKEYS CONDEMNED. 43

as his mouth will be tractable enough to be made suffi-
cient use of to baffle any attempt he may make to
turn restive.

If the colt show symptoms of restiveness, sit still !
If you take tight hold of the bit and scold him, he may
learn that most dangerous of all vices — rearing and
tumbling back, which may irreparably injure both his
rider and himself.

I may here as well state that I consider all dumb
jockeys worse than useless ; in short, very injurious
indeed. Some are manufactured with steel springs,
others with elastic gutta percha reins, which keep up a
continual wearing pressure on the mouth; so that
whether the colt behave well or ill; whether he
give his mouth or no, still this irritating pressure
continues.

Such treatment is at once senseless and cruel. What
you want to do is to make the colt give his mouth,
and so to supple and bend his neck. When the colt
discovers that by bending his neck the pressure from
the bit ceases, he soon learns to do so with a good
grace. I speak feelingly on this point, as I had a
very fine and valuable five-year-old colt almost ruined
by the gutta percha reins, and it was not until I altered
them that he showed any signs of amendment. His
custom was to put his head out and hold it doggedly
in this position, as he had found out that by so doing he
could as easily bear the pressure, and at the same time
avoid taxing the muscles of his neck. But the irrita-
tion caused by them was so great that he would knock

44 CASE IX POINT.

his head against the wall, throw himself down and
bruise himself from head to foot. Indeed he contracted
scars which he never quite lost ; and, in addition, his
temper was so severely tried that he sulked and
became jaded for weeks. In short, it was evident that
had the use of the elastic reins been continued he would
have been ruined irretrievably.

I have heard of several colts being fairly mouthed
with these gutta percha reins ; but that in no way
affects the argument, for their tempers could not have
been so sensitive, and moreover they would undoubt-
edly have been better mouthed with common leather
reins, properly adjusted, for the reason above given.

I used to wish that every colt-breaker in the country
had the money wherewith to purchase a dumb jockey,
but now I am thankful that they have not got it to
spare !

When the state of the weather and ground will
admit of it, the colt should have one hour's walking
exercise with a lad on him daily, and his food should
consist of four quarterns of bruised oats per day ; the
last feed on Wednesday and Saturday evenings being
varied by a linseed and bran mash. This work should
continue until February, when cantering should com-
mence— going about a quarter of a mile at a steady
canter on some good soft turf, and if on rising ground
so much the better.

This distance should be got over from eight to ten
times, walking the remainder of the time, which should
never exceed one hour.

DURATION OF WORK. 45

If this work be continued for two months, the colt
should be fit at any time to have a trial over half a
mile of ground, and could be got ready to run this dis-
tance within a month.

Two-year olds should never be sweated unless very
gross, or very weak in their pins ; and if ever they are
sweated, only one light rug and hood should be put on,
or the weight of the rugs and the debility caused by
the sweating will make them slow, jaded, and utterly
unfit to race. Had I the alternative of sweating or
muzzling a two-year old to reduce flesh, I should adopt
the latter practice most certainly, since sweating ren-
ders young ones very weak and faint, and causes their
muscles to become soft and placid ; or, in other words,
they train off rapidly.

I maintain that one hour's work — cantering a quar-
ter of a mile from eight to ten times (which would
occupy, say five minutes) the remainder of the time
(55 minutes) being consumed by walking — is quite
enough for any animal that has to grow as well as
work. For training young animals properly, the exer-
cise should be quick and the time short. The canter-
ing after the first fortnight should be done at a quick
sharp pace. They should never be kept on their legs
too long, since the muscles and sinews are not suffi-
ciently matured to stand any lengthened strain without
injury.

I need hardly add that a two-year old should have
a nice airy roomy box, and be left quiet as long as
possible, that he may rest at his pleasure : for at this

46 FOOD VERSUS PHYSIC.

age they require an immense amount of repose. Now,
as at all other times when they are working hard,
there should be no limit to their allowance of food. A
craving for food will always induce a bad and irritable
temperament ; a sufficiency of food, contentment and
good temper.

Unless the colt be within three or four weeks of
running, a few carrots, a handful of vetches, rye-grass,
&c, now and then, will stimulate the digestion and cool
the system generally, as well as prevent the necessity
of flying to drugs in all cases of slight derangement.

At this age there is no medicine so good to counter-
act undue astringency, worms, hidebound, &c, as one
drachm of emetic tartar, given in a bran mash, every
day for a week ; but, on no account, to be continued
longer. The safest rule is, whenever the use of'
this drug produces running of the saliva, sickness, or
looseness of the secretions, to discontinue its use at
once.

The shoes of a two-year old should be made as light
as possible, and on no account be allowed to remain
on over two weeks ; and indeed at this age it would
always be well if the walking could be done on dragged
and harrowed fallows, where the whole of the foot
could bear the pressure, instead of the mere crust,
which is too weak to bear the whole of the weight with
impunity.

Great care should be paid to the state of the mouth,
as the teeth are far more often affected than is generally
supposed.

PROPER LEANNESS NECESSARY. 47

If any roughness of the teeth (which may be ascer-
tained by sores on the tongue, &c.) should be apparent,
they should be filed level, or if inflammation of the
gums be detected, means should at once be used to
allay it, by using weak astringent lotions. Also when
the teeth are loose they should be pulled out, as they
frequently cause great uneasiness when feeding. At
such times some chopped carrots or green food should,
if possible, be given, on account of their being more
easy of mastication, and also because there is always
a slight feverishness flyings about the constitution at
these times.

As to the general appearance of a two-year-old
when fit to run, my opinion is that it should not be
nearly so light as that of an older and more matured
horse. In the latter case the ribs should most cer-
tainly be apparent ; but in the case with which we are
dealing, the colt would be overdone and jaded, as well
as his constitution materially injured, by being drawn
so fine. Of course his frame should give evidence of
sufficient leanness and the muscles should be ' out] to
use a common expression ; but to rob the constitution
at this age of so much of its vital powers that he should
present a spare rib would be most injudicious. In short,
if the wind be clear, the sweat clean, and the muscles
firm and hard ; as much will be arrived at as will be
prudent at this age.

At the same time I am quite sure that in all matured
animals great development of muscle, with a lean rib,
must be the sine qua non of fine condition. For I am

48 A CRUEL EACE.

persuaded that, without it, neither a horse, foxhound,
greyhound, nor stag can run up to their best form,
neither can a man run, row, or fight without sufficient
leanness in the ribs. Flesh here can be of no use, and
therefore can be only a needless incumbrance. But I
do not argue for this in either the two, three, or four-
year-old, considering as I do that, unless violent sweats
were resorted to, the colt would be jaded to death be-
fore such leanness were effected. Undoubtedly, then,
the great art in training young horses is to get their
muscles firm and bulky, and their wind clear ; more
than this is overtraining at this age, and moreover
would be quite superfluous for horses that only have
to run over two-year-old courses, which should never
be exceeded ; and how men can be found c penny wise
and pound foolish ' enough to run two-year-olds in the
507. Plate last three miles of the B. C. at Newmarket,
Houghton, &c, I cannot imagine. I know of no sight
more disgusting than that presented by the little lads
and the two-year-olds during the last mile of this race,
rolling about like a ship in a storm, from sheer distress !
It is too much to ask of the most furnished two-year-
old, and it is very easy to understand why animals that
have run in this race invariably show so little speed
afterwards.

It would be bad enough if it were limited to two-
year-olds only ; but to admit all ages makes it doubly
bad, since s the cutting down work ' is the only me-
thod of taking due advantage of their pull in the
weights.

GALLOPING IN CLOTHES CONDEMNED. 49

TRAINING THREE AND FOUR-YEAR-OLDS.

In training three and four-year-olds very much the
same process will have to be gone through as with two-
year-olds, with this exception, that the distance of the
canter should be increased from one quarter to half a
mile, and the duration of work from one to two hours.
And further it is desirable that the colt have occasional
opportunities of testing his improvement in speed and
stoutness by having a rough gallop with an older horse
at a fair speed for one and a half mile once every
fortnight, unless ill health or the state of the ground
prevent it.

This gallop, however, should always be gone through
with as light a weight as is desirable, and also without
any clothes. Nothing makes horses slower than gallop-
ing under a weight of rugs. Well can I remember
three racehorses in one stable being1 made incorrigible
curs by being subjected to three brushing gallops in
clothes in one week, with a view to presenting a ( semb-
lance of condition ' at the end of it ; for the trainer in
this instance was a man of too sound judgment and
too much experience ever to imagine that anything
more than the ( semblance ' would be exhibited on the
day. He satisfied his employer and his horses so fully
that they both had quantum suff. for that season.

TRAINING OF FIYE-TEAR OLDS AND UPWARDS.

In the first instance we must consider the age, con-
stitution, and previous work that the horse has been
doing,

50 GALLOPING PRACTICE — WHERE NECESSARY.

1. If he has been on the turf and in training.

2. If he has never raced but has been hunted.

3. If he has only been hacked.

4. If he has only been broken and has done no
severe work of any kind.

We must of course take it for granted that the
horse is sound in limb at any rate, and that, whatever
ailments of the respiratory organs he may be afflicted
with, that they do not interfere with his running very
materially, for it must be understood that no treatment
can give new legs or new organs of respiration ; but
all we can hope to do will be to alter and improve the
present and not to generate a new system.

The only reason for which I have thought it neces-
sary to separate the training of horses into four dif-
ferent classes is that the amount of practice required
will not be the same in either case ; though the same con-
dition of body will be required in all.

1. Then the horse that has been raced. Do not
imagine that because he has been raced he can race
now, for he may be utterly out of condition for such a
purpose ; nevertheless this will not be nearly so diffi-
cult as the other three cases with which we have to
deal ; since the amount of galloping practice will be
comparatively slight, and the time for getting the horse
fit consequently more limited. All we shall have to
do will be to reduce his body to a sufficient leanness
and to increase the bulk and firmness of his muscles,
to effect which two principles must be fully understood
and acted upon. First, that slow and long work is

HEALTH AND SOUNDNESS ESSENTIAL. 51

required to develope muscle ; and, secondly, that
quick work is required to increase the powers of
respiration.

To effect this, then, sufficient time must be allowed,
and the shorter the better commensurate with the
undertaking, for it must be borne in mind that no
relapse from work can on any consideration be allowed ;
but when once training commences, it must be work
and not exercise throughout, and then, if in a fair state
to begin with, from two to four months will be sufficient.
From this it will be seen that, if the horse be stale
when taken from his work, proper rest should be
given to him previously to his being put under the
trainer's care. It is absurd to put a stale horse into
training ; still more absurd to attempt to train a horse
while in ill health. In either case training will make
matters worse, and will most likely ruin the animal
for life. Therefore if an animal is not in rude health
(I care not from what cause), all ideas of putting him
into training should be discarded.

First get your iron bar, and then you may reasonably
hope to use it ! First then get health, soundness both
of wind and limb, and you may reasonably hope to
refine them both by trying them in the fire. As I have
said before, I will presume that the horse's legs are
clean and firm, that no marks of humours are apparent,
but that he is merely fleshy and short of work.

Your first step will be to keep your horse walking
on turf for at least four hours a day ; and if time can
be spared to divide the time into two periods, so much

E 2

52 PHYSIC.

the better ; for the horse will be all the fresher, and

feed all the better. His daily allowance should be three

quarterns of moist bran with three quarterns of old

oats, and about eight pounds of prime old hay. This

exercise should be continued for the first week ; when,

in nine cases out of ten, you will perceive the legs

getting rather full and soft, with possibly filling and

tenderness at the heels. Immediately stop your work

as well as corn and hay, and give bran and linseed

mashes, and reduce the amount of work to an hour's

walking on some sheltered spot, for at least two ensuing

days, then muzzle him during the night, and physic

in the morning ; after which, give as much water as he

will drink. But if you have any reason to think he

will not drink well after his physic, give him as much

as he will drink immediately before administering it,

because the more the bowels are diluted, the less will

be the required amount of aloes. Give the following

ball :—

Barbadoes Aloes 4 dracliuis

Powdered Resin . . . . 2 „
Sulphate of Iron . . . . .2 „
Peruvian Bark 2 „

made into a ball with Castile soap and a syrup of
some kind, and if the symptoms do not appear to abate
within a few days, let the following ball be given
on each Saturday night for four ensuing weeks : —

Barbadoes Aloes 2 drachms

Powdered Resin . . . . ' 1 „

Sulphate of Iron 2 „

Peruvian Bark 2 „

ACTION OF PHYSIC. 53

In this physic-ball the amount of aloes may seem large
at first sight ; but if (as in this case) the horse has pre-
viously been in training, a less quantity would, in nine
cases out of ten, be insufficient, and if insufficient, utterly
useless, as the purpose would not be effected, and valu-
able time would have been wasted. It is better to give
a fair dose, or a dose sufficient to increase the action
of the absorbents, than to bully a horse with two or
three smaller doses, which would occupy more time
than could be spared.

At least two hours' walking exercise should be given
immediately after the ball has been administered, with
as much chilled water as he will drink, and a loose
bran mash, when he may be shut up and left quiet until
the next morning, by which time, if no symptoms of
purging are apparent, he should be immediately taken
for a walk in the field nearest the stable, so that he
may be taken to the stable immediately purgation
commences ; and if chilly, an extra rug should be
thrown over him without delay, for be it understood
that the action of physic is to cause a determination of
the secretions from the skin to the intestines, through
which they may be carried off, and therefore the skin will
require additional protection from the effects of the
atmosphere ; consequently, the less a horse's coat is
brushed during the action of physic the better. If
the excrements are not very foul, purging for twelve
hours will be quite sufficient ; but if very foul and
foetid, twice that period will be required ; and in the
latter case, a little wetted bran and linseed should

54 FOLLY OF 'HURRYING.'

be mixed with every feed for four or five days after
purgation has ceased, or a troublesome astringency
of the bowels may ensue.

Begin immediately to give four quarterns of oats,
and lessen the hay to 6 lbs., and recommence walking
two hours in the morning and evening during the
ensuing week, when one fourth of your time will have
expired without even a canter.

Never mind ! Better go a-head slowly yet surely,
than begin rapidly, undergo check after check, and
finally end by nursing your patient a full week before
running, and then give out that he has ' gone amiss,'
which would be better interpreted has been ' hounded
to a standstill ! '

Now then you have hardened your horse's muscles
by long and repeated walks, you have cleaned his skin
by good grooming ; and, last and not least, you have
relieved his overloaded system and removed the in-
flammatory symptoms produced by change of work and
diet. And rest assured that there is something gained,
that you have not been standing still, but have been
rapidly preparing the whole machinery of your horse's
frame for hard work ; and hard work, without prepara-
tion, is not only worse than useless, but absolutely
dangerous and cruel in the extreme.

QUICK WORK.
Now we have arrived at by far the most difficult
part of our undertaking. When the horse is under-
going quick work, the eyes should be strained to

OBSTACLES TO CONTEND WITH. 55

discover the least downward tendency in the system.
The hands should be frequently placed on the pulse,
and passed down the legs to see how the constitution
is standing the rough usage— for rough usage it must
be, or training has never been entered on. There
are, however, such a number of obstacles thrown in
the trainer's path, when ' sending a horse along,'
that it would be an almost hopeless task to recount
them. Suffice it to say, however, that during extremes
in the state of the ground — whether very wet or very
dry — fast work cannot be pursued with advantage.
In the former case, a bad over-reach or strain in the
hocks and hind limbs, together with a severe over-
reach in the fore joints ; in the latter a breakdown,
strain of the muscles of the shoulder, or inflammation of
the knees, fetlock joints, lamina? of the feet, &c,
may be expected; therefore, the state of the ground
should be carefully considered before galloping at any
pace, or absolute stoppage in work may be the result.

It is far better to allow a horse to get fleshy, and
stick to walking exercise, than terminate his existence
by impatient and unwise treatment. I must own that,
in handling this subject, I feel that so little can prudently
be laid down, further than general principles, that any
direct rules, which I may consider adapted to nine
horses out of ten, would lead only to a mischievous
routine in treatment, which would entirely defeat my
object.

First, then, the objects of quick work are twofold :
to exercise and strengthen the organs of respiration,

56. COMMON SYSTEM OF TRAINING.

and to accustom the muscles and tendons to bear the
tension resulting from the force and rapidity with
which they must be put in motion.

Xow the usual practice of training is to give horses
continual walks and continual ' breathings ' as they are
termed, — i.e. walking down half a mile, and cantering
back the same distance at a good pace, continuing this
work for three hours every morning — too long, in my
opinion, for any colt to be on his legs at any one time.
This system of training may be all very well when
two year-old courses, or even mile courses are the objects
in view ; for which short spurts — the shorter the better
— must be resorted to, as the only means of making a
horse quick on his legs, on which acquirement nearly
all his chances of success depend. But for such
courses no animal should be kept out more than two
hours per day, and this at separate intervals, — i.e., one
hour in the morning and one in the afternoon ; during
which time, alternate walks and spins must be given.
This species of training, however, is generally confined
to professional trainers ; so little need be said on this
head.

The quick work must, as I have previously remarked,
depend entirely on the distance to be run.

Should the distance be from one and a-half to two
miles the horse should be lightly fed during the morn-
ing of galloping the distance, which should be gone
over at his best pace from once to twice a-week, ac-
cording to circumstances. The horse should be walked
about for one hour, then stripped of all his clothes,

DIRECTIONS AS TO WORK AND TREATMENT. 57

whether summer or winter, and having as light a saddle
and lad placed on him as is deemed prudent, he should
be sent along over the whole distance at very nearly
his top speed ; always bearing in mind never to allow
the horse to run himself out, — i.e., exhaust his powers ;
but still make him do his utmost, just keeping him in-
side the mark. Immediately it is over, let the girths be
slackened, and the horse led about till he has done blow-
ing (which will be in about ten minutes), then let his
clothes be put on, his mouth washed out with nitre and
water, and the sooner he is walked back to the stable
the better. On removing the rugs the horse will be
found to have sweated considerably, and, indeed, this
is all the sweating either desirable or necessary, when
the horse's skin is clean and his frame spare. His
clothes should be removed immediately and his skin
rubbed perfectly dry (which will take from twenty mi-
nutes to one hour), after which dry clothes should be
thrown over him, and his legs and feet well washed,
rubbed dry, and flannel bandages applied. This done,
the rug must once more be removed, and the brush ap-
plied briskly all over him until every particle of dust,
dirt, and scurf has been removed.

This brushing will take a full hour ; after which his
eyes and nose will require sponging, and his mane and
tail combing, when his toilet may be considered accom-
plished. A feed of corn and some water may be given,
and rest for four or five hours, at the expiration of
which the exercising cloth and hood must once more be
put on, and an hour's stroll on some turf gone through,

58 PROPER REST INDISPENSABLE.

when the ill effects of the gallop, if any, will be evi-
dent, and due precautions taken immediately. If all
is well, on the next and two following days he should
resume Iris two hours' walk, morning and afternoon,
when the time will have arrived for another brushing
gallop, the same as the preceding.

I have found from experience that not one horse in
ten can stand more than two brushing gallops during
the week, and many cannot stand as much ; and there-
fore this must be taken as the rule, that no horse
should be galloped a second time until the soreness and
stiffness consequent on the previous spin has subsided.
Galloping in this state would only produce what is
termed staleness, and possibly permanent grogginess ;
at any rate, the horse would lose all speed, and conse-
quently all chance of success.

Many horses will remain stiff and sore for days after
a gallop of two miles ; and even if they were to remain
iveeks, patience must be called into play, and time al-
lowed for the vessels to relieve themselves and contract
on their contents.

Unfortunately, however, time is rarely given, and
the horse is pulled out on the next and every subse-
quent day (till he breaks down), to be galloped and
walked, and walked and galloped, till he is little better
than a jade, having lost all elasticity and dash, on
which speed depends so much.

I am well aware how unfair it is to make disparag-
ing remarks on the too frequent method of training
horses, since trainers are ordered by their employers to

TIME REQUIRED. 59

bring a certain horse to the post, fit to run at a certain
meeting (whether there be sufficient time or not), dis-
obedience to which orders would only lose them the
.custom of their employers ; therefore trainers should
not be judged harshly when they bring a horse to the
post manifestly unfit to run. In nine cases out of ten
the blame lies with their employers, who engage their
horses early in March, well knowing that, unless their
horses are galloped on ice half their time, they can-
not be galloped at all, save and except they be able
to avail themselves of a ' tan gallop,' which is not always
' good going ' in severe weather ; consequently sweat-
ing, or more properly wasting, is the only method left
open to them of ensuring even a semblance of condition.

But to return to the subject. We will suppose that
the horse shows symptoms of puffiness and inability to
hold a severe pace for any distance over a mile. It
must not be supposed that he is therefore only a miler.

The correct decision can readily be arrived at by a
practical observer. If the horse be only ( a miler ' he
will lose his muscular powers entirely after this distance
has been got over at top speed. If he be able to go a
greater distance, merely loss of the powers of respiration
will be evident, which must be strengthened by ex-
ercise and general health, always bearing in mind that
nothing tends more decidedly to relieve the organs of
respiration than great attention to the skin.

In any case — from whatever cause the horse may
feel distressed — he should be pulled up immediately
such symptoms are apparent, which can be easily dis-

60 AVOID FATIGUE.

covered by his pace becoming wretched, and his stride
short and irregular. He should go through another
gallop, with the same caution, on the next day but one,
when he will doubtless improve on his former per-
formance.

For many reasons, at this stage of training, it is most
foolish to gallop a horse until he be distressed.

In the first place, it can be of no use to force or
allow him to continue a wretchedly slow pace — all that
could be ffot out of him — which could never win a race
in any company. And in the second place, the effects
on the system would be so injurious that it would be
quite ten to one that the horse would have to be thrown
by, perhaps for months.

It is only when you find that your horse is lean on
his ribs, clear in his wind, firm and hard in his muscles,
and high in his spirits, that you may venture on taxing
his powers to the utmost ; not until you perceive that
he holds his pace from end to end with unabated
vigour and freedom of action, are you justified in
allowing him to be shaken along, or if lazy to receive
a stroke or two of the whip during the last two or
three hundred yards ; when if he be really fit to run he
will spring from the whip and increase his efforts ten-
fold ; but if unfit, unless wonderfully game, he will die
away immediately any additional call is made.

I know of no better symptom of good training than
this, when a horse has sufficient vigour and freshness
left in his constitution, after going at top speed for two
or three miles, to make continual rushes when called
upon.

DIRECTIONS FOR A TRIAL. 61

It proves that the nervous system is by no means
exhausted, and also that the system is quite free of any
obstruction to its powers of action.

The time will now have arrived for a trial, but care
must be taken that inexperienced hands are banished
from participation in the performance.

The leader of the trial should be possessed of a cool
head, a good knowledge of pace, and should never
begin too quickly, which overexcites nervous horses,
and makes them scramble along before getting fairly
and gradually into their stride. As a rule, in a trial
the first mile had better be got over slowly ; it calms
both horses and riders, and gives the latter time to
consider how he can mend the horse's ' style of going.'
It is always easy to mend a bad pace, but very difficult
to preserve a clipper ; therefore the real trial should
not begin until one mile has been gone over ; the
horses being well together and going with a collected
sweeping stride.

It is no trial to allow lads to burst off and chop one
another down in the first half mile, or to allow one to
leave the other some lengths in the rear at starting:.

All such tricks — and they are nothing else — however
satisfactory on the racecourse, when successful, must
be entirely forbidden on the training ground.

Supposing the horse has to run two miles, mark out
two miles and a half, and order the lads to come along
slowly for the first mile, and then go the remainder of
the distance ' a duster ! ' Never allow horses to be
ridden out, and moreover never to be run away from ;

62 VALUE OF ' TIME.'

nothing disheartens a horse so much as finding himself
quite outpaced. He will be very likely to give it up
as a hopeless task, and relinquish the contest inglori-
ously, unless forced to continue it by aid of whip and
spur, which only makes matters still worse. Then, as
a rule, the leader of the trial should be on the best
horse, and he should ride the distance in favour of his
opponent all the way, so that the latter has nothing to
do but to sit still and keep with him.

If you were to allow each lad to ride his own race,
one would generally outwit the other to such a degree
that nothing correct could be made out of the trial.
One would make too much use of his horse, and the
other would lay too far away from the other ever to
have a chance of getting up again, and therefore the
only safe plan is to make them keep together all the
way ; at any rate never to allow more than two or
three lengths to separate them. There are a great
many persons who lay great stress on timing a trial in
addition to ensuring its being run truly from end to
end, considering that the result without accurate time
is utterly inconclusive, and indeed liable to mislead ;
but as e time ' is so dependent on the state of the
ground, atmosphere, and many other considerations, I
cannot bring myself to accept its decision as conclusive
either one way or the other. And, moreover, apart
from the above reasons, I have no faith in timing a
trial, inasmuch as I have never known either man or
horse go over the same course in the same time, either
twice in the same day or on two consecutive days.

DIFFICULTY OF PROFITING BY IT. 63

Therefore, to time a trial and then make allowances for
this or that discrepancy in time owing to this or that
circumstance, would be a most complicated undertaking,
and one which I should not recommend any one to at-
tempt, unless for mere self-gratification.

It is frequently objected that time is always taken
abroad with very great success, in determining the re-
spective merits of racehorses ; but I must object to this
that the climate, state of the ground, atmosphere, &c,
are all diametrically opposed to those of England ; and
therefore, that what may be a correct test in one
country may not be a correct test in another.

It is a matter of fact that in America, India,
Jamaica, &c, exported English platers can make
better time than first-class racehorses are able to do in
Great Britain over our very best and soundest courses,
which I apprehend can only be accounted for by the
rarity of the atmosphere in those countries ; for no one
will, I presume, hold for one moment that three stones
would bring a Derby or Leger winner and a colonial
plater on a par !

The trial over, the horses should be walked home
with their rugs on, and after being well dressed, and
made generally comfortable, should be allowed as
much to eat and drink as they please, and then be
shut up for three or four hours, after which they should
be taken out for a stroll, when nothing more will have
to be done for that day.

If they have been overdone, and appear languid, a
slight tonic, such as equal parts of gentian and black

64 TREATMENT AFTER WORK.

antimony, or one ounce of ( extract of chamomile,'
should be given without delay ; but the less these
remedies are used the stronger will the horse's con-
stitution be.

It is well to allow some time to elapse between the
trials, and also between the last trial and the race, and
I consider five days between the final trial and the
race indispensable. Five days then before the race is
run the trial should take place over the same distance
of ground as the coming encounter, and also at or
nearly the same weights, at a strong pace all the way ;
as if the horse performs badly he can be scratched in
due time : but if well he may, after the arrival of the
next morning, be safely backed ; since, if all appears
rio-ht then, it may safely be presumed that all will be
well on the day.

Now I must give the greatest caution as to treat-
ment : icork miLst cease entirely, and the horse must be
allowed rest to enable him to recover the effects of his
efforts in the trial, and may indeed, to make a long
story short, be allowed to get fresh ; or, to be more
explicit, to allow him to get rid of his soreness and
staleness, and for this he will have none too much time.
He should stroll about in the fresh air for an hour or
two daily on as soft ground as can be chosen, and be
allowed as much water and corn, but less hay, than
usual.

If gluttonous, he should be taken out at seven on
the morning of running for an hour to allow him to
empty himself and have a breather for two or three

ADJUSTING THE SADDLE. 65

hundred yards, after which one quartern of oats and a
little water may be given, and the horse must be care-
fully secured, either by muzzling or racking, until
taken out for the race.

In adjusting the saddle, &c, great care should be
taken that the weights are level ; that there be not a
greater weight on one side than on the other ; and,
if there be no breastplate, that they be put on very
forward ; also that the girths are not drawn too tightly :
( if a horse cannot grunt he cannot gallop,' is a very
old and very wise saying that many strong-armed
grooms would do well to remember.

The practice of washing out the mouth, previous to
the jockey getting into the saddle, is a very good one,
since it prevents that dryness and harshness of the
mouth which so frequently annoys both man and horse
on suddenly commencing rapid inspirations, and more-
over it renders the mouth more supple and sensitive
to the rider's touch.

EACE HIDING.
Little need be said on this subject, since there is so
much practice in these days, that, unless in the most
remote parts of England, the services of a fair per-
former can generally be secured. No definite rules
can be laid down, with the exception of the following
general remarks.

1. The fitter your horse is, the more severe should
you make the pace.

2. If you have reason to doubt your horse's game-

66 JOCKEYSHIP.

ness jump off with the lead, and keep it as long as you
can.

3. If a horse pulls very hard, keep a steady pull on
him, but don't haul at his mouth, which will prevent all
regularity of respiration, as well as throw him out of
his stride and injure his temper. These sort of horses
should be calmed down gently; but this can only be
done at, or very nearly at, the top of their speed.

4. Young and untried horses should never be allowed
to jump away from the starting post too quickly, since
they will only outrun or outpace themselves before
three-fourths of the distance has been covered ; neither
should they be allowed to make the pace severe until
fairly in their stride, when they must be sent along at
as fast a pace as they can possibly maintain. This
method will usually prevent their getting flurried and
nervous, which takes more steel out of a horse than is
generally supposed.

5. When about seven-eighths of the distance has
been got over, unless a very expert hand at timing
your horse's powers, do not attempt to draw it very
fine ; but, getting on good terms with the leading
horses in the race and laying hold of your horse's
head, try and leave them, and ride him calmly but
resolutely home ; and, of all things, sit quite steady ;
if you find your horse straining every nerve, let him
alone ; but if running sluggishly, take tight hold of
the reins in your left hand, and taking a sharp pull at
the reins, give him a smart stroke with the whip and
two or three kicks with the spurs ; but if you have

UNSPORTSMANLIKE BRUTALITY. 67

reason to apprehend your horse's swerving at the whip
(as is often the case with bad-hearted ones), keep hold
of the reins with both hands, and give him two or
three sharp kicks with the spurs, which will tend to
keep him straight and very materially increase his
chance of success.

6. If you find you are beaten easily, pull up and
spare your horse's useless exertions; and, above all,
avoid that unsportsmanlike practice of flogging a
beaten horse, without a ghost of a chance, all the way
home. I am well aware that unless jockeys do so, the
ring men will not credit an honest defeat; but their
incredulity is no excuse for such cruel and disgusting
exhibitions, which are getting far too common in these
days.

AFTER THE RACE.

The horse should be led about in as warm and
sheltered a spot as possible for fully one hour before
being taken to the stable, that he may recover the
distress of his lungs, heart, &c, before being shut
up in a comparatively heated and unwholesome atmo-
sphere.

The sooner he be rubbed, dried, and his toilette
finished the better, after which he should be shut up
and left quiet for some time ; and, unless he has to run
as;ain within a week, some bran and linseed mashes, as
being the best sedative food known, and two days'
entire rest, should be allowed.

At the termination of this period the horse may be
F 2

68 SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

walked about and be put through a gentle and short
canter every other day, merely to keep him in wind,
but nothing more. Any more severe work would only
jade and depress him; or, in other words, make him
( train off.' Since you cannot hope to improve on the
acme of perfection of condition, your only endeavour
should be to keep as near to it as you can without
endangering your horse's constitution.

It is, however, in all cases better to allow horses at
this step to get a little jolly and big, giving moderate
exercise only in the place of hard ivork, and putting
them through a slight sweat two days previous to
running, which will ensure a healthy skin and clear
wind, without further taxing their already severely
tried understandings.

There is no greater fallacy than the theory of ( keep-
ing a horse in condition.' It cannot be done. A horse
properly wound up for a race, will only be unwound if
trained on. There must always be something to spare
so as to stand the continual waste caused by severe
exertion ; and if there be no adipose or fatty matter in
the system to supply the waste, as there will not be if
the horse have been brought quite up to the mark, an
injurious and continuous effect will take place in the
constitution.

Therefore, after the horse has run his race, relaxation
from work for a considerable time must be allowed, or
the constitution of the horse will be severely impaired,
and he never can be brought to the post in the same
form again.

EVILS OF OVER-TRAINING. 69

These principles should be fully understood by e very-
owner and trainer of racehorses, or cases of i training
off,' 'losing all form,' 'going amiss,' and numerous
other verdicts, all arising from the very same cause,
will be of frequent occurrence, and reduce the stable to
little else than a hospital. And on this subject I can-
not do better than quote the remarks published in the
Lancet relative to the condition of the American
pugilist, J. C. Heenan, after his defeat by Tom King,
since it most vividly sets forth the insurmountable evil
of prolonging training beyond its proper limits — i.e.,
to decay. It runs thus : —

i Four or five hours after the termination of the fight
on the 10th inst., he arrived at a friend's house in Lon-
don. Mr. J. F. Clarke saw him immediately. He was
then suffering from great exhaustion. His face was
considerably disfigured, and there was a cut on the
right side of the upper lip, about half an inch in length,
which required a stitch. There were no bruises of
any consequence about the body, but there were a few
scratches on the chest. The action of the heart was
very feeble, and the pulse scarcely perceptible. Suitable
medicines were resorted to, under the influence of which
he gradually improved until the 13th. On the even-
ing of that day he had a fainting fit. On the 14th Dr.
Tanner saw him in consultation with Mr. Clarke.
He was then weak, his nights had been restless, and
there was considerable uneasiness on taking deep in-
spirations. On examining him, all marks about the
rhest had nearly disappeared, while the bruises on the

70 EVILS OF OVER-TKAINING.

face were evidently quickly fading. The cut in his
upper lip had healecL The right nasal bone was
loosened from its articulations ; but there was no frac-
ture. On carefully practising auscultation, the heart's
action was found to be feeble, though there was no
bruit — the valves acting efficiently. The pulse was
weak, very compressible, and rather above 100. The
left lung was healthy, but over the apex of the right
there was dulness, with evident signs of congestion.
On either side, at the back of the neck, there was con-
siderable stiffness, which was ascertained to exist chiefly
in the tendinous attachments of the trapezius muscle to
the occipital bone, ligamentum nuchas, dorsal vertebras,
and spine of the scapula. The immense development
of the muscles about the shoulders and chest was very
remarkable ; they stood out prominently, and as little
encumbered with fat as if they had been cleaned out
with a scalpel. In firmness they resembled cartilage.
The same conditions were also apparent in the recti
muscles of the abdominal wall, the tendinous intersec-
tions (lineae trans versse) of which were strongly marked.
6 But with all this splendid development it was evi-
dent that Heenan had received a shock from which his
system was only slowly recovering ; though whether
this loss of power was due to the punishment received
in the fight, or to the hard training which he had previ-
ously undergone, may be a disputed point. As physi-
ologists, it seems to us highly probable that his train-
ing had been too prolonged and too severe. When
Heenan went into training on Wednesday 23rd

EVILS OF OVER-TRAINING. 71

September, just eleven weeks before the match, his
weight was 15st. 71bs. As he stepped into the ring
on the 10th inst. he was exactly 14 stones. At the
same time King weighed 13 stones, though he was
three quarters of an inch taller than Heenan, whose
height is 6ft. 1^ in. Those who know what severe
training means, will, perhaps, agree with us that Heenan
ic as probably in better condition Jive weeks before meeting
his antagonist than on the morning of his defeat, although,
when he stripped for fighting, the lookers on all agreed
that he seemed to promise himself an easy victory, while
exulting in his fine proportions, and splendid muscular
development.

( It is now clearly proved that Heenan went into the
contest icith much more muscular than vital power.

( Long before he had met with any severe punish-
ment— indeed, as he states, in the third round — he felt
faint, breathed with difficulty, and, as he described it,
his respiration was ( roaring.' He declares that he re-
ceived more severe punishment at the hands of Sayers
than he did from King, yet at the termination of the
former fight, which lasted upwards of two hours, he
was so fresh as to leap over two or three hurdles, and
distance many of his friends in the race. It was
noticed on the present occasion that his physique had
deteriorated, and that he looked very much older than
at his last appearance in the ring.

f Without offering any opinion as to the merits of the
combatants, it is certain that Heenan was in a state of
very deteriorated health when he faced his opponent,

72 GALLOPING PRACTICE REQUIRED.

and it is fair to conclude that that deterioration icas due
in a great measure to the severity of training which he
had undergone.

6 As with the mind, so with the body, undue and pro-
longed exertion must end in depression of -power. In the
process of the physical education of the young, in the
training of our recruits, or in the sports of the athlete,
the case of Heenan suggests a striking commentary of
great interest in a physiological point of view.

( Whilst exercise, properly so called, tends to develop-
ment and health, excessive exertion produces debility
and decay. In these times of over-excitement and
over-competition in the race of life, the case we now put
on record may be studied with advantage.'

There will be no necessity for me to enter into the
details of the daily training required for those horses
which have not raced, nor undergone much galloping
practice previously to being put into training, further
than to say, that instead of being put through mere
walking exercise they will have to go through alter-
nate walks and spins, the same as the two and the
three-year old, for at least two months, at the expira-
tion of which they will require long slow gallops of
three or four miles, at three-quarter speed, twice in
every week for a month, so as to ensure their stride
being even and measured, without which no horse can
stay over a long course. For another six weeks
they may enter on precisely the same work as that re-
commended for training the horse that has previously
been raced. By this it will be seen that it will take

FOKMATION OF THE STEEPLECHASE HOESE. 73

just two weeks over double the time required for train-
ing the horse that has previously been raced, to get the
hunter, hack, or untried colt fit to run ; and the whole
reason is, that the amount of galloping practice required
for giving them action and supporting their muscles
and joints will be more than double that of a previously
trained animal, since you have nothing to teach the
latter, and only have to arrive at a certain condition
of body to fit him for his contest.

THE STEEPLECHASE HOUSE.

As to conformation I have little more to demand
than that stated as being desirable for a racehorse, with
the following few exceptions : —

1. The withers should be higher and the shoulders
longer.

2. The girth should be deeper, and the back or false
ribs shorter and lighter.

3. The hips should be wider, and the pelvis broader.
The reasons are these : unless the withers be high

and shoulders long, there will not be sufficient leverage
to enable him to rise well at his fences ; as well as to
clear whatever obstacles may come across him when
galloping, in the shape of ridge and furrows, drains,
hillocks, &c. ; and unless the hips and pelvis be broad,
together with light back ribs and a loose flank, the
haunches cannot be dashed under the body in the form
required for a big jumper.

The only parts, then, in which I consider the steeple-
chase horse should differ from the racehorse, are the

74 PECULIAEITY OF ACTION.

shoulders, back ribs, hips and haunches ; otherwise, all
else should be similar.

ACTION.

Unless the horse gets his hind legs well under him,
and appears almost to balance himself on them as he
walks, lifting his hind feet rather high, I should not
consider it desirable.

In the gallop the style of going in the steeplechase
horse should differ from that in the racehorse entirely.
The former should seem to be a dashing savage goer,
bending his knees well : while the latter should go
gliding along with a straight reach as smoothly and
calmly as a cutter yacht through the water.

FUKTHER QUALIFICATIONS.

A quick eye, a determined spirit, and great activity
are essentially necessary in the steeplechaser, — i.e. he
should have a foot always to spare, and a quick eye to
direct it in every emergency, without winch he will
never be safe to ride or back.

These are the great attributes of the steeplechase
horse, and very frequently do they render a very bad
racehorse a fair performer over a country. Pace and
action alone will never make a steeplechase horse, and
a coward should always be discarded ; for if the horse
be taking every opportunity of cutting it, he will
assuredly succeed in either doing so, falling, or being
cleverly defeated. Such brutes are unworthy of the
name of steeplechasers, and the sooner they be con-

THOROUGH-BRED VERSUS HALF-BRED. 75

signed to cabmen the better, for it is utterly useless to
train them on, as bad-heartecl ones generally become
worse instead of better the more they have of it.

BLOOD.

The thorough-bred horse of five or six years old is
the only animal a man would be justified in putting
into training as a professional steeplechase horse.

Time was when the half-bred hunter was supposed
to be the only annual capable of carrying high weights
over a country. This, however, has been quite upset
of late, and we see that a veritable half-bred one is
hardly ever placed for a big race.

There are still some good pseudo half-bred ones, to
wit, Medora, Bridegroom, and Wee Nell, being the
best of them. If all these three are really half-bred
ones, it certainly goes far to establish the theory that
a stain in the pedigree is desirable, since no one can
deny that at high weights and over long and severe
courses it would, at this time, puzzle any one to find
three superior horses. Still only in the letter, but not
in the spirit, are these to be considered veritable cock-
tails, since their pedigrees must be considered about as
good as that of Eclipse, if not quite within the pale of
the stud book.

As to the choice of blood, many strains run well —
the Tupsleys and Sir Hercules 's being the most success-
ful, and the Bay Middletons and Touchstones the
least so.

76 COMPARISONS.

SIZE.

Careful analysis of steeplechase winners does not
favour any particular size in the standard measure, and
I think that living horses go to prove that want of
size is no bar to a good one's success in the very
best company. The invincible and wearing Brunette
by Sir Hercules, was a small one, so also was Brunette
by Rochester. Lottery was not oversized, nor was
The Huntsman. Abd el Kader, Odiham, Little Char-
ley, Anatis, The Dane, for the small division have
quite as many trophies to show as the larger division,
Peter Simple, Bourton, Sir Peter Laurie, British
Yeoman, and Jealousy. But at the present moment,
a little one bears the palm, the long, low, and sym-
metrical Emblem, by Teddington, who, from her pace,
made a terrible example of some large fields in 1863,
during which year good races were won by horses of
all sizes, from Victress 14h. 3in., and Wee Nell 15h.,
to Penarth 16h. lin., and Bridegroom 16h. ; the
medium size getting the best of it with Lincoln,
Medora, Emblem, Sinking Fund, Yaller Gal, and
Oliver Twist.

It seems, then, that a first-class steeplechaser under
fifteen and over sixteen hands is not impossible, but
is nevertheless an exception to the general rule.
Nevertheless I must admit that size is one of the many
good points we must look for, though it must not be
considered (as it often is) to outbalance all others.

CHOICE OF GROUND. 77

BREAKING.

Now suppose you have a horse that has just come
out of a training stable, solely for flat racing, where a
turf with as smooth a surface as a bowling-green has
been his exercising and trial ground, and where he has
never been obliged to keep a sharp look-out for holes,
grips, mounds, and a thousand and one other stumbling-
blocks.

A strong, steady, and experienced man with good
hands should be put on him, with orders to ride him
at a walk over a ploughed ridge-and-furrow field for
an hour, and then to trot him over the same until he
sweats. The extensor muscles of the arms and shoul-
ders will have been sufficiently called into play for the
first lesson, by this exercise, which should not exceed
one and a half hour. He should be then walked back
to the stable as soon as possible.

Continue this daily for one week, at the expiration
of which 'time a change may be adopted with advantage.
Choose a flat meadow full of hidden grips and water-
courses, and letting the horse have his head loose, ride
him at a walk all over it for about the same time, and
continue doing so daily for about a week.

His eye and foot will now have adopted the regular
workmanlike action so desirable, of avoiding obstacles
carefully in whatever shape they may present them-
selves. Therefore, he should be made to avoid them
at an accelerated pace, which should be done by walk-
ing over the ridge-and-furrow field until you think

78 JUMPING PKACTICE.

he has had enough of it (the time should not ex-
ceed an hour in any case), when he should be taken
to the water meadow, and trotted sharply all over it
with a loose rein for about ten or fifteen minutes at the
outside. This will test the quickness of his eye and
foot to the utmost, and make him cool and clever in
difficulties without having time to consider their
nature. On the next day resume this exercise, and
have a big tree of some sort drawn across the gateway
after the horse has entered, and after trotting about
the water meadow as before, let him scramble over it
on his way home. And the next and three following
days make him jump the tree into the meadow as well
as out of it. It will be ten to one, unless very tem-
perate and clever, that he strike his legs hard, and this
will make him clear them after a day or so ; but he
should not be stopped in his work on this account ; cold
water bandages will be sufficient to relieve the vessels
and prevent injury, and whatever soreness and stiffness
there may be will be of use in preventing a recurrence
of such carelessness or clumsiness, as the case may be.
If during this week he have performed well, either a
hurdle gorsed, or some thorns, may be placed on the
other side of the tree on his return from the water-
meadow on the next five following days. The tree will
ensure his rising properly, and prevent his running
through the hurdle or thorns, as many horses are very
apt to do. Be quite satisfied with this exercise for
a fortnight, after which, the horse should follow hounds
as soon as possible and opportunity presents itself.

THE HUNTING FIELD. 79

He should not be played with now, but ridden
smartly at the very tails of the hounds, in the front
rank during the first two hours, when the sooner his head
is turned homewards the better ; which will generally
be reached after a sharp walk of about two hours,
which will be none too much to cool him down and
enable him to enter his stable in a calm and healthy
condition. He should now be allowed two days' rest,
and then should be ridden with hounds as before ;
carefully avoiding riding through deep muddy rides,
through woods, &c, which only strain and make horses
slow. Continue this for one month, during which time
he will have had eight lessons in the hunting field,
which will make him, if properly ridden, quite clever
enough for a trial. About one mile of country, with fair
fences, should now be marked out ; and a good, strong,
and very resolute horseman placed on his back. Let
an old horse lead him at a strong pace for the first time
round, then let the old one be pulled up and take
no further part in the trial until the next time round,
when he should again join in, and they should have a
friendly gallop over the course for the third and last
time, neither taking any advantage, but keeping close
together.

This distance (three miles) is as much as it will
be prudent to put him over at this stage ; since the
severe shocks, &c, from jumping and galloping over
rough and uneven ground, will sooner tell then tales
on the frame than is generally supposed. He should
now be indulged with a quiet walk for about four days,

80 DUKATION OF W~OKK.

when he should be put through the same ordeal as
before ; and if he perform creditably, he should be
forthwith put into training the same as for flat racing —
having two brushing gallops during the week, and
varying the work on alternate days by going over
eight or nine gorsed hurdles in his gallop. He will
require this training for four weeks, when he may be
safely entered for a steeplechase.

It will thus be seen that with care, attention, and
opportunities, three months are sufficient to prepare
an untried horse to run in a steeplechase.

The training of the steeplechase horse, who knows
his business, should be different from this ; for it would
be a needless risk to hunt him, since a horse can but
know his business, and knowing it, should be put over
fences which are not likely to cause any injury, such as
bangs, cuts, stakes, &c. A gallop once a fortnight
over gorsed hurdles is all the jumping he will require ;
and in every way, with this exception, he should be
prepared the same as for a flat race.

As to the distance of ground over which a steeple-
chaser should be put, there will always be a variety of
opinions ; but I am persuaded that they must have
long gallops, both for the sake of their muscles and
wind, for no horse, unless his muscles and respiratory
organs have been well j^repared, can by any possibility
be expected to perform successfully in a steeplechase.
The concussions, &c, from jumping are so severe, that
he would soon be hors de combat, unless his joints,
muscles, and organs of respiration had received a

PREPARATION" NECESSARY. 81

proper preparation. ~No horse can hope to cross a
country at any pace without wind. Few clever horses
fall until deprived of the powers of respiration ; after
which, they generally go down a terrible burster,
through not having sufficient power to contract their
frames and rise at the fences, or else they refuse
altogether.

This should teach any one who attempts to train a
steeplechase horse, how hopeless it is for a half-pre-
pared horse to stand a chance in a steeplechase, where
everything tends to knock the wind out of him. I
never yet saw a fat horse run to the end of a steeple-
chase that was run at a fair pace.

RIDING.

There are several nasty tricks that steeplechase
horses usually contract, such as swerving, rushing,
pulling, and not rising sufficiently at their fences.
These vices cause fully seven-eighths of the accidents
both to man and horse that occur in steeplechases, and
they are all of them more or less brought on by the
rider being; unable, through the want of sufficient
physical strength, to collect and pull the horse on to his
hind legs, and so shorten his stride before reaching
the fence.

Sometimes — and more frequently — they are brought
on by that hateful practice of holding the reins in
the left hand, and throwing up the right hand as the
horse is rising at the fence, for the purpose of balancing
the body ; this necessarily causes the horse to swerve

Q

82 BAD HABITS CONTRACTED.

to the left, and allows him to run into the fence just as
he pleases ; and thus refusing, swerving, not rising, and
rushing, are all engendered by the most ungainly-
practice that any horseman can be guilty of.

Until men learn that horses, having two sides to
their mouths, require an equal pressure on each side to
keep them straight, and an unequal pressure to make
them turn, there will be no fewer refusers, rushers,
swervers, &c, than there are at the present time.

THE CHARACTER OF THE STEEPLECHASE HORSE OF THE
PRESENT DAY AS COMPARED WITH THE PAST.

In choosing a steeplechase horse, it is often a matter
of extreme difficulty what class of animal to select
from among the ranks of flat racers ; and indeed, the
running of certain horses on the flat and across country
seems so utterly opposed, that no just conclusion ap-
pears attainable.

Some horses which cannot get a mile on the flat,
often prove invincible over thrice this distance across
country, and defeat their former victors with such ease,
that it would seem well-nigh absurd to suppose that
they could be brought on a par at any kind of racing,

If, however, these facts are looked into more closely,
they will not appear so startling as they seem at first
sight. In the first place, on the flat a horse must
be able to go at his best pace throughout, without a
moment's pause for gathering his wind, collecting or
altering his stride, or any other action for easing the
tension of his whole frame. Every nerve, muscle, and

VALUE OF ACTION. 83

tendon must be at their fullest tension ; and this tension
we find many very brilliant horses unable to preserve
beyond a mile, but at a slightly reduced speed they can
keep it up — so to say — for ever.

But it may be objected, 'why cannot also the
Queen's plater do precisely the same and in an in-
creased ratio ? ' The answer is this, he would un-
doubtedly do so, if equally possessed of the same
qualification for steeplechasing, viz., action, forma-
tion, a quick eye and foot, and indomitable courage ;
but if he does not possess these, he will assuredly
suffer an inglorious defeat at the hands of his in-
feriors in racing over smooth turf, but his superiors in
getting over uneven and unsound ground, and conse-
quently his superiors in action.

It does appear then that action must be the one
qualification, and that the horse must be thoroughbred
I have already stated as my firm conviction.

It is also a matter of moment with some to consider
what importance attaches to any distinct strain of blood ;
whether the very stout or the more speedy strains are
to be sought ; but these are questions, for the reasons
stated above, on which I must decline to offer any
decided opinion ; but this much I think it safe to assert,
that if a horse can be found of the stoutest blood and
performances together with the desired shape and qua-
lifications, undoubtedly he is to be preferred to an
animal of more speed but inferior in stoutness ; but if
stoutness be his only recommendation it will avail him
little in steeplechasing.

G 2

84 HASTY CONCLUSIONS.

For these reasons I admire the steeplechaser and
flying hunter more than any other class of horse living ;
because they are possessed of more admirable points
than those of any other class.

They have more power, courage, and action than the
flat racer, and more blood, speed, and activity than
the common hunter and hack. Truly a first-class
steeplechase horse of the present day is a magnificent
animal. I have often heard it remarked that the
steeplechaser of late years is but a racing weed — a
mere cast-off from the racing stable, and utterly
unfit for coping with a good honest horse of his own
class ; but such conclusions are the result of superficial
investigation. The truth is, that the steeplechaser is a
cast-off from the training stable, not because he is not
a magnificently-bred and shaped animal, but because
he cannot cope with his fellows successfully in a 'parti-
cular performance. And to assert that the steeple-
chaser of these days is inferior to that of the past, either
in blood, size, power, or performances, is truly monstrous.

If blood, power, and qualifications be carefully
weighed, where have there been seen in any age such
fine specimens of the steeplechaser as Bourton, Emblem,
Emigrant, Lincoln, The Huntsman, and Fly fisher, not
to mention such weight-carriers as Penarth, Bridegroom,
Medora, Acrobat, and Express, cum multis aliis ?

Surely persons capable of judging of a horse's merits
in the smallest degree must be joking when they view
such animals and assert that they are not capable of
carrying weight ! For not one of the above-mentioned

DETEKIOKATION A FALLACY. 85

horses, at the lowest computation, could be considered
overweighted at from twelve to sixteen stones with
hounds. Then, may I ask, do men above this weight
expect to ride horses of high pedigree and performances
in the front rank in any county in Great Britain?
And if so, let me further ask, at what period and on
what horses they ever did so ? I can only say that
when I look at our top-weighted steeplechasers I feel
proud of the magnificent action and calibre of my
country's champions. Indeed it would be hard to say
for what purpose, had they undergone different training,
they would have been unfitted, from drawing a ton to
racing on the flat !

What were Lottery, Vanguard, Discount, and Cigar,
in point of steeplechasing capabilities, when compared
with Bourton, Emigrant, The Huntsman, and Emblem ?

Or what were the Clinker, Grimaldi, Vivian, and
Gay lad in comparison with such horses as Penarth,
Flyfisher, Lincoln, and Bridegroom?

To any judge of horses, acquainted with both these
periods, I willingly leave the issue without further
comment.

Were I called upon to mention the best steeplechase
horse of late years, I should not hesitate to mention
my predilection for Bourton by Drayton (who himself
never appeared, and was got by Muley out of Prima
Donna by Soothsayer). He was, perhaps, the biggest
animal that was ever a first-class race or steeplechase
horse, standing fully 16 hands 2 in. high, with im-
mensely long and strong shoulders, and rather knify

86 A BRILLIANT EXCEPTION.

withers, a strong neck, and ' rather plain head. His
back ribs were very light, and his loins very slack, set
into very wide hips and haunches. He was a coward
on the flat, but nevertheless a horse of immense capa-
bilities, which will readily be accepted when I say that
his trainer (and there are few better judges) always
held that he was as good as that great horse Defiance,
and actually beat him in a trial on the flat at home. It
therefore may be reasonably doubted whether in any
age we shall see a match for this prince of steeple-
chasers : for, owing to his immense length and fine
action, any ordinary fence was no obstacle of import-
ance to him, and his fine turn of speed always reduced
the racing part of the performance to a certainty ; and
I have heard good judges assert that when he carried
off the Grand National Steeplechase, with the heavy
impost of list. 121b., he could have won it, in their
opinion, with 3st. more on his back.

It is rarely ever that a horse of his size has the
activity and speed to render him first-class ; but, as is
frequently the case, the exception comes in with great
brilliancy in the case of our hero. I may further
remark, as another of his peculiarities in formation,
that the fore legs were excessively arched, or what is
called l over at the knees,' and is another proof of the
correctness of Lord George Bentinck's theory of the
superiority of this formation.

It is very often objected with some degree of plausi-
bility, i If there are all these magnificent horses, why
are they not more readily procured ? '

VALUE OF THE STEEPLECHASES. 87

The answer is this,

1. Such horses cost a large sum of money to breed.

2. They are so highly appreciated by liberal pur-
chasers from all countries as well as our own, that the
demand is far greater than the supply.

3. That they can be obtained, but not without con-
siderable cost ; for, like every other article deemed by
the [public to be really good, be the commodity land,
timber, carriages, or whatsoever else, the money value
will be in exact ratio to its worth. Nevertheless, how
frequently do we hear men vowing that there are no
horses of blood and power left in the country, merely
because they cannot find them at their own precon-
ceived ideas of cost, or at the same price at which they
themselves or their forefathers in times gone by used
to obtain them, forgetting that in those days they only
had a home market to contend with, for the simple
reason that the merits of our thoroughbred stock were
neither appreciated nor known by foreigners generally,
owing to the meagre means of international intercourse
that then existed, but which has since been entirely
removed. It is now an easier task to send a horse
from York to Vienna than it was in former days to send
one from York to London.

Therefore it is no matter of surprise that we find
such a staff of foreigners at all our principal fairs, more
hungry buyers than dealers of our own country.

Of steeplechasers both the French and Germans are
especially fond, and are always ready to give a high
price for a highly tried horse capable of carrying a high

88 FOREIGNERS AS BREEDERS.

weight over stiff fences ; and if the taste for steeple-
chasing maintains its rapid growth in these countries,
we must put our shoulders to the wheel in earnest and
produce more powerful thoroughbred horses. There
are, on an average, some fifteen hundred thoroughbred
colts and fillies bred every year, out of which there are
about three really first-class racehorses, or one in 1a.\e
hundred, and some twenty or thirty moderate race-
horses, or about one in fifty worth keeping in training
for the Turf.

The others are scattered about all over the world as
hunters, hacks, cab horses, steeplechasers, and for
breeding purposes.

Then, as only about one-fiftieth of the number of
thoroughbred horses are ever kept in training more than
two years, it is of the deepest importance that sound-
ness, power, and action should be the careful study of
every breeder in the land, or assuredly foreigners will
soon establish better markets in their own countries.

It is now a matter of fact beyond all doubt that by
a fair competition in exhibitions and on the race course,
by the encouragement of a public, and the direct sup-
port of a government, the British thoroughbred horse
is capable of being produced in any country in Europe
in almost the same perfection as in the warm paddocks
at Hampton Court.

The Emperor of the French was the first to fully
comprehend this, and by purchasing thoroughbred
stallions of fine size and ])ower the French govern-
ment has rendered great service to the country in aid-

ENCOURAGEMENT OF GOVERNMENTS. 89

ing her in the production of animals which formerly
were only to be obtained in another land.

This conception has been followed by similar efforts
in other countries, such as Russia, Prussia, and
Austria ; and, no doubt, when Victor Emanuel finds
the inhabitants of the Italian nation sufficiently awake
to the clear loss they sustain by purchasing, instead of
producing, the noble animals that are yearly despatched
from this country to the royal stables at Turin, at an
immense cost, he will be first and foremost in lending
his subjects substantial aid in their efforts to compete
with the breeders of this country.

No unprejudiced man can shut his eyes to the high
calibre of the American horses as stout racehorses and
steeplechasers ; and should they select another of the
Glencoe stamp, it is very probable that the blue rib-
and of the Turf may ere long fall to their lot.

HUNTERS.

The hunter may or may not differ from the steeple-
chaser very widely in proportion to the description of
country for which he is intended.

The make and shape of the hunter must be precisely
the same as that of the steeplechaser, whether he be
full-blooded or no, save in one particular, viz., his back
ribs. These certainly should be deeper and of greater
expansion to enable him to go through the many hours
of severe labour without food.

In other respects all should be the same, and whether
the horse has to carry ten or twenty stones he must in
no way be a coach-horse.

90 FORMATION

The neck must be strong, the shoulders long, com-
pact, and well covered with muscle. The hips wide,
quarters long and muscular, and the legs flat, clean,
and straight.

His action should be rather more correct than I
should demand in the steeplechaser, from the rough-
ness of the ground over which he must go at all
paces.

But again must I caution my readers against mis-
taking coaching for hunting action. The hunter's
action must not be knee but shoulder action, or it never
will be safe. Without shoulder action the very best
hind leg action will be useless, for this reason, that
unless the shoulders are capable of throwing the weight
of the forepart of the body back to the hind limbs, that
weight can never be thrown back by any other agency.
This is what is meant when a horse is said to 6 bend
himself,'' which he cannot perform if he has bad shoul-
ders without breaking his back into two pieces.

A hunter with bad shoulders is dangerous in the ex-
treme, for he will always lean against instead of rising
over his fences, and unless they give way, over he must
come ; consequently such horses should never be ridden
at timber with impunity.

The hunter must have good feet. Big platter feet
can never be anything but fatal to him, for he must
run the risk of bruising his feet some dozen or more
times every day he goes out.

In addition to which he will be more liable to hit
his legs and pull off his shoes — two of the worst and

OF THE HUNTEE. 91

most troublesome faults with which a hunter can be
afflicted.

I am well aware that it is frequently asserted that
the hunter must have big feet to enable him to go
through the dirt without sinking up to his knees ; and
undoubtedly he should have big feet if he be a big
horse, but on no account must his feet be out of pro-
portion to his legs ; and, if this be the case, the merest
tyro in horseflesh can determine at a glance, if he will
take the trouble to look.

Whether, then, the horse be big or little his feet
should be in proportion to the weight they have to
carry. I have a partiality for high and strong, but a
great objection to low and weak, heels.

It must never be forgotten that the foot is the
foundation of all a hunter's exertions, and unless the
foundation be good the whole frame will have its action
materially weakened. Small feet are only objection-
able in that they do not afford sufficient surface to sup-
port the weight in soft ground ; otherwise, high and
rather small feet are no doubt possessed of greater
wear and tear than larger ones, but either extreme is
very objectionable in the hunter.

In shoeing the hunter great care should be taken
that the shoe exactly fits the foot in every part, and
also that it is not a heavy shoe ; for, inasmuch as the
extra weight of a shoe, however trifling, from the fact of
its being at the end of the lever, will very materially
embarrass the action. ( An ounce on the foot is a pound
on the back,' is a very old and correct axiom, but one

92 SHOEING THE HUNTEK.

which is nevertheless very little attended to. Many-
persons will persist that the hardness of the roads de-
mand heavy shoes; but this is a very vulgar error.
They demand, undoubtedly, shoes of better quality —
of more steel in them — but in no way heavier.

As to the number of nails to be put in the shoe I am
inclined to place but little importance in either the many
or few nailed principle. The exact fitting of the shoe
is the point. It must neither be too long nor too short,
but should exactly fit the bars, and should, with the
bars, incline and converge to the heels, and not go out
straight from the lateral angle of the hoof as some very
simple people think proper, considering it probable that
the hoof will, by a sort of magnetic attraction, oblige
them by following the same course as the shoe ; which
is, of course, utterly ridiculous, as is proved both by
theory and practice.

Unless the shoe exactly fit the foot there cannot be
an even pressure ; and if there be not an even pressure,
the weight must be borne unduly by some particular
part winch is only able and intended to bear a certain
proportion of that weight.

The consequence of such shoeing must be patent to
every one. If the horse cut his ankles, either before
or behind, the only preventive will be a double piece of
leather encircling the ankle, and not a patent thing in-
tended to fit on the precise part interfered with, but which,
as every horseman must know who has tried them, does not
keep its position, but is hit round and generally pulled off
after the strap has made a sore place above the ankle.

VICES CURED. 93

Patience and improvement in condition must alone
be depended on for a cure ; but the shoes must not be
interfered with in any way, or they will, being set on
one side, render the ankles weaker than ever.

Horses that have to gallop over fields that are liter-
ally sown broadcast with sharp flints, should always be
shod with the best and toughest leathern sole ; which
will also be proper in cases of thrush, severe corns, &c.,
but which will be most improper in cases of laminitis,
since the exciting cause of the disease will be increased,
owing to an additional strain being put on the crust.

All horses of proper action stop themselves for leap-
ing or any other purpose, with their hind legs ; there-
fore, over slippery stones, down steep hills, &c, one or
both of the heels of the hind shoes should be turned up
or the horse's hind legs may go from under him, and
he may strain his loins very severely, as well as injure
himself by the fall.

During frost also no horse should be suffered to go
out of the stable without being first shod with ( calk-
ings,' which should be sharpened or renewed as occa-
sion requires.

If the horse be a violent kicker while beiii£ shod in
his hind feet, the best method is to put a noose on the
fetlock of the hind foot required to be shod, and to at-
tach this to the headstall.

This will cause hhn to wrench his neck and head se-
verely, whenever he lashes out or endeavours to drag
it out of the hands of the smith.

This is a much better method than i casting ' hhn,

94 SIZE AND BREEDING.

which is always attended with extreme danger, and places
the horse in such a position that no smith can put on a
shoe properly.

BREEDING THE HUNTER.

In breeding hunters, it is most desirable to keep in
view the style of horse required.

1. The twelve to fourteen stone hunters over a flying
country.

2. The fourteen to twenty stone ditto.

3. The twelve to fourteen stone hunter over banks,
hills, and walls.

4. The fourteen to twenty stone ditto.

First, then, we will suppose that a man is desirous of
breeding a horse up to from twelve to fourteen stones
over a flying country. Blood there must of necessity
be, and plenty of it ; and substance or muscular de-
velopment there must be, and plenty of it ; and length
there must be on short legs.

Then we must choose a mare as much like what we
want as possible, and with almost more length and
breadth — length as we stand at their sides, and breadth
as we stand behind them.

"Without this all the make and shape in the world will
avail nothing in carrying weight over a flying and big
country. As to height it is of little consequence, so
lonsr as it is over 15 hands and 1 in., but under this
standard I do not fancy a horse for a big country, unless
possessed of extraordinary length, which is very seldom
met with.

WEIGHT CAKKYING. 95

2. To carry from 14 to 20 st., a little less quality
must necessarily be put up with ; but still a great deal
of breeding there must be, or the horse can never live
the pace at which hounds go for any distance.

I cannot, however, see the necessity for demanding
greater height. A horse standing 15 hands 2 in. is
high enough to carry any weight, supposing he be wide
enough. The fastest and best 16 st. and a-half hunter
of my experience was barely 15 hands 2 in. and a half,
but was very broad and muscular, and not very long.
In my opinion the heavier the man is, the greater the
breadth and the less length he should demand.

One principle in the matter of weight-carrying is
quite clear, and that is, that the horse must first prove
by his action that he can carry his own weight, and then
there will be some chance of his carrying some con-
siderable addition to it.

I have often seen horses bought at high prices as
hunters supposed to be up to great weight, but in
reality mere tall swill-bellied brutes, not even able to
carry their own weight correctly and evenly, much less
any addition to it ; in short, only fitted to lean the front
of their ponderous carcases against a collar. Such horses
always die away in about two miles.

3. As I have demanded the hunter's standard for
flying countries to be over 15 hands and 1 in., so do I
demand that of the hunter intended for banks and hills
and walls to be under that height.

For carrying from 12 to 14 st. over this description
of country, a full-blooded cob, varying from 14 hands

96 BLOOD NECESSARY.

3 in. to 15 hands 1 in., with plenty of depth and width,
but not so much length as is desirable in the former
cases, is the best description of horse.

For carrying from 14 to 20 st. over this description
of country, a thicker cob of from 15 hands to 15 hands
and 1 in. is the best adapted for the purpose.

In short, the great difference between the description
of horse for the different countries is this : For the fly-
ing countries you necessarily require more size, length,
and range ; for close, hilly countries, more shortness
and compactness of frame generally, great length and
range being utterly useless. It is a very great, though
very common, error to suppose that a badly-bred horse
is capable of getting over the hills and banks better
than a finer bred one. There can be no greater mis-
take. Unless a horse be a very highly-bred one he
can hardly wag his tail, much less gallop, on arriving
at the summit of a steep hill at a good pace, as every
hard rider must have experienced. Badly-bred ones
soon choke themselves if violent exertion is forced on
them, and they then become dangerous whatever the
nature of the fence or country may be.

The stallion should be chosen of the same stamp as
the mare in every way ; and they can, with care and
judgment, easily be found, notwithstanding it is so
confidently asserted that strong, compact, and mo-
derately-sized animals, suitable for banking and hilly
countries, cannot be procured from the racing stable.

I presume that Midas, Daniel O'Rourke, Saucebox,
Wardermarshe, Rogerthorpe, and Underhand could

„ from Sir Hercules.
Augur and JN ew court.

The Steamer,

sons ot Lmilius.

. sons of Pantaloon,
hound,

SUCCESSFUL STALLIOXS. 97

hardly be found fault with for such a purpose, however
much they may be considered undersized for purposes
where greater size and range are desirable.

For hunters adapted for the flying countries, the
most successful stallions of late years have been
Birdcatcher and his sons "]

Pompey, and Theon J
The Libel and Wind- j

Harkaway.

Catesby.

Cranebrooke.

Tupsley.
In rearing the hunter, the same caution must be
taken as in rearing the racehorse for the first twelve
months, during which period about the same quantity
of corn, &c, should be allowed.

After which he may be suffered to live a little
harder. It is, however, essentially necessary that all
animals should live well during the first year, for bone
and size cannot be obtained afterwards.

The hunting colt should be kept in a good roomy and
dry straw yard during the winter, and always have a
plentiful supply of clean water at hand. Great care
should be taken that they be all tied up to feed, or they
will rob each other of their corn. At four years old
breaking should commence, and if any symptoms of
curbs appear the colt should be bitted and longed, but

H

98 TREATMENT OF CURBS.

on no account ridden. And if, after a fortnight's break-
ing, they do not seem inclined to disappear, a pair of
high-heeled shoes should be put on, two doses of physic
given with entire rest, and a cold wet sponge encased
in a bandage of oiled silk placed immediately over the
curb. Continue this treatment for a fortnight, during
which time give no corn, but merely bran and hay or
grass. He will now be in a fit condition to fire, and if
the operation can be performed without casting so much
the better, since very frequently a great deal of in-
flammation is caused. And sometimes a great curb is
thrown out through struggling, when of course firing
merely acids to the mischief by increasing the inflam-
mation, and a permanent enlargement and blemish may
be the consequence.

Firing should always be performed for curbs at this
stage, since it saves much trouble, expense, and dis-
appointment. He will require, after the operation, at
least three or four months' run at grass, the expiration
of which will brin^ us into August, when he should
again be taken up, bitted and longed quietly for a
week ; and after having been well prepared for and had
a dose of physic, the sooner he is ridden the better.

He should be walked and trotted about through
September for about two hours daily, after which he
should commence longer walks and stronger work
generally through October, so as to be prepared for
one clay a week with hounds from November 1st,
which after two months' careful preparation he will be
well fitted for, if he be a highly-bred one. Badly-bred

EARLY MATURITY OF THE THOROUGHBRED. 99

ones require more time to make them hard and strong,
their bones being more porous and their muscles less
dense. I have known two instances of half-bred ones
being soft bad brutes for two years, utterly unable to
live with hounds at a good pace, and then prove extra-
ordinary horses in every sense of the word. Of one
thing I am certain, and that is, that half-bred ones
are not more fitted for work at seven years old than
thoroughbred ones are at five.

If the colt have good hocks and no ailments, he will
have all the better chance of beingr in crood condition
for the hunting season, as he should have been ridden
quietly about during the whole summer.

JUMPING.

Unless hounds meet at a very long distance from the
stables, colts had better not be taught to jump at home
unless the services of an experienced and temperate
man can be obtained. They are very often spoiled by
this kind of tuition, and frequently learn to be refusers,
jades, and swervers in consequence ; whereas a colt
once taught to jump in the hunting field generally does
his utmost to keep with the other horses and hounds,
and gets over everything in as clever a manner as his
experience will admit of, without being forced against
his will, as is the case nine times out of ten in larking.

Whatever the horse's temper may be, great care
must be taken that he does not run up to his fence,
dwell, and then ( pop over all of a heap,' instead of
spreading himself.

h 2

100 LEARNING TO JUMP.

This is a most incorrigible habit, and is altogether
the fault of the breaker.

On this account I have the greatest objection to
horses being led over any description of fence with a
longeing rein, excepting banks and walls ; for they con-
tract that hateful habit of leaning over and then jump-
ins: the fence. On this account so manv Irish horses
are spoilt, and I know of no fault so difficult to con-
quer as this. A rusher in clever hands can easily be
calmed down, and brought up to his fences collectedly
and well ; but a doubling, dwelling brute, can scarcely
ever be persuaded to have sufficient confidence, even
by the most accomplished horseman, either in himself
or his rider, to come boldly and straight up to his
fence and spread himself without a bungle.

I have a great objection to what is called ( playing
with' colts in the hunting field for the purpose of
making them clever and handy.

It is a bad and senseless practice, and can never teach
them how to cross a country resolutely and quickly,
but very frequently makes them careless and indolent.
A colt fit and well should be ridden as near the hounds
as possible, and should be made to take his fences as
they come, at whatever pace hounds go, and not at the
pace at which he wishes to take them.

He will then learn to do a little place as well as a
big one, and at a glance to estimate the effort by aid of
his rider which each will require.

Great care should be taken that the colt do not have
too much of it.

FAULTS CONTRACTED. 101

When he begins to get shorter in his stride, or to
exhibit any other symptoms of distress, he should be
pulled up immediately, and taken home quietly. Of
all things lie must not be overdone.

The unusual excitement, shocks, strains, &c, from
galloping and jumping must, before his muscles become
trained to bear them, take a deal of steel out of him ;
and further, it must be borne in mind that the shorter
the time he is out the oftener will he be able to come,
and the greater his practice will be. JSTo doubt in bank-
ing, and perhaps in stonewall countries, it is desirable to
have a high-mettled colt led over some fences with a
leading rein previously to being ridden over them.

When this is done, however, it is highly desirable
that he be not allowed to divell, and to prevent this, the
best plan is as follows : — Let one man take the leading
rein at full length and proceed over the fence, and
let another hold the colt by the check-strap, about ten
yards from the fence, and getting him straight let him
send him at the fence, giving the colt at the same time
some encouragement. If he goes at it readily, do not
urge him ; but if he shirk it or dwell, touch him gently
with the whip, and speak harshly to him ; but on no
account suffer him to come back to his former position,
but force him over there and then. He will be sure,
if forced over in this way, to do it in a bungling
clumsy manner ; but it will show him that when once
sent at a fence he must get over it, be the manner in
which he does so what it may. This will soon ensure
his going straight at his fences, and he should be taken

102 EDUCATION NECESSARY.

on to the next fence as soon as possible, and have his
ten yards' run at it as before, and so on over succeeding
fences until the colt seems to have had enough of it.

Teaching young horses to jump should generally be
left to experienced, patient, good-tempered, and deter-
mined horsemen, and then there need be no fear of
their turning out indifferent performers, if properly
formed. Jumping, however,, is such a bugbear to the
generality of hunting men in these days that they
would as soon entrust themselves to a horse's tender
mercies that had never been jumped, as to the car of an
experimentalising balloon; therefore, jumping should
certainly be included in the hunters education and
breaking, or he cannot be considered to meet the pre-
sent demands of the public.

CONDITION.

Nothing tends more to the comfort, health, and con-
sequently condition of the hunter than a good airy,
and more especially, a thoroughly dry stable. Whether
it consist of boxes or stalls matters little, so long as horses
have regular exercise ; but no horse should be allowed
to stand in a stall all through the day and night. If
he does so, he will lose his action and contract inflam-
mation of the feet. Therefore, where horses are
suffered to remain in the stable for a day or two to-
gether, they should be stabled in boxes or other loose
places where they can move about and prevent the
circulation from becoming dormant in their extremities,
as well as in any other part of their bodies.

THE STABLE. 103

The temperature of the stable, as I have said before,
should be dry, but never hot. A free current of air
should be allowed to pass through the top of every
stable. Nothing is so injurious to a horse's wind, or
more correctly lungs, as heated and impure at-
mosphere.

If the horse seem to feel cold, give more beans, and
put an extra rug on him as a preventive, but do not
shut up the ventilators in consequence.

There is no rule with regard to the temperature
of the stable that can be adhered to with safety.

Some hold that 50° Fahr. is the proper temperature
for the stable, others wTith quite as much reason stickle
for 70° Fahr., ivhatever the external temperature may be !
The consequence of such treatment is, that whenever
the door of the stable is opened and the natural tem-
perature admitted, up goes the horse's coat and he gets
chilled from the fresh current of air beino- so much

o

colder than that which had, up to that time, been
circulating around him. Food, exercise, and warm
clothing are the only safe methods of preserving the
system from the effects of cold.

Good drains should always be run through stables,
and kept carefully open ; but draining is now so per-
fectly understood that nothing need be said here on
this head.

The best pavement, in my opinion, is that formed by
the best blue bricks filled in on the narrow side, which
gives a better foot-hold, and is therefore a matter
of great consideration, and though more costly, will

J 04 ADJUNCTS TO CONDITION.

prevent many serious injuries through horses getting
cast, and slipping when endeavouring to get up.

Flannel bandages should always be in use. An
extra set or two for warm or cold applications will
prevent many troublesome disorders such as cracked
heels, swelled legs, &c. During the autumn and
winter — from September to March — every horse in-
tended to hunt should stand in dry flannel bandages,
bound moderately tight, when in the stable. But with
the aid of all these appurtenances, little can reasonably
be expected without good grooming and exercise.
The horse must be well brushed and rubbed from head
to foot every morning and afternoon — both before and
after exercise — until every particle of dust and dirt be
removed.

It is seldom now that one sees a horse properly
strapped. Grooms now-a-days are mere fine gentle-
men, and the good old strappers who used to open
their shoulders and strap a horse with a will until they
had brought a beautiful hue on the coat, have well-
nigh passed away. Patent braces, a well-starched collar,
and a fashionable waistcoat are now deemed proper
attire for the stableman, in which he may make as
much use of his limbs as he can. Consequently,
physic, alteratives, hot stables, and the singeing lamp
are called into play vice elbow-grease, and with very
manifest results. Not that I condemn either physic,
alteratives, or the singeing lamp as auxiliaries to con-
dition; but hot stables I do condemn most emphati-
cally. The former are all very well in their way, and

PHYSIC WHERE NECESSARY. 105

scientifically used, are great preservatives of health as
well as powerful promoters of condition, though they
should not in any way take the place of grooming —
this is the abuse of them ; but go hand in hand with it
— this is the use of them.

Physic should never be administered unless absolutely
required; it causes great debility, and consequently
unfits the horse for hard exercise for a considerable
period.

Where a horse has been resting in the stable for
some time on high feeding, and his secretions have be-
come foul, physic — preceded by a course of bran-mashes
— is absolutely necessary, to prevent a determination of
inflammation to parts most excited by exertion, which
would generally ensue, were the horse put to work
without it. Strong doses should never be given, as they
are injurious under all circumstances, and time is not
so precious with the hunter as with racehorses. Mode-
rate doses repeated as often as necessary will be found
more effectual. After three days of bran-mashes give
a ball composed of four drachms of aloes, two of Peru-
vian bark, two of resin, and two of ginger, continuing
regular exercise.

After the action of this ball has discontinued, it will
be well, unless the horse seem thoroughly clean and
healthy, to give a ball composed of Barbadoes aloes,
Peruvian bark, sulphate of iron, and powdered resin,
of each two drachms, on every Saturday night, to-
gether with copious bran and linseed mashes, until the
desired effect is attained. This treatment will prevent

106 EXERCISE VERSUS PHYSIC.

all astringency of the bowels, and a return to that
morbid condition of the digestive organs which is so
much to be feared. The use of this ball need rarely
ever be extended beyond a month, if the horse have
regular and sufficient work.

If the horse's appetite fail, and his muscles fall away,
the best mixture as a powder undoubtedly is Peruvian
bark and aniseed, of each two drachms, and emetic
tartar one drachm, put into the last feed on alternate
nights. No alteratives or tonics should be continued
for more than one week without intermission, or the
constitution will be unable to perform its proper func-
tions without their aid. The best plan is to give
them on alternate weeks, until the desired result is
attained.

Very little physic is required by horses which are
regularly exercised, and are allowed a bran and linseed
mash every Wednesday and Saturday night. I am.
very much opposed to the use of sulphur and nitre as
alteratives, since they cause great debility of the system
generally without in any way stimulating the digestive
organs to increased action.

Where horses are kept in the stables day after day
and week after week, they may require a gentle dose
of physic once a fortnight, but it is to be hoped there are
few (save dealers') stables, where horses are thus treated.
I must here caution my readers against the ignorant
and mischievous practice of physicking a horse because
his legs Jill. Physicking in this state can only add to
the evil by causing greater debility, and thus lessening

CLIPPING VERSUS SINGEING. 107

the power of the circulative organs. A mild tonic
and alterative, such as bark and antimony, with the use
of dry flannel bandages — bound tightly and tied loosely
■ — round the legs, is the proper course of treatment.

I have seen many cases of swelled legs produced by
over-physicking ; and they have taken months of liberal
treatment before the vessels had sufficient power to
contract duly on their contents.

If the horse's coat be long, it must either be shaved,
clipped, or singed. Shaving, which was in great vogue
about the years 1854, 1855, and 1856, has now quite
gone out of fashion again. It leaves the horse too bare
of covering, and makes him unsightly for a fortnight,
and unless skilfully performed he will be scratched and
scarred all over.

Clipping, without doubt, is the safest and best method
that can be adopted for removing a horse's coat ; for fre-
quently the skin is materially injured by being scorched
by the flame in singeing ; so much so, that for a time
the absorbent vessels of the skin are paralysed. This
causes that dry, unhealthy, and rough appearance on
the horse's coat after he has been singed, which is a
marked contrast to the glossy and bright look after
scientific clipping.

It is on account of this injury to the skin, that clever
stud grooms invariably sweat their horses immediately
after singeing ; and sometimes it does succeed in excit-
ing the absorbent vessels to a healthy action.

If the horse carries a short, thick, and bright coat,
it would of course be madness to interfere with it ; but

108 UNREASONABLE PRACTICES.

a long coat must never be suffered to exist for an in-
stant on the hunter. If he meets with a shower of
rain going to cover, he will remain wet until a sharp
gallop dries him by evaporation. He then sweats,
and will remain wet, dirty, chilly, and miserable during
the rest of the day ; and it is at least twenty to one
that he is found not more than three-parts dry at six
o'clock next morning. During which time, active
evaporation must have been going on, which will leave
him as flat as dishwater. This treatment is only killing
the horse by inches ; is an injustice to the groom, and
a disgrace to the master. It is truly strange that
masters can be found in these days so short-sighted,
prejudiced, and ignorant, as to prohibit clipping and
singeing in their stables.

All of a piece with this is the practice of hunting
horses from the grass field, in which a long shaggy
coat is necessary. I was once induced to try this prac-
tice, and the result was that the subject of the experi-
ment— a very hardy excellent horse — was sacrificed on
the altar of foolish credulity.

He always got beat after going well over about a
dozen fields, and turned roarer, and went blind to boot!
Yet this system was recommended to me as healthful
and economical by its votaries.

Every system, however absurd and unreasonable,
will always have its apologists. And whenever i Mr.
So-and-so always does it, and finds it answer,' is brought
forward in the place of argument to support a system,
depend upon it there is rottenness at its foundation.

CLIPPING TIME REQUIRED. 109

That every man may have his horse well clipped, I
should recommend him — no matter how expert the
clipper may be — to demand that at least twenty-four
hours be occupied by one man over the operation, for
it is utter folly for men to pretend to clip a horse
properly under this time.

I am acquainted with a professional clipper who
maintains that ( he can clip a horse as well in seven
as in twenty -four hours/ the truth of which statement
I am not in a position to dispute, not having witnessed
any of his i twenty-four hours' work ; ' but that his
seven hours' clipping is a most disgraceful performance,
I can faithfully certify. That a horse should be taken
extreme care of, and not be allowed to move out-
side the stable for a week after clipping or singeing, is
quite an exploded doctrine. He is far less likely to
catch cold after than before the operation, and the only
difference in his condition will be, that he may be ridden
at a much faster rate without the same fear of injury.

It is a practice, now very common, to leave the
saddle place undipped that the horse may be less liable
to saddle-galls ; to which I have only to say, that
I have found such a practice most productive of the
very evil it is supposed to prevent.

It is, moreover, only reasonable that this should be
so ; for in proportion as the skin is saturated with
sweat and filth, so will the irritation caused be great or
little. It was also a fashion, happily now well-nigh
exploded, of leaving the long rough hair on the hun-
ter's legs for the purpose of warding off injury from

110 TRIMMJXG THE LEGS.

thorns, bangs, cuts, &c. ; but bow the hair on the
horse's legs can have the power of warding off either
the one or the other, I have yet to learn.

One thing it certainly does very effectually ward off,
viz., that of the groom being unable to discover thorns,
stubs, or cuts, which when hidden beneath the mass of
^vet, matted, and coarse hair, are impossible to feel ; so
that the poor beast can only be rid of these extraneous
and painful substances by means of the tedious and
irritating medium of inflammation and suppuration ; and
further, if his heels crack, all healing applications will
be useless, so long as the ( cracks ' are continally irrita-
ted and ( kept open ' by the presence of long hairs.

That there is much art in removing the hair from
the leg, I must admit ; but with care, any one can do
it. The only point of importance is the long tuft
or lock of hair at the posterior part of the fetlock joint.
On no account must the scissors be suffered to interfere
with this. Above and below, it may do its work ; but
every hair in this tuft must either be ' pulled ' or suf-
fered to remain according to its dimensions, for it is
this tuft that presents the desired formation and flat-
ness of the cannon bone and fetlock joint, and if cut
off, the whole symmetry of the fore leg is destroyed.

In cutting tails, all should depend on the style of
horse to be operated on. Short, thick, and rather
high horses, should have their tails cut up just so short
as that they can carry them e with afalV If they do
not carry them thus, but hold them out straight, with an
ungraceful stiffness, they will require docking. But on

TREATMENT OF THE HAIR. Ill

the other hand, horses of fine length on short legs,
should never be docked ; but the tail should be suffered
to reach within a few inches of the hocks.

Manes and tails should never be combed after they
are once clean and free from matted locks. The free
use of the dandie brush, followed by the water brush,
is alone desirable, and these are the only proper tools
for this part.

Nothing looks worse than a scanty mane and tail,
through improper use of the comb or from the horse
rubbing himself.

When the horse rubs his tail it should always be
kept cool and damp with the water brush during the
day, and at night a cold and wet flannel bandage should
be rolled around the part rubbed.

If it be a very bad case, apply the following lotion
as often as required : chloride of lime, 2 drachms in half
a pint of Avater ; and, between the applications, nothing
is so beneficial as glycerine applied with a feather. A
good groom will always be careful to take this habit in
time.

I may here state that horses in blooming condition
never contract this habit, and that it generally is a
sign of feverishness consequent on shortness of work.

TTORK.

After the hunter has been through his physic and
alterative treatment, the sooner he commences work
the better, and, like the steeplechaser and racer, he
must begin by degrees.

112 CONDITION OF THE HUNTER.

To train the hunter properly, however, without in-
jury to his legs, is a great art, and one to which it
would be well were gentlemen to pay greater attention
than they generally do. It is a great art for the fol-
lowing reason, that you require all the wind, activity,
and stoutness, though not, perhaps, quite the same
speed, which is required in the racer or steeplechaser ;
and the greatest difficulty is that you must arrive at all
this without stripping him of his flesh, as is not only
proper but necessary in the two latter cases.

How then can clear wind, a clean skin, with fresh-
ness on the legs, and without loss of muscle, be ob-
tained ?

The answer is, by time, by hard and long-continued,
but not quick work, and by hard and often-repeated
food.

The hunter's food should be strong and substantial.
He should have fully as many beans as oats, with some
good and sweet hay chaff, and as much water as he
will drink. His work, from September 1st, should
not be less than five hours' walking exercise daily, which
should be gone through at two different periods — viz.,
morning and afternoon.

The question will then arise, ( How are you to keep
him in health — by alteratives, physic, or sweating ? '
The answer is, by both the former and latter process.

In the first place, it should be fully understood that
a horse can be sweated without being reduced or
weakened in any way ; and at least once a-week from
September 1st to November 1st, he will require to be

SWEATING. 113

put through a sweat or plethora will sooner or later
ensue.

On the night previous to sweating the horse should
have no hay, and on the following morning one feed of
corn and a few mouthfuls of water will be sufficient ;
after which put on the sweating rug and hood, which
should be of double thickness to the ordinary clothing,
and take the horse to the softest field near to the
stables. Here he should be walked about until he has
emptied himself, after which begin to trot him round
and round the field for twenty minutes, then bend him
well and make him canter for about ten minutes, not
exceeding at any part of the time from ten to twelve
miles an hour.

I say e canter ' instead of ( trot ' at this pace, for the
reason that horses are very apt when trotting round
and round a field either to strike their legs or over-
reach, when going at the rate of from ten to twelve
miles an hour.

He will by this method have been trotting and can-
tering for about half-an-hour, during which time be-
tween four and five miles will have been o-ot over.

o

He should now be taken back to his stable without
delay ; on entering which about six rugs should be
thrown over him, and should remain thus for about ten
minutes, when he should be stripped, scraped, and
rubbed dry ; and after having a feed of corn and three
or four hours' rest, he should be put through his after-
noon's walk as usual.

It will now appear that the horse's muscles and
i

114 SWEATING CEASES.

general health have been carefully attended to, but
that his wind has been neglected, and, indeed, so far
this is the case. His organs of respiration should be
exercised and strengthened by the following means : —
At the end of every afternoon's walk — when the horse
must be sufficiently empty to prevent any injury arising
from quicker work — he should be sent along at nearly
full speed up about three hundred yards of a steep
ascent, which will not make him sweat, but merely ex-
ercise his respiratory organs, and send him back to his
stable a stronger horse than he was when he left it.

More cantering or galloping than this is not only
unnecessary but injurious to the hunter, since nothing
pulls off flesh so fast as quick work, and therefore he
should only have enough quick work to clear his wind,
and no more.

Every experienced sportsman reasonably expects his
horse to stand the process of wasting from November to
April ; and it is therefore necessary that the hunter
should commence the season with enough and to spare
of good hard material on him, that will readily supply
the waste without injury to the constitution.

From the moment hunting begins, or say from the
first day of November, the sweating rugs will no more
be needed, and the horse's walking exercise should be
reduced from five to three hours daily, which should
be gone through morning and afternoon; and, as the
days get shorter, the time should be divided into two
hours in the morning and one in the afternoon.

It will thus be seen that training or conditioning the

THE HUNTER OPPOSED TO THE RACEHORSE. 115

hunter is almost diametrically opposite to traininor the
racer and steeplechaser. Nor is it so wonderful that it
should be so, when it is considered that the latter
classes of animals bear off the palm of victory in a
period not exceeding from one to ten minutes, whereas
the hunter's labours cannot be reckoned at a much less
duration than from seven to ten hours !

A celebrated writer, early in the present century,
considered training a horse for a Queen's Plate and for
the hunting field one and the same thing ; but had he
studied the animal economy of the horse still more
closely than he did he could never have fallen into so
palpable an error.

But so far I will agree with him, on the last day of
the season the hunter's condition should resemble that
of the Queen's Plater as nearly as possible.

Great attention should be paid to the feet of the
hunter. They should be well stopped every night,
and the hoof dressed so often as any cracks or dryness
are apparent. With the proper use of alteratives,
bandages on the legs, and the above-mentioned work,
there need be no fear of thrushes, inflammation of the
laminae, or any other inflammatory attacks in the feet
and legs ; but if they do appear they should be treated
as is hereafter described.

As to the time required to condition the hunter, I con-
sider that if he have been well summered and is healthy
when taken up, from three to four months are sufficient.

With regard to the quantity of food, if the horse is
doing five hours' walking exercise per day, not less

I 2

116 A SUFFICIENCY OF WATER NECESSARY.

than five quarterns, half oats and half beans, with a
bran and linseed mash every Wednesday and Saturday
night, should be allowed ; and if the horse will not eat
this quantity his work should be still increased ; and if
after this he refuse it, he should be discarded from
the hunting stable, and take his place with the hacks
or harness horses.

A horse that cannot eat cannot work without losing
muscle, and becoming weak and washy, or utterly use-
less as a hunter.

With regard .to water, there should be no limit as to
quantity. There is no better sign of health than a
regular and lar^e consumer of water. Since water is the
only cooling as well as diluent material that enters into
the form of diet given to the hunter, it is absolutely
necessary that a sufficient quantity be allowed, and if
he have water always by him, so much the better.

On this account, then, it is almost needless to add
that great care should be taken to avoid disgusting the
horse by putting messes, such as nitre, &c, with his
water, as also by chilling it too much, and thereby
causing great nausea.

I know from experience that both these filthy and
careless habits will invariably make shy drinkers, and
consequently shy feeders, of otherwise very hearty and
strong horses.

There is very frequently adopted in hunting stables
the cruel practice of stinting horses in their water, which
happen to be afflicted with roaring, a chronic cough, or
any other affection of the respiratory organs. This

FREEDOM VERSUS CONFINEMENT. 117

ignorant practice is the cause of much suffering, since
any irritation of the mucous membrane, bronchial
tubes, or any other part of the system, gives rise to
greater thirst, which if not satisfied will produce a
feverishness and irritability of the whole system, which
will necessitate a resort to cooling diet, physic, and a
stoppage in work ; or, in other words, will aggravate
the state of the disease.

SUMMERING THE HUNTER.

The hunting men of the present day are apt to run
into the opposite extreme to their forefathers, and con-
fine their horses in such small and close places that
they have not sufficient room to move for the proper
performance of their functions. Exercise horses must
have, after a time, or they will lose their muscle.

About one month's or six weeks' rest on some fresh
tan in a cool box is all that can be required for the
purpose of refreshing the system ; after which all horses
which are not suffering from disease, the effects of an
operation or accident, will be all the better for a little
walking exercise on some fallow ground and soft turf.

It is preposterous nonsense for men to assert that
e the horse does not lose condition in the box without
exercise, if on hard food.'' Every man of experience
must know that the horse which has been running at
grass is by far the stronger animal of the two during
the first two or three weeks ; though, of course, the
flesh of the former is looser, and therefore is more
quickly shaken off, and consequently he will require

118 DIRECTIONS FOR SUMMERING.

more time to put on a sufficient quantity of good ma-
terial than the former. If horses are kept standing
in boxes without exercise, and on strong food for three
or four months, it stands to reason that plethora must
have taken possession of their systems, and will show
itself on the first excitement of the system in a most
baneful way.

Let the hunter be rested for six weeks in a good
roomy and cool box on fresh tan about eight or ten
inches in depth, which will allow of his shoes being taken
off without injury to his feet ; and at the expiration of
this time let him be taken up and walked for an hour
every morning on the dewy grass, and continue to give
enough grass to loosen the dung — in short, to take the
place of physic.

Let this food and this work be continued until
September 1, when the food and general preparation
for work, as previously described, should commence in
earnest.

I am well aware of all the arguments brought for-
ward for and against the in and out-door system of
summering the hunter ; but I think that the votaries
of both have overshot the mark entirely.

The great point is that neither the one nor the other
system should be continued too long ; but change and
absolute rest for a short period will always bring about
the desired freshness and vigour.

Another important consideration is to avoid all
sudden changes and shocks to the system. The organs
of respiration are always affected more or less seriously

CHANGE NECESSARY. 119

by sudden changes of diet and atmosphere, which are
the most prolific causes of inflammatory attacks at all
seasons of the year.

The sure signs of a horse requiring rest or summering
are these : loss of appetite, dullness of the eyes, a sort
of nettle-rash all over the body and legs, cracked heels,
falling away of the crest, harshness of the skin accom-
panied by a hitching cough, excrements most frequently
hard and voided with difficulty, with ears wet and cold
after exercise. When any or all of these symptoms
present themselves all work should cease immediately,
and entire rest, with mild alteratives, given, if the future
of the horse be in any way regarded.

If work be continued only for a fortnight after such
symptoms have set in, so much injury will have been
wrought on the constitution that it will take at least
four or five months of absolute rest before the vigour
of the constitution will be restored ; but if taken at
once, before a morbid condition has taken hold of the
system, a month or six weeks' rest, with change of food,
will be found amply sufficient.

Should this morbid condition of body show itself
during the winter or early in the spring, when no green
food is obtainable, the food should be changed by giving
swedes, peas, Indian corn, oilcake, &c, in the place of
oats and beans, with newer hay than that to which he
has been accustomed, and if carrots can be procured so
much the better. Some change of food and rest must,
under all circumstances, be resorted to.

This condition of body is generally produced by

120 BULK REQUIRED.

over-training and continuing work after the appetite
has failed ; or, in other words, calling on the system
for that which it has not, wasting when there is nothing
to waste, drawing water when the spring is dry !

Absurd as this may seem to the inexperienced, it is
no less the truth. Horses are often called upon to
exert themselves whether their muscles are full or
wasted, whether their appetites are good or bad, and
sometimes whether their health is good or bad; and
according to their performances in either of the above-
mentioned conditions, so are they unreasonably and
unjustly judged.

In former years it was thought necessary to bleed
previous to resting the hunter which became thus
overworked ; but in the present day the excessive folly
of robbing the system of the small amount of its
vitality left is well understood and admitted on all sides,
save and except among the ranks of farriers, who for-
tunately are not often called upon to treat horses of a
superior grade than the cart horse

Where the hunter is thus overworked it will be well
always to give the tonic and alterative powder every
day for the first week, after which discontinue its use
entirely. Physic, sulphur, nitre, and resin, should all
be carefully avoided in this case.

THE RIDING HORSE.
By the term riding horse, I do not mean the cover
or galloping hack, but a riding horse suitable for the
park or ordinary use.

FORMATION OF THE RIDING HORSE. 121

His height should range from 15 hands to 15 hands
2 in., and in extreme cases, where the length of the
rider necessitates it, 16 hands will not be too high.

His head and neck should be lighter and more hand-
some than that of either the racer, steeplechaser, or
hunter. His shoulders should be long and oblique, with
high withers, and his back, unless the weight exceed
14 st., should be long ; his hips neat and rounded, and
indeed the quarters may be more straight and peacocky
than can be suffered in animals which have to undergo
much wear and tear.

The feet must be especially good, with strong
pasterns, which must be very long or the action will
never be easy and graceful ; and if the hind legs are
not placed very much under the body it matters little.

His action must not be so high as to be rampant or
gaudy, but must be longer and not so round as is desir-
able in driving horses. Great attention should be paid
to the way in which the feet are put to the ground. As
he walks along his feet and legs should appear to be
slung from the shoulder straight before him, with the
heel downwards. If this be not the case all the action
in the world will only make him the more dangerous.
A riding horse that thrusts his toe into the ground as
he walks along cannot be suffered for an instant.

If the horse roll or waddle in his walk or trot, he
has not the proper use of his shoulders, and must be
discarded at once for this purpose. Nothing is more
ungainly in appearance, and nothing more uncom-
fortable to the rider.

122 SHALLOW PREJUDICES.

Irishmen have aptly designated this mode of progres-
sion by the expressive appellation of c bog trot? which
fully expresses the common and vulgar carriage of such
horses. Many very excellent hunters and covert hacks
are afflicted with this defect in their walk, but in the
riding horse it is a most unpardonable fault.

In the riding horse there is yet a most important
qualification, viz. manners, without which a riding horse
is next to useless.

A good mouth, elegant carriage, and tractable
temper, in addition to make and shape, must all be fully
developed.

It will now appear clear why it is so difficult to
obtain a perfect riding horse ; and why, when procured,
so large a sum is demanded for him. Some persons
who are really in want of a good riding horse, and are
prepared to give a fair sum for him, nevertheless very
frequently miss the chance of being possessed of one,
through a thousand and one prejudices which are of
no importance whatever. Among the number the
following are frequently urged : — A particular height,
colour, age, sex, &c, and are most frequent causes of
a life-long disappointment in failing to procure a good
riding horse.

I would advise such persons to forsake without delay
running in so narrow a groove, and whenever they see
an animal that suits them — no matter of what colour,
size, age, or sex — to seize the opportunity of procur-
ing it without delay. A really good horse, with good
action and manners, always looks well and handsome,
no matter of what colour or size he may be.

OVERPACING CONDEMNED. 123

It is desirable that the riding horse be able to walk at
the rate of five miles an hour, for if he be unable to do
this, and should chance to go in company with a fast
walker, he will be compelled to ( jog,5 which, however
gracefully performed, is but a slovenly performance.
And if in company with slow walkers, he will carry
himself in no way worse by walking well within himself.

The riding horse should never be allowed to trot at
a greater rate than eight miles in the hour, so that he
may go collectedly and well, and have time to place his
feet just where he or his rider may think fit. Nothing
looks more plebeian and butcher-like than to see a
riding horse over-trotting himself, and reaching along
with his head out, like a pig on a spit.

The riding horse should always be nicely bent and
collected when in motion, or he never can present an
aristocratic or graceful appearance.

THE LADY'S HORSE.

The lady's horse should resemble the gentleman's
riding horse in every particular save in the trotting
pace ; at which pace, for many reasons, no real horse-
woman would condescend to ride ; therefore trotting in
the lady's horse should not be suffered for an instant ;
but he should start from the walk to the canter, and
return from the canter to the walk without a break.
To see a horse jolting in a trot before settling down
from the canter to the walk, tells sad tales of the horse's
education, at any rate, to say nothing of the rider's.
Therefore it will be understood that a lady's riding

124 SHARP BITS DANGEROUS.

horse will not be nearly so difficult to obtain, and
accordingly not so expensive, as a gentleman's, inas-
much as a graceful canter is not nearly so difficult to
attain as a graceful and proper trot.

Whatever the weight of a lady, her horse's back
must not be short, or she and her habiliments will com-
pletely cover the horse's frame, and render the outline
ridiculous, and something approaching that of a slim
young lady set off with a huge carriage umbrella.

Most ladies are heavy in the hand, and therefore an
irritable mouth is not to be suffered, since nine ladies
out of ten will make it worse. For this reason I can-
not too strongly condemn the use of strong bits by
ladies, and I am persuaded that most of the bad acci-
dents that have occurred may be laid to their charge, —
such as running away, tumbling over, &c, which are
most frequently occasioned by the improper use of
sharp bits on high-couraged horses, and are the most
frequent causes of fatal accidents to female equestrians.
Another very important point in female horsemanship
is that the seat should be perfectly straight and square,
since nothing so fatally destroys the effect of the
appearance of both the lady's horse and his rider, as
the saddle being pulled over on one side.

Nine ladies out of ten ride too long, and so keep
coming over on the near side for the purpose of reach-
ing their stirrups.

This also gives rise to at least nine-tenths of the
severe saddle-galls, sit-fasts, and warbles that one is so
frequently called upon to treat in ladies' horses.

COMFORT OF GOOD SADDLES. 125

In ninety-nine out of every hundred cases they are
met with on the off-side in the lady's, and on the near-
side in the gentleman's horse, thereby proving that for
the most part the seat is not straight and square in
either.

No one but a saddler of the very highest reputation
should be trusted to manufacture a lady's saddle, or
continual annoyance will be the result, by the saddle
being fully six months out of the first twelve in the
unscientific hands of the maker, for the purpose of un-
dergoinff a thousand and one alterations, the causes
for which should never have existed.

Two good saddles are sufficient for any lady — one
for a broad and round horse, and the other for a narrow
and flat-sided one.

Great care should be taken by the lady that the
proper saddles be put on the proper horses, or mis-
chievous results will be sure to follow, both with re-
gard to the horses and saddles. This is, of course,
the proper business of grooms, but they are too apt,
when full of work, to put on whichever saddle happens
to be cleaned and properly adjusted at the time, with-
out the slightest consideration or reference to its suit-
ability to the horse in question.

THE COVERT HACK.

Most men expect the covert hack to take them from
five to twenty-five miles to meet hounds, at from ten
to eighteen miles an hour, and at this pace he may
have to go up to his hocks in mud, or on a road as hard

126 FORMATION ESSENTIAL.

as adamant. Both the walking and trotting paces are
superfluous, and a good, even, and moderately high
gallop is all that is required in the covert or galloping
hack. He should be a pocket edition of a Jirst-class
steeplechaser, both in make and shape and action, and
every other particular save size.

He should not exceed 14 hands 3 in., or he will
not be so quick in his stride as is desirable for getting
safely over uneven and rough ground, in which he will
require the fine shoulders of the steeplechaser to enable
him to preserve his pace without tiring to nothing under
the weight.

When I say that the covert hack must be precisely
similar in breeding, make, shape and action to the
steeplechaser, I must not be understood to mean every
galloping hack for every weight, from twelve stones to
twenty, but from ten stones to fourteen. Above this
weight a more coarsely-bred animal must be put up
with, and the pace must decrease from eighteen to
thirteen miles within the hour.

For such weights a fast-trotting cob is the best de-
scription of animal for going to cover at a quick pace ;
and a cob that can be found to accomplish fourteen
miles over rough ground within the hour, under from
fourteen to twenty stones, will always command a high
price, and is very difficult to procure.

The best covert hacks for galloping are to be found
in little cast-offs from the racing stables, which, when
possessed of sufficient thickness and action, invariably
obtain the greatest character for pace and stoutness.

IXTEMPERAXCE NO VICE. 127

In either case it is necessary that the hack have good
sound legs and feet ; but blemishes matter little, such
as cuts, scars, and being blind of an eye. Manners,
also, in the covert hack are of little or no importance ;
indeed, to please most hunting men, they should do
everything short of actually running away ; and even
this is not always objected to, but is sometimes deemed
an advantage by sportsmen who are a little too fond
of their beds on a cold morning.

128

CHAPTEK I.
DISEASES OF NERVES,

APOPLEXY.

Apoplexy seldom makes its appearance in the
stable ; but when it does show itself, it can generally
be traced to bad management, such as improper feed-
ing immediately preceding quick work, bad ventilation,
&c.

It is usually fatal, and the symptoms are marked by
extreme drowsiness, the respiration at the same time
becoming unusually slow.

The disease consists in lesion of the vessels of the
brain, the effusion of which causes pressure. The
effusion in nine cases out of ten consists of blood and
not serum.

Immediately the symptoms are apparent active mea-
sures must be resorted to, as being alone likely to be
of the slightest avail. An aloes drench, of a strength
of at least seven drachms, and one scruple of calomel,
should be administered, and the horse should then be
freely bled, and the mane and poll cropped closely, and
an active blister, consisting of cantharides, applied all
over the head and neck.

APOPLEXY. 129

If the horse show any signs of recovering, gentle ex-
ercise and a spare diet, with the occasional use of alter-
atives, will be the best course of treatment for some
time.

TETANUS — LOCK-JAW.

Tetanus can only be properly described as a per-
manent and not a periodical spasm ; but whether the
extreme rigidity of the muscles is caused by a portion
or the whole of the nervous system being in a state of
extreme irritation and tension, seems uncertain.

It does not appear that the horse loses his powers of
sensation in this disease.

Properly speaking lock-jaw is limited to the muscles
of the jaw and throat ; but when a more extensive con-
traction of muscles takes place, it is termed tetanus.

In the horse tetanus is generally of the acute and
not chronic nature, and, consequently, is usually fatal.

I have heard of a case of tetanus caused by a stub
in the foot terminating fatally in two hours, but gener-
ally the fatal advances of this disease are more gradual.

The symptoms are readily discerned by stiffness in
the neck gradually increasing, which renders any at-
tempt at movement of the head very painful. The
difficulty of mastication and swallowing soon follows,
and, in acute cases, becomes almost immediately utterly
impossible. Yery painful convulsive efforts attend
any attempt at swallowing.

The spasms around the neck soon become violent,
and the head is for the most part retracted, and the

K

130 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

muscles of the lower jaw are contracted with immense
force.

As the disease continues more muscles become in-
volved, and intense pain appears to be suffered. So
violent sometimes are the contractions, that I have
heard of muscles being lacerated, and very frequently
the teeth are injured by the violence of the spasm. As
the spasm reaches the abdominal region, the urine is
frequently discharged with sudden jerks. It is, how-
ever, as frequently retained, as well as the contents of
the rectum. At the last stage of this disease the eyes
become fixed in their sockets, and the ears tense and
rigid, which symptoms are soon followed by a violent
convulsion, which terminates in death.

In dissections after this disorder, a great extent of
inflammation is evident, but this is most probably caused
by the violent pressure of the muscles.

Tetanus is usually caused by wounds of the joints,
and more especially of the feet, where the nerves are
lacerated, and it frequently follows the injury very
rapidly ; but occasionally it does not set in until the
injury has been healed and totally forgotten. Expos-
ing; wounds in the course of nerves to cold air is an
exciting cause in many cases.

All rusty nails and other instruments likely to cause
a wound in the foot should always be removed from the
stable.

It has been remarked that wounds from which the
suppuration is very scanty, or what are termed dry
wounds, are frequent precursors of tetanus.

TETANUS. 131

The treatment of this disorder is involved in great
obscurity, since it is the consequence of a cause which
has ceased to act ; and, therefore, the existing cause
cannot be attacked. Chloroform has been exhibited
with great advantage in some cases, while in others it
has entirely failed to produce any alleviation of the
pain or convulsions. The Cantharides blister strongly
recommended in the treatment of apoplexy, should be
used in a similar manner, and continued down the
spine ; and if a strong dose of physic, such as three
drachms of calomel and three of emetic tartar, can be
placed at the root of the tongue, so much the better.
Constant use of the enema will aid in the treatment,
and the injection should be composed of turpentine
and hot gruel. Some pin their faith on aconite, others
on digitalis, opium, &c. ; but chloroform seems now
the favourite remedy.

In cases, however, where the disease has followed
some direct injury or operation, it will be well to ex-
cise a portion of the nerve beyond the injured or
lacerated part.

This cannot well be done where the disorder is the
consequence of castration, but in clocking, nicking, &c,
it is easily accomplished.

Should the horse show any symptoms of recovery,
good nourishment, chiefly in a liquid form, should be
administered, and tonics will be found useful, but
should always be combined with emetic tartar, as is
recommended in all other cases where their use is
desirable.

k -2

132 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

STRINGHALT.

This, like the preceding disease, is spasmodic, but
does not appear to follow any direct or external injuries.
It as frequently occurs in both legs as in one, and may
be described as a spasm of the flexor muscles of the
hind leg. Some consider it to be caused by irritation
of the sciatic nerve ; and since it is never met with in
the fore legs, this conclusion may be a correct one.

It is generally and most unwarrantably con-
sidered as unsoundness, but I am not aware that a
horse is incapacitated for any purpose thereby. This
disease, if it can be called one, is quite incurable, and
therefore I shall not waste time by putting forward
any fanciful mode of treatment.

PARALYSIS.

This disease usually attacks the hind limbs, and is
the consequence in most cases of violent injuries to the
vertebrae of the back and loins, caused by blows,
wrenches, and falls, giving rise to tumours, which
press on and irritate the spinal chord. In numerous
cases, however, it is occasioned by chronic affection of
the liver and kidneys ; and in others the causes cannot
be traced.

The treatment should be similar to that recommended
in tetanus.

MEGRIMS.
This disease is easily defined and distinguished from
apoplexy, &c, since no * convulsions attend it. It is

MEGRIMS. 133

usual amongst over-fed horses, which are suffered to
remain for days together in the stable, and then driven
fast up hill with a tight bearing rein or small collar,
both of which aid in preventing the free return of the
blood to the heart. In this case congestion of the
vessels of the brain will take place, while in others
there is evidence of a diseased heart.

This disease cannot be mistaken : the horse, after pro-
ceeding about one mile from the stable, will shake his
head and ears, as though flies were annoying him, or
as if some extraneous substance had got into his ear ;
if stopped immediately, he will rarely fall ; but if not,
he will stagger, hold his head aloft and on one side,
and drop : the attack usually lasts about five minutes,
when the horse will resume his journey as before, with
no apparent inconvenience, though he will very fre-
quently break out into a sweat. The treatment should
consist of the following ball once a week for a month,
and given with a bran mash : two drachms of Barba-
does aloes, one drachm of emetic tartar, and two drachms
of ginger. The horse should be fed very lightly
previous to work.

134

CHAPTER II.
DISEASES OF THE ARTERIES AND VEINS.

ACCIDENTS AND WOUNDS OF ARTERIES.

In all cases of accidents or wounds of arteries, where
the punctured artery bleeds profusely, the only means
of stopping the bleeding will be by ligature. Such
cases admit of no delay. Sending for the veterinary
surgeon will be of no avail, since his services will not
be available in time. Loss of life must take place
before many minutes are over in such cases, so that it
behoves the stud groon\, if he values his master's
property, to avail himself of what knowledge lies in
his power on this subject, and to make an effort, though
a clumsy one, to save the life of his charge.

I shall only here allude to superficial vessels, since
it is not to be supposed that any but the professional
man can with safety attempt the operation of tying an
artery situated beneath a mass of muscles ; for even
if he arrived at the artery, he would most likely injure
and tear the coats of the artery, or else apply the
ligature round the sheath, and thus involve the nerves
and vein — in either case, creating additional pain and
mischief.

AETERIES AND VEINS. 135

In all external arteries, although it would not be
prudent for the non-professional man to attempt to
effect stoppage of bleeding by means of ligature, for
fear of involving nerves, &c., he should, nevertheless,
immediately attempt to check the flow of blood by
compression, both above and below the wounded part.
The best means known of effecting the stoppage of
bleeding operate on the principle of pressure, and the
following will be found the most simple : —

Tie a cord or band round the limb, or neck, or body,
as the case may be, about six inches above and below
the wound, so as to check the flow of blood ; then
endeavour to bring the edges of the wounded artery
together ; then take square pieces of lint and fold them
into compresses, soaking the lower compress, previous
to application, in cold vinegar ; put compress after
compress on, taking care they increase considerably in
dimensions as they are further removed from the wound;
then take a flannel bandage and roll it round and round
the compresses and tie it securely. This done, remove
gradually both the external cord, ligatures, &c, and
keep the horse as still as possible ; after which, if no
further bleeding take place, the case may go on well.

The veterinary surgeon should at once be sent for,
and should the artery require tying, he will be able to
perform the operation with every chance of success ;
and he will be able to lessen or increase the pressure
of the compress, as occasion may require.

136 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

ANEURISM.

Aneurism is a tumour formed by a dilatation of a part
of an artery, and is also occasioned by a swelling arising
from a collection of arterial blood effused in the cellular
membrane, brought about by a rupture of the coats of
the artery. It is a disease rarely met with in the
horse ; but occasionally it presents itself, and the horse
is ]3ronounced by the faculty to be labouring under
some other disease. It first shows itself by causing
intense pain, and consequently lameness, if situated, as
is generally the case, in the hind limb. If carefully
examined, distinct throbbings or pulsations will be felt,
and as the disease progresses, the leg will fill as though
the animal was labouring under dropsy ; and for this
reason, whenever aneurism occurs in the hind limbs, it
is at once confounded with dropsy or water-farcy, and
even when the aneurism bursts, it is seldom detected.

The only treatment is to endeavour by means of
medicines to lessen the action of the heart, and thus
retard the formation of the tumour. For this purpose
use digitalis of the strength of two drachms to the
dose, and enforce strict rest and low diet, and bind the
tumour tightly with a compress and bandages ; but
avoid bleeding, which induces a dropsical tendency.

GLANDERS.

Glanders is evidently a diseased state of the blood,
or rather the existence of some poisonous matter in the
blood.

GLANDERS. 137

It is frequently produced by great debility, but
most frequently by bad atmosphere, which irritates
the air passages, and gradually developes the disease.

The first symptoms of glanders are a thin glassy
discharge from one or both nostrils, which, after a
time, becomes purulent. It is also to be distinguished
from other discharges by its stickiness and tenacity ;
and, according to the intensity of the inflammation, the
discharge presents a green or dusky yellow hue.

This condition may last for months, and I once
hunted an animal affected with glanders for two months
previous to discovering its existence*

The sympathetic glands will be found to be much
swollen, mudi fixed closely to thejaio bone.

The nostril will become ulcerated, and the inside of
the thighs will fill and become dreadfully sore to the
touch. Small ulcers mil now break out all over the
body, resembling bladders in the first instance, con-
taining a purulent clear fluid.

As no course of treatment has been of any avail up
to the present time, I will here leave the consideration
of this disease, hoping that I may have explained the
symptoms with sufficient clearness to lead to its de-
tection.

FARCY.

Farcy is merely a modification of the previous
disease, and may and frequently does terminate in
glanders.

The hind limbs are usually the first affected, chiefly,

138 DISEASES OP THE HORSE.

no doubt, because they are furthest from the centre of
circulation.

Pimples, or as they are termed Farcy buds, usually
break out on the inside of the thighs, and send forth
purulent matter ; but in slight cases the discharge
resembles healthy pus. The absorbent vessels become
hard and cordy in all cases, though farcy buds are not
always visible; but a sort of dropsical and uneven
swelling of the hind limbs, which comes and goes with-
out apparent cause, is the most common symptom ; and
may be distinguished from dropsy by the intensity of
the pain, as well as the unevenness of the swelling, on
being touched.

Debility, neglect, and foul stables are the chief
causes of this disease. Therefore the best course of
treatment is, to open the buds with a knife, and either
cauterise with the red-hot iron or dress with chloride
of zinc. Give also sulphur, bark, aniseed, and emetic
tartar with the food, which should be very liberal.
Beans, oats, linseed, and carrots should be given un-
sparingly, and if the case be a bad one, give one
scruple of blue vitriol night and morning.

139

CHAPTEE III.
DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS.

COMMON COLD.

By a cold is meant, simple inflammation of the mem-
branes of the nose, which is first discovered by the
presence of a thin discharge from the nostril, and in
most cases from the eyes.

A slight feverishness generally attends the attack,
and the mucous membrane soon becomes more largely
involved, and begins to secrete a flow of mucus which
may last for some time. A cough also usually attends
this attack, and the pulse is somewhat deranged.

It is produced in most cases by being exposed to
cold air when the pores of the skin are preternaturally
susceptible or open, which is produced by increased
action of the system, brought about either by heated
temperature or exercise of the muscles.

In either case the treatment must be the same, and
only modified by the intensity of the attack. A cool
stable, plenty of clothing, moderate exercise, and cool-
ing food ad libitum, must be alone depended on for
bringing about the desired results in slight cases. In

140 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

cases, however, of greater severity, linseed gruel, anti-
mony, and nitre should be given with an unlimited
supply of water.

SORE THROAT.

Sore throat is a frequent attendant on a common
cold, or in other words, it is an extension of the former
disease.

The first symptom of sore throat is a gurgling
sound in the larynx, with inability to swallow any-
thing harsh without causing- great irritation of the
mucous membrane, which will call forth a subdued
hitching cough, the performance of which gives evident
pain.

It will also be perceived that he is unable to
swallow his water without considerable effort.

The treatment should consist of immediate change
of food, and a paste formed of mustard and vinegar
should be rubbed on the throat and under the jaw, and
should be repeated every two days, until the attack
yields to the treatment.

Physic is highly improper in this case. The food
should be cooliDg, but nourishing, consisting of linseed,
boiled barley, or malt dust, with bran mashes, or the
horse will soon fall off in his condition, which will
necessitate his being eased in his work for some time
to come.

INFLUENZA-BRONCHITIS. 141

INFLUENZA.

Influenza is generally included among the list of
epidemics, and must be considered as a most severe
disease, and is always attended by great prostration of
strength. The symptoms are much the same as those
attendant on common cold, accompanied by an in-
creased degree of fever, total loss of appetite, and con-
sequently intense weakness. The pulse becomes quick
and feeble, and a painful cough attended by increased
respiration is soon apparent.

The mucous membrane becomes greatly inflamed and
enlarged, and is somewhat tender to the touch.

The treatment should be similar to that recommended
in the previous case, using mild aperients, tonics, and
cooling yet nourishing food, which should be con-
tinued during the attack, and for months subsequently,
on alternate weeks, or the constitution may never quite
recover its wonted vigour.

BRONCHITIS.

Bronchitis consists in inflammation of the bronchii,
and is attended by a great obstruction in breathing,
which causes a wheezing sound during respiration.
There is a thick discharge of mucus from the nostrils,
attended by a very severe cough, which evidently
causes great pain.

This disease very frequently leaves behind it an
altered structure of the air passages, which produces
chronic diseases, such as thick wind, whistling, &c.

142 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

The treatment should be the same as in the preced-
ing cases, with the exception of the blister, which
should be continued from the larynx to the sternum.

BROKEN WIND.

Broken wind is marked by a double act of respiration,
which would seem to be caused by the admission of air
into air-cells unfit for its reception, and from which it
cannot readily nor entirely be expelled without an
extraordinary muscular effort of the chest and flank.

The appearances of the lungs of a broken-winded
horse, on examination after death, differ to such an
extent that it is difficult to assign any general cause of
this disease.

Sometimes there is no structural change evident, the
only remarkable condition being increased bulk and a
crackling sound on being pressed by the finger, from
their being distended with air. However, in most
instances, rupture of the cells of the lungs will be dis-
covered.

From what has been said, it will be clear that all
attempts at a cure of the disease will be fruitless ; since
we have not the mechanical power of creating new air-
cells nor of repairing the old ones. Alleviation of
suffering, then, is only to be attempted, the best means
of accomplishing which will be by attending strictly to
the horse's diet, limiting him to a certain quantity at
any one time, so that distension of the stomach may
not aggravate the difficulty of expanding the lungs.

BEOKEN WIND. 143

Very slow work may be performed without additional
inconvenience, but I have seen the effort of drawing
heavy weights at a slow pace make the horse stagger
and fall in a terrible state of distress.

Much has been said of the efficacy of arsenic, in
doses of 12 grains per day, given for three weeks
or a month ; but this must depend on the cause of
broken wind, for neither arsenic nor any other drug-
can have the power of creating or uniting the air-cells
of the lungs.

THICK WIND OR HIGH BLOWING.

Thick wind generally succeeds an attack on the
bronchial tubes or lungs, which has left a thickening
of the membranes, thereby contracting the space or
dimensions of the bronchial tubes.

It is easily perceived by an experienced horseman
through the horse blowing freely without sufficient
reason, — i.e. when he is not undergoing violent exertion,
is not fat, and has not been eating or drinking largely
immediately before leaving the stable. It is most
commonly met with in under-bred animals of very full
habit. The symptoms are utterly unlike those atten-
dant on broken wind, the inspirations and expirations
being similar, but very much accelerated. The treat-
ment, however, should be similar to that recommended
for broken wind, avoiding overloading the stomach at
any time, and more especially previous to exertion.

144 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

CHRONIC COUGH.

A chronic cough is always the consequence of some
previous affection of the air passages, which remain
in a state of irritation. Bronchitis, if improperly
treated, usually leaves behind it an irritability which
causes chronic cough.

Coughing takes place immediately after drinking
cold water, without any symptoms of the horse having
caught cold ; indeed, the cough is of a different nature
and sound, being a dry harsh sound utterly unlike that
existing in inflammation of the respiratory organs. Im-
mediately after leaving the stable also, the horse usually
coughs three or four times, and then is free from
it perhaps for the rest of the day. The treatment of
the cough must depend on its nature, which is so
obscure, that the general health of the horse should be
the careful study of the groom, who should never allow
him to become either in very high or very low condi-
tion ; and should give emollient food when practicable,
such as boiled linseed and bran mashes.

All manner of balls and drenches are recommended
in chronic cough, many of which serve to flatter the
expectations of the owner for a time, but which all
fall short of effecting a cure. The favourite drench
consists of spirits of turpentine, mucilage, and laudanum,
the favourite ball being composed of tar and powdered
squill, of each one and a half drachms.

The ball is most preferable of the two, since it is the
most harmless.

PLEURISY. 145

Chronic cough must not be confounded with a
stomach cough, usually attendant on the existence
of worms. The sound of the cough, as well as the
condition of the horse, are sufficient to prevent any
but the most careless observer being misled.

PLEURISY.

Pleurisy consists of inflammation of the pleura, a
serous membrane that lines the cavity of the chest,
giving a covering to the lungs. It may be caused by
external injuries, or exposure to cold, &c. ; and may be
distinguished from other diseases of the chest by the
unusual tenderness of the sides when pressed by the
hand. The respiration is quick, and the pulse accele-
rated. Sometimes one side is attacked, and at others
both are involved. One side should be immediately
blistered with cantharides or mustard, and a mild
physic ball given, consisting of emetic tartar, digitalis,
and nitre, of each two drachms, to be given twice
daily, until the symptoms appear to have changed for
the better.

If violent sweats break out, the case may be viewed
with considerable alarm, and dropsy or water in the
cavities of the chest may be apprehended, caused by a
serous effusion secreted by the pleura. This disease is
termed hydro-thorax. The symptoms are, inability
to hear the sound of respiration, and dullness of the
sound on striking the side.

No treatment but tapping can be of any avail, and

L

146 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

unless it be performed without delay, the animal will
die from suffocation.

CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS.

Congestion of the lungs is most frequently caused
by the horse being galloped until distressed, when in an
unfit condition of body. It consists of stagnation of
blood in the lungs, which causes exhaustion and suffo-
cation, and the horse at once assumes a distressed look ;
the eyes and nostrils likewise assume an appearance of
congestion and stagnation, the breathing is accelerated
and painful, with laborious heaving of the flanks.
There is usually a cold sweat on the body, with great
coldness of the extremities. It can be distinguished
from inflammation of the lungs by the difference of
sound on applying the ear to the horse's sides. In con-
gestion the sound will be almost precisely similar to
that heard in healthy respiration ; whereas in inflamma-
tion, there will be heard a grating, crackling sound
which is unmistakable.

The treatment should consist of endeavouring to
bring about a determination of blood to the skin. To
effect which, since neither the vapour nor hot bath are
within our reach here, we must have recourse to hot
blankets applied to the body, hand rubbing, and hot
bandages to the legs ; and a free current of air through
the stables, together with the free use of hot cordial
drinks, such as spiced ale, given at intervals of half an
hour.

Bleeding must be carefully avoided, as it would only

CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS. 147

increase the debility and, consequently, congestion of
the organs of circulation. Good grooming and tonics,
with moderate exercise and a cool stable, must be the
mode of treatment during convalescence.

INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS.

The symptoms of inflammation of the lungs are simi-
lar to those of the preceding disease in every particular
save the pulse and the sound of the respiration.

The pulse will range from sixty-five to ninety, and
the membranes of the eyes and nostrils will present a
deep red colour.

The coat, generally, is staring ; the cough very short
and painful, accompanied by expectorations of bloody
mucus, the respirations being distressed and accelerated,
with heaving of the flanks performed with great irre-
gularity, and the nostrils are expanded. If he lies
down, he will soon be on his legs again.

The horse will frequently give a distressed look
round to his body, and will appear sore all over ; and,
as the disease progresses, the extremities will feel yet
more cold and icy, with continual cold sweats on the
trunk.

The treatment should consist of prompt bleeding,
allowing the blood to flow until the membranes of the
eyelids and nostrils give evidence of a reduction in the
inflammation. These can be the only true guides as to
when the vein should be pinned up. The same ball as
that recommended for pleurisy should be administered,

L 2

148 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

and the food should consist of bran and linseed mashes,
carrots, and hay, attending strictly to the free ventila-
tion of the stable ; and if mustard poultices be applied
to the sides, they will considerably lessen the poor ani-
mal's sufferings.

If the symptoms gradually subside, and the horse's
appetite appear to be good, danger may be considered
to have passed off.

But if continual reactions take place, and the colour
of the nostrils change to a fixed leaden hue, with a cold
chilly breath, and convulsive flutterings of the heart,
death may be speedily apprehended, which is usually
immediately preceded by the horse walking round and
round his box in a delirious and vacant manner.

Horses rarely recover a severe attack of inflammation
of the lungs, however skilfully the disease may be
managed, for it leaves the system in so debilitated a
state that a recurrence of the attack is more than pro-
bable within a few months, or congestion may take
place, and, what is more to be dreaded, suppuration.
Therefore, for weeks and months all exciting causes
must be guarded against most sedulously.

A cool, roomy box, with cooling and nourishing food,
combined with some active tonic, such as bark, aniseed,
and emetic tartar, given on alternate weeks, must alone
be depended on for a cure.

The horse, however, will be utterly unfit for any
sort of work, exceeding mere exercise, for many
months. It will, nevertheless, be unwise to turn him
out to grass for fear of broken wind or roaring being

INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS. 149

the consequences. Patience must be called into play
with this assurance, that as his condition improves with
good grooming and gentle exercise, so will his powers
of respiration increase in" due ratio. Sudden changes,
both in diet and atmosphere, must be carefully avoided ,
ever afterwards.

ROARING.

Roaring may be the consequence of one or all of the
above-named diseases, or it may arise from causes un-
connected with them. Its existence is most difficult
to ascertain in slight cases, and the most experienced
are very frequently misled.

Most of the low class of dealers and grooms give
horses several sharp and severe digs or blows in the
side, or cough them by squeezing the windpipe ; and if
the horse grunt or wheeze he is at once pronounced to
be a ( piper,' ( roarer,' 6 whistler,' or f grunter,' accord-
ing to the judgment of the faculty, who thereupon
looks knowing, alters the position of his hat, and struts
off to perform on as many other unlucky brutes as
happen to come within his unmannerly inspection.

In this way many horses are rejected as unsound
which are perfectly sound, and many that are unsound
are passed as sound.

The only way of judging accurately as to whether the
horse really roars, is to take him to a ploughed field, and
have him cantered round it until he blows freely, when,
if there be any obstruction in the organs of respiration,
it will be easily detected by any experienced man.

150 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

On a road the clatter made by the horse's feet is
so great that it will drown, in many cases, the lesser
noise of roaring ; and it is not proper to examine their
expirations when they are pulled up, as many bad
roarers cease making a noise immediately they are
stopped.

There is a rattling gurgling noise in the throat,
however, which must not be mistaken for roaring.
Many of the clearest winded horses will do it when very
passionate and excited, or when pulled severely with
a sharp bit.

I have known horses rejected by veterinary surgeons
of limited experience, and others, for this cause, but I
have never known one of them turn roarers. The
usual causes of roaring are these :

1. Thickening of the bronchial tubes.

2. Paralysis of the left recurrent nerve and the
muscles amongst which it ramifies.

3. Thickening of the tracheal tube, caused by inflam-
mation or abscesses.

4. Exostosis of the cartilages.

I have thought fit to name the usual causes of this
malady, not that the knowledge of them can in any
way tend to effectual treatment, but to show that the
causes of the disease are more or less occult during life ;
and, therefore, that when men undertake to cure this
or that case of roaring by such means as firing the
larynx, the use of blisters, caustic, &c, with doses of
strychnine, they undertake what they cannot perform,
and unjustifiably raise the hopes of the owner, which

ROARING. 151

must sooner or later be blighted, as well as put the
poor horse to unnecessary torture.

That roaring is quite uncurable there can be no
doubt, notwithstanding the many instances in which
various modes of treatment are said to have been suc-
cessful.

And when I make this assertion, I allude merely to
chronic, and not to acute cases of roaring. Acute cases
are frequently the consequences of swelling in strangles,
and, causing an obstruction, make the horse roar lustily.
These causes can undoubtedly be cured by proper
treatment, such as giving emetic tartar in doses of two
drachms daily, for a week, and applying repeated
blisters composed of iodine and mercury to the larynx.

Roaring is hereditary, in my opinion, in nine cases
out of ten, and in predisposed constitutions (or consti-
tutions which have a tendency to irritation of the bron-
chial tubes) will show itself sooner or later.

The only mode of warding off this disease is by
keeping such animals as are predisposed to its ravages
in good condition and regular work all the year round,
carefully avoiding all exciting causes of inflammatory
attacks, both in and out of the stable, which should be
cool, airy, and well drained.

152

CHAPTER IV.
DISEASES OF THE ABDOMEN.

INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER.

This is a very painful disease, and may be ascertained
by the horse holding up one or other of his fore legs
during the spasms, and turning round to look at his
side very frequently, and especially after feeding.

Sometimes, though seldom, this disease assumes an
acute form, and the horse seems to be suddenly at-
tacked with gripes, and to be suffering intense agony.

All food should be removed, and small closes of calo-
mel given morning and evening, until the symptoms
show signs of abatement. It will be well to unite
with the doses of calomel the same quantity of powdered
opium.

Chronic cases of diseases of the liver are unfor-
tunately of very frequent occurrence amongst horses
which are very highly fed and worked severely, such as
horses in training, &c, and its existence is rarely ever
discovered until revealed by post-mortem examination.
I have found in this case one ounce of extract of cha-
momile, given daily for a week, with change of food,
the only certain remedy.

DYSENTERY — DIARRHCEA. } 53

DYSENTERY.

Dysentery consists of inflammation of the mucous
membrane of the intestines, attended by an increased
secretion, which is discharged with hard and stringy
faeces accompanied by perpetual straining.

The treatment should consist of a quart of linseed
oil every six hours, until the intestines be cleared of
their contents. Bran mashes, carrots, and hay should
be the sole food for a week subsequently.

DIARRHCEA.

Diarrhoea is easily distinguished from dysentery by
the evacuations being loose and watery, without the
existence of mucus. It is most commonly met with
among horses of a weedy washy formation, by means
of which the peristaltic action is unnaturally increased,
when it is a primary affection ; but it is usually occa-
sioned by superpurgation from over-physicking. Active
measures in the latter case must speedily be taken.
One ounce of laudanum in a drench of rice water and
chalk should be given every three hours during the
first day ; after which, boiled starch allowed to get
moderately cool should be administered, with the same
quantity of laudanum, every six hours. If the symp-
toms do not lessen within twenty-four hours, a fatal
result may be expected.

In all cases which have been allowed to go on for
three or four days, danger is present. Where the dis-

154 DISEASES OF THE HOUSE.

ease is the result of primary affection give opium,
powdered catechu, and chalk of each half an ounce,
morning and evening, with bean meal and rice water as
the sole variety of diet.

During convalescence give Peruvian bark and ani-
seed, half an ounce of each, with an increased quantity
of beans, on alternate weeks for a month.

COLIC.

Colic consists of a spasmodic contraction of the
muscular coat of the intestines, and it is most fre-
quently confined to the small intestines : but sometimes
the large intestines as well as the bladder are involved.
When it is accompanied by great inflation of the
abdomen it is termed flatulent colic, and should be
treated by copious injections of warm water with the
enema, which will be sufficient to cure the attack in
most cases ; but occasionally the case will demand the
operation of puncturing.

In the case of spasmodic colic, stimulating medicines
must be used, such as spirit of turpentine and laud-
anum, of each two ounces, in a drench of hot ale, given
every half hour until the pain lessens. Give on the
next day a mild physic ball. Horses of certain strains
of blood are very subject to colic and should be avoided,
for it is sure to terminate their career sooner or later,
and frequently when in the most blooming condition
and highest state of usefulness. Gross feeders and
horses with great swill bellies are generally subject to
this disease.

GASTRITIS — INFLAMMATION OF WOMB. 155

GASTRITIS.

This disease is very rare, excepting in stables where
grooms think fit to poison their masters' horses with
arsenic. When gastritis or acute inflammation of the
stomach takes place, the existence of poison in the
system may safely be apprehended. The existence of
arsenic may be discovered by purging of a bloody
nature, and the flow of saliva from the mouth, which
take place.

The only treatment likely to be of any avail, is the
frequent and liberal use of thin starch both as a drench
and clyster, which may tend to allay the violent in-
flammation of the mucous membrane.

INFLAMMATION OF THE WOMB.

This is one of the most dangerous diseases with
which the horse-breeder has to contend. It attacks
mares usually immediately after foaling, and is marked
by the following symptoms — delirium, acute fever,
laborious breathing, great prostration of strength, as
well as by the flow of a dark and very offensive fluid
from the fissure. The treatment must be very active
or it will be of no avail. Blisters must be applied to
the loins, the milk veins must be bled freely, and a ball
composed of digitalis, opium, and calomel, of each one
drachm, administered every two hours until the bowels
operate freely.

I have taken as much as eight or nine quarts of

156 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

blood from the milk veins in this disease with most
satisfactory results.

The best injection into the womb is a solution of
chloride of zinc of about the strength of a scruple to
a pint of water. The food should consist of linseed
and bran mashes, and an unlimited supply of water
until the disease has abated, after which give tonics and
a liberal diet.

This disease is fatal in at least seven cases out of
ten, and therefore the most active measures should be
taken immediately. It is frequently occasioned by
ignorant violence during foaling, as well as by the mare
being in too high a condition.

INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS.

This is a very j)ainful disease, and is commonly
attended with extreme danger ; it can easily be distin-
guished from inflammation of the bladder by the pain
occasioned by touching the loins with the hand. The
general symptoms are the passing of dark-coloured
urine in small quantities, with excessive pain and
groaning, the pulse small and quick, with a straddling
position of his hind limbs. Apply mustard poultices,
and give a drench of linseed oil, and an ounce of opium
every four hours. The horse should be bled freely at
once. His food should consist of linseed gruel for some
days, or other glutinous food.

This disease is produced most frequently by the
ignorant use of diuretic balls, improper food — such as

INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER. 157

mowburnt hay or oats — exposure to cold, heavy horse-
men addicted to short stirrups, and a violent strain, all
of which causes are easily avoided, save the last.

INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER.

This disease, like the previous one, is often caused
by the improper use of diuretic balls, cantharides, &c.
The symptoms are the same in every particular as in
inflammation of the kidneys, save the extreme tender-
ness on the loins. However, if there be any doubt on
the subject, the hand after being thoroughly greased
should be passed up the anus until the bladder is felt,
when, if the mischief lies there, it will be very hot,
tender, and contracted ; but if not, it will not be more
tender than might be expected from the existence of
inflammation in contiguous parts. The treatment, how-
ever, will be the same as that recommended for the
preceding disease in every particular.

SPASM OF THE BLADDER.

In this disease, caused no doubt by irritation, the
neck of the bladder is closed, and consequently the
urine is retained. The only treatment of any avail
will be that of evacuation of the contents of the bladder
by means of a catheter, which should be directed by a
competent person. It will be well at the same time
to give opium in one-and-a-half-drachm doses, every
morning and evening, until the urine is passed readily.

158 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

INFLAMMATION OF THE INTESTINES.

This disease, generally known by the name of
6 enteritis,' consists of inflammation of the membrane
covering the viscera.

The symptoms are — alternate shivering and sweat-
ing fits, pulse very quick and small, the lining of the
eye-lids and nose of a black-red colour, kicking at the
belly, a fixed glazy eye, frequent attacks of delirium,
together with tenderness of the belly. The only treat-
ment of any avail will be prompt and free bleeding,
and frequent drenches of linseed oil and opium ; mus-
tard poultices should be plastered all over the abdomen,
with frequent injections of thin starch.

If, however, the horse be really labouring under this
disease, there is not much hope of recovery ; for morti-
fication will soon set in and put an end to the poor
brute's sufferings. It may readily be distinguished
from colic, by the exquisite tenderness of the belly.

WORMS.

The existence of worms is marked by a rough coat
lying in the wrong direction, a very irregular craving
for food — sometimes accompanied by costiveness, and
at others by scouring — with extreme itching of the
anus ; the belly also becomes pendulous and distended,
attended with extreme leanness of the ribs.

The treatment of worms is fortunately now not con-
fined to mechanically irritating substances, such as

WORMS. 159

pounded glass, pewter, brass and iron, which frequently
caused a state of irritation not easily allayed.

Emetic tartar given in two drachm doses daily, for
a week, in bran mashes, seldom fails to weaken the
worms so much that they can be carried off by means
a purging ball composed of six drachms of aloes, two of
ginger, and two of emetic tartar. I have never known
this treatment fail. Much caution must be used in
administering emetic tartar. Its action should be care-
fully noted, and immediately any irritation is apparent
the quantity must be lessened, or its use prohibited
entirely. This, however, may be taken as a rule, that
when any irritation is caused by the use of emetic
tartar, it may safely be concluded that the object for
which it was given has been effected.

160

CHAPTER V.
DISEASES OF THE EYE.

SIMPLE INFLAMMATION.

Simple inflammation of the eves is caused by ex-
ternal causes in nine cases out of ten, such as a blow,
chaff falling within the eye-lids, &c., and must be
treated according to the cause of inflammation. If any
foreign substance be the cause, it must be removed
immediately ; and I have found a leaden pencil the
best instrument for such a purpose. If the inflamma-
tion be very severe, the facial vein should be copiously
bled, and all corn removed until some symptoms of
abatement are evident.

It is very rare to meet with a case where the injury
is more deeply seated than the cornea in simple inflam-
mation. Great care, however, should be taken to
remove the cause before ulceration of the cornea has
taken place. It is difficult for one unacquainted with
diseases of the eye, to distinguish between this disease
and ophthalmia by whatever distinctions may be drawn.
The chief difference is, that in the former disease the
cornea alone is affected, while in the latter the inflam-
mation extends to the internal parts.

OPHTHALMIA. 161

OPHTHALMIA.

This disease is divided usually iuto two distinct
classes by professional men — Specific and Purulent
Ophthalmia; but, since the symptoms and treatment
will be the same; I do not think any object will be
gained by treating of them separately.

The symptoms are marked by closing of the eyelids,
distended vessels, general muddiness of the iris and
cornea, with an almost total loss of transparency, as
well as by profuse weeping.

The treatment should consist of darkening the stable,
lowering the diet, and putting a linen compress, soaked
in a solution of sulphate of zinc of about the strength of
one scruple to the half-pint of water, over the eyelids.

The horse will assuredly go blind sooner or later, if
subject to periodical attacks of this disease ; therefore,
copious bleedings, large doses of physic, &c, are utterly
inadmissible, inasmuch as they add to the evil by
incapacitating the horse for work for a lengthened
period.

The best way is to dispose of a horse after having
recovered from one of these attacks, unless intended
for double harness, when blindness will not be of much
inconvenience either to the horse or his owner. In
this case, however, great care must be taken to remove
the exciting cause, which I take to be plethora. It is
most common in coarse underbred horses of the hack-
ney breed, probably because their circulative organs

M

102 DISEASES OF THE HOUSE.

are less perfect. Such animals generally are possessed
of a distended haw and sunken eye, and should always
be avoided. One eye is generally more frequently
affected than the other ; but when one goes the other is
not long in following suit. All kinds of wild state-
ments are put forward with reference to this disease ;
the existence of a wolf's tooth is considered by many
as a certain cause of ophthalmia, and its removal as a
certain cure of the same. Others hold that only those
horses which are subject to the pressure of a collar —
thus retarding the circulation of the blood- — are afflicted
with it ! All of which goes to prove that the direct
causes are frequently indiscernible in the majority of
cases. Overnight the horse's eye will be as well as
usual, but on the next morning it will be, without any
apparent cause, closed and inflamed.

I must, therefore, conclude that predisposition of the
constitution is the chief cause of this disease ; though,
no doubt, plethora and foul stables aid and abet in
the work.

CATAEACT.

The previous disease frequently terminates in cata-
ract or opacity of the crystalline lens.

A cataract usually commences in the centre of and
behind the pupil, and is marked by no symptoms of
pain or uneasiness during its formation. When a
primary disease, all treatment is useless and cruel, and
can be attended with no good results.

GLASS EYES. 163

GLASS EYES.

This diseased state of the eyes is technically termed
amaurosis, and consists of loss of sight from diseased
condition of the optic nerve and retina. The eye, to all
appearance save the imperfect functions of the retina,
is healthy and sound. It may be caused by increased
or diminished sensibility of the retina. This disease
very rarely attacks both eyes at the same time. It is
said to be the frequent consequence of staggers and
immoderate bleeding. It may be discovered by the
timidity and uncertainty of the horse's action, by the
fixed size of the pupil, a shrunken iris, and insensi-
bility to the light of a candle if placed close and op-
posite to the eye in a darkened stable.

The cause of this disease is irritability of the retina,
consequent on a determination of blood to the head in
some cases, and in others is the result of ophthalmia.
I had a horse in my possession affected with this disease
from the latter cause, which took place while riding
to meet a pack of fox-hounds only six miles distant, so
rapid is its progress at times. I first discovered it
by his continually putting one or other of his feet into
the grips and gutters alongside of the road, a thing
that I never knew him do previously. He then went
much as usual, until arriving at a water ditch, into the
middle of which he went without an effort to save him-
self, and, on coming to the stable, he walked straight
up against the wall, being evidently unaware of its

M 2

164 DISEASES OP THE HORSE.

existence. He was stone-blind from that moment, and
never appeared to regain the power of sight afterwards.
This horse had been subject to severe attacks of speci-
fic ophthahnia for two years previously, for which he
had never been subjected to bleeding or large doses of
physic. His age was six years, and he was subject to
frequent attacks of plethora. In this case no treatment
is of any avail; but its existence may be partially
guarded against by strict attention to the digestive
organs, atmosphere of the stable, regular food, and
exercise. Violent exertion should be avoided where
this disease is feared, but moderate riding and driving
will materially aid in warding it off.

165

CHAPTER VI.
DISEASES OF THE SKIN.

A moderate knowledge of the action of the vessels of
the skin is indispensable to all persons having the care
of horses of value, for by it alone can the unprofessional
man determine the state of the horse's health committed
to his charge. The bloom on a horse's skin is like the
ruddy and healthful complexion of the human being,
and is of equal importance.

It will be necessary, then, to make some mention of
the anatomy of the skin, in order that the treatment
and nature of the diseases to which it is subject may
be fully comprehended.

The skin is composed of three parts, says Mr. Per-
cival, differing in appearance, texture, and organisation
from each other.

The cutis or real skin e is of a fibrous texture, tough
but supple, elastic, very vascular, and highly sensitive.
. . . The skin abounds with absorbents. In places
where it is thin, the superficial lymphatics, which are
supposed to take their origin from its areola? or pores,
are comparatively large, and their trunks in the sub-
cutaneous tissue are readily found and injected.

166 DISEASES OF THE HOKSE.

' Of the infinity of pores the skin exhibits upon its
surface, probably the greater number transmit hairs,
but there are crowds of others, which are denominated
the perspiratory pores, from their being known to emit
an imperceptible vapour, distinguished as the insen-
sible perspiration ; that which is sensible being the
ordinary sweat.

6 . . v Again, there is another set of pores of larger
size, more discernible in some places than in others,
which are the mouths of follicles (or glands), from
which issues a waxy matter, and those parts of the
skin subject to friction are in particular beset with
them ; in fact, the unctuous matter furnished by them
preserves the skin soft and supple, and in some places
keeps up a constant greasiness of the surface.

( The skin at the bend of the knee and hock has a se-
cretion of this nature, which, from irritation now and
then becomes augmented, and, from want of cleanliness,
grows inspissated, and collects about the parts, and, if
the incrustation be not disturbed, will generate a foul
ulcerous sore. Lameness, of course, must result from
this as soon as pain or stiffness is felt in flexing the
limb.

6 The skin of the heel of the horse possesses very many
of these glandular pores, through which oozes an unctu-
ous secretion having a peculiar smell, and this it is that
gives the well-known softness, suppleness, and greasy
feel to the part. An unusual flow of this matter, some-
what altered in its nature, is what gives rise to grease.

' The cuticle (or outer skin) is a thin, tough, inor-

GEEASE. 167

ganic membrane, serving as an envelope to the true
skin. It is everywhere pierced with holes, correspond^
ing in size, situation, and number, to those of the cutis
(or real) skin.

' First, there are the pores for the hairs; secondly, the
perspiratory or exhalent pores ; thirdly, the absorbent
or inhalent pores ; and fourthly, pores of a larger size,
through which unctuous secretions in various parts are
emitted.'

It will be seen from the above extracts that, unless
the external skin be kept thoroughly clean by good
grooming, the pores must become clogged and unable
to perform their functions, which consist in carrying
off the corruption of the system through the perspira-
tory pores, thus relieving the blood of a large quantity
of water, saline, and animal matters, which, if confined,
are dreadfully injurious to the system.

I will now proceed to consider

GEEASE.

Grease consists of a morbid secretion of the glands
or pores of the extremities.

In slight cases the skin becomes inflamed, swelled,
and subsequently cracks, and presents numerous small
fissures in the heels of the fore or hind legs, but in
more severe cases ulceration, and then fungous tumours
or ( grapes,' take place.

Debility is the chief cause of this disease, which is
proved by its frequent occurrence among coarse, half-

168 DISEASES OF THE HOESE.

starved, and severely worked horses in an exaggerated
form. Plethora and standing in the stable are also
fruitful causes of it, for, by standing still, the vessels
become inactive, enfeebled, and distended. It very
frequently shows itself in young horses, when first
brought into the stable, and put to hard work too
rapidly.

The treatment must consist in first removing all
hair and then thoroughly cleansing the part with hot
soap and water. It should be rubbed dry, and dressed
with an astringent lotion, consisting of one scruple
of chloride of zinc and one ounce of laudanum in half
a pint of water. This should be repeated three times
daily, applying some glycerine after the last dressing
at night.

The general habit must now be attended to, and the
supposed cause of the attack removed, whether it be
too much or too little exercise, plethora or debility, or
the presence of cold.

Physic should rarely be given in any case, but when
depletion is necessary, the purpose is better served by
giving alteratives, such as sulphur, nitre, and black
antimony, of each half-an-ounce, given in bran and
linseed mash, every alternate day, and changing the
food to carrots, malt dust, &c.

When debility is the cause, the tonic powders, con-
sisting of one ounce of bark and aniseed, with one
drachm of emetic tartar, given daily during alternate
weeks, with liberal diet, should be persevered in until
the desired effect takes place.

CRACKED HEELS. 169

In the exaggerated form of this disease, the use of
the lotion above recommended will be useless. The
grapy excrescences must be removed with the knife,
and then seared with a hot iron sufficiently to stop the
bleeding ; and if the case seem very hopeless, it would
be well to try the effect of arsenic, in doses of from
five to eight grains per day, which has performed won-
derful cures when all else had failed. It should, how-
ever, be used carefully, and not be continued too
long.

CRACKED HEELS.

Cracked heels are well known in every stable in the
land as one of the greatest banes that horses in work
are afflicted with. It consists of cracks in the posterior
and inferior parts of the pastern immediately above
the heel, from which flows a watery, and at times, a
greasy discharge, which is sometimes accompanied by
bleeding. There is nothing more painful, for when
the horse is in action the old cracks open, and new
ones are very frequently caused, unless the skin had
been previously saturated with some emollient applica-
tion, of which glycerine is by far the best known. The
most frequent cause of cracked heels is unprepared for
exertion. If you take a colt up and work him hard,
his heels will be sure to crack in spite of the best treat-
ment and grooming. It is the fashion to attribute its
existence to want of rubbing the heels when drying or
evaporating, after being washed. Indeed, I have heard

170 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

one of Her Majesty's officers assert that every man
having a horse under his charge with cracked heels
should be sent to the guard-room ; but it is to be hoped
that he did not carry out his threat in every case, or
some worthy and careful men must have fallen victims
unjustly to his capricious and illogical mind.

This disease is most frequently rather general than
local, and must be treated by due observance to the
causes — giving tonics if the horse be overworked, and
liberal diet, with sulphur, nitre, and sweating, if ple-
thora be the cause.

SWELLED LEGS.

There are different kinds of swelling, resulting from
divers causes. In some cases there appears great
swelling, accompanied by a serous discharge, for which
the blame is invariably attributed to the kidneys, which
are irritated violently by various diuretics until the
swelling disappears. Most frequently the horse's legs
c fill,' and are remarkably hard and round ; exercise of
about two hours' duration usually fines them down,
they nevertheless resume their former condition after
being in the stable for a few hours, and the swelling,
unless the cause be removed, becomes more obstinate
with time.

Overworking and underfeeding, as well as over-
physicking, and the too constant use of diuretics, are
very prolific causes ; but the two latter are by far the
most difficult of removal, since the kidneys have con-

MANGE. 171

tracted a diseased habit, and the system become so
weakened, that very frequently change of food and
absolute rest for months are essentially necessary.

Flannel bandages should be applied and bound
tightly, immediately after the horse has returned from
exercise, and the legs bathed from time to time in
warm salt and water, and exercise should take the place
of ivork, until the swelling disappears. Tonics may
also be used, as recommended in the previous disease.

There is yet another form of swelled legs very pre-
valent among thoroughbred horses in the autumn,
which can readily be distinguished from the foregoing
by its inflammatory nature. It usually sets in on the
inside of the thigh, which is dreadfully painful to the
touch, and when the horse turns over in the stall he
will lift up the leg affected and hop on the other. Give
bran mashes at once, and otherwise prepare for and
give physic, and give alteratives for a week after the
setting of the physic ; and if it shows no symptoms of
disappearing give another dose of physic and begin to
give harder work after its operation.

MANGE.

The disease known as mange is occasioned by the
existence of an insect which, no doubt, owes its exists
ence to the accumulation of a mass of scurf and other
filth on the skin. It occasions unbearable itching,
which causes the horse to srnaw and rub himself from

172 DISEASES OF THE HOESE.

head to foot, and he will lose his condition irretrievably
if the disease be not treated in time. Use the following
ointment, and rack up the horse during its action, so
that he cannot lick himself: —

Corrosive Sublimate |- ounce

Soft Soap 3 pounds

Mercurial Ointment . . . . £ a pound.

Rub in this ointment three times a week, washing the
body all over with warm soap and water on alternate
days.

SUKFEIT.

This disease presents itself by a mass of broad and
flat pimples breaking out all over the body. Some-
times the eyes are completely closed from the swelling.

I was once called to see a thoroughbred mare which
had undergone a severe clothes sweat when over fat,
and in about six hours she was one mass of eruption,
which had been carelessly mistaken by a pseudo-practi-
tioner for farcy, and the mare's death warrant was
nearly sealed. I ordered her to be led out in the fields
without any clothes during the cool of the evening and
have no food for twenty-four hours save bran and
water, with two ounces of spirits of nitre. In two days
all the eruption had disappeared, and the mare resumed
her work without further treatment. It may be as
well to state that the lumps produced by surfeit are
easily distinguished from farcy buds by the most inex-
perienced if they will take the trouble to examine them.

SADDLE GALLS. 173

Surfeit lumps are broad and flat on their apexes, and
are not in any way tender to the touch ; whereas, the
farcy buds are conical and very tender.

In all cases of surfeit have the clothes taken off
altogether for twenty-four hours, no matter at what
season of the year the attack presents itself.

WARTS.

Warts are unsightly but not dangerous, unless they
occur on the penis, when amputation is often necessary.
In the generality of cases warts should be cut to a
level with the skin, when some caustic, such as acetic
acid, should be applied in very small quantities, but as
frequently as they rise above the level of the skin.

SADDLE GALLS.

When the pressure of the saddle has inflamed and
galled the skin of the withers or elsewhere, immediate
attention should be paid to the injured part. If the
gall be large, and many vessels of the cutis appear to
have been ruptured, which can easily be ascertained by
the dark-coloured and bruised appearance of the skin,
cooling and emollient, applications must be at once
used; and suppuration must not be hurried on by
poultices or irritating applications, or a terrible abscess
may be the consequence. A slight suppuration must
invariably take place, which is best treated by placing

174 DISEASES OF THE HOESE.

over the wound a piece of clry lint, subsequently to a
water dressing, twice daily until it heals, which will
vary from two to six weeks.

If granulations or proud flesh is thrown out, damp
the lint in a lotion consisting of chloride of lime of the
strength of one scruple to the half-pint of water. No
saddle can be suffered to be put on until the wound
has healed.

175

CHAPTER VII.
DISEASES OF SYNOVIAL MEMBRANES.

Synovial membranes are given for the purpose of
lubricating joints, and other parts of the frame sub-
jected to friction. These membranes are plentifully
furnished with nerves and blood-vessels. They are,
therefore, as may readily be supposed, subject to in-
flammation, which is always accompanied by an undue
secretion, which, occasionally, by pressure on surround-
ing vessels, causes partial lameness.

BOG SPAVIN.

Bog spavin is occasioned by inflammation of the
synovial bag ; it presents itself at the inner portion of
the hock, or where the joint is fixed, and blood spavin
is occasioned by the obstruction to the circulation of the
blood passing through the superficial vein of the hock,
consequent on the enlarged synovial capsule — or bog
spavin, as it is usually termed.

These capsules used to be opened and their contents
evacuated; but the operation more frequently killed
than cured the patient.

176 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

When they first appear give cooling diet and a mild
dose of physic, with entire rest, and resume work
gradually. But when once the capsule has become
seriously inflamed no treatment will be of any avail.
Repeated blistering and firing are commonly recom-
mended, but are both utterly useless in effecting a cure,
and only add to the horse's sufferings.

THOROUGH PIN.

A thorough pin consists of an enlargement, conse-
quent on inflammation of the bursae, situated between
the tendons — above the hock. Sometimes the swelling
is of an enormous size, but very rarely causes lameness,
and usually becomes partially absorbed. No doubt
pressure, where feasible, is the best treatment, and a
well-made truss just adapted to the size of the leg could
be easily manufactured, and would well repay the cost.
Generally, however, a little rest and a dose of physic
will be sufficient. They rarely recur a second time on
being once reduced.

WIND GALLS.

Wind galls are generally met with in horses whose
legs have been subjected to severe concussions, and
more especially where they have been ridden hard along
the road. They consist of an enlargement of the syno-
vial capsules of the fetlock joint.

CAPPED HOCKS. 177

A dose of physic with cold bandages bound tightly
round the joints will reduce them ; but they will recur
again as soon as work has been recommenced; there-
fore, no further treatment should be adopted than that
of applying a cold flannel bandage with two wet com-
presses of linen placed immediately on the swellings.
Happily, the old practice of puncturing the cysts has
long since been condemned as most dangerous and mis-
chievous, so that I need give no warning on this head.

CAPPED HOCKS AjStD ELBOW'S.

Both these enlargements are produced by a swelling
of the bursas mucosae, and are usually consequent on a
bruise or severe blow.

Kicking in the stable is the most prolific cause of
capped hocks, and when they become of a great size
they are very unsightly.

The treatment consists in allaying the inflammation,
and afterwards reducing the swelling by applying
biniodide of mercury, as well as preventing a recurrence
of the mischief by the application of a common buckled
dog collar around the pastern joint, and attaching there-
to about twelve inches of a heavy iron chain, which by
bruising the legs when the horse kicks will prevent a,
recurrence of the habit.

A lotion consisting of tincture of arnica of the strength
of two ounces to the pint of water will be found bene-
ficial ; but a lotion composed of equal parts of white

N

178 DISEASES OF THE HOESE.

wine vinegar, spirits of turpentine*, and olive _oil, is
generally the most efficacious application in severe
cases. It should be rubbed in morning and evening-
for about two minutes, and persisted in until the en-
largement is reduced. This reduction may, and often
does, take a considerable time, and occasionally baffles
all the skill of the veterinary surgeon ; but these are
only extreme cases, and are not sufficiently numerous
to deter owners from giving the above-named treat-
ment a thorough trial.

179

CHAPTER VIII.
DISEASES OF BONE.

Bones must be considered as a living texture, being
well furnished with all the adjuncts of vitality. Some
anatomists have denied the existence of nerves, but the
existence of pain in bones is a sufficient proof of the
existence of nerves ; accordingly, bones are liable to
various diseases, such as inflammation, suppuration,
and mortification. The former leads to an increased
and morbid growth of bone which leads to various com-
plications, such as union of bones in joints, undue pres-
sure on ligaments, nerves, &c, both of which cause
lameness.

BONE SPAVIN.

Low-bred horses which are accustomed to draw or
carry heavy weights are usually afflicted with this
disease. It consists in increased growth of bone on
the external surfaces of the inner side of the bones —
usually the scaphoid and cuneiform — of the hock. It
is generally met with in horses which stand with their

N 2

180 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

hocks close together, which no doubt arises from their
being subjected to greater strain.

The symptoms of spavin are an unnatural formation
of bone, usually in one of the hocks, a stiff dragging
action of the hind leg — the toe generally being dragged
along the ground, instead of being lifted boldly over it,
by which means the toe of the hind shoe will be found
to be worn unduly. The greatest care should never-
theless be exercised before determining the existence of
spavin. Both the hocks should be carefully compared
— each from precisely the same site — and this exami-
nation will occupy a long time ; since it is most difficult
to get the horse to place both his legs in the same posi-
tion, and unless they are both in the same position the
most experienced eye often fails to detect the existence
of a spavin, and far oftener succeeds in detecting an
imaginary spavin ; which has ruined the reputation of
more professional men than any other false prognosis.
Unfortunately, when the case is a difficult one to decide,
many professional men adopt the phrase ( incipient
spavin, ' as a sort of umbrage for their ignorance ; but
such cunning rarely ever has the effect of satisfying an
intelligent owner.

Very many hocks are formed with bones having an
excessive protuberance, which is perfectly natural, and
will be found to exist equally on both hocks ; but never-
theless hocks with this formation are rarely ever passed
by the military veterinary surgeons, whose singular
judgment on this head has frequently caused much
disappointment and annoyance.

SPAVINS. 181

Some of the soundest and best hunters have been
thus formed ; and, therefore, unless lameness exists at
the time of examination in one or both of the hocks, it
is most unjustifiable ignorance to reject the horse as
unsound.

Dealers have a very expressive phrase for small
spavins — ( rough hocks ' — which most clearly defines the
existence of unnatural and uneven growths of bone.

The treatment should consist of cooling diet, a dose
of physic, and absolute rest for two or three weeks ;
when, if the spavin appears not to have increased, and
if no inflammation exists, which will be discovered by
the horse going sound when led out, a second dose of
physic may be administered, and the hocks fired as soon
as the action of the physic has subsided ; after which a
rest of at least three months must be allowed.

I do not mean to assert that this treatment will be
sure to effect a cure or anything of the kind ; for I do
not believe that more than one case in ten is ever
cured ; but such treatment has the merit of being hu-
mane, since it abates the inflammation, and checks the
deposit of bone.

All manner of barbarous remedies for spavin have
been called into play, such as the insertion of a seton
under the skin, and immediately over the exostosis, so
as to produce irritation and sloughing of bone ; the
application of sulphuric acid; and some of the old
school of farriers have gone so far as to chip off the
spavin with a chisel. All these courses of treatment
have more frequently produced inordinate inflammation

182 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

and anchylosis of the joint, than they have been at-
tended with successful results ; and no treatment has
up to the present time been found equal to firing, when
the irons have been properly heated, and the system
properly cooled.

SPLINTS.

A morbid growth of bone from the canon bone is
termed a splint, and is most frequently met with inside
of the fore leg, and on the outside of the hind, which
fact has led many to assume that disease of the artery
must be the predisposing cause ; but be this as it may,
there can be but little doubt but that concussion is the
exciting cause. If the growth of bone be extensive,
and form too rapidly to admit of the periosteum being
able to adapt itself to the distention, great pain and in-
flammation will be the result, or, if the splint interfere
with and press on any of the ligaments or tendons, the
inflammation will be sufficient to cause lameness. In
these cases cooling and lowering treatment must be
adopted, with entire rest until the inflammation has
ceased, when the hair should be cut off immediately
above and around the splint, and biniodide of mercury
rubbed in, and the dressing repeated, if necessary, once
a fortnight.

In slight cases of splint, where the growth of bones
forms slowly and causes little or no inflammation, no
treatment is necessary.

OSSIFICATIONS. 183

RINGBONE.

Ringbone consists in a morbid growth of bone round
the circle of the coronet, involving very frequently the
pastern bones as well.

It is usually apparent to the eye, and very tender
when touched. It is caused by concussion, or by
some external injury, such as in double harness one
horse occasionally stepping on the other's coronet when
turning. Ringbones are met with in the hind as well
as the fore legs, and if the growth of bone is extensive,
it renders the joints anchylose, or causes unition.

The treatment should consist in reducing the inflam-
mation as quickly as possible by means of cold swabs
applied to the coronet with the addition of cooling
treatment, and after having sufficiently removed the
inflammation, and otherwise prepared the horse for
firing, the operation should be performed and the horse
thrown by for three months.

OSSIFICATION OF THE KNEE.

This more frequently occurs than is generally sup-
posed, and when forming causes intense pain and lame-
ness. It usually occurs on the lateral border of the
inferior head of the radius or forearm. No treatment
is advisable, since joints are very liable to take up
violent inflammation, resulting in anchylosis, if sub-
jected to powerful blisters. A little rest and cooling-
diet will be sufficient to allay the inflammation.

184 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

CHAPTEK IX.
DISEASES OF THE FOOT.

The foot of the horse is subject to numerous severe
diseases, and, indeed, this is not to be wondered at, when
it is considered that the foot has to bear all the weight
and concussion of the whole frame on hard and un-
yielding roads, at all kinds of paces. They have, too,
to withstand the injurious effects of bad shoeing, in
addition to which, they are frequently defective in
formation naturally.

The effects of standing throughout the day in the
stable, whereby the vessels of the feet — which are not
furnished with valves — become inactive and well-nigh
congested, are very injurious, and very frequently lay
the seeds of acute diseases.

CORNS.

Corns are the result of pressure on the sole of the
foot, whereby the blood-vessels are ruptured, giving
rise to a morbid secretion, which, if allowed to continue,
will render the corn well-nigh incurable.

The treatment will consist in removing the pressure
and stimulating the sole to secrete a healthy deposit of

SANDCRACK. 185

horn, by means of the application of oil of turpentine
and spirits of wine — equal parts of each, after having
cut out the corn with the buttress.

This dressing should be applied for three consecutive
days, when the horse should be shod with a leathern
sole of the strongest hide, and the hoof should be stuffed
with tow, saturated with the above dressing. This will
enable the horse to resume moderate work without in-
jury to the corn. Corns most frequently arise from
shoes being left on too long, whereby the inner heel of
the shoe works in and presses on the sole between the
crust and the bars.

SAXDCEACK.

Sandcrack consists in a separation of the fibres of
the hoof, owing to a want of gelatinous secretion, thus
causing fissures or cracks, which sometimes are so ex-
tensive as to admit of the introduction of extraneous
substances, which cause violent inflammation and some-
times even a morbid growth of the sensitive lamina?,
and thus severe lameness is the result.

This disease is said to be limited to hot and dry
districts entirely ; but I have known as many severe
cases on swamps and lowland meadows, as in upland
dry pastures, and I am disposed to think that the pre-
disposing and exciting causes are constitutional. The
treatment should consist in cutting the edges of the
cracks with a knife until the crust is thinned so as to
be flexible, a poultice should then be applied for two

186 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

days ; after which the whole crust must be dressed with
some stimulating application, which should be continued
for some months. The best ointment consists of equal
portions of grease and oil of turpentine for the first
month, after which the turpentine should be consider-
ably diminished. The horse should have his shoes re-
moved entirely, and be put to stand on a deep bed of
tan, fresh from the tanner's yard. Tan can be pro-
cured anywhere, and is the only proper material for
litter when the hoof is thus diseased.

THRUSH.

Thrush proceeds from various causes, but inflamma-
tion of the frog is the immediate cause. Some horses
have very soft frogs, which will become diseased by the
application of cow-dung as a stopping, and contact with
straw saturated with urine, which causes irritation to the
sensitive frog, which contracts a diseased secretion
which exudes through the cleft of the frog ; which, if
allowed to go on, will assume an ulcerative form, which
will most probably terminate in canker. Tins kind of
thrush is best treated by carefully avoiding the excit-
ing cause by strict attention to providing dry litter,
as well as by applying a lotion consisting of two
scruples of chloride of zinc to the half-pint of water,
three times daily» When thrush results from plethora,
cooling diet and alteratives should be given, and the
frosj dressed with common tar; and if the secretion

CANKER. 187

does not abate, the chloride of zinc lotion should be
tried.

When either fever in the feet or navicular disease
gives rise to thrush, the cleft of the frog must be left
free, and the exciting causes treated as recommended
hereafter. A horse with a thrush should not be ridden
without knee-caps ; for if he bruise the frog, he will
generally fall and cut his knees severely.

CANKER.

Canker consists in ulceration of the sensitive frog, in-
volving the sole very frequently. It is the result of severe
constitutional derangement, such as a severe thrush,
cracked heels, or grease, and is most common amongst
cart horses, whose feet are never properly cleaned and
attended to ; and are generally allowed to stand for
clays and weeks on litter saturated with urine, which,
by continuing the irritation during an attack of thrush,
results in canker being established. Any inflammatory
attack in the feet will produce tins disease ; but it must
be considered as a secondary and not as a primary dis-
ease in general practice.

The discharge will be usually thin and very offensive,
and the horn of the sole will break away and separate,
when the extent of the mischief may be readily ascer-
tained.

I had to treat a very severe case of canker, a few
years ago, and after four months of careful treatment

188 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

the horse recovered the use of his foot entirely. The case
was that of a cart horse, and resulting from a neglected
thrush of Ions; standing. I first used emollient and
cold poultices, which caused several fissures of the sole,
and, by softening the horn, enabled it to be removed
with ease. The fungoid growths were excessive, and
the discharge unusually offensive. I discontinued the
use of emollient poultices immediately the horn was
removed, and substituted for them a strong and tough
c sock,' made of stout bag material, armed with several
compresses of linen under the sole, soaked in a lotion
consisting of chloride of zinc, of the strength of two
scruples to the eight ounces of water for the first
three weeks, and increasing the amount to four scruples
during the last thirteen weeks, giving at the same time
liberal but not heating diet, and being exceedingly
careful that dry litter was always plentifully supplied
after the first two months. I dressed the sole twice a
week, and had the ' sock ' well dried and warmed by the
fire previously to its application ; and on two or three
occasions to remove excessive fungoid excrescences, it
Avas necessary to use a strong caustic, which I deemed
preferable to the use of the knife ; but this should
never be made use of without the supervision of a
professional man. Subsequently healthy granulations,
succeeded by a secretion of firm horn, took place, and
a cure was effected.

The foot, however, was much altered in shape, but
continued perfectly sound during four years of severe
work.

QUITTOR. 189

QUITTOR.

This, like the former disease, is usually a secondary
disease, resulting from inflammation caused by some
violence or primary affection. It consists in an in-
ternal abscess of the foot, forming in sinuses.

The parts surrounding the os corona? are generally
enlarged and puffy, and hot and tender to the touch,
followed, unless relieved, by a bursting of one of the
abscesses at the superior border of the hoof, from which
an offensive and rather thin discharge exudes.

The treatment should consist in liberal but not heat-
ing food. A free incision must be made into the
abscess, for the destruction of parts by ulceration will
be thus prevented ; after which probes must be made use
of to ascertain the extent of the injury. If synovia be
apparent it will be an unfavourable sign ; but in two
cases under my treatment, when synovia was present,
the horses became sound and resumed their work (farm
work) after six months' treatment, without in any way
'favouring' the foot that had been diseased. The
sinuses ascertained, either probes or bougies smeared
with corrosive sublimate should be inserted, and linseed
poultices applied every three hours ; and if this treat-
ment be not sufficient to bring about a sloughing of the
quittor, the actual cautery must be resorted to, in which
case the horse must be cast, or otherwise effectually
secured.

190 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

NAVICULAR DISEASE.

Nearly every kind of foot lameness is laid to the
charge of this disease. Some men adopt the only safe
decision of " foot lameness," while others, less wise and
prudent, presumptuously and dogmatically adopt ( navi-
cular disease,' as if it Avere the only disease known to
affect the foot of the horse.

It consists in : — first, inflammation of the synovial
capsule of the navicular joint, resulting from inflamma-
tion of the perforans tendon, which passes under the
navicular, and is attached to the pedal bone. It is
met with in the very best and strongest-looking feet,
and the degree of lameness occasioned by it is very
variable. When ulceration occurs the synovial capsule
is absorbed, and the tendon comes into contact with
the bone. The horse will usually rest the affected foot
when standing at his ease. He will be much more lame
on leaving than on returning to the stable, the friction
of the parts giving rise to a temporary secretion of
synovia. When the disease is at all advanced, all
treatment will be hopeless ; but, in the early stages of
the disease, bleeding at the toe, followed by emollient
poultices, will be found beneficial, when combined with
rest in a roomy and cool box, well littered with fresh
tan. The insertion of setons through the elastic frog,
as well as neurotomy, used to be more in vogue than
at present. This disease is easily distinguished from
laminitis by the horse ' walking ' perfectly sound.

A hunter or steeplechaser affected with this disease

LAMINITIS. 191

need not be despaired of, as they will go over soft
ground perfectly well and soundly. Only they should
be ridden to and from cover at a pace not exceeding a
walk. Indeed, on a road, no horse affected with navi-
cular disease should be ridden at a greater speed than
a walk, since more or less pain will be occasioned by
the concussion.

FOUNDER, FEVER IN THE FEET, OR LAMINITIS.

This disease consists in inflammation of the lamina?
and its adjacent parts of the foot. It is caused by con-
tinued exertion on hard ground, straining the crust
beyond its powers ; but the most frequent cause is an
injury to the knee or shoulder of the horse, on ac-
count of which he is fearful of lying down, and thus
the continuance of an upright position causes too severe
a strain of the sensitive laminae. In this case a length-
ened rest after the cause has subsided, on puddled clay
during the daytime, with a plentiful litter at night, will
be absolutely necessary to effect a permanent cure.
But where the horse is in training and has to continue
his work, his feet should be placed into two buckets of
cool water after coming in from exercise, and allowed
to remain there so long as the horse feels disposed to
maintain the same position. I have more than once
seen horses neigh for the buckets and place their feet
hurriedly into them of their own accord immediately they
were placed before them. The softening of the hoof
by water, thereby causing increased pliability of the

192 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

crust, diminishes the pain occasioned by the want of
room for the expansion of the blood-vessels consequent
on inflammation. The symptoms will be marked by
the horse standing with his hind legs in a much more
forward position than usual, for the purpose of relieving
his fore feet of their proper proportion of weight. If
the foot be felt it will be discovered to have an unusual
degree of heat, and if pressed or squeezed by a pair of
pincers an unusual flinching will be perceptible. On
running him out, the weight will be thrown principally
on the heels — a marked contrast to the symptoms of
navicular disease, in which the toes are almost the only
parts of the feet placed on the ground when the horse
trots. Bleeding is certainly not advisable where the
inflammation is not very acute ; since it weakens the
foot so much that it will be unfit for hard work for
many weeks afterwards.

The food should consist of bran mashes and a
little hay ; and, although a violent purge should be
avoided when the inflammation runs very high, laxa-
tives should be freely administered ; the best dose being-
two drachms of emetic tartar and half an ounce of nitre,
given every day for a week. In severe and long-con-
tinued cases of this disease, the coffin bone becomes
separated from its attachments and is forced down-
wards by being unable to withstand the weight, after
being deprived of its proper support, and leads to con-
vexity of the sole, which I will consider under the
head of —

PUMICED FEET. 193

PUMICED FEET.

Pumiced feet consist in a convex growth of the soles,
and are sometimes attended with great ( flinching ' or
lameness as the horse receives any pressure on the sole.
No treatment is of any avail save and except some
mechanical contrivance. The object in view must be
that of removing as much pressure as possible from the
sole. To effect this let the shoes be wrought with ( a
concave seat; ' i.e. with two thirds of the inner portion
of the shoe bevelled off to prevent pressure on the sole.
Thus the shoes can be made thicker or deeper than
usual without increasing the weight very materially,
which will still more elevate the sole. Then let a strong
piece of leather be placed over the sole and nailed on
with the shoe very carefully ; because the crust of the
hoof in such cases is always very weak and brittle.
This done, let the foot be stuffed with tow, smeared
with tar and oil of turpentine, to stimulate the secretion
of horn.

194 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

CHAPTER X.
ACCIDENTS.

WOUNDS FROM STUBS, STAKES, ETC.

In all cases of wounds from stubs, stakes, iron or
wooden spikes, and other materials with blunt edges,
laceration of membranes, blood-vessels, &c, must take
place ; and, therefore, the object must be to avoid an
immediate closing or healing of the lips of the wound,
or, as it is termed, ( union by first intention.'

In all cases of lacerated or torn vessels, suppuration
is unavoidable ; but because it is unavoidable it is not
altogether desirable that it should be promoted, because
it may assume dimensions at once unnecessary and
dangerous.

If the wound be larger than a free egress for the
haemorrhage seems to warrant, one or two sutures or
stitches should be made in the wound. The use of
sutures is especially desirable where the skin is torn
back in large flaps, as is often the case in wounds
under the chest and abdomen ; for which the inter-
rupted suture or single stitch tied is the most . con-
venient method ; since, if the aperture of the wound
be not large enough, it may be enlarged by cutting one
of the stitches, without in any way disturbing the

WOUNDS. 195

whole. Great care should be taken, however, to remove
all extraneous substances previously to the insertion
of sutures. Great care should be taken that the sutures
be not drawn too tight — because the tighter they are
drawn the sooner will they slough away ; indeed, sutures
rarely remain more than five or six days however artis-
tically applied. Wounds of any extent are usually
attended by constitutional disturbance — most fre-
quently by symptomatic fever, but sometimes by
lockjaw or tetanus. Wounds occurring in debilitated
constitutions assume a species of mortification usually
known by the name of gangrene. In all wounds by a
sharp cutting instrument, such as a scythe, knife, &c,
the bleeding must be first checked, and a reunion of
the lips of the wound affected by sutures or compres-
sion. There is no application so good as lint soaked in
tepid water, but all healing ointments and suchlike filth
should be carefully avoided. The tendency of parts of
the body to effect reunion are very remarkable. Indeed,
parts which have been completely severed have been
successfully united. I recollect a remarkable instance of
this in a prize fight, where the lower half of the ear of
one of the combatants was cut so severely as to retain
connection with the upper portion of the ear only by a
small piece of skin, which one of the seconds severed
entirely, and putting the excised portion of the ear in
his pocket, thought nothing of it until after the termi-
nation of the fight, when, as a joke, he attempted to
reunite the severed portion of the ear merely by the
aid of a little common sticking-plaster. The ear

o 2

196 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

speedily reunited, and the pugilist escaped this ad-
ditional disfigurement.

Great attention, in the treatment of wounds, should
be paid to the state of the health at the time : if the
wound does not suppurate favourably, and the dis-
charge is profuse, a liberal diet, consisting of beans,
linseed, and old oats, should be given, together with
bark and aniseed powders.

In all wounds, where the small intestines protrude
in consequence, they must be returned as quickly as
possible into the cavity of the abdomen ; for the mere
displacement of the viscera is very frequently attended
with fatal consequences.

If great difficulty is experienced in returning them,
an attempt at the reduction of the large intestines should
be made by emptying them by means of a clyster,-
which will usually render the operation an easy one :
but in all cases where the intestines are smeared
with dirt, dust, &c, they must be carefully sponged
previously to being returned into the cavity; the
best wash being equal parts of new milk and tepid
water. For returning the intestines the use of the fore-
fino-ers is most desirable — those of the one hand beino-
used to prevent the portion returned from protruding
again, while those of the other hand introduce another
portion, and so on until the whole is properly returned.
The intestines should be inserted in a straight direction
into the abdomen, for when inserted in an oblique
direction, they are liable to slip between the abdominal
muscles and become strangulated. When the intestines

WOUNDS. 197

are enormously distended with air, it will be necessary
to make various small punctures with a needle to lessen
their volume sufficiently to render them returnable.
For this purpose round, and not flat needles should be
used, since the latter would cut the fibres ; but this
should not be resorted to until all other means have
failed, since the amount of inflammation caused by
their insertion will be very great, and will be attended
with extreme danger. Everything that tends to in-
crease inflammation of the intestines should be care-
fully avoided ; for in all wounds of the abdomen the
inflammation of the peritoneum is excessive. The
inflammation must be checked by bleeding, cooling
applications, and laxative medicines, such as Unseed oil,
&c, with linseed and bran mashes as the sole food.
After the return of the intestines the edges of the
wound must be brought together, and as many sutures
as necessary inserted, in addition to which suitable
compresses and bandages will be required to retain the
position of the viscera.

It is but seldom that horses can be kept in a favour-
able position for the successful treatment of wounds of
the abdomen ; and to this more than to any other cause
I am inclined to attribute the few instances there are
of successful treatment.

INJUKIES TO THE EYE.

It very frequently happens that extraneous matter
becomes lodged on the surface, or entangled in the

J 98 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

superficial tissues, or the cellular and fatty matters
surrounding the eyeball. The symptoms are marked
by great impatience of light and great pain on moving
the lids.

If the extraneous matter be merely dust or sand, it
may be washed away by means of a syringe ; but if it
be of a sharp nature, such as glass, flint, or metal, it
must be instantly removed. If the lids be fully opened
in a good light the existence of foreign matter can be
readily seen and removed. A lead pencil or the corner
of a silk handkerchief should be used for removing the
foreign matter. This should be done without delay, in
order to avert the inflammatory action and ulceration,
always consequent on injuries to the cornea.

In all wounds of the conjunctiva and surface of the
eye, where no extraneous matter has become retained,
lowering treatment, abstraction of blood from the facial
vein, with continual application of cold spring water to
ward off vascular excitement, are to be recommended.
Wounds, however, of the centre of the cornea of con-
siderable size, involving the internal structure of the
organ, are necessarily fatal to the vision.

POLL EVIL.

Poll evil consists in an abscess on or behind the
prominent ridge between the ears, and is caused by
knocking the head violently against a low beam, or
by lifting the head suddenly when eating up grains that

FISTULOUS WITHERS. ]99

have dropped from the manger, and striking it against
the iron border. It sometimes is even produced by
violent blows from the butt-end of a heavy hunting-whip,
which some inhuman brutes are fond of using.

A painful swelling will be the result of the inflam-
mation, which should be rubbed with biniodide of
mercury, to bring about development of the abscess,
which may be ascertained by the softness of the swelling,
as well as by its fluctuation. For fear of the horse
moving suddenly on feeling the knife, a sharp seton
needle should be inserted from the centre of the abscess
in an oblique direction : and if the abscess be im-
mediately in the centre of the prominent ridge, or im-
mediately over the spinal chord, insert two setons, one
from the centre of the abscess to the left, and the other
from the centre of the abscess to the right side. If
this disease is neglected it will make terrible ravages in
all directions along the cervical vertebrae, &c. ; and,
indeed, in some instances the spinal chord and brain
have been seriously affected.

FISTULOUS WITHERS.

A fistula of the withers is generally the consequence
of a common saddle gall which has been neglected. It
sometimes burrows down among the muscles between
the shoulder blade and the ribs, and has been known to
penetrate to the sternum.

Sometimes the bones or the spines of the dorsal

200 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

vertebrae become diseased ; in which cases a long and
narrow knife must be passed up the sinus or pipe
leading to the diseased bone, and outwards through
the skin along its whole length, when the use of some
escharotic lotion will be necessary. If the sinuses are
of great length, long seton needles should be passed
through them, and depending orifices should be made
in the most convenient spot. The strength of the
lotion of chloride of zinc should vary in proportion to
the exigencies of the case — from one to four scruples
to the pint of water.

BROKEN KNEES.

This is an accident pretty sure to fall to the lot of
every owner of horses at some time or other, and it is
therefore necessary that every horseman and groom
should be equal to its treatment in every stage. In
slight cases of broken knees when the cut is not deep
the treatment should consist in well washing the wound,
so as to remove all irritating and extraneous substances,
and then getting the horse into a stable, and bathing
the knees in warm water for an hour, after which apply
a lint compress soaked in a solution of arnica and warm
water — of the strength of one part of tincture of arnica
to thirty parts of water — and over this tie some oiled
silk. Let this be repeated for the three or four follow-
ing days, and the horse's health carefully attended to,
when all will be well. If, however, any proud flesh
show itself, it should be burnt down by the application

BROKEN KNEES. 201

of bluestone. When the interior of the knee joint is pene-
trated, the synovia will escape, and may readily be seen
on the surface of the wound. The wound should be well
sponged, and immediately closed, and unition brought
about if possible, and the most active measures taken
to allay all inflammatory symptoms — by bran mashes,
physicking, &c. Great care should also be taken that
he be racked up, or he will endeavour to lie down, and
not only reopen the wound, but perhaps admit ex-
traneous substances. The most severe case that came
under my notice was that of a rather undersized cart-
horse, which fell on coining down a hill, with thirty
cwt. of bricks behind her, in a high two-wheeled cart ;
there was a leading horse attached to the shafts, which
jumped forward immediately it heard the scuffle, and
dragged the poor beast on its knees until the flesh and
ligaments were completely torn away from the joints.
She was brought to me about two hours after the oc-
currence, having walked seven miles from the place
where the accident occurred. I had her racked up,
sponged her knees softly, closed up the joint, and
applied a lotion of chloride of zinc (of the strength of
one drachm to the pint of water) with a feather. I
continued this application for six weeks, about three
times a day, after which the wounds healed satis-
factorily ; and although the scars are large, she has had
the full use of her joints, and has been in hard work for
three years since the occurrence. I may here say, that,
owing to the amount of fatigue the mare had gone
through, I did not deem it prudent to have recourse to

202 DISEASES OF THE HOUSE.

physic and lowering treatment, but, on the contrary,
I ordered liberal diet and occasional alteratives. It will
never tend to any desirable results to reduce the system
overmuch in severe cases of penetrated joints, since a
certain amount of inflammation is necessary to the
healing of the wound. The use of slings in such cases,
where practicable, is much to be recommended ; since
the pain incurred by standing for days in the same
position .must, when the animal is worn out with
fatigue, be inexpressibly irksome. The use of slings
tends to lessen the high degree of fever which usually
attacks horses which are kept on their legs too long.
On this too much importance cannot be j)laced, for a
favourable termination of a penetrated joint mainly
depends on the prevention of a high state of inflamma-
tion. As I have said before, a moderate vascularity and
redness in the integuments is to be desired ; but inflam-
mation of the capsular ligament usually leads to the
formation of abscesses, and finally anchylosis, or stiff-
ness of the joint. There is always a great derangement
of the digestive organs in such cases, which is best en-
countered by administering mild purgative balls every
other day, such as two drachms of aloes, ginger, and
resin, made into one ball until the bowels act mode-
rately.

FRACTURES AND DISLOCATIONS.

It is but very seldom that any effort is made to
unite a fracture of the bones of the horse, for, being

FRACTURES. 203

essentially an animal of labour, he ceases to be useful
when any important joint or limb becomes disabled,
and, therefore, owners of horses, as a rule, object to
being put to the expense consequent on the proper
treatment of fractures, with the prospect of having an
almost useless animal at the termination of it. In all
cases, therefore, of fractures of the skull, arm-bone,
thigh, shoulder blade, elbow, canon bone, pastern and
coffin bones, patella, and navicular bones, the horse,
unless very valuable as a stallion or brood mare, should
be destroyed. But cases of fractured ribs, jawbones, and
face, all admit of a perfect cure if treated properly.

When the face is fractured, each piece of fractured
bone should be removed by making an incision in, and
laying back, the skin. This being done, the skin should
be once more brought together, and, if necessary, sup-
ported by plugging the nostrils. When the jawbone is
fractured, which frequently happens where cart-horses
are turned out at grass with their shoes on, the bone
must be set, and the jawbones kept in this position by
means of straps and bandages. The horse must be fed
on linseed and oatmeal gruel for some time.

In fractures of the ribs, where the bone presses on
the lungs or other internal organs of importance, little
or nothing can be done ; but, in cases of simple fracture,
the edges of the bones should be united by applying a
bandage of sufficient tightness round the trunk ; which
should be suffered to remain on for some time, and a
cure will be effected. Fractures of the prominent head
of the haunch bone, which are occasioned by horses

204 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

being allowed to rush out of a narrow stable door,
crashing the bone against the posts, usually unite
without the aid of surgical treatment. Nevertheless, it
is a great eyesore as the head of the bone becomes
retracted, and the horse's frame will present an uneven-
ness termed by horsemen hipped. I have seen one
first-class hipped hunter, but usually there is an evident
weakness in the action. Dislocation of the patella
sometimes occurs, and is marked by the horse throwing
upwards and outwards the hind leg with a sort of sweep
when turning over in the stable, as if the limb did not
belong to him and was not under his control. No
treatment is of any use, since it recurs so frequently
after being properly rej3laced.

WOUNDS OF THE FOOT.

These are generally brought about by pricks in
shoeing, through the nails being improperly directed ;
or by treading, when the sole has been recently thinned
down, on some sharp substance, as a sharp oak-stub, an
iron spike, nail, glass bottles, &c. If the frog be
punctured, it will not be of so much importance, and
must be treated by the foreign substance being removed
carefully, and a pledget of tow smeared in tar inserted.
Also if the lamina or sides of the foot are wounded,
either by prick in shoeing, or in any other manner, a
reduction of inflammation, and removal of the cause,
will soon brins: about a cure.

OVERREACH. 205

Where, however, the centre of the sole is cut through,
and the capsular ligament or coffin bone injured, the
case must be considered as a very serious one, and
active measures resorted to for prevention of inflamma-
tion, suppuration, &c. First cut away the sole and
enlarge the orifice of the wound as much as is neces-
sary, then bleed freely at the toe, and insert some lint
soaked in chloride of zinc, of the strength of one scruple
to the pint of water, into the wound. A strong leathern
shoe with two soles should be then buckled round the
hoof, and the horse kept perfectly still. Cold swabs
should be applied above the leathern shoe and around
the pasterns, and a lowering diet, with a mild purge,
administered.

OVERREACH.

This is occasioned by the horse bringing the hind
foot too quickly on the fore. Sometimes the surface is
merely cut, but at others it is severely bruised as well.

A due regard must be had to the nature of the in-
jury, before commencing any treatment.

If the integuments be merely cut, the wound should
be washed carefully, and then touched with Friar's
balsam ; after which, the lips of the wound should be
immediately closed, and adhesive plaster applied to
keep them in their position. If the wound, however,
gives evidence of a severe bruise, inflammation and
suppuration must inevitably occur.

In this case, apply, after having well cleansed the

206 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

wound, some lint compresses soaked in a solution of
chloride of zinc, of the strength of one scruple to the
pint of water, and continue this treatment until a cure
is effected.

SPEEDY CUT.

If the skin be not broken, and the parts merely
bruised, apply some lint compresses, soaked in a solu-
tion of one part of tincture of arnica to six parts of
cold water, and over this tie some oiled silk. Never
again, unless there was sufficient cause for the horse
hitting his leg, allow him to go out without a regular
speedy-cutting boot, padded with india rubber.

STRAINS.

Notwithstanding all that has been asserted to the
contrary, there can be no doubt that when a muscle,
tendon, or ligament is said to be strained, it has really
been stretched beyond its proper limits. The fibres of
the muscles, tendons, &c., are undoubtedly ruptured
in addition, and an extravasation of blood and serum
brought about during the violence. And this is what
gives rise to the tumefaction and tenderness consequent
on a strain.

STRAIN OF THE SHOULDER.

It is but very seldom that horses are strained in the
shoulder ; but when it does occur, it is easily detected

STRAINS. 207

by any careful observer, by the intense pain it gives
the horse when extending the limb of his own accord,
or on its being extended by manual force ; and when
the strain is very severe, the toe will be dragged along
the ground, and the horse will hop on the other leg.
No treatment is of any avail, but entire rest followed
by gentle exercise.

The injury may exist in either the muscles or liga-
mentous attachments ; but in which of the two, it will
be impossible to ascertain.

Where, however, the injury lies in the triceps ex-
tensor brachii — the large bulging muscle above the
arm — the heat and swelling will be very evident, and
its treatment will be similar to that of any other strain :
viz. a reduction of the inflammation, followed by rest
and counter-irritation. Horses are very liable to this
injury when galloping at great speed down hill ; and
on some training grounds it is of frequent occurrence.

STRAIN OF THE BACK AND LOINS.

Strained, or, as it is termed by horsemen, 'ricked
back,' is marked by a stiffness and soreness of the
muscles along the back and loins. It occurs usually by
the horse dropping his hind legs into a ditch or drain,
having at the same time a heavy weight on him. The
treatment must consist of entire rest, physicking, and
lowering diet. The back and loins should be well
fomented by dipping flannel cloths in hot water and

208 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

arnica, of the strength of one part of arnica to six parts
of hot water, and applying them all along the back
and loins. This treatment must be persevered in for
two or three days ; after which, mustard poultices
should be applied every two days for a fortnight, and
the rest of the treatment should be left to time alone.
Such horses should be put to harness work, at which
they may be useful for very many years ; but, if used
for saddle work, a recurrence of the injury is sure to
take place. If it is ascertained by the existence of
paralysis of the hind limbs that the spinal chord is
injured, the animal should be destroyed.

STRAIN OF THE BACK-SINEWS, AND RUPTURE
OF THE SHEATH OF THE TENDONS.

This injury is the bugbear of all trainers and hard
riders, and is perfectly certain to happen to all horses
which are used for racing purposes, sooner or later.
When the accident occurs, the sheath of tendons is
much tumefied and exquisitely tender, and great lame-
ness is caused : indeed, I have seen a horse take half
an hour to walk three hundred yards immediately after
its occurrence.

In slight cases, heat, tenderness, and other evidences
of inflammation resulting from strain may be readily
discovered, together with a tenderness or slight lame-
ness when in motion, and it is at this stage that treat-
ment will be of avail in preventing the greater injury

BREAKING DOWN. 209

of actual rupture of the ligamentous attachments to
the tendons. The treatment in either case should con-
sist of removing all corn, and giving a mild purging
ball, and applying lint compresses soaked in arnica and
water — one part of arnica to twelve of water — and
enveloped with oiled silk. A high-heeled shoe should
be fitted on the foot to prevent extension of the sheath
of the tendons. In about one month or six weeks,
when the inflammation has subsided, repeated blister-
ings with biniodide of mercury, or firing, must be re-
sorted to. The sheath of the tendons, however, will
always present an enlarged or bowed appearance.

BREAKING DOWN, OR RUPTURE OF THE SUSPENSORY
LIGAMENTS.

Rupture of the suspensory ligament rarely happens
to any but the racehorse or steeple-chaser ; and when
it does occur, the racing career of its victim is at
an end.

It consists in a rupture of the suspensory ligament,
usually immediately above the fetlock joint, which
generally gives way so much as to reach the ground,
and causes such severe pain that the horse will hop
back to the stable on three legs as best he can. The
lotion recommended for the preceding injury should be
used until all inflammation has abated, when the leg
should be blistered with biniodide of mercury, and
fired in one month's time from the period of the
action of the blister.

p

210 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

For all fast work the horse will be utterly useless ;
but for farm work, and breeding purposes, his services
may be of as much value as before the occurrence of
the accident. Some poor wretches that have broken
down, are sold by their hard-hearted masters to be
butchered in hansom cabs over hard pavement, from
morning till night, so long as their vital powers are in
existence, who, but for this accident, might still be
enjoying all the comforts and attention of the racing
stables.

CURB,

It is commonly asserted that horses with c sickle
hocks ' are more liable to this strain than others differ-
ently formed. And so no doubt they are ; but not to
the extent generally supposed.

A curb consists in a strain or extension of the li^a-
ments at the head of the splint bone of the shank, or
about six inches below the point of the hock. It results
from jumping into a bog or ditch, rearing or galloping
up a steep hill, &c, and usually occurs between the
second and fifth year, and most frequently while the
process of breaking is going on. If the strain be
severe, the horse will limp soon after the extension of
the ligaments has taken place, and on the next morning
considerable swelling and tumefaction will take place
with or without much lameness.

A high-heeled shoe should be immediately fitted on
the foot of the injured limb, and cold lotions applied

EPIDEMIC FEVER. 211

until the swelling subsides ; a dose of physic should be
administered with proper preparation, and immediately
after its action, the blister composed of biniodide of
mercury should be rubbed in : or what is still better —
if applied by a competent person — corrosive sublimate
dissolved in spirits of wine, applied with a sponge,
after having wetted the adjacent parts with pure water
to prevent an extended action of the blister. This
admirable remedy must, however, be most cautiously
used, or a blemish will be the result.

As soon as the action of the blister has subsided,
gentle work should be given on level ground, which
will materially promote absorption, and strengthen the
ligaments.

EPIDEMIC FEVER.

In the present year (1865), in the month of January,
the large towns have been peculiarly afflicted with this
disease amongst horses of all denominations, whether
in high or low condition.

The stages of the disease were very rapid and the
symptoms very marked.

The first symptoms are general dulness, entire loss of
appetite, great prostration of strength, rapid respiration,
and very short and evidently painful cough about three
or four times in the twenty-four hours, a greatly ac-
celerated pulse of about 100, with entire absence of
running at the nose, and cold and chilly ears and
limbs, which are the usual accompaniments of all fevers.

P 2

212 DISEASES OF THE HORSE.

It seems to be a severe form of low fever, in which the
lungs are chiefly involved. I had three very severe
cases to deal with, in which the pulse continued at 100
for no less than four days, with great prostration of
strength and confined bowels. I administered two ounces
of nitrous ether, with two drachms of camphor, in a pint
of warm water or ale every four hours — putting two
drachms of emetic tartar and an ounce of peruvian bark
in a small feed of steamed bran and oats every evening
— allowing as much hay as they would eat. There was
no change up to the fifth day, after which the horses
began to throw oiF the fever, recovered their appetites
in some degree, and no further treatment was necessary.

The languor lasted about a week afterwards, during
which an ounce of bark and aniseed was mixed with
the feed every night, — the emetic tartar discontinued,
and in four weeks from the disease showing itself the
horses were at work again.

The course of the disease, however, was extremely
rapid in many cases, and several healthy horses in fine
condition fell victims to its ravages in three or four
days ; and in all the cases with which I was acquainted
unless resolution occurred within five or six days the
case proved fatal.

Bleeding did not answer in one single case that came
to my knowledge ; and in two cases where it was
resorted to, dropsy of the chest intervened in a few
days. Blistering, also, seemed to set up undue inflam-
mation, and to be productive of more harm than good,
in accelerating both the pulse and the breathing in an

EPIDEMIC FEVER. 213

inordinate degree; and moreover, it prevented the
horses from lying down as much as they otherwise
would have done, and consequently their strength
failed them more rapidly.

It matters little where the horse be placed — whether
in a stall or loose box, so long as the air be pure and
dry ; since he evinces no desire to take any kind of
exercise when labouring under this disease.

214 EXTRAVAGANCE OF GROOMS.

CHAPTEK XL

ADVICE TO GROOMS

The great failing of all grooms borders on something
nearly akin to extravagance, and extreme carelessness
as to the limits of their masters' pockets.

I am well aware that in nine cases out of ten, the
urgent touting for orders by saddlers, and dealers in
oats, beans, hay, straw, &c, are too much for the nerves
of most grooms to withstand, if they have not their
masters' interests at heart.

If any advice, any argument of mine can succeed in
partially putting an end to this wanton combination of
servants and tradesmen against their employers, it is
my duty as an honest man to urge upon grooms in
general the necessity of forsaking the continuance of a
system of dishonest pilfering, that is more heartless and
unjustifiable than robbery on the highway.

I am well aware — and I have repeatedly heard stud
grooms boast — that their masters' consent to orders for
fodder, saddlery, &c, never once entered their heads ;
and that they were not going to admit of being inter-
fered with in the requirements of the stable ; or in

DISHONESTY. 215

other words, that they could not submit to the in-
dignity of their masters' controlling their own affairs.

Keally, such foolish conduct is little short of a stand-
ing danger to grooms as a class.

As surely as fox-hunters and fools were once syno-
nymous terms, so surely will grooms and cheats defy a
separate distinction in the opinion of the bulk of society.

Do not think, grooms — and I address you with deep
interest — that when your masters or mistresses complain
of what their carriage and horses cost them — of the
amount of the saddlers' and cornfactors' accounts, that
those listeners are all unlearned and fools in stable
management. There may chance to be some one or
more amongst them who knows better thaD yourselves,
not only what your real expenditure ought to have been,
but probably what it has been.

For it is no secret how much oats cost, and how
much horses are able to consume ; nor is it any secret
how many brushes, combs, wrappers, and other stable
utensils, can be honestly worn out in the course of the
year.

Therefore, as often as the subject is mentioned before
that person, so often do you run the risk of losing the
confidence of your employer, and your own character.

The loss of character is the most serious blow that
can be inflicted on a man in any situation of life ; but
when that man is a servant in a place of trust, it be-
comes a still more serious calamity.

Enough on the subject of honesty.

I will now say a few words on the subject of duty.

216 CARELESSNESS.

When your employers know nothing of the manage-
ment of their stables, it is all the more your duty to
see that their interests are more sedulously cared for
than if they were in full possession of this knowledge,
for on this depends your merit as trustworthy servants.

Carelessness, too, is a great fault in such cases.

It is absurd to offer as an excuse for careless habits
that your employers do not know whether their equi-
pages are badly turned out or not, and therefore that
you feel no concern at their shabby appearance .

Is it reasonable to suppose that your employers
would put themselves to enormous stable expenses, if
they did not care for the manner in which their equi-
pages were turned out ?

In addition to which, your characters are invariably
lost — not only amongst gentlemen who know how they
ought to be turned out; but also amongst those of your
own class, who are always very free in expressing their
opinions respecting the character of your turn-out !

You will be sure to earn for yourself the appellation
of gardener, whenever your name is mentioned.

Next to a badly cleaned horse, nothing looks so
abominable as shabby and badly cleaned harness. It
gives that sort of jobbing appearance to the turn-out
that ought to be a cause of shame to any private ser-
vant ; who, for the most part, takes a just pride in
having no more duties imposed upon him than he can
faithfully and properly perform.

I am well aware that some grooms have more to do
than they can possibly get through properly. And
when that is the case, undoubtedly the groom has

IGNORANCE OF EMPLOYEES NO EXCUSE. 217

•

a very difficult part to play. But here, too, he should
be strictly houest.

If he have entered a situation not knowing the ex-
tent of the duties he would have to perform, he should
at once, after having tried to do as much as he can, pro-
ceed to have an interview with either his master or
mistress, as the case may be, and respectfully represent
that the extent of his work is more than he can pos-
sibly get through with due regard to the proper condi-
tion of the horses, and their appurtenances, committed to
his charge.

And if the employer, from ignorance of stable ma-
nagement, or any other cause, refuse to entertain the
justice of the complaint, let him then ask to be per-
mitted to have an interview on the subject with some
friend of his employers, who is intimately acquainted
with stable duties in all their intricacies. This cannot
well be refused. And if it is refused, an appeal to
a disinterested third party, for the adjudication of the
complaint, cannot be deemed unreasonable nor un-
becoming in the servant, and it may lead to a proper
adjustment of the labours of the stable; after which,
all should go on smoothly.

Next to this, will be the difficulty of putting forward
when your horses are overworked, without giving
offence. The best mode of proceeding will be to re-
present that the horses are falling off in their condition,
and that you are of opinion that it is on account of
working them too hard : and if this explanation is not
admitted, a plea respectfully put forward for the opinion
of a veterinary surgeon cannot but be entertained.

218 CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD.

There is a custom which has now deep root amongst
grooms and coachmen at large. I allude to the pur-
chase of horses when the dealer and groom stand in as
it is termed, about the two most barefaced examples
of which came to my knowledge the other day, when
the following conversations took place: —

Dealer. — I think that is a pretty good match for
your other horse.

Coachman. — Yes. I think he will do; but how
about the sweetener ?

D. — I don't know what you mean. The price of
the horse is sixty-five pounds, and I cannot take a
farthing less.

C. — Then if you won't allow me anything, I'll not
advise my master to buy him ; and he won't buy him,
unless I recommend him.

D. — Very well. I can't help that. If I give you
five pounds, it must come out of your master's pocket —
not mine ; for I can't afford to lose it. Therefore, if I
give you five pounds, I must get seventy pounds for
the horse.

C. — Very well. My master shall buy him, and you
shall give me five pounds out of the purchase money.

D. — Agreed. {Aside.) You damned scoundrel !

In a few days the coachman brought a cheque for
seventy pounds; and, on presenting it, received five
pounds out of it. The horse turned out no match at
all for the other, and the coachman called on the dealer
and requested him to take the horse back.

( No,' said the dealer, ( unless vou return me the five

CUSTOMS OF SALES. 219

sovereigns, I can't give your master the seventy pounds
back for the horse ! '

This the coachman was unwilling or unable to do ;
so his master had to put up with a horse utterly un-
suited to him, because the coachman and dealer had
entered into a conspiracy to defraud him.

I informed the dealer of my opinion of the iniquity
of thus entering into a conspiracy with a servant to de-
fraud his master ; and his answer was : —

6 All the trade do it ; and if I do not I cannot sell
them a horse. I heartily wish half of us were sent to
gaol for it for about six months, and then the custom
would soon die out.'

Exactly ! here it is :— ( All the trade do it ! ' And
not the horse trade only; for in proportion to the
amount of the bills at butchers', bakers', grocers',
chemists', &c, so are the Christmas presents to the
housekeeper large or small ; and in precisely the same
ratio as that between cornfactors, hay and straw dealers,
saddlers and coachmen. But depend on it, ye grooms,
who scorn to do in secret what ye would not do openly,
however much others may laugh at ye for your sensi-
tive uprightness, ye will be rewarded by the possession
of a clear conscience, and your master's benediction : —
' Well done, good and faithful servant ! '

In the other case, the groom caught a Tartar with a
vengeance.

His master, a wealthy gentleman in London, had, on
a previous occasion in the company of a friend, looked
over the stables of a noted horse-dealer in the midland

220 A CASE IN POINT.

counties in search of a first-class hunter, and taken a
fancy to a clever weight-carrying horse, for which the
sum of one hundred and sixty-five guineas was asked ;
whereupon he requested time for consideration, which
was readily granted by the dealer ; and for some few
days nothing more was heard of the matter, until about
eleven o'clock one morning, a person (who subsequently
turned out to be the gentleman's groom) presented him-
self to the dealer and requested to be allowed to examine
the horse — stating at the same time, that the purchase of
the horse depended solely on his approval. The re-
quest was instantly complied with, and the groom —
affecting the air of a professional man — went through
a lengthened examination; during which, the dealer
retired to his office, where he remained cogitating on
the probable chances of selling his horse, until his
reverie was broken into by the groom's demand of
twenty-five pounds if he effected the sale of the horse ;
at which, the dealer expressed his most unmeasured
indignation, refusing to entertain such a proposal for
an instant. Whereupon, the groom once more retired,
and commenced a further examination of the horse.

At about six o'clock on the same evening, he once
more presented himself to the dealer, and requested
the delivery of the horse ; at the same time, pulling
from his pocket a cheque for the amount from his mas-
ter, who desired him to deliver it, and bring back the
horse with a warranty as to soundness. This the dealer
indignantly refused to comply with ; stating as his rea-
son, the overweening dishonesty the groom had ex-

THE BITER BIT. 221

hibited, which he had no doubt would be repeated
whenever the opportunity presented itself. And as the
stables were then shut up, he further refused to deliver
the horse until six o'clock on the following mornino-.

At this the groom exhibited great trepidation —
urging, as a reason why the horse should be delivered
to him, that his master would expect his arrival with
the horse that evening, and that he would most likely
lose his situation if he were not to arrive until the
following day.

To all of which the dealer turned a deaf ear, and
told him that to-morrow morning he might take the
horse out of his stables, on presenting a cheque for
one hundred and sixty-five pounds ; but that he would
not so much as warrant the horse alive to such a scoun-
drel. And accordingly, at six a.m., the cheque was
presented and the horse delivered to the groom, who no
doubt accounted for the absence of the warranty, and
his non-arrival on the previous evening, by falsehood.

However this may be, the dealer heard no more of
either master, servant, horse, or warranty, and so
ended one of the worst of the many bad instances of
dishonesty in grooms.

ON DRIVING.

The first thing required in a good coachman is to sit
well up and quite square to his horses ; with his chest
well forward, and his elbows close to his sides, holding
the reins in his left hand in a direct line with his

222 DUTIES OF THE COACHMAN.

breast-bone, by which means the whole weight and
force of his body can at any moment be applied by
kicking the foot board, and throwing the shoulders
well back, simultaneously.

He should always keep his horses well in hand ; so
that he may have thorough command of them at what-
ever pace they are going, which should never — except
under extraordinary circumstances — exceed ten miles
within the hour. But many carriage horses cannot do
so much ; and therefore the coachman must be guided
by his horses' powers entirely ; always keeping them
well within their pace, and making them go collectedly,
easily, and well; for if they be out-paced they will
lose their action, roll about, and present but a slovenly
appearance, however neat their appurtenances may be.

A good coachman will never go fast round a corner ;
for if he does so, the horses will have to scramble, and
may cross their legs and come over. A slow and well
collected jog-trot is the only pace at which it is safe to
turn a sharp corner with a pair of horses. On meeting
any carriage or vehicle, it is always desirable to allow
as much room as possible ; for though a good coachman
may be able to guide his own horses to great nicety,
this art will avail him nothing, if the driver of the
opposing vehicle come dashing along, and allow his
horses — either through carelessness or bad driving — to
swerve right on to him.

The safest way is to keep in the centre of the road,
so as to force the driver meeting you to pull out ; and
immediately he does so to pull out yourself, so that by

COMMON FAULT. 223

both diverging to contrary sides of the road, all will
be well ; whereas, by maintaining your proper — the
left — side throughout, the driver of a vehicle coming
along in the centre of the road, seeing what he con-
siders plenty of room, preserves the ( even tenour of his
way,' and, drawing it too fine, comes into collision.

The reckless driving of flash cab-drivers and fast
young officers, with whom ' going the pace ' is every-
thing, should be strictly avoided by the coachman.

There are certain faults and vices which horses con-
tract, such as hugging and lying off from the pole,
&c. ; which, for the most part, arise from overwork,
and are rarely ever met with in private carriage horses,
so nothing need be said on this subject.

But there is one vice very common, which may be
justly laid to the charge of the coachman, i.e., ' gib-
bing,' or refusing to start the carriage ; which is con-
tracted through the stupidity of the coachman, in
either allowing his horses to spring at the collar, or
forcing them to do so by the use of his whip. In either
case the effect is the same, viz., inability to start the
load. For a weight can only be moved by a steady
and firm pressure, or what is termed, ( a horse going
into his collar quietly.'

I have cured very bad gibbers by sitting on the box
perfectly still, without a whip, and allowing the horses
to start the load at their pleasure — which they will do
rather than stand still for any length of time, unless
they have sore shoulders — and then pulling them up
again and allowing them to start at their will. If this

224 ATTENTION- TO BITTING NECESSAEY.

method be persevered in for a few days, the vice may
be conquered effectually ; but great care must be taken
ever after that the horses are in no way hurried, and
also that they do not see or hear the whip, or it will
immediately recur again.

Carriage horses should never be reined up too
tightly — even when doing short journeys ; but when
they are kept out for some hours, this practice becomes
positively cruel ; since the muscles and tendons are
kept in the same restrained position, which gives rise
to excessive pain and weariness, and very frequently
even to paralysis of the laryngeal nerve, and conse-
quently roaring.

The coachman should, in driving either a pair or
four-in-hand, give great attention to his horses' mouths,
and have his horses properly bitted ; for unless they be
judiciously bitted the driver can have no control over
them, and every yard he drives them must be more or
less of grief and pain both to him and them.

It is of almost as much importance to have horses of
the same kind of mouths and temperament, as of the
same colour, quality, and action, if they are to run to-
gether comfortably either in a pair or four-in-hand.

GEOOMING.

The first thing to be done, on returning from work,
is to take the horse into the stable, and remove all the
harness : then tie him up and throw a rug loosely over

STABLE DUTIES. 225

him. After which take the picker and remove all the
dirt, &c, from the inside and outside of the feet into
the dung basket. Then take a straw wisp and rub the
legs and belly till as much as possible of the filth is
removed ; and having done this, get two buckets of
water and thoroughly cleanse the belly, legs, and feet
with the water brush ; and if the legs or heels be white,
soft soap and washing blue must be used. Next take
the sponge and use the other bucket of clean water for
sponging down the legs and belly until thoroughly
cleansed. The scraper must then be applied to these
parts, and as much of the moisture as possible absorbed
with the dry sponge ; after which both legs and belly
must be well rubbed with dry wrappers, and dry flannel
bandages applied to all four legs from the coronets to
the knees and hocks.

The rug should then be removed, the horse turned
round in the stall or box, and well wisped from head
to tail until quite dry.

The brush must then be passed briskly over him
until the greasy scurf, dirt, &c, be entirely removed;
when a damp hay wisp should be used to lay the hair,
and give a healthy gloss to the coat, which will be
vastly increased by a finishing touch given with the
chamois-leather wrapper.

The rugs should now be adjusted, and the horse's
eyes, mouth, and nose well sponged and wiped, and his
mane and tail properly brushed and combed. He will
then be ready for his corn, during the consumption of
which he should be left perfectly quiet ; after which he

Q

226 GROOMING.

will require a bucket of water and a rack full of hay ;
when the sooner he is bedded up and allowed to rest
himself the better. This dressing will take at least one
hour and a half for each horse.

No one man can properly clean and take care of a
carriage, harness, and pair of horses single-handed —
without neglecting either the horses, carriage, or
harness — the damage done to which, by neglect, would
be far more than the wages of a good strong strapper
or helper.

For if the dirt is allowed to dry on the carriage, and
the damp to rust the harness, while the groom is clean-
ing his horses, considerable damage must necessarily be
sustained.

I consider that a pair of horses, harness, carriage, &c,
will be full work for two men if they do full justice to
their master's property.

The morning's grooming, stable cleaning, &c, will
take fully three hours, and exercising one hour more.
And say that the carriage is absent from the yard
about three hours, that the cleaning of the horses
will take three hours, the harness two hours, and the
carriage two hours and a half, and we shall have a
day's labour of fourteen hours and a half — exclusive
of time for meals and other numerous additional calls
on the coachman's time, such as care of clothing, &c.

It will, therefore, be evident that the care of a
carriage and pair of horses is fully as much as two
men can accomplish, and that no one man should be
required to attempt it.

CARE OF CLOTHING. 227

In the case of saddle horses and hunters, I consider
that one man can take care of two horses and their
appurtenances, and give them the usual amount of ex-
ercise ; viz., two hours.

In both cases I think it necessary to add, that grooms
should always be careful never to remove the collar or
saddle until the shoulders or hocks are nearly dry, or
troublesome irritation and soreness will be almost sure
to ensue.

CARE OF CLOTHING AND SADDLERY.

On the care of clothing and saddlery, next to the
care of the horses, depends the real economy of the
stable management.

In the first place, every horse should have two suits
of clothing, and an exercising rug, &c.

The day suit should consist of a full suit of clothing
and a large sheet ; the night suit of a large sheet and
common rug cut out and buckled at the chest ; the
exercising suit of a similar rug and roller, and knee
caps.

The night suit should be removed immediately the
groom enters the stable in the morning, and the horse
racked up and fed. He should then be sponged over
with a damp sponge to remove all stains from dung,
&c, and the exercising rug; thrown over him and the
knee caps adjusted.

The night suit should then be well shaken, all marks
of dirt removed, and then folded up and put away.

Q2

228 GROOMING.

The groom should now give his horse a feed of corn,
go to his own breakfast, and then take the horse to
exercise ; on returning to the stable he should remove
the exercising rug and hang it up to dry, if wet and
dirty. He should then commence cleaning the horse
as above directed, and, having finished, should put on
the day suit and rack the horse up ; taking care to
remove this suit just before bedding the horse up, which
causes a good deal of unnecessary dust, chaff, &c,
to adhere to this suit ; which should be well shaken,
brushed, folded up, and replaced by the night suit.

In this way really good clothing will last many years.
But if clothing be used at all times and for all sorts of
work — for night, day, and exercising — the horse will,
during nine-tenths of his time, have to wear dirty and
wet clothing, which must be most injurious to the skin
and general health, in addition to the dirty and slovenly
appearance such clothing presents, not only to the
horses but to the whole stable.

Every groom should be able to stitch sufficiently well
to mend the night suit when it becomes torn ; which
will frequently be the case from the great strain they
are usually put to, when the horse lies down, rolls, and
gets up again ; but if either the day or exercising suits
are torn, it is due to the carelessness of the groom ; for
if properly put on they need be subject to no strain
whatever. ' A stitch in time truly saves nine ' with
regard to clothing, and a small tear will soon become a
hopeless rent if neglected for any time.

If saddles and bridles are dry when they come into

CARE OF SADDLERY. 229

the saddle-room they will require very little attention ;
but if wet and dirty they must be sponged with yellow
soap and water, and then wiped as dry as possible ; after
which the leather will be much benefited by the ap-
plication of a little of the best neatsfoot oil, or white of
egg ; which should be well rubbed off in the course of
a few hours, with a leather kept for this especial pur-
pose. This should be done immediately the bits, stir-
rups, and girths are removed. The girths should be
well scraped and then scoured with soap and water —
followed by pipeclay if white — when they may be hung
up to dry.

The stirrups, bits, &c, should be washed with water
immediately they are taken off, to remove all dirt, &c,
after which they should be rubbed dry with a cloth,
and then scoured with the hand and some fine silver
sand slightly wetted ; which should be removed by a
good rubbing with a dry cloth kept for the purpose ;
but on no account must the sand be washed off with
water, or rubbed off with oil, as the polish is soon lost
thereby ; but they may be polished with the burnishers
to give them a still brighter appearance.

Both reins and saddles should be well rubbed with
a chamois-leather wrapper previous to being used; since
nothing is more nasty and disagreeable than a greasy
or sticky feel on them, even if not liable to soil. If
they are well rubbed until they fail to soil a clean
chamois-leather wrapper, all will be well.

It will now be necessary for me to say a few words
in conclusion on certain duties that every groom will be

230 GROOMING.

required to fulfil, and, therefore, which he ought en-
tirely to understand ; viz., drenching and physicking
horses. It may seem strange that I should advert to
such simple operations, but it is so seldom that the
former operation is ever performed in a reasonable and
proper manner by grooms, and is so often attended
with fatal results, that the proper method of performing
it had better be fully described.

In the first place turn the horse round in his stall or
box, and make an attendant stand at the near side of
the horse, and putting his hand at the bottom of the
horse's jaws, elevate the nose just so much as to render
the top of the gullet and lower jaw straight; but on no
account must the head be raised higher than this, since
swallowing then becomes more difficult ; then let the
person about to perform the operation, after having
filled a soda-water bottle with the drench, stand on a
reversed stable bucket conveniently placed, and putting
his left hand under the jaws proceed to open the mouth
with the neck of the bottle, and raising the bottom of it
pour about a tablespoonful on the tongue, immediately
withdrawing the bottle until the horse has swallowed ;
when the same operation will have to be repeated until
the whole drench has been given.

Most horses become very tractable, and will rarely
ever object to the operation, if performed in this way.

But when the drenching horn is used and the con-
tents (fully a pint) forcibly emptied into his mouth, an
unsuccessful effort to swallow is succeeded by a chok-
ing sensation ; the result being that the horse endeavours

PHYSICKING. 231

to free himself from the manipulation of his unscientific
tormentors, by suddenly withdrawing his head, and
either ejects the whole of the contents of the horn, or a
portion of it having passed into the windpipe he falls a
victim to the ignorance and clumsiness of the operators.

In giving a ball, as little notice as possible should be
given the horse of the intention of doing so ; for if he
discovers what is about to be performed, he will be sure
to endeavour to defeat it, and cause a deal of trouble.

Therefore, all twitching, gagging, and the use of the
balling iron should be dispensed with, unless the horse
is known to be addicted to biting, when these will be-
come absolutely necessary to protect the operator from
the danger of losing one or more of his fingers.

Having racked up the horse for a few minutes prior
to performing the operation, so that he may have
cleansed his mouth by swallowing all food, &c, let
him be turned round in the stall or box.

The operator holding the ball between his teeth,
must twist the halter once round his left hand, and
then pulling out the tongue with his right, should
deliver it to the left, in which he should hold it gently,
and then raising the head slightly, and taking hold of
the ball between the ends of the three first fingers of
his right hand, should pass it quickly into the pharynx,
and then rapidly withdraw his hand and remove his
hold of the tongue. The head should now be kept
elevated, and the mouth closed until the ball has been
swallowed.

232 A DIFFICULTY.

THE PURCHASE OF HORSES.

If you wish to offend nine-tenths of the persons who
can ride, drive, or manage a horse moderately well, tell
them that they are not sufficiently good judges of
horses to purchase them in the open mart. Still, if one
is determined strictly to adhere to the truth, one cannot
fall short of this.

The question next comes, whom can a man trust to
buy for him ? And here, no doubt, there arises some
difficulty. There are, however, dealers of high stand-
ing and great respectability, both in London and the
provinces, who, if treated in the right way, i.e., in a
liberal and honest manner, can be trusted to fulfil the
duties of respectable and honest tradesmen.

Many there are, doubtless, who fully merit the cha-
racter usually accorded to horse-dealers in years gone
by, but these soon become rightly estimated by the
public in these days of competition.

Of all men in the world from whom to purchase a
horse, common sense must necessarily point to the
respectable dealer, for the following reasons : — In the
first place, the superior judgment of the dealer selects
certain horses, out of the numbers brought within his
reach, as being peculiarly adapted from action, forma-
tion, performances, &c, for certain defined purposes.
Therefore, in the first place, the purchaser has the ad-
vantage of the judgment of the dealer as to the horse's
fitness for a certain purpose ; and in the second place,

PREFERENCE TO DEALERS. 233

he has the advantage of a horse not only purchased
with a warranty (for be it known that respectable dea-
lers do not buy above ten per cent, of their horses
without a written warranty), but also considered free
from unsoundness by an experienced judge.

The chief but very shallow objection usually raised
is the enormous price asked by dealers of this descrip-
tion for their horses. But this exists merely in fancy,
and not at all in reality ; for sure I am that for the
same class of animal the farmer or gentleman would
ask an equal sum ; and in the latter case you would
not have the advantage of the dealer's judgment on
any of the points. Some may take exception to my
statement, that the farmer or gentleman will ask the
same sum ; but in stating this, I am merely stating the
result of my experience ; and the reason is easily ac-
counted for. The farmer or gentleman who has some
dozen horses to dispose of, naturally prefers to give the
refusal of them to the man who will take as many off
his hands in one transaction as happen to suit him ; and
this man, being in nine cases out of ten a dealer, be-
comes possessed of animals not within the reach of
private individuals, and on much easier terms ; for it
requires no philosopher to understand that a man can
afford to make a more considerable abatement in the
price of each horse if he sells twelve, than if he were
only to sell one, merely in a monetary point of view ;
to say nothing of the saving of time, trouble, and
vexation.

In addition to which, some gentlemen consider it

234 BAD JUDGMENT.

very bad taste to offer another gentleman a less price
for his horse than that demanded; and, indeed, I don't
understand on what grounds this could reasonably be
done, for as a general rule one private gentleman is
very loth to accept the superior judgment of another,
on the matter of the worth of his own horses, and will
be sure to refuse to entertain such a proposal. But
when a dealer respectfully puts forward that he pur-
chases horses merely with a view of selling them at a
profit, and therefore that he must clearly purchase at a
price considerably below their market value, or become
a loser by the transaction, any reasonable gentleman
will at once see the justice of the remark, and submit
to meeting the dealer's view of the worth of his horses,
if he considers the offer sufficiently liberal; and it is for
this reason that I assert that the dealer can afford
to sell horses at fully as cheap a rate as the private in-
dividual.

A gentleman requiring a hunter frequently visits
the large horse fairs in search of one, and chooses from
among some hundreds of animals, unless he be a good
judge, one which he thinks — and the seller says — is a
hunter; but which will frequently prove an animal
of no pretensions — either from his action, formation, or
blood — to the appellation of a hunter; but either a
harness horse, charger, or hack.

He will be pretty sure to be asked, and to give the
price of a hunter for such an animal ; and perhaps he
will not find out his mistake until the horse has cost
him some twenty pounds in keep and travelling ex-

HOW TO DO BUSINESS. 235

penses, and then in disgust he sends him to be sold by
auction for what the public choose to give for him, and
consequently he becomes a heavy loser.

When this happens, the blame is usually laid on bad
luck instead of bad judgment; from which cause it
invariably may be traced.

Such a state of things could not possibly happen in
buying a horse described as a hunter from a dealer of
respectability; for he would never have purchased a
horse so unfitted in every way from defective form, &c,
for the purpose.

And even in going into the dealer's yard, great cau-
tion must be exercised not to take a fancy to a horse in
the stable because he is enamoured of his appearance,
&c, for he may then purchase a charger, carriage
horse, or hack, instead of a hunter : but let him dis-
tinctly give the dealer to understand exactly what
he wants; viz., the nature of the country over which
he hunts, whether he rides hard, and whether he
requires a horse very quiet and handy, or whether he
can put up with certain peculiarities ; and to save giving
the dealer unnecessary trouble, let him state the price
he can afford to give ; there need then be no misunder-
standing, and there will be every chance of a horse
being found in every essential particular suited to
his purpose. It is a ridiculous mistake to suppose that
a high class of dealer never has a low-priced horse in
his stable ; for it necessarily happens that out of a
number of horses there must be some that he will be
willing, from a variety of causes, to sell at a sacrifice ;

236 PUKCHASTNG AT THE HAMMEK.

but of course a dealer does not show such animals
to his customers, unless especially asked for.

Concerning the purchase of horses of other qualifi-
cations, I need say but little, since such egregious
blunders cannot be made if a gentleman knows the
outline, general character, and size of horse he requires.
For it can matter little if the carriage horse or
charger be a hunter in make, blood, and action ; but
it is of considerable importance if the hunter should
prove a carriage horse or charger. I will, therefore,
merely add that the better plan is to purchase each
description of horse from those who deal specially in
that class of animal, and not to attempt to buy a hunter
from a dealer in hacks and harness horses, nor vice
versa.

Many gentlemen make a practice of purchasing at
auctions, and frequently succeed in becoming possessed
of a good animal at a low figure, but still more fre-
quently in becoming possessed of ill-tempered and un-
sound horses.

As a general rule, it is never safe to purchase a horse
at the hammer, unless he comes up in a bona fide stud,
or unless you know something about him ; and even
then it is a dangerous experiment unless you are a
good judge. For there are very few horses indeed that
cannot make a fair show, both as to action and sound-
ness, after having had the usual amount of preparation
for sale, in the very limited trial to which they can be
subjected in so small a space of ground.

There is another method of purchasing horses, which

BIDING TO SELL. 237

some men of experience are very fond of resortino- to.
They watch the young horses that are brought into
the hunting field by dealers, farmers, and colt-breakers,
and purchase them merely on the strength of their per-
formances ; and in this way no doubt some good pur-
chases are made ; though very frequently such horses
turn out to be no hunters at all, but merely able to
jump a big fence with a clear approach to it ; and the
first blind or double fence they come to, down they go,
as mere colts that they usually are ; but from these
description of fences the wary horseman, who is ridino-
to sell, invariably keeps at a respectful distance.

Moreover, it is utterly impossible to detect the state
of a horse's legs when warm and covered with mud
and water, as they are sure to be on arriving at the
cover side. And, in addition, many horses perform
well over a country that are such execrable hacks on
the road as to be positively unsafe to ride.

As a rule, if this is done, it will be the best way to
visit countries precisely the opposite of the one in which
you usually hunt, for by this means you will find less
difficulty in obtaining the animals you require, and at
a much less cost ; for horses of cobby, short, and very
compact build are held in no esteem in the flying coun-
tries ; in the same way that the lengthy, bloodlike,
raking Leicestershire hunter is considered valueless in
the banking and hilly countries of Essex, Dorsetshire,
Devon, Cornwall, and Wales, and its borders ; and,
therefore, will not be so difficult to procure at a mo-
derate price in these districts.

238 THE LIGHT-ACTIOXED HORSE, A STAYER.

But it is never advisable to purchase horses out of
the hunting field, without a warranty as to soundness
and freedom from vice, nor indeed without riding them
a short distance on the road.

No rules can be laid down here for the use of pur-
chasers of horses for dhTerent countries, with the ex-
ception of those that are for heavy, deep-ploughed
countries ; a sharp, quick, light-actioned horse, must be
chosen in opposition to the heavy, clumping goers,
which beat their feet into the ground, and are utterly
unable to withdraw them as^ain without soon exhaustino;
their powers, however game they may be. And also
that thorough-bred horses are necessary for these coun-
tries, owing to the amount of staying powers necessary
to go through a run ; which are rarely ever met with
except in the pure bred animal with light and almost
dainty action.

In countries where much timber is used for fencing,
I am convinced a stain in the pedigree is no disadvan-
tage ; but where brooks and dykes abound it is a great
disadvantage.

The best rule for a purchaser to go by, is to reckon
up the horses in his own and adjoining hunts which
are held in most esteem and ridden by men of similar
weight, and consider the points and peculiarities — both
as to size and blood — of these horses, and carry these
in his mind's eye when in search of a horse to carry him.

Some men go on, year after year, purchasing horses
utterly unsuited to their country, from some innate
fancy for a certain class of horse, which they are utterly

VETERINARY EXAMINATIONS. 239

unable to shake off even after a life's experience. And
therefore I consider it necessary, before taking leave of
this subject, to warn each of my readers, to consider, if
he is in the habit of getting more than his proper share
of falls in the hunting field, whether he rides the
proper description of horse for his country.

VETERINARY EXAMINATIONS.

In the purchase of horses a veterinary examination
is the greatest possible boon both to the buyer and
seller, when conducted on fair and honourable prin-
ciples ; but most commonly it is conducted on no prin-
ciple whatever, and becomes a source of litigation,
dispute, and loss to both parties, by upsetting a war-
ranty of soundness given by the seller.

Horses are very frequently purchased warranted
sound, and prove sound, so far as all absence from lame-
ness, diseases, &c, is concerned ; but the purchaser of
the horse, feeling anxious from some cause about his
purchase, forthwith sends for his veterinary surgeon
— without having previously informed the seller of his
doubts and intentions — has the horse examined, and
the result is that the professional man, being over-
anxious to detect malformation, or a morbid tendency
somewhere, succeeds in his opinion in doing so, and
gives a certificate of the horse's unsoundness ; which
the purchaser immediately forwards to the seller, and,
on the strength of the veterinary surgeon's opinion

240 WARRANTY V. VETERINARY EXAMINATION.

alone, requests him to take back the horse, and remit
him the whole of the purchase-money.

Now, in my opinion, no man of honour or principle
would be guilty of such a manifest breach of faith as this.

He purchases the horse warranted sound, by the
seller who gives the warranty bona fide, because he has
proved him to be sound from repeated trials while in
his possession. And, therefore, until the horse be-
comes unsound, either from lameness, roaring, whis-
tling, ophthalmia, or any other cause, which palpably
must have existed at the time of sale, it is a manifest
breach of faith to impugn the correctness of the war-
ranty, by calling in the veterinary surgeon to examine
him ; for the horse being sold under a warranty cannot
mean being sold under, or subject to the opinion of the
veterinary surgeon by any trifling with words.

If a warranty means anything at all it means that
the horse is to be considered sound without the opinion
of the veterinary surgeon until he prove otherwise.

No man is likely to be so foolish as to sell a horse
to such a man on the same terms again. Or, if he
does, he will most probably run a risk, and sell him a
horse he knows to be unsound, which he hopes may
pass the ordeal of a veterinary examination. And it
frequently happens that the horse, though notably un-
sound from some hidden ailment, does pass this exami-
nation ; and thereby he is tempted to do the same
thing again.

I have frequently known this done by sellers of
horses as a set-off for previous breaches of faith.

PROFESSIONAL INCOMPETENCE. 241

The whole system is wrong. The only time when
the opinion of the veterinary surgeon should be taken
as conclusive, is when the sale of the horse is being
effected ; or, in other words, when the horse is pur-
chased subject to the opinion of the veterinary surgeon ;
for then the seller can please himself as to whether he
will run the risk of the examination. And by the risk
I mean the manifest damage done to the horse's cha-
racter, if he be rejected as unsound.

For it places a person in a very equivocal position
in the eyes of a great portion of the public, if he subse-
quently sell the horse warranted sound after he has
been professionally condemned. And even if he suc-
ceeds in selling him by incurring this responsibility, he
most frequently has to submit to a reduction in price,
and becomes a heavy sufferer through the incompetence
of the veterinary surgeon.

Incompetence in the veterinary surgeon, or unfitness
for giving an honest and true opinion as to the sound-
ness of a horse, is sometimes brought about by igno-
rance, but far more frequently by nervousness, or con-
stitutional inability to incur the responsibility of passing
a horse sound, fearing that something may possibly
cause lameness, and that he might thereby lose
his character for overlooking some lurking ailment,
which could not possibly be detected at the time.

Thus, if a man passes an unsound horse as sound, he
gets heartily laughed at by the seller and execrated by
the purchaser ; by the one, because he has been the
means of relieving him of an unsound and worthless

R

242 A PROPHETIC REPUTATION.

animal ; and by the other, because he has been the
means of saddling him with a heavy loss.

Is it any wonder, then, that veterinary surgeons be-
come so nervous and over-fearful of stating that a horse
is sound, that they will scarcely ever allow a horse to
pass through their hands without some imputation as to
the probable chances of unsoundness ?

They are forced to protect their own characters, and
the only means they have of doing so is to reject
seventy-five per cent, of all the horses that are brought
to them for examination.

Moreover, there is an additional reason, for their
credit's sake, why they should be so sparing of a certi-
ficate of soundness.

If a veterinary surgeon reject a horse because he
apprehends the existence of some specified disease in
futurity, and that disease happen to show itself in the
course of two or three years, he will forthwith be
lauded to the skies for his supernatural powers of
perception, and will assuredly become a prophetic pro-
fessional ever after ; not only in his own imagination,
but in that of a circle of friends and employers.

On the value of such a reputation, I have known
very many set great store ; but it invariably renders
them ridiculous amongst the only persons capable of
judging, viz., horse-dealers, trainers, and those of their
own profession, who are in the habit of rightly imput-
ing their successes to a low sort of cunning, and not to
real ability.

For it is little short of cunning of the lowest order to

IMPERTINENCE AND CUNNING. 243

assert that a horse is likely to become lame in his feet,
when it is understood that he will have to be ridden or
driven at a severe pace over hard roads four or five days
during every week of his existence ; or that a horse,
which has to carry a crushing weight to hounds over a
deep or hilly country, will be likely to contract curbs and
other hock lameness ; or that a horse which is going to
be put to severe work in an aldermanic stable will be
liable to contract inflammation of the organs of respi-
ration, and become a roarer ; which prophetic wisdom
the veriest tyro in horse flesh could propound, if pos-
sessed of a similar amount of impertinence and cunning.

In a great measure, the public have brought this state
of things on themselves, by requiring the veterinary
surgeon to dive into futurity, and give an infallible
opinion as to soundness when neither lameness nor
any other disease is in existence at the time of exami-
nation ; so that the honest, high-minded, and highly
gifted professional man is occasionally tempted to re-
ject horses of certain formation, merely because he has
known many horses similarly formed prove unsound,
and not at all because the horse exhibited symptoms of
unsoundness at the time of examination.

Now, it appears to me that the only correct prin-
ciple of examining horses as to soundness, is to leave
the consideration of peculiar formation — like colour,
size, and sex — entirely to the judgment of the pur-
chaser.

If he likes a horse with curby hocks, when no lame-
ness exists, it is surely no affair of the advising counsel.

R 2

244 THE HIGHLY GIFTED PROFESSOR.

The same thing applies to thorough pins, contracted
feet, &c, neither of which can be causes of unsoundness,
when free from inflammation and disease.

For I apprehend that general usefulness is the great
desideratum to the purchaser.

And here the real talent of the highly gifted practi-
tioner stands forth as a beacon of safety. Repeatedly
have I heard some talented professional men, when
called upon to give an opinion on the soundness or
general usefulness of horses with suspensory liga-
ments sprung and as large as walnuts, as well as
horses with large unsightly curbs, but nevertheless
sound and callous, pronounce them sound, giving as
their reason the entire absence of inflammation, on
which lameness depends, and urge their employers to
become possessed of them.

This is the kind of advice which is truly valuable
when it can be procured, and it proved almost a mine
of silver to a gentleman of my acquaintance in one
instance.

This is what horsemen especially desire to be in-
formed of; viz., under what circumstances they may
reasonably hope to make use of their horse's services
without a great risk of his becoming lame and incapa-
citated for work. And the professional man who is
competent to give this advice is the man whom the
sporting public should cordially patronise ; for they will
rarely find that, throvugh taking the advice of such a
man, they have purchased an animal incapacitated for
work ; and, what is of still more importance, because it

INSTANCES OF INCOMPETENCE. 245

entails such endless vexation, they will rarely find that
they have missed being possessed of a really good
horse through the ignorance, pusillanimity, or caprice
of their professional advisers, as is too often the case
in the present clay.

I was accosted by an old friend the other day with
— f I wish all the vets, in England were sent over the
water ; for that horse (naming the animal) has won the
big stake at , and has, in addition, stood being re-
gularly hunted with fourteen stones on his back for two

seasons, and that fool of a fellow at told me he

had a spavin and a curb on the off hock, and would be
of no use to me, since he would never stand training.'

This, no doubt, is very often the case, but it is a great
pity, and still greater injustice that, because an incom-
petent member of the veterinary profession stultifies
himself, the whole body of professional men should
suffer.

I was also informed the other day by a military man
of a case not a whit less absurd.

This gentleman purchased a mare of a dealer and
veterinary surgeon, subject to the opinion of a pro-
fessional man of large practice, to whom the mare
was accordingly sent, and was, after an examination,
rejected as unsound from a bone spavin.

The dealer, being much dissatisfied, named another
professional man, of whom the gentleman cordially ap-
proved as being a man of still greater experience, who
pronounced her unsound from defective respiration,
but perfectly free from ossification of the hock. Now

246 MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

these two men are noted specialists, the first consulted
enjoying a great reputation for keen perception of de-
fective respiration, the second an equal reputation for
fathoming both clear and occult diseases of the hock to
a certainty ; yet both stultified themselves, and each
in a way that one would have least anticipated ; for the
gentleman, being unable to suit himself elsewhere,
purchased the mare subsequently, and has worked
her regularly for four years, during which period
she has proved a thoroughly sound animal.

Another remarkable, but still more unaccountable,
case occurred to the veterinary surgeon who was first
consulted in the previous instance.

A noted dealer, being about to sell a high-priced
brougham horse, sent for him, and desired him to ex-
amine the horse, which he did, and gave a certificate of
soundness.

The horse was therefore sold, warranted sound, to a
gentleman who also employed the same person as his
veterinary surgeon, and on the horse reaching his
stables sent for him to examine the same horse, which
he did — ignorant of the fact, one would suppose, that
it was the same horse — and gave a certificate of the
unsoundness of the very horse he had passed sound a
few days previously.

Whereupon the dealer forwarded to him the previous
certificate, together with that which he had received
from the purchaser, at the same time reminding him
that the two certificates were for the same horse, and
requesting an explanation; at which news the vet.

A BUBBLE KEPUTATION. 247

seemed sorely perplexed, pleaded some mistake, and
requested another examination, which was granted,
and finally, a second time, rejected the horse as un-
sound; so that within a week three certificates were
given by the same man on the same horse, and, accord-
ing to the usual order of things, the ratio was two to
one in favour of unsoundness.

Surely no one will charge this very successful prac-
titioner with neglecting his recognised duties, and say
that he was willing to overlook a morbid tendency in
the dealer's horse, which became a matter of paramount
importance in the gentleman's.

If one ventured to allege that the horse was sound
after all, the ansAver would assuredly be a list of his
miraculous discoveries in occult cases, and his numerous
triumphs over rival practitioners.

For what matters it to the monopoliser of a liberal
art that a few men should exist who are sceptical of
his claim to infallibility?

It is a matter of perfect indifference to him, so long
as they do not succeed in robbing him of either his
character or practice.

Now, we know that there are a set of men, even in
these enlightened days, who — claiming to be descen-
dants of the apostles — desire one to be satisfied with
their authority, and walk with one's eyes shut in order
that one may be able to see the better ; and many
there are who are content submissively thus to eke out
their existence. But since the veterinary art in this
country dates neither from the prophets nor the

248 EMPIRICAL INFALLIBILITY.

apostles, but chiefly from an individual hailing from
Alfort, in France — one Charles Yial de St. Bel, who
brought along with him a very limited stock of know-
ledge, not more than three-fourths of a century ago —
is it asking too much to urge his pupils to invest them-
selves with a little less infallibility, and to descend
from an imaginary pinnacle of wisdom and take up
their positions, amongst men as scientific benefactors,
and not as uncompromising dictators ?
~/> It really makes one smile when one considers that
after eight months' successful study_atthe Royal Vete-
rinary College, that smooth-faced simple-looking lad,
of whom one had hoped little, gets his dij)loma as a
qualified practitioner of the veterinary art, and from
that very day he Incomes infallible.

It reminds me of an absolute verdict that was passed
on an old friend of mine, who went to be examined
previous to insuring his life in the largest office in the
kingdom, by the consulting physician ; who, after going
through the necessary examination, pronounced his
constitution broken, and his lungs and heart diseased
beyond hope of recovery ; and on being twitted rather
sharply with the absurdity of his opinion added, ( And
if you go on as you are now, you will not be alive in
twelve months.' Whereupon my friend, being of a
very sportive turn of mind, and determined to bring his
dogmatical friend to book for thus rashly c numbering
his days,' replied, ( I '11 lay you sixty pounds to ten I
shall be alive and as well as I am now, and will pro-
mise you that I will go on in precisely the same manner,

EXAMINATION AS TO SOUNDNESS. '249

except that I mean to drink port instead of sherry.'
And he has been as good as his word, having seen
twelve years roll by in perfect enjoyment of health and
strength, which appears to have increased with the
more generous diet.

After this lengthened but necessary explanation of
the ridiculous position taken up by some veterinary
and medical empirics, and specialists or quacks — who
should give their advice gratis for all it is worth — I
must hasten to resume the consideration of the fair
duties of the veterinary surgeon with regard to the
examination of the horse as to soundness.

In the first place, let the person conducting the ex-
amination, on approaching the horse carefully, look at
the expression of the eyes and carriage of the head ;
for if he should notice anything peculiar, he will have
time to consider and note the existence of megrims
during the remainder of the examination.

Next let him examine the veins on either side of the
neck, and ascertain whether the horse have been bled
lately, also the larynx for any ossification or enlarge-
ment. Then let him turn his attention to the fore
limbs, and examine the knees carefully for exostosis,
&c. (which far more frequently exists than is generally
supposed), and inside the knees for marks of speedy
cutting.

He will then examine each fore leg carefully, both
above and below, both inside and outside each fetlock
joint, for the purpose of ascertaining whether neurotomy
have been performed ; during which research he will

250 GREAT CARE NECESSARY.

also be able to discover the formation of splints, as
will as whether any injury have been clone to the
sheath of the tendons, ligaments, &c.

The pasterns and feet must next go through a care-
ful examination, noting the state of the coronets, the
colour and angles of the hoof, as well as its size and
general formation ; and if any difference in the angle
or size should seem to exist between the two feet, it
must be ascertained by a still more careful study and
comparison that it does not arise from rasping, cutting,
&c, in shoeing.

The action of the heart and respiration must then
be attentively examined by putting the ear to the chest;
Avhich examination will greatly facilitate the detection
of disease in the subsequent trial of these organs by
rapid motion.

The spine will now require the strictest scrutiny ;
since the existence of a ' ricked back ' is very difficult
to ascertain by superficial investigation.

This done, the hind limbs will require a very rigid
examination. The thighs must not only be cautiously
examined as to the existence of strains, &c, but the
inside of the thighs must be thoroughly observed as to
the existence of pimples or farcy buds, which, even if
scarcely perceptible, may be ascertained by unnatural
tenderness and slight tumefaction.

The patella and stifle joints, with their muscular and
ligamentous attachments, must next be. examined ; for
this is the seat of a very troublesome lameness, es-
pecially amongst steeplechase horses, from extension of

THE EFFECT OF POSITION. 251

the muscles and tendons, and rupture of the fibres,
through catching the hind leg on timber when going at
full speed.

The hocks will give more trouble than all the rest of
the parts prone to disease in the animal horse, and
greater difficulty will be experienced in deciding on the
existence of a spavin unless the exostosis be consider-
able, than a person not conversant with the different
formation of the bones of the hocks would be able to
credit. So much depends upon the position of the leg
at the time of examination, and on the difficulty there
is in making a horse adopt the position required. In
addition to which, many horses have largely developed
protuberant heads of the internal bones of the hock,
which are very frequently mistaken for exostosis ;
though it is a perfectly natural though larger formation
than that ordinarly met with.

When exostosis, or a real spavin, exists, it may be
discovered without any difficulty by standing behind
the horse's hocks, and passing the hand down the lateral
edges of the internal bones, which will feel abrupt,
irregular, and rarely ever of the same size on both
hocks. The sheaths of the tendons of the hind legs
must then be cautiously examined, more especially as
they approach the fetlock joint, for they very fre-
quently become ruptured in hilly countries.

The horse must now be walked quietly in a direct
line from the person conducting the examination, and
trotted quietly back again.

About fifty yards is the most convenient distance for

252 GALLOPIXG TO TEST ROAKING.

the purpose ; as the distance may have to be gone over
repeatedly, and a longer distance would distress the
runner and render him unfit to keep pace with the
horse without pulling his head round ; which will always
defeat the object of the examiner, inasmuch as it will
make the horse appear lame without being so.

The saddle must next be put on his back, and after
the groom has mounted him, and suitable ground for a
trial have been selected — such as tan or straw ride,
turf or ploughed ground — he should be put from a trot
to a canter, increasing his pace as he goes on, and
ridden in a circle for about two minutes ; and if he has
not been broken he must be longed in a cavesson for a
similar length of time, in order that his organs of re-
spiration may be tested thoroughly. Immediately
after the horse has been pulled up, it will be necessary
to examine once more the action of the heart and lungs
previous to his being led back to the stable, where his
eyes must be examined in the dark with a candle, as
well as the top of his head for injuries likely to bring
about poll evil. He should then be tied up and allowed
to rest an hour, so that he may get perfectly cool ;
during which time it will be well to watch him closely,
so that if he have contracted habits of crib-biting,
wind sucking, pointing his toe, &c, they may be
detected.

After the expiration of an hour he should again be
led out, and put through a walk and trot as before ;
when lameness — if any exist at the time of examination
— may easily be detected.

LIMITS OF PKOFESSIONAL DUTIES. 253

Having now made a thorough examination of the
horse, it will be the duty of the person conducting the
examination to state in plain and decided language
whether he considers the horse sound or the reverse ;
and if not sound what constitutes his unsoundness. If
it be lameness, it should be distinctly stated, not only
where it exists, but what in his opinion is the cause of
it, in order that the purchaser may judge of whether he
considers the lameness to arise from trivial causes ; for
I once recollect a horse being rejected as unsound from
lameness produced from soreness of the pasterns from
cracked heels.

Many veterinary surgeons object to incurring the
responsibility of passing a horse sound if sent to ex-
amine him when labouring under an attack of simple
catarrh, however slight, and when the feet are rather
warm, and so on ad nauseam.

The best and most straightforward plan to adopt
under these circumstances, is undoubtedly to pass the
horse sound — save and except temporary unfitness for
examination — and to leave the consideration of the
matter in the hands of the purchaser. And if he elect
to run the risk of catarrh or warm feet, he has only
himself to blame or thank as the case may prove.

But, of all things, the person conducting the exami-
nation merely as to soundness, should be careful never
to say anything detrimental of the horse's action, power,
temper, or general suitability to the purchaser.

The matter in hand is soundness ; and as far as the
professional man departs from the matter in hand, so

254 GOOD TASTE ESSENTIAL.

far does he exceed his manifest duties, and abuse his
position as an impartial adviser.

I have known many dealers so grievously offended
by injudicious remarks of veterinary surgeons on the
action, power, quality, &c, of the horses they had come
to examine — merely as to soundness — that they have
refused ever again to admit of an examination by the
same person on their premises. Though I think this
going a little too far, I nevertheless consider that any
one offering a horse for sale has just ground for com-
plaint, if a professional man so far forgets himself, and
the limits of his professional duties, as to be guilty of
the bad taste of making injurious remarks on points of
which he may be a far inferior judge to both seller and
purchaser ; for a veterinary surgeon is no more justified
in arrogating to himself superior judgment of a horse's
capabilities than Sir Astley Cooper would have been
had he laid claim to superior judgment to the rest of
the world of a pugilist, pedestrian, or wrestler, on the
strength of being the best anatomist and most learned
in the structure and action of the muscles. It is an
authority to which neither dealers nor sportsmen, hav-
ing neither asked nor accepted it, will ever subject
themselves to with impunity.

LONDON

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