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LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF

HAND-BOOK

ON THE

TREATMENT OF THE HORSE

IN THE

STABLE AND ON THE ROAD;

OR,

HINTS TO HORSE OWNERS.

BY

CHARLES WHARTON.

WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS.

PHILADELPHIA:

J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.
1873-

HWE8T ; AGEN

243O W

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by

J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.

LIPPINCOTT'S PRESS,
PHILADELPHIA.

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'

ERRATA.

Page 22, line 15 from top, read comma after "two;" and for " of,"

read " or."

Page 23, line 17 from top, for " pole," read "poll."

Page 68, line 3 from bottom, between "gait" and "should" read

" for several days."

Page 80, line 14 from top, for "feet," read " feed."
Page 81, line 15 from top, for " pains," read "joins."
Page 127, line 24 from top, for " ten," read " two."

V/T7

TO THE

PHILADELPHIA RIDING CLUB

THIS LITTLE VOLUME

IS
RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED

BY THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE.

So many books have been written upon this subject,
that the present writer would not have taken upon himself
the task had he not been applied to so often within the
last few years concerning certain ailments among horses,
and for treatment of the same. The experience of
Baucher is very valuable, but unfortunately very little
understood; furthermore, he treats only of the manage-
ment of the horse and not of his diseases. Of the cor-
rectness of his system there can be no doubt, but it re-
quires such an amount of study and labor to acquire the
knowledge which his book is intended to convey, that
not one gentleman in a hundred who reads it is mate-
rially benefited by its perusal, or can practically apply
what he has read. If only partially understood, he had
better know nothing more than the simple process of
mouthing, flexing, and causing the legs to move back-
wards, sideways, and forwards, at his desire. This part
of his system is condensed in as plain language as possible
in the present volume, and is enough for all practical
purposes.

It is proposed in this work to treat of all the slight
diseases horses are heir to, cures for the same, and their

(7)

8 PREFACE.

general treatment, so that by reference to the contents a
gentleman can discover, in ordinary cases, the nature of
his horse's ailment, and give his directions accordingly,
thereby becoming himself master of the situation.

It is not here intended to underrate the skill of a good
veterinary surgeon, only to dispense with the necessity of
sending for him on all trifling occasions.

The writer has searched for this desirable information,
without success, in the many books already published ;
being himself a lover of horses, and having some knowl-
edge of the animal's habits and requirements, and know-
ing that many of his diseases are occasioned by ignorance
of the simplest rules of health, neglect, or bad treatment,
he undertakes the present work. It is with an earnest de-
sire to alleviate the sufferings of this most valuable animal,
as well as to assist his owners, that he gives some plain
directions with regard to his treatment in and out of the
stable. C. W.

CONTENTS.

I. — On the Purchase of the Horse 13

II. — Care and Treatment Generally. — On Grooms and Stables 22

III. — On Driving, for a Novice and Amateur 30

IV. — Management of a Runaway Horse 36

V. — Experience with Horses Injured by Abuse and Neglect... 39

VI.— Saddle-Horse 44

VII.— Control of Head and Neck 49

VIII.— To Mount, Ride, and Gait a Horse 52

IX. — To Leap your Horse 55

X.— How to Ride 57

XI. — Bridles and Bridling 60

XII. — Ladies Mounting, Seat, Riding, and Dismounting 66

XIII. — Diseases Incidental to Horse-Flesh — How to Discover

and Treat them, and so on 74

XIV. — Diseases of the Feet, and other Parts 77

XV.— Thumps 91

XVI.— Corns 92

XVII.— Wind-works.— Heaves 94

XVIII.— Farcy 97

XIX.— Glanders 98

XX.— Ring-Bone 99

XXI.— Poll Evil, or Fistula 100

XXII.— Chronic Cough, etc 102

XXIII.— Eyes 104

XXIV.— Lampas and Wolf's Teeth 107

XXV.— Lung Fever 109

XXVI. — Colds or Catarrh, and Megrims in

XXVII.— Water 113

(9)

10 CONTENTS,

MISCELLANEOUS.

PAGE

Medicine 114

Acute Founder 114

Water and its Uses in Connection with Founders 116

Horses that have been for Years Grain Fed 116

Ringworm and Vermin 117

Vermin (Lice) 117

Mange 117

A Cribber 118

Egg Blister 118

Surfeit 119

Hide-bound .., 120

Roaring, or a Roarer 120

Broken Wind 1 20

Crooked or Sprung Knees 121

To Cure a Shyer or Jibber 122

Diseases of the Urinary Organs 123

Brittle Hoofs 124

Clipping 124

Blanketing after a Drive 125

Blanketing Generally 126

Hints to a Gentleman Traveling with his own Horses 127

Bog, or Blood Spavin 128

Bleeding 129

A Balky Horse or Jibber 130

Economy in Feeding 131

Colt's Distemper 133

Horse Epizootic t 133

On Harness 135

To keep Harness or Bridles in Order 136

Conclusion 137

ON THE TREATMENT OF THE HORSE.

CHAPTER I.

ON THE PURCHASE OF THE HORSE.

BEFORE speaking about the diseases, treatment, riding
and driving, and care of the horse, my reader may say,
"Let me have one, tell me how to buy him, what are the
points to be regarded, and how am I to examine him all
over, etc.?"

It is not to be expected that any person entirely unac-
quainted with horses, their conformation, constitution,
and qualities, can by the mere perusal of books make
himself a judge, or in fact know enough on his own judg-
ment to buy without the risk of being terribly taken in ;
for the reason that it takes half a lifetime of careful
observation and a retentive memory, with some innate
horse-proclivity, to get sufficient knowledge. Nor is it
every man who, with all that care and observation, will
have the knowledge to buy a horse without some risk.
Therefore I think it well to have a friend with you who
knows more than yourself.

Some men may be with horses all their lives and yet
know nothing about them. It is true a man with some
fondness for horses may gain a little knowledge from
books, and, when assisted by a friend as described above,
may make a very good purchase.

Very many prefer purchasing from a farmer or a breeder,
2 (13)

I4 ON THE PURCHASE OF THE HORSE.

but I prefer going at once to a well-known large and re-
sponsible dealer, one who lives by his business, and whose
success depends greatly on his integrity.

Tell him exactly what you want a horse for, how much
speed you want, whether you want him for light harness
or a family wagon, for saddle, or whether for a horse of
all work. He will then look around, and if he have such
will tell you, and say, take him home and try him.

A SLANTING SHOULDER, SHOWING THE
POSITION OF THE BONES.

A SLANTING SHOULDER IN ACTION.

Then, although you have confidence in the seller, while
you have him on trial, apply privately your own and friend's
knowledge. For instance, the great usefulness of the
horse depends upon his legs and wind-works, therefore we
look to these first. The shoulder should be long and
obliquely set, with considerable slope and high withers,
the upper arm long and muscular, knee flat and bony,

ON THE PURCHASE OF THE HORSE.

\j

cannon-bones short and flat, not round, with clean, strong
sinews, pastern joint not very long and somewhat oblique,
the feet always good size, large and round, or as nearly so
as can be found, — they must be sound, no crack of any
kind, no thrush, corn, or anything wrong with them, — the
hind legs should be flat, quarters large, strong, and broad
when looked at from his side, but square and solid from
behind.

The hind feet should be similar in form to the front ;
no spavin, curb, or thoroughpin.
Back should be shortish, — neither
long nor short, — running well back
to croup, that falling somewhat
abruptly to root of tail ; loins, if
a little arched, will be an evi-
dence of a strong back ; barrel or
body round, and well ribbed up.
A close-ribbed horse is generally
the easiest keeper.

Neck moderately long, convexly
arched from shoulder to crest, thin
where it joins the head, and that
so set on that when it yields to the
pressure of the bit it forms some-
what of a semicircle, bringing the
chin in and downward near the
chest.

Very little trouble attends the
fore management of horses whose
heads and necks are thus propor-
tioned. The throttle should be well opened, and space
between the points of lower jaw wide, say three inches;
head should be long and lean, not beefy, broad between
eyes, neither basin-faced or Roman-nosed, but a happy

A HORSE S FORE LIMB.

i6

ON THE PURCHASE OF THE HORSE.

medium ; ears fine, short, and pointed ; eyes large, clear,
and prominent; nostrils, wide and well-opened.

Such a horse, if free from physical defects or vice,
cannot fail, but must be a good one for almost any re-
quired purpose.

His eyes of course must be very carefully examined for

FOUR YEARS OLD.

any evidence of inflammation; if found, it is objectionable,
though it may be accounted for by the seller as arising from
some outside cause ; but still it is always objectionable.

ON THE PURCHASE OF THE HORSE. 17

Of the manner of testing his age I will now speak. It
is to be presumed that a horse is not bought for plea«vire

FIVE YEARS OLD.

One upper corner permanent incisor has been cut. The lower corner milk incisor
is still retained.

SIX YEARS OLD.

purposes until he is at least five years old, as between four
and five years the mouth becomes full, and from a colt he

i8

ON THE PURCHASE OF THE HORSE.

becomes a horse, and between four and five should be
used very carefully and moderately.

Supposing him to be five years old, his mouth is full,

SEVEN YEAKS OLD.

and his tush considerably but not fully grown. At six the
tush is full grown, flat, and sharp, and there is a little de-

EIGHT YEARS OLD.

pression in the centre of the front teeth ; the profile of his
mouth at six years exhibits his teeth in a firm, upright

ON THE PURCHASE OF THE HORSE. 19

position, which is lost as he grows older. At seven the
tush is beginning to round a little, and the mark or de-
pression in the four central nippers is somewhat worn out.

TWELVE YEARS OLD.

At eight the tush is rounder in every way, and the mark
is gone from all the bottom nippers. At nine, and until
ten, all marks on the nippers are gone and the tush per-

TWENTY YEARS OLD.

fectly round ; after this it is a mere matter of conjecture,
based upon the appearance of the front teeth, their length,
slanting appearance, etc. It must here be observed that

20

ON THE PURCHASE OF THE HORSE.

mares have no tush, except an apology for one, which
comes when she is about seven years old, and soon dis-
appears.

THIRTY YEAHb

So much concerning his age and the way to test it. For
further information see Mayhew's "Horse Management,
illustrated edition by J. B. Lippincott & Co.

A FAIR HORSE FOR SADDLE OR HARNESS.

His wind should also be carefully tested, as a horse
with the slightest imperfection of wind-passages or lungs
should be at once rejected ; broken wind, heaves, or any-
thing of that kind can be detected immediately by any

ON THE PURCHASE OF THE HORSE. 2i

one knowing anything about horses. I would not advise
any one to purchase a horse with anything the matter with
his wind, as it is pretty sure to become worse.

It is well also to feel the pulsations of the horse's heart,,
inasmuch as a lurking disease may exist there of which
the seller himself is ignorant. The best place to examine
the beating of the heart is immediately behind the elbow,
on the left side ; the hand applied flat against the ribs
will enable you to determine the number of pulsations.
The ear also so applied will give you the regularity or
irregularity of the same. A bounding action is an
evidence of something wrong ; a quickened and irregular
respiration is also an evidence of disease. Just here a few
words on the subject of the pulse : a horse's pulse in perfect
health should beat about thirty-four times to the minute ;
to feel that, apply the ringer to the lower jaw, where, or a
little behind where the submaxillary artery, vein, and
parotid duct come from under the jaw, or close up to
the lower part of the neck, the pulse is easily counted
and its character determined. On the side where some
feel the pulse it can be counted, but its character not so
well determined, as there is no hard body to press against,
such as the jaw-bone. A pulse of forty-five to fifty-five
indicates fever to some extent, from sixty to seventy-five a
decidedly high case of fever, from that upwards it becomes
more dangerous at every pulsation. A horse seldom lives
after his pulse reaches a hundred. If the pulse is over
forty or forty-five you had better reject him, in view of his
being in a feverish condition. It is also important to
know how to determine his pulse, as it may happen in the
course of time, to save his life, that bleeding should be
resorted to ; then your knowledge will be of service in
letting you know when he is becoming weak, as you should
then stop the flow.

22 ON GROOMS AND STABLES.

CHAPTER II.

CARE AND TREATMENT GENERALLY. ON GROOMS AND

STABLES.

HAVING spoken of the most important points to be
looked at or decided upon, I will now suppose my
reader in possession of one or more sound horses; the
next important feature is to keep them so.

A good groom is indispensable. His attributes should
be sobriety, carefulness, industry, honesty, truthfulness,
and a fondness for and general knowledge of how to feed
and clean his charges. On engaging him — supposing him
to answer all the above requirements — make it the most
important feature in your bargain (put it down in black
and white for fear of any misunderstanding) that he is not
to give medicine of any kind or in any shape to any of
your horses without consulting you, not even flaxseed. A
very common custom is, in the spring, when new horses
come from the dealers, to give them a ball or two of flax-
seed, either whole or ground, in order to make them shed
quickly and look to the credit of the groom. This is all
wrong. I have known many fine horses ruined by it, their
pores are opened by such treatment, and cold and fevers
often follow to their lasting injury. A little salt now and
then, or clay, is all they want, with good care, regular
feeding, rubbing, and careful examination of their feet.

ist. In the stable, the circulation of air should be good,
without a possibility of the horse being subjected to a
draught ; the common plan — of a hole three or four inches
wide by six high immediately in front of him, so that a

ON GROOMS AND STABLES. 23

draught can strike him on the breast — is very wrong. Neg-
ligence in this matter is such a fruitful source of disease
that I only wonder the practice is not discarded; as a
draught to a horse, coming in heated and blown, is as
injurious as the same to a man, and even more so, creat-
ing rheumatism, chills, and often a bad founder. Of the
cause of the latter both the owner and groom are in
ignorance; the former says he did not water him when
warm, and the latter attests that he was careful also, yet
the mischief is done. To prevent this the air-holes should
be above the horse's head some feet, — I c^o not care how
high, so that there are a sufficient number of them on both
sides to create a current of air. Their height of course
must be regulated by the ceiling : the higher you can get
this the better, at least so high that in any sudden jerking
up of the head the horse cannot by any possibility strike
his pole or top of his head, as one or two such bumps
will very likely produce poll-evil.

2d. The trough and hay -box should be boarded up
entirely, making it impossible for him to get his legs, head,
or neck under them ; this is to prevent a cast and save
him from serious injury. The finest mare I ever owned
had her fore leg broken by such a cast. The hay-box
should be free from anything like studding in front, and
from every other hard substance, lest, in case of the horse
throwing his head suddenly out of the box while feeding,
he should come in contact with a piece of studding, which
would produce, most likely, the same result as in the case
of striking the ceiling, viz. poll-evil.

3d. As to the floor, generally this is all of plank. The
horse is more easily kept clean about the legs, standing on
a floor of plank, though at the expense of his feet it is
true. The best plan is to have two stalls, one with a clay
floor for day, and one with a plank floor for night. But

24 ON GROOMS AND STABLES.

as this seems too much waste of room, especially in cities,
where such a double amount of space is expensive, I
propose to do with one stall, have that partly with a clay

bottom, that is two feet back from the hay-box of clay;
it need only be dampened, not wet or muddy, just to keep
his fore feet cool. Then, plank from that back; just where
plank joins the clay, run a narrow strip, half an inch high,

ON GROOMS AND STABLES. 25

across, to keep the clay from working back ; let the plank
have sufficient fall to carry off the water, say two inches :
the less fall the better, as the horse should stand on a

perfect level; still, you must have enough to carry the
water to a gutter behind the stall. The sides should be high
enough to prevent any possibility of their biting one an-
other, at least six and a half to eight feet in height. It is
B 3

26

ON GROOMS AND STABLES.

not uncommon for one horse to bite the end off another's
ear ; it may be only for fun, but it makes an ugly-shaped
ear, and has to be trimmed down into shape, and the

A MODERN STABLE, AS IT MAY BE ADAPTED AND IMPROVED.

other to match it must be cut in the same style. The
stall should also be long enough to suffer the horse to lie
in it, and not with his hinder parts out of it. Six and a
half to seven feet from hay-box to end of stall is not too
much. Many fine horses are ruined by getting their feet
and legs in their neighbors' stalls, and in attempting to get

ON GROOMS AND STABLES. 27

up slip again and again, and are sometimes strained across
the loins and ruined for life. In a gentleman's stable, in
England, they would have only three box-stalls where we
have four common ones. Their hay-loft, instead of being
above the stable, where it necessarily becomes more or less
affected by the noxious gases from the stable, is situated on
one side, and there is a stout partition between. The Eng-
lish box-stall is of all others the most conducive to a horse's
comfort; he is not obliged to stand in all sorts of shapes
to get himself level, and the floors being of small pebble
stones nicely laid in clay, make a most durable floor as
well as a cooling one for his feet. In this stall the horse
has not a halter. In common stalls the halter should not
be over three and a half feet from the chin-strap to the
ring in box.

4th. On Cleaning. — The next thing to be considered is
where and how should the horse be cleaned ; not in his
stall, but out of the stable, if that is possible, yet in an
outside shed. In the stall, the dandruff or dust that your
groom is working to get out of him to some extent neces-
sarily settles back on him, but if cleaned outside it is
blown off by the air. Half an hour is ample time to clean
a horse for ordinary purposes.

First apply the curry-comb all over, and this should
not be so sharp as to annoy the animal, but made suffi-
ciently rough in the teeth to reach the skin and work up
the dandruff to the surface ; then apply a wisp of straw all
over the body, head, and legs, then a good brushing, not
with a soft brush, but one that reaches the skin and takes
out with it the dust stirred up by the comb and wisp.
Brush out mane and tail, and he is then ready for his
day's work or feed, not omitting the cleaning out of his
feet, particularly the front ones; his hind ones seldom
require looking at. Any blacksmith can make you a hook

2g ON GROOMS AND STABLES.

to use for this purpose ; I have never seen them for sale.
Our charge being now ready for his feed, that must be
regulated according to circumstances, size of the animal,
and amount of labor he is called on to perform. As I am
now simply treating of a gentleman's horse of all work,
I can only give general instructions, to be altered to suit
circumstances.

5th. Feeding, Watering, and Dressing. — First feed in
the morning, a small wisp of hay, about one pound, after
that four quarts of good oats, well sifted; water before or
after eating, as he seems to drink most satisfactorily to
himself.

At noon his feed should be one pound of hay and only
two quarts of oats, particularly if he is booked for an
afternoon drive. At night when he comes in after a sharp
drive, somewhat warm or blown, as soon as he is stripped,
his head around his eyes and ears should be rubbed dry
with either a cloth or wisp of straw, — a dry cloth should
always be on hand. Wash out the mouth and nostrils;
give nothing to drink yet. Then straighten his hair all
over with a card ; if he is very wet, rub his hair both ways
with a wisp of straw or a hemp cloth before using the
card. Never use the latter on his mane or tail, but use
exclusively for laying and straightening his hair when
warm. Now put him in his stall and give him one pound of
hay ; while he is eating this, dry-rub his legs well. This
has taken about half an hour ; you can feed him now or
wait another half an hour, as you please. All danger from
founder was over when he had eaten his hay ; he may now
drink ad libitum. His night feed should be six quarts of
oats and six or seven pounds of hay.

I prefer chop feed at night, two or three times a week,
say half ship-stuff and half corn-meal or chopped oats
mixed with a sufficient quantity of cut hay; then the long

ON GROOMS AND STABLES.

29

hay feed to be diminished in quantity as you feed the cut :
this feed, of course, to be moderately wet, not slopped.
He is now in a condition to pass a comfortable night.
This is for summer work, — of winter care and blanketing
we treat in another place.

6th. Salt. — A very common practice is to keep a piece
of rock-salt in his trough. This I do not like, for the rea-
son that the life of a gentleman's horse is a very monoto-
nous one ; he will lick more than is good for him, for lack
of something else to do, and necessarily create an un-
natural thirst, causing him to fill himself with water, and
if called on for a sharp ride or drive, is unfit for either, or
if forced to a good pace may sustain great injury from his
distended stomach.

A small quantity of salt two or three times a week is a
very good thing: ground alum-salt, a tablespoonful each
time. It is always wrong to let a horse fill himself with
water before being driven.

So much for the management of the horse in the stable.

3*

ON DRIVING

CHAPTER III.

ON DRIVING, FOR A NOVICE AND AMATEUR.

FOR one of the former, if my readers will permit, I will go
with him the first time and give minute as well as general
instructions. The horse is ready before your door; groom
holding him, — not by bit or rein, but with three fingers in
the side piece, just above the bit, so that no pressure from
his hand is on the bit. This is applicable to harness as
well as saddle, and I may say particularly so for the latter,
inasmuch as — if with bit and bridoon or plain curb, his
hand is sure to be on the curb ; a dangerous position if the
horse starts — a heavy hand may cause a rear, and thereby
unnerve the coming horseman and injure the horse. I
will just say to my young friend, Do not imagine you can
drive because your neighbor can, or that it is to be done
properly without care, judgment, and practice. Now we
are seated, you having the reins, — place them thus: one
between thumb and forefinger, the other between the third
and the forefinger, hand half turned up; hold them just
tight enough to feel his mouth lightly, and speak to him to
start, at the same time raise your hand a little. Your horse,
if an experienced one, — and you should drive no other to
begin, — knows that you are unaccustomed to drive as well
as you do; try to undeceive him in that. Don't be afraid
of looking green by taking a rein in each hand occasion-
ally; as soon as he feels you changing your reins, with a
light touch, and then putting them back in one hand again,
taking the whip in the other, and letting him know you
have it by a gentle reminder, he will begin to mind his

ON DRIVING. 3!

business. Keep your hands down, as a rule, — start him at
a walk, in a short time a slow jog; now feel his mouth
more sensibly. You want to turn out to the right or left,
and of course you pull that rein as much as is necessary,
not releasing control of the opposite one, — a slight bearing
on that keeps him balanced in hand and prevents too quick
a turn ; or a vehicle comes up suddenly, causing a turn out
on the opposite side from that you are bearing, that pre-
pares him for a quick turn the other way; and now, if
necessary to do it, mt>re quickly to avoid a collision, a
sharp little cut on the opposite side, and you are clear
for the present; immediately then straighten the bit in
his mouth and jog on, with a light, regular bearing all
over the bit — neither one side or the other ; by preserv-
ing the delicacy of his mouth you secure to yourself greater
safety, therefore handle it as delicately as you would a lady's
hand. When familiar with the use of reins and your horse's
mouth, you can hold them as you please, — whip in one,
reins in the other, — or a rein in each hand, with whip at
same time in one hand with the rein. Again, you must
learn to give yourself ample room for turning round in, by
measuring the space with your eye ; that only requires a little
care and experience. We are now off the stones and will
have a quiet drive ; no trotting fast yet, even if we have a
trotter and are challenged : time enough for that when you
have a few months' experience. We jog quietly for four or
five miles, now a little faster, and if a shady spot walk a
little, then jog on again until we stop to water. First let the
hostler wash out mouth and nostrils, and tell him not to let
him swallow until you are ready to start. When ready, let
him have a few mouthfuls, and drive home, feeling a little
more security and letting your horse increase his gait a
little. Same rules as driving out generally. Now safe at
the stable, horse to be attended to as before mentioned.

32

ON DRIVING.

2d. Amateur. — The amateur driver probably knows as
much as the writer, and what I shall write will be more
for the horse's benefit than his. First, the start out should
be always with the same quietness, and I hold it necessary
that the whip should be always in hand going through the
streets, even in the best drivers; not as a punisher exactly,
unless necessary, but generally as an admonisher, to cause
him to do what you want decidedly and quickly, as it is
oftentimes very necessary in a turn out. The rein of
course tells him in what direction you want him to go,
but does not let him know how quickly you want it done,
— the whip does that ; if there is no haste required you
want no whip, — the tap must be regulated by the temper
of your horse. Now you are off the stones and jogging
along quietly behind a trotter, — the speed you drive at
must be regulated by the distance you want to go : if five
or seven miles out and the same in, you can now and then
let him go a quarter at half speed, then slack up and jog
awhile, or even walk, — off again at a fair rate; but I
would not allow him to extend himself more than once in
your drive out, and that for not more than a quarter of a
mile. Take him to your baiting-place cool, fresh, and
full of go ; but if the day is warm and he is heated despite
your endeavors to prevent it, after washing out mouth,
nostrils, and over eyes, then have him washed with cool
water all under and around the root of his tail : it has a
wonderfully cooling and refreshing effect. A few mouth-
fuls of water before starting, and you are ready for the
road ; raise his mouth a little by shaking his bit in it, and
you are off at a jog. Now a challenger comes along, you
give his bit a few little turns, speaking to him at the same
time, and settle him to his trot gradually, not too quickly,
for fear of his getting excited and breaking before he has
properly settled, and in a very few minutes he understands

ON DRIVING.

33

his business and has squared himself for a settled trot.
Now watch him closely, — with hand and eye, — to catch
the least attempt at a skip ; you will feel it on your hand
a second before it comes; just then, without the least
delay, move your bit in his mouth and give him a little
extra steady pull; the chances are he will be headed off, —
no skip or break, — and he will square away more steadily
than before. Now you know he has been going pretty
near his top rate and will not bear any more pressure ;
take him in hand now a little more and keep him within
himself somewhat ; the distance to speed him should be
regulated by his condition and the state of the weather;
of that the driver must be the judge, only do not risk
hurting your horse by too long a brush. To go a mile at
or near a three-minute gait is enough for almost any horse
not in absolute training and in tip-top condition ; it is
the protracted strain that injures the horse's legs and wind-
works, which an occasional let-up would prevent. One
word more, and I have done
with the amateur : walk your
horse quietly now for the last
mile just before getting to the
stable; take him there cool if
possible, and have him at-
tended to properly before feed-
ing; but always examine his
front feet immediately on his
being taken out of harness, as
a stone wedged between the
frog and shoe .might, if allowed
to remain overnight, produce a
stone bruise and lame him ; or
a nail picked up, although it
may not have gone in far enough to hurt him, yet if

ru
\ u

ILLUSTKATING HOW LARGE AND
SMALL STONES BECOME IMPACTED
BETWEEN THE SOLE AND THE
WEB OF THE SHOE.

34

ON DRIVING.

allowed to remain might, from his weight on it, get
worked in by morning so as to ruin him: lock-jaw is
often so produced. If you find after being cleaned out
they are more or less feverish, stop with cow-dropping,
then clean out again in the morning, and he will be ready
for his drive again that day.

A perfect driver keeps up a sort of electric continuity
between his hand and his horse's mouth, in consequence
the latter becomes so extremely fine and sensitive to the
former that a slight motion will very often stop a skip or
break. Before leaving this subject entirely it occurs to me
to add something on the importance of the word Wo.

3d. It is a very good habit to accustom your horse to
stop quickly at the word given sharply, — he must of
course be so taught. Have a plain snaffle bridle put on,
and take him in the riding-room, walk beside him, caress,
and talk to him, stop suddenly and say Wo, — he will
stop because you do ; and by repetition he begins to
associate the word and the action, and to stop at the
word. Now be a little more particular, step a few feet in
front of him and, with uplifted finger, looking him straight
in the eye, give the word Wo. Give him a few lessons
daily of five or ten minutes each, and he will understand
what you want. So modulate your voice as that a sharp,
quick word stops him suddenly, whereas a prolonged
Woa does it gradually. Whenever he does exactly right
reward him by patting approval ; he understands that as
well as you.

Carry out the same whilst driving. After a few days'
quiet practice with him you may relax the reins, so as not
to pull at all ; let him feel they are so, and stop him at
the word ; if he answers satisfactorily, get out and pat
him and give him a tuft of grass ; in a few minutes you
can do it. Now, going down a hill at a good rate, sud-

ON DRIVING.

35

denly relax your reins (still keeping them in your hand)
and give the word sharp, he will back up in his breeching
and come to a full stop. I am thus particular in this as
it may often insure the reader's safety, — as thus : sup-
pose a crowded thoroughfare, you driving along at a fair
gait, a runaway pair behind strikes your wagon, your first
impulse is to cry Wo. Your horse inspired with faith in
your word is not frightened by the crash, stops short,
and gives you time to extricate yourself from the wreck,
and probably saves for you a leg or arm, or possibly your
neck ; the being accustomed to stop at the word he un-
derstands as his paramount duty, on a hill, anywhere ;
consequently the crash does not so frighten him, as the
word Wo arrests the fright, and he does his duty, — stops.

36 MANAGEMENT OF A RUNAWAY HORSE.

CHAPTER IV.

MANAGEMENT OF A RUNAWAY HORSE.

IST. A runaway horse is, after all, of not much account,
unless he be a kicker in addition. In the last case he will
kick himself clear of the vehicle, and if you escape with-
out an injury you are fortunate. If you have control of
your horse's head, which by this time, from having encour-
aged a sensitive mouth, you should have, you must reason
the thing out very quickly, if he is running away really
from fright. You might as well pull against a stone wall
as his head until you have prepared him for your pull ;
take him in hand a little, and talk to him, Wo, so, ho;
try so, ho, wo, HO, sharp; at each word he will turn his ear
and incline it a little more. If properly broken as above
to the word he will stop ; but if not, and he still has a
little idea of its meaning, your words will ease his fright
and give him encouragement. You may now, having
taken the edge off his scare, take him fully in hand.
Lean forward, wrap a rein around each hand, and at the
word Wo lean back and put all your strength and weight
into one square pull only for a second ; let up both reins
suddenly ; that will startle him, he will be at a loss to know
what next ; then alternate your pulls, — now to the right,
sharp; again to the left, short, a few times; when you are
a little winded, then fall back, give a straight pull, and
say Wo. In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred he will stop.
Or if away out in the country, your wagon and harness
strong, road good, and you feel safe of it being so for a
mile or more, as soon as he gets over his fright, and you

MANAGEMENT OF A RUNAWAY HORSE. 37

feel by handling his mouth that you have him somewhat
in hand, begin to let him know you rather like that run-
away business, and put the whip on him sharp and
heavily, — make him go faster than before ; but keep a
steady bearing on your rein, not a pull; but feel his mouth
sensibly, move his bit a little, now and then, from right to
left to keep his mouth alive ; let him feel your whip at
every jump until he begins to tire of it, then let him up,
and he will not want to try it again. Of course you could
not do this near a large city.

2d. Double Team Driving. — The same general rules
apply as in single. Be particular that your reins are so
adjusted as to have a fair bearing all over the horse's
mouth. I observe a practice, however, that I must depre-
cate. I mean gentlemen driving with heavy curbs and chains
and heavier hands. But before commencing to talk about
driving, a word on the subject of hitching a double team.
Pole-straps should first be buckled to the collar or ring at
bottom of collar, for the reason that if the traces are fas-
tened and no breast-straps buckled there is nothing to
hold back by. And if anything starts the horses, the
carriage is at once on them, and, if at all nervous or fall of
fun, up go their heels and the carriage is knocked to pieces
in the twinkling of an eye, and horses ruined. Pole-straps
only being attached, this cannot occur. All being rightly
adjusted, and the gentleman driving, his family inside, he
on the box with coachman, — heavy curb bit and chains on
his horses (which is the fashion), — it just strikes me what
would our ancient friend Archimedes have thought to
see the application of his favorite motto ? He wanted
strong ground for his fulcrum, and a strong lever on which
to work the same, to move the world ; here you have the
lever in the bit, the fulcrum in the chain, strong enough to
stand the pressure of a ton or more: and this applied to

3 8 MANAGEMENT OF A RUNAWAY HORSE.

the tender part of the horse's upper jaw and chin, — what
must follow, but agony the most intense? The gentle-
man is driving along at a four-minute gait (very fast to
stop on suddenly), he is in the park or some fashionable
driving ground, meeting many friends and acquaintances,
and in order to be exceedingly polite to salute some pass-
ing equipage, with a heavy hand reins up suddenly from
a fast trot to a slow one or walk ; consequence, a severe
strain upon his driving tackle, fortunate if nothing breaks.
He has tried to the best of his (want of) knowledge to kill
or maim his family, self, and all in the carriage, and it is
only a wonder to me that an accident is not of daily occur-
rence. Fancy the weight of two horses, say two thousand
pounds, thrown back suddenly against pole, yoke, hook
at end of pole, and breast-strap (for there is no breeching
on this stylish harness), and, to say nothing of the mo-
mentum, you can form some idea of the immense strain
suddenly brought to bear on all these things. The horses
cannot help themselves; they must throw themselves back,
rear, or do something to relieve themselves from such
agony : therefore I must beg gentlemen to understand the
pain they inflict, and drive with light hands on curb bits,
or if from long habit or any other cause they prefer to
rein up so suddenly, let them doff the curb and chain and
put on plain snaffles ; they can then indulge their fondness
for sudden pulling up without any danger to themselves
or occupants, and inflict no pain on their horses. If
anything breaks in the sudden reining-up process, there
is no escape : carriage comes on horses, they become
frightened, and the consequences are likely to be serious.
And now, all other things being properly adjusted, your
horses should be reined up just where they travel most
comfortably to themselves, without regard to show.

INJURY BY NEGLECT. 39

CHAPTER V.

EXPERIENCE WITH HORSES INJURED BY ABUSE AND
NEGLECT.

IST. Not to weary the reader with something of pro-
lixity, before touching on horseback riding (in which
Baucher will occupy a conspicuous part) or the many
trifling diseases incidental to a gentleman's horse, I will
narrate one or two circumstances that came under my
notice, to show the effects of abuse and neglect. First, a
mare — high-bred, beautiful, and fast — bought by a friend
for a very high price in old times had a habit of untying
her halter, consequently she was neglected and abused by
the grooms to such an extent that she was pronounced
worthless and sent to me. I bought her at about one-tenth
of her original cost. The groom on landing her at my
place said, "By my sowl, you'll never kape her tied, sir;
she's the divil let loose entirely." "Very well," I said,
"put her in the stable." I put a few hard knots on her
strap, my man put a few more, I allowed the stable-
door to remain open purposely, and went in to dinner ;
that over, the mare was quietly grazing in the lawn. When
driven into the stable she was like a culprit, shaking like
an aspen leaf, expecting of course a good sound beating;
instead of which I spoke to her kindly, cut off her halter-
strap three and a half feet from the chin-piece, and sent
that to the nearest saddler and had buckle and billet put
on, that buckled into the ring of feed-box. There being
no knot to untie, all the trouble that caused such an
amount of swearing, beating, and neglect, was done away

42 INJURY BY NEGLECT,

ruin a horse, that might, if looked after and the part
seemingly affected carefully examined, save him an im-
mensity of pain, and his owner a good horse. A mag-
nificent bay of great style, fine carriage, and fast, came
to me in the most abject condition of poverty. He
could not even eat grass; when down, could not get
up without assistance; he had no apparent defect, and
yet was little better than a dead horse. Something be-
yond the common order of things was the matter ; but
what? Several days passed, things getting worse, when
the idea of making a thorough examination of his mouth
occurred to me : his non-ability to eat must have arisen
from some cause connected with the mouth. After much
search a pin was found imbedded to the head in the gum :
irritation and pain resulted ; he simply could not use his
nippers in consequence of the pain, and was dying of
starvation. The pin removed, a little lancing of the gums,
and in a short time he was enjoying his food. He im-
proved rapidly, and was in good condition for several
years whilst I owned him.

If this is not a strong exemplification of the necessity
of examining for trifles, I know not one.

3d. Another instance occurs to me to show the neces-
sity of examining a horse's mouth. Sometimes his grinders
become worn on the inner edge, and rough and sharp
on the outer, soring the inside of his cheek at every
attempt to feed. Consequently to masticate his food
properly is almost an impossibility, as it is attended with
pain at every attempt. A very fine mare, and tremend-
ously fast, owned by a friend, was going back in her con-
dition so fast that he became alarmed ; he never thought,
however, to examine her mouth until she was nearly
starved. Coming to me, with my past experience the
first thing was to look closely into her mouth, and there

INJURY BY NEGLECT. 43

the trouble was at once discovered : cheeks sore and irri-
tated, terribly sore to the touch ; and in a very short time I
had the outer edge filed off smooth and rounding inwards,
so that it did not touch the cheek. Consequently there
could be no more trouble from that source, and she became
as useful as ever (this is a common occurrence with horses
getting up in years, that have been grain-fed a long time).
One of the principal objects of this book is to induce
gentlemen to make minute examinations for themselves of
the parts affected, and thereby save for themselves many a
fine horse, and at the same time give him great relief from
pain.

44 SADDLE-HORSE.

CHAPTER VI.

SADDLE-HORSE.

IST. It seems now in place to take up the saddle-horse,
and write something on the subject of breaking him for
that purpose. The dealer from whom you buy him will
probably tell you he is a well-broken horse for saddle or
harness; and he no doubt thinks so, and as far as he knows
he is so ; but unfortunately he knows nothing about it. To
a horseman the animal scarcely knows the rudiments of
his education. True, you can pull him right or left, but
you cannot back him. You cannot make him do any-
thing— walk, trot, or gallop — at your will, — in short, he is
a big lump of clay to be moulded at the potter's will. I
know nothing that will make a finished and thorough
horseman so effectually as to let himself, in so far as I can
explain them, take these hints from Baucher's method
and apply them himself. It is true a good rider can get
along with any "horse, but not with the same ease as with
a handled horse.

2d. To Make the Horse Follow, and be Gentle at Time
of Mounting. — The trainer approaches with whip under his
arm, and speaks caressingly to him ; then takes the reins
of the curb in his left hand, five inches from the check--
piece, firmly in case of resistance from the animal ; then,
with the whip in right hand, tap him on the breast, this
will naturally cause him to recede from the whip ; as he
does so, follow with a regular strain on the reins, still
tapping ; he will soon find no relief from that mode of
operation, and will of his own accord try something else,

SADDLE-HORSE.

45

and that will be an advance ; that second drop the reins,
stop the tapping, and pat him heartily. Now repeat the
same carefully over and over again for twenty minutes,
morning and afternoon. In a very few days he will under-
stand that the raising of the whip to tap him on the breast
means, Follow, and you will get no punishment, but plenty
of caressing. If you have a stubborn, vicious brute, there
is nothing for it but to put on the' cavisson (simply a band
of iron around the nose-piece ; or, in other words, a nose-
band of iron, supported by the arrangements of a common
halter) ; a few jerks on that will bring almost any horse to
quietness.

T*o teach your horse to stand quietly while mounting
(if he is disposed to start), shorten your right rein just as
far as is necessary, — with some it is necessary to have
their head turned half round to the right before they will
stand : that the reader must regulate in accordance with
the disposition of the horse to stand or start ; when he
stands from this procedure, mount and pat him, at the same
time relieving the right rein ; do this repeatedly until he
stands without any shortening of the rein, which a few
days' repeating will do.

3d. That supposed to be done, passing through your
stable you observe a small fight going on between your
horse and groom. He wants to back him out of his stall,
and is pulling and tugging at his head, and the horse re-
sisting with his whole force. Your head is turned away
for one moment, and just then the groom, to show he can
do it, absolutely turns him in the stall to get him out.
If he is not strained across the loins by such an unnatural
twist, it is more by good fortune than management. You
charge him never to do that again ; but order your horse to
the riding-room, where it is supposed you are quietly
educating him. First, you want only a plain snaffle bridle,

46 SADDLE HORSE.

of course no blinds ; you want him to see what you do.
It is almost as necessary that the horse should be taught
to go back easily as any other requirement ; to force him
back by main force on his jaw often results in a rear
sprain of the shoulder, curb, strain of the loins, and many
of the vices which originate in the self-protection of the
animal against painful treatment. Now, to impart to him
the idea of how he is to go back without all this force,
and that he is to do it by the simple pointing of your
finger, is what we desire to get at.

He is now bridled and awaiting you ; you take the rein
a few inches — say six — from the bit, holding them lightly
but still with sufficient firmness to prevent an advance
movement. Now with a slight bearing of the rein on the
side opposite to that to which he is to be turned, bear his
head and neck; then apply the end of a stick or whip to
the flank on the same side, so as to make him cross the
hind leg of the same side over and in front of the other;
one or two steps or more (should he kick, urge the action
with more force of rein and whip), and you will obtain the
desired motion ; as soon as the action is made use neither
whip or stick, but be content with that much, and pat
him caressingly and in earnest. Having done this on one
side, go to the other, and by converse application of the
whip and rein repeat the action on that; in a very short
time — say ten minutes — he will have learned to move his
hind legs to the right or left, with very little, if any,
change of place of the fore legs, if you but hold him with
sufficient firmness. This accomplished, by gentle means,
you will have command over the hind legs to the extent
of raising one or the other at a time. A simple illustra-
tion : if a fly bites him under the flank, what will he
naturally do ? simply kick in his leg towards the fly. That's
the whole thing: you want to raise his legs; being able to

SADDLE-HORSE. 47

do that, you control them. Thus under control, begin to
teach him to back by raising the hind leg as directed ; and
when the leg is off the ground, without bearing the rein
to either side, raise the head and neck by the rein diag-
onally opposite to the raised leg, and the horse to sup-
port himself will make a step backward, — he must do it or
fall. Then immediately bring him -forward as before
mentioned; pat him, to again assure him of your ap-
proval ; he knows he has done exactly what you want,
and the next time it is less difficult. Now repeat the
operation on the other side, using the other rein in the
same way. With very little skill, and in a very short
time, say ten minutes, the object will be attained ; point
your stick, back goes that leg, one or possibly two steps.
Now pat him again, and repeat the first operation on the
other side, and you will find he now begins to understand
what you want, and in an almost incredibly short space of
time the mere pointing of the finger at his flank raises
one leg and produces the backward step; again, to the
other side the same, and he will go back a few steps with-
out the least trouble. Now stop him, and don't allow him
to go too fast; to a certain stage he will balance himself,
but if hurried will resist the pressure. It has seemed to
me often that the animal is as much pleased as his trainer,
finding he has succeeded in doing as you desired ; there-
fore, when he goes back at all too fast, stop him, and
advance him a little. Now pat him and point the finger
at his flank; back he goes on the instant, and what brute
force could not do in a week, science has done in ten
minutes. But the Cockney horseman may say, " Poh, who
wants the command of a horse's hind legs?" As a horse-
man, I say that I do; give me that control and I can stop
a rear, a whirl, or a runaway.

4th. To Stop a Rear-. — The horse to rear must have the

46 SADDLE HORSE.

of course no blinds ; you want him to see what you do.
It is almost as necessary that the horse should be taught
to go back easily as any other requirement ; to force him
back by main force on his jaw often results in a rear
sprain of the shoulder, curb, strain of the loins, and many
of the vices which originate in the self-protection of the
animal against painful treatment. Now, to impart to him
the idea of how he is to go back without all this force,
and that he is to do it by the simple pointing of your
finger, is what we desire to get at.

He is now bridled and awaiting you ; you take the rein
a few inches — say six — from the bit, holding them lightly
but still with sufficient firmness to prevent an advance
movement. Now with a slight bearing of the rein on the
side opposite to that to which he is to be turned, bear his
head and neck; then apply the end of a stick or whip to
the flank on the same side, so as to make him cross the
hind leg of the same side over and in front of the other;
one or two steps or more (should he kick, urge the action
with more force of rein and whip), and you will obtain the
desired motion ; as soon as the action is made use neither
whip or stick, but be content with that much, and pat
him caressingly and in earnest. Having done this on one
side, go to the other, and by converse application of the
whip and rein repeat the action on that; in a very short
time — say ten minutes — he will have learned to move his
hind legs to the right or left, with very little, if any,
change of place of the fore legs, if you but hold him with
sufficient firmness. This accomplished, by gentle means,
you will have command over the hind legs to the extent
of raising one or the other at a time. A simple illustra-
tion : if a fly bites him under the flank, what will he
naturally do ? simply kick in his leg towards the fly. That's
the whole thing: you want to raise his legs; being able to

SADDLE-HORSE.

47

do that, you control them. Thus under control, begin to
teach him to back by raising the hind leg as directed ; and
when the leg is off the ground, without bearing the rein
to either side, raise the head and neck by the rein diag-
onally opposite to the raised leg, and the horse to sup-
port himself will make a step backward, — he must do it or
fall. Then immediately bring him forward as before
mentioned; pat him, to again assure him of your ap-
proval ; he knows he has done exactly what you want,
and the next time it is less difficult. Now repeat the
operation on the other side, using the other rein in the
same way. With very little skill, and in a very short
time, say ten minutes, the object will be attained ; point
your stick, back goes that leg, one or possibly two steps.
Now pat him again, and repeat the first operation on the
other side, and you will find he now begins to understand
what you want, and in an almost incredibly short space of
time the mere pointing of the finger at his flank raises
one leg and produces the backward step; again, to the
other side the same, and he will go back a few steps with-
out the least trouble. Now stop him, and don't allow him
to go too fast; to a certain stage he will balance himself,
but if hurried will resist the pressure. It has seemed to
me often that the animal is as much pleased as his trainer,
finding he has succeeded in doing as you desired ; there-
fore, when he goes back at all too fast, stop him, and
advance him a little. Now pat him and point the finger
at his flank; back he goes on the instant, and what brute
force could not do in a week, science has done in ten
minutes. But the Cockney horseman may say, " Poh, who
wants the command of a horse's hind legs?" As a horse-
man, I say that I do; give me that control and I can stop
a rear, a whirl, or a runaway.

4th. To Stop a Rear; — The horse to rear must have the

48 SADDLE-HORSE.

use of both hind legs; he can neither get up nor stand up
on one leg, the thing is simply impossible. He makes
the attempt ; you apply one spur far back, near where
you have broken him to raise his leg from ; up goes that
leg, and the use of the diagonal rein stops the whole rear
in the bud. He is off his balance, and must give it up or
fall on his side ; he feels that and cowers at once ; or if
through perverseness he makes the second attempt, use
the other spur and opposite rein, and the effect is the
same; with only this difference: the loss of balance is on
the other side. The thing is to apply the spur at the right
time exactly ; although the balance is on the other side, the
effect is the same, — he cannot get up, and will probably
never again attempt it; for, as before said, his memory is
always retentive : foil him in any attempt to do wrong,
and he will always remember -it.

5th. To Stop a Whirl or Siding. — Apply spur or whip
on the same side to which the horse whirls, gently or
sharply as the nature of the case may require, and raise
his head on the diagonal rein, and he cannot effect his
whirl any more than he could rear; he is simply con-
founded and at his rider's mercy.

6th. Runaway. — Nor can a horse run away that is broken
to such obedience, and over whose hind legs you have such
control, he being thoroughly taught to raise his hind legs on
the application of the spur to that particular part, and by
the diagonal application of the rein, repeated if necessary ;
the thing is to him an impossibility. Now being supposed
to have his hind legs under proper control, we will take
up the part which should have been first — viz. : his fore-
part ; but the awkwardness of backing a horse out of the
stall, or rather not doing so, but turning him around in
the stall to get him out of it, suggested the foregoing
remarks, and I jotted them down as they occurred to me.

CONTROL OF HEAD AND NECK. 49

CHAPTER VII

CONTROL OF HEAD AND NECK.

To get this, take your horse in the riding-room, with
double-bitted bridle, bit, and bridoon. See that they are
properly placed in his mouth : snaffle fitting easily, not
too tightly, against his lip, so as not to draw or wrinkle it ;
curb not so low down in his mouth as to touch the tush, but
entirely above it, from one-half to three-quarters of an
inch ; chain (curb chain) not too tight, — a finger inserted
easily shows that. Look your horse kindly in the eyes,
place yourself opposite his neck in a firm, well-braced
position, take your curb rein about eight inches from bit,
draw slowly but firmly; if, instead of yielding, he draws
back from the bit, bring him up to it by a few taps of
whip on his breast between the legs, as before instructed.
Now again apply the firm strain on the curb ; it may be
some few minutes before he will begin to understand what
you want, so continue the pressure. Finding that going
back does not afford him relief, as he is only brought up to
undergo the same pressure more severely, and that resisting
brings more discomfort, — for the greater his resistance the
stronger must be your steady strain, with a little more
strength thrown in, — he finds it is getting too rough for him,
and as a last resort tries another dodge, — yields his jaw with
a little jerk; head comes in and neck is bowed. He really
feels as if he had done something commendable, and is
proud of it, as his arched neck and handsome crest attest.
Now persevere, and continue the lesson five to ten minutes,
enough for the first lesson ; he must not be disgusted by
c 5

5o CONTROL OF HEAD AND NECK.

too much of this, to him, new kind of work ; twice a day
will not hurt him, with an interval of some hours between
the lessons, say five or six at least. In a few days you will
find that instead of pushing his head out, as an unbroken
horse would, he yields most gracefully to the pressure of the
curb, and, in so doing, looks like another horse. You can
now mount him, and with steady seat, hands down, steady
pressure on the snaffle, get the same yield. Always mark
your approval by a few pats and giving the rein ; the mo-
ment he yields, that moment you give; thus much ob-
tained, dismount. He is now ready to receive a more
advanced lesson in flexion of his jaw and yielding to the
bit. Standing on the near (left) side of him, you take
the right curb rein in the right hand, six inches from bit,
snaffle reins in left hand. So oppose your hands : the right
on the curb, bearing back ; left, on snaffle, bearing forward
the opposite way, until the mouth is opened however
slightly ; then cease the pressure, to be resumed again when
same result is desired. Let the yield be ever so slight at first,
immediately let your pressure end, and caress the horse ;
again try it, and you will find little, if any, resistance. The
great point is to yield to him the moment he does the same to
you, whether it be to the hand, leg, or heel. To obtain a
flexion to the right, take right curb in hand six inches
from bit, and left rein in other hand close up to bit ; now
draw in your right hand and push out your left until his
head goes around sufficiently, then pat him; and by con-
verse application of the same method you will obtain the
left flexion. He will now very soon begin to let you know
that he has a pretty good idea of what you want by champ-
ing his bit when you draw the rein, and give; this is an
evidence that he is happy in his new acquirement and ap-
preciates his advancing education. You may now consider
him pretty well in hand, for this champing does not come

CONTROL OF HEAD AND NECK. 51

until he is pretty well advanced ; you now are supposed to
have perfect control of both his fore and hind parts, and
can place him where you please.

If you now desire to carry him through the direct flex-
ions of the jaw and depression of the neck, and the
lateral flexions of the neck and direct flexions of the head
and neck, or Ramener and croup flexions, all as per
Baucher, they can all be obtained ; but unless you make
up your mind to devote a year or more to your horse's
education, it will be as well to be satisfied with what you
have already gained, as they fit him to a certain extent as
well for harness as for saddle. Not that he is taught any-
thing on the harness subject, but he has yielded to you as
his master; given you control of his neck and jaw, instead
of poking it out resistantly, and his whole physical force
is subject to your control.

52 TO MOUNT, RIDE, AND GAIT A HORSE.

CHAPTER VIII.

TO MOUNT, RIDE, AND GAIT A HORSE.

IST. Standing on the horse's left, facing the saddle,
with left hand holding snaffle rein, curb reins loose on
his neck, right snaffle rein a little the shortest, to prevent
his turning from you, a tuft of his mane as a little assister,
or hand laid on wither or pommel of saddle, as you
please ; standing close to the horse, left foot in stirrup,
leg pressing saddle, you spring from the right leg up,
until that foot is on a line or level with the stirrup-foot ;
meanwhile, right hand on the centre of saddle on the
right side, or a little farther back, if necessary, — on the
cantel, if you choose. Without dwelling in this position,
leaning forward, throw right leg over, self into seat, and
right foot in stirrup, settle yourself erectly, take up first
curb and then snaffle, and arrange both reins as directed
elsewhere. A bad seat necessarily has a bad effect on
your horse's mouth. (See illustration on page 53.)

Now, being mounted, horse's head and neck in posi-
tion, keep them so by the use of rein and legs ; close your
legs and raise your hand, and he will advance at a sharp
walk ; keep him at that for ten or fifteen minutes, and if he
keeps himself nicely balanced you can begin to zigzag
him, still in a walk ; keep that up for only a few days.
Then begin the trot: slow trot, always; keeping him in
proper balance between the rein and leg, and whenever
he goes a little fast, and you find he is getting out, stop,
or slow him to a walk, and start him afresh, slowly. A
few days will perfect that, and now, if perfectly light
in hand, he is ready to begin the gallop.

TO MOUNT, RIDE, AND GAIT A HORSE. 53

2d. The Gallop. — First bring his hind legs well under
him by the application (gently) of the spur, well back, or
the whip on the croup, and simultaneously raise his fore-
parts. Up he goes in a short gallop; before he comes

down repeat the same, and keep at it. Before you know it
he will be a nice, light, galloping horse, always provided
you keep him light in hand, and his hind legs well under
him (when you want them there). A horse so gathered,

54 TO MOUNT, RIDE, AND GAIT A HORSE.

as it were, — I mean his forces so under your control that
you can gather them together and use all at once for your
gallop or jump, or what you please, — may be called a
saddle-horse and a broken horse.

Do not understand that the spurs are to be kept against
the horse's side ; the withdrawal of them at the right time is
just as important as giving the hand at the proper time;
in fact, it is the leading principle in the management of
the horse to withdraw all punishment and annoyance as
soon as he ceases to resist and executes the movement
required. On the subject of spurs, I would advise the be-
ginner to use dull ones, just sharp enough in the rowels
to let the animal feel them, as a slight punishment. As
he progresses in the knowledge of his horse and the effect
of the spurs, he can use them as sharp as he pleases, they
being under his control as well as his horse.

For further information on the subject of the spur and
its use or abuse, I refer the reader to the Earl of Pem-
broke's treatise on horsemanship, and also to Sir Sydney
Meadow's on the same ; the Duke of Newcastle's book may
also be consulted on the same subject, and on the use of
the cavisson.

Only one difficulty now may occur, and that is not
of much moment, being so easily rectified, — viz., the
leading off with his right leg, making a sort of cross
gallop, which is very unpleasant to the rider, who will
detect it at once from the cross motion. Slow his motion
(still in the gallop), and when you make the short turn at
the corner of the room, or in turning any corner, raise
the left rein (snaffle) and apply the right spur, so that he
will sensibly feel it ; the action on both must be at the
same moment to produce the desired effect, and he will
change in the same moment and go on leading properly
with the left leg.

TO LEAP YOUR HORSE.

55

CHAPTER IX.

TO LEAP YOUR HORSE.

You should be a perfect rider : everything about you
fitted to your horse ; seat firm and elastic ; legs and thighs

perfectly in unison with your horse's movements; thus,
with a light hand, by feeling his mouth and a concentra-

TO LEAP YOUR HORSE.

tion of your forces (gathered), you will be able to deter-
mine the moment he is ready to raise himself for the leap;
a little elastic raise in your seat, a slight inclination of
the leg, enough to near the spur to his side, up and over

he goes; and as he comes down let your elasticity be re-
versed, by lightly reseating yourself in the saddle, and as
you do so, open your legs and support him on the snaffle;
it will break his jar, and the leap will have been accom-
plished, as it should be, with lightness and precision.

HOW TO RIDE.

57

CHAPTER X.
/ •

HOW TO RIDE.

IN all of the above written I have been supposing my
reader to be a horseman, and I think if he has gone on
training with his horse, by this time he ought to be ; but
there are some general rules that I may as well lay down,
that he may understand more fully what is required of a
horseman's seat and hand. Let us begin right at the
fountain-head, and take a boy old or young. I would put
him on a common pad saddle (no tree), and a snaffle
bridle; tell him not to turn out his toes, and to squeeze
the horse with his knees, and let him go without any
further instructions. Having no martingale, he will get
very little support from the rein, and he will have to
depend on balancing himself; this will unconsciously
bring him to the proper adjustment of his forces for the
balance, and if he has one little bit of horse in him, he
will soon become a rider, and, in after-life, if he keeps it
up, one of the very best ; for this very unconscious adapta-
tion of his forces, which comes naturally to a boy, but
has to be forced in a man, gives him that elasticity so
necessary, so comfortable, and so much more difficult in
an adult to obtain, and to him the after-education is just
as easy as possible. But for a gentleman unaccustomed
to ride, we must give him additional support, in the
shape, first, of a regular saddle. The best and most
popular one is the old English hunting saddle, so modi-
fied as to become the regular road saddle by being a little
shortened in the seat ; the former is about eighteen inches
i *

58 HOW TO RIDE.

from pommel to cantel (or from front to back) ; the latter
is shorter by about one to one and a half inches. It should
be wide and high over the withers, and free from stuffing
at that point, as the withers should not be pressed upon
at all, in fact, should not be touched ; and there should
be two and a half inches of space all along the back or
centre of pad, that air may have free course under the
saddle along the horse's back, thereby adding much to
his comfort and ability to stand a long ride. The padding

A SADDLE.

only enough stuffed to prevent his being injured by saddle-
gall, and to be comfortable. I like a single piece of thin
blanket just under the saddle, to absorb the perspiration.
There should be two girths, with gutta-percha attach-
ments, as they are so comfortable to the horse, giving and
taking as he gallops or otherwise, and you can buckle
them sufficiently tight to be perfectly safe. I do not like
the plan of girthing a horse up so tight that he is uneasy
all through his ride. It may make the rider feel more
secure from the saddle turning; but I don't consider any

HOW TO RIDE.

59

one a horseman if he cannot mount and dismount with-
out any girth. However, as I am now giving directions
for the saddle of a beginner, must not expect that much
from him. Stirrups should be attached as in the regular
hunting saddle, with bar closed at the rear by a clasp,
which should always be kept greased. The object of the
clasp is to open in case of a fall, and let the stirrup,
leather, and all out, to prevent the rider being dragged.
If it is not in easy working order, you will be better off
without it ; as knowing you have not got it, you will not
depend on it for safety, and will possibly adopt some other
mode in case of necessity.

6o

BRIDLES AND BRIDLING.

CHAPTER XI.

BRIDLES AND BRIDLING.

IST. Snaffles. — There should be always two bridles in
the stable (if only one horse is there): a plain snaffle
for the groom to ride him with on all occasions, and the
regular double-bitted bridle, bit, and bridoon, for the

A PLAIN SNAFFLE.

A TWISTED SNAFFLE.

owner or gentleman's use, supposing him to have been
educated up to its use ; but if he is a novice in horseback

A CHAIN SNAFFLE.

riding, I would say use the snaffle for a short time, at least
until he has submitted himself to the tuition of a good,
practical horseman, one whose business it is to teach the

BRIDLES AND BRIDLING. 6l

use and not the abuse of the curb. In the absence of such
knowledge, I will merely state generally that the curb is
to be used lightly, and whatever pulling is done should
be done on the snaffle ; your horse being broken, he will
yield to either. Now, by often riding, with a light hand
on your curb, and a little heavier on your snaffle, not
keeping a steady pull, — for support, do that by your knees,
— but now raising him a little, and again letting him have
his head to stretch out his neck ; and now gather your reins
up, and so keep changing ; you will soon have control of
your reins by holding them in this wise: curb rein to be
held outside of little finger, and between that and the
next finger ; snaffle between the next two fingers, so that
when the hand is half turned up and reins thrown over
forefinger the curb reins (two together) are on the top
and snaffle beneath them. Now close your thumb on
them and hold it there. Having your curb on the top
and snaffle below, you can shorten or lengthen either or
both, as you please. You can give your hand by extend-
ing it, or take it by pulling quietly back a little. I say
nothing about martingales, as I prefer persons being taught
to ride without their use, unless in the very first stages,
and then with a snaffle bit for a few days only.

2d. Seat. — Should be an easy, home-like sort of seat ;
not stiff, but an easy kind of firmness. Head and body
erect, shoulders well back, elbows in, and hands down,
almost level with front of saddle ; no stiffness or dead
weight of any kind about, but a regular elastic seat, which
is the one of all others for ease and comfort to both rider
and horse. The stirrup now comes in and plays its part
towards giving that elasticity I so much admire. The
stirrup-strap should be so regulated that, the leg from
the knee down hanging straight, the ball of the foot
should rest on it with ease and comfort, so that you can

6

62 BRIDLES AND BRIDLING.

bear a little weight there from time to time, more or less,

as you desire ; and just by that much you bear, that same
number of pounds is taken off the weight at seat. By this

BRIDLES AND BRIDLING. 63

means you gain and preserve the elasticity so necessary to
become a good rider; and not only that, but it gives
great relief to your horse's back. A very good way to
obtain this seat is to practice jockeying, which is to rise
in your stirrups, back again, very lightly, into your seat,
and up again and back, and so on regularly with the
motion of your horse, gradually rising and falling as he
moves slower or faster, and so be able to accommodate
your motion to his that your weight will be so distrib-
uted between the seat and stirrup as to produce the
greatest amount of that elasticity. When you once get
accustomed to it, you will find the fatigue of riding com-
paratively gone, and that you can ride five miles with less
fatigue than you could one with dead weight on the seat
all the time. Your legs and thighs also will be very much
relieved, and you will feel as comfortable as in an old-
fashioned rocking-chair at home. I don't mean to jockey
all the time, but to sit lightly, weight distributed. The
knee should be inclined in, for on it you depend for the
retention of your seat in case of a whirl or any other
difficulty ; the foot' just parallel with horse's side ; toe
neither in nor out, so that the spur cannot touch him
unless you wish to incline it.

3d. To ride a kicking horse is not at all difficult: throw
your weight well back, and every time he kicks give him
a tremendous welting under the belly, or, if no whip, both
spurs in hard. He will soon tire of it. A rearer (the
opposite) is also easy enough, but not so easy : when he
goes up you rise in your stirrups and lean forward (watch-
ing that his head does not strike you in the face) ; if he
is pretty high up, put one hand on his poll, and press,
and as he comes down punish him. Unless a horse has
been taught to rear for playfulness when a colt, he is
easily cured; the plan before reciied under the method

64 BRIDLES AND BRIDLING.

of Mr. Baucber fixes that, — that is, it so far fixes it as to
entirely prevent the rear, if you desire to do so. I have
no particular objection to a rear myself, when I can con-
trol the hind legs, knowing in that case there is not any
danger; from an unbroken horse only is a rear dangerous.

4th. Bridling. — Gentleman patiently waiting for his
horse, — getting a little out of patience; wanting to know
what is the matter, and why he has to wait so long, he
steps into the stable and finds his horse and groom hav-
ing an interesting little fight over the process of bridling.
The groom holds up the bit to the horse's mouth, and he
keeps it shut tight, and no pushing of the same up against
his teeth has the least effect ; just as likely the animal is
probably getting a few welts over the head with a broom-
handle or some other equally pernicious instrument. You
stop him, and say, "If you do that again you leave my
service," and tell him to look at you. Then hold the bit to
his teeth with your right hand, holding bridle at top of it,
near top of his head, and with left hand you press the lip
over on the tush, just lightly, or as hard as necessary to
make him open. It will hurt him just a little, and he
will open his mouth wide enough to admit twenty bits if
you wanted to put them in; and so ends that fight, as all
others will, with a little knowledge how to cure them.

Whilst on bits, I will merely state that Baucher's curb is
a little longer than it should be for common road pur-
poses; for him it was no doubt exactly right, with his
delicate touch and appreciative experience, and using
them for manage training, and understanding all about
the power on the horse's jaw of such a lever, which in
the hands of an ordinary horseman might be dangerous
to himself and hurtful to the animal. For be it understood
that the horse's mouth should be kept so comfortable as
not to occasion any resistance to the bit, but to obey its

BRIDLES AND BRIDLING. 65

slightest touch. The animal will naturally fight a dis-
turbing bit, instead of giving obedience to it. For the
curious on the subject of Baucher's bit, I refer all readers
to the second American edition of his work on horseman-
ship. His bit was in length of side-piece six inches from
top to bottom, — five is enough, — three inches from rein
ring to mouth-piece, and two from that to top of ring for
head-stall. The port, after all, is the most particular
feature requiring attention. Examine it, and if you find
any rough, sharp surface about it, that must necessarily,
if not smoothed, come in contact with the horse's tongue,
let that be filed as smooth and rounding as possible, so as
to be perfectly comfortable to him. It should be just so
high and broad as to admit his tongue without his having
it so contracted as to be disagreeable. Mouth-piece from
four and a half to five inches wide, — the former wide
enough, unless in the case of an extraordinary large
animal. Cannon, one and a half inches in circumference.
I know many are made much thicker, but it is only a
waste of iron and that much more weight on the horse's
head. Feel carefully with a nice touch all over the bit
to discover if there is any irregular surface, so that neither
roof of mouth nor tongue can be injured. The doctrine
advocated by at least one eminent writer, that every horse
should have a bit exactly fitting his mouth, is particularly
applicable in the curb.' As I am only laying down gen-
eral rules, cannot expect to be thus particular. Having
written all I conceive necessary on the subject, it only
remains for rny reader to accommodate himself to his
saddle, bridle, and horse, and with regular daily practice
and determination on his part to be a good rider, he will
make one. Now, having said all my say to him, if my
lady readers will give me their attention I will devote a
short time to them.

6*

66 LADIES MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING.

CHAPTER XII.

LADIES MOUNTING, SEAT, RIDING, AND DISMOUNTING.

FIRST of all, before mounting, or anything is done
towards it, as soon as a lady makes up her mind to be an
equestrienne, I want her to understand the perfect manip-
ulation of her reins. I can fancy some people ridiculing
the idea of my proposed innovation on the rights of
teachers. They want to do it on horseback ; I want that
part understood before she is in the saddle, for the reason
that it is the first step to the control of her horse, and
having that, she can devote herself to her perfectly-bal-
anced seat; without it her mind is agitated and divided
between her hand and her seat, and it takes her a very
long time to perfect both in that condition. Having got
the latter, or her seat, she becomes a good rider in just
half the time. Well, I will stand the ridicule and send
for the bridle into the parlor; there hang it on anything
that will bring the bit on a level with her hands, as if it
were on the horse's head, she seated on a chair, the bridle
so arranged. Now she is to take the reins all up together,
and pick out the curb, that being the lower one. Put those
as directed in the gentlemen's case, — viz., curb outside
of little finger and between that and next finger; then
the snaffle between the next two, turn her hand up and
lay .them all over the forefinger. The curb will come
uppermost and the other next. Now hold them there for
an understanding of the case. You know the curb when
you pull hurts the horse's jaw ; the snaffle only has a direct
effect on the lip, and does not hurt. The former is to be

LADIES MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 67

raised gently to assist your horse in starting a gallop, or
to restrain him if wanting to go too fast ; the latter to
trot him on, or let him have his head, or to relieve him
from pressure from time to time, in order to make him
comfortable. When you raise him on the curb for his
gallop, do not continue the raise, but extend your hand a
little when he starts off; with this knowledge you look at
the reins: tighten one, loosen the other, the thumb all
the while keeping them where you put them. You soon
weary of this, it is too monotonous ; so throw them on
the floor, but pick them up again and repeat the same
process. Now send them away, for I do not want you to
be disgusted at the trifle; but be sure to have them back
the next day and day after, until you can throw them
down on the floor and, with your eyes shut, pick them up
and arrange them in your hand perfectly ; then you have
complete control of your reins, and are ready to mount
your horse. I do not mean be satisfied to do it once, but
a dozen times, until you feel perfectly secure that you can
so alter your reins with your horse on a full run. One
more word : your dress should not be long, — two feet from
your feet when mounted is enough ; if longer, it endangers
your seat. In the gallop, your own or your friend's horse
may get his foot through it, and if of strong material, it may
drag you out of the saddle in a second and cause a dan-
gerous fall. Taking it for granted you have a gentleman
friend to assist you, I proceed on that ground to mount
you, provided your hair is so done up that it cannot by
any possibility fall down ; put it up in anything you think
most becoming, but positively so that it cannot come down
by the galloping, trotting, or any other motion of your
horse. That done, and all else right, the lady holds lightly
the reins all together in her right hand, all in a lump, and
with same hand on the pommel of saddle, standing beside

68

LADIES MO UNITING AND DISMOUNTING

it. Whip in left hand, hanging down, she raises her left
foot, gentleman places the ball of her foot in his palm,
and by a simultaneous action, he raising at the same mo-
ment, and she, assisting by a slight spring, is landed on
the saddle lightly. Now leg over pommel, foot in stirrup,
reins changed from right to left hand, and arranged sys-
tematically in that for use. Whip changed to right hand,
with dress adjusted, she is ready for lesson the first.

A LADY'S SADDLE, WITH THE KNEE CRUTCH AND THE VICTORIA STIRRUI?

ist. The Stirrup. — Let it be just long enough for a
little support, so that when she begins to feel a degree of
security in her seat she can learn to jockey, which will
give her also the elasticity of seat that I have been working
for in a gentleman. The first lesson should be in a riding-
room,, and not over half an hour long. The gait should
be a walk for at least two or three times daily ; after that
a little trot and walk from time to time, as she can take

LADIES MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 69

them most comfortably to herself. In a week or ten days
she will be ready for a short canter, and in a week or two
more she will be ready for the road, always supposing she
has followed the rules for hand and seat. From their po-
sition on the saddle, very many ladies incline their weight
too much on one side ; this is very ungraceful, and ruinous
to your horse's back. She should move in her seat
until, from her own sense of gravity or some one tell-
ing her her position is fair and square, her weight is
equally distributed, her shoulders well back, elbows
down and in, head perfectly straight, looking directly
between her horse's ears. When she has occasion to
turn to speak or answer, her shoulders should not be
moved, but the head, and that only turned for a moment,
then back again, to look between the ears to the road in
front to avoid any obstacles. Now if her stirrup is just so
long that her limb and foot are comfortable, and at same
time by a little pressure on it, added to a little spring on
her part, she can raise herself in the saddle, say six inches,
and then fall back again, she will begin to feel very
much at home in her saddle ; and if she rides the first
month carefully to maintain this seat and perfect it, she
will very soon become a first-rate rider. Haying control
of her reins and seat alike, her horse, if broken, will be
perfectly safe for her, and she can use the curb more than
a gentleman, as her touch is so much lighter. It is fair
to presume now, if she is on the road, that a gentleman
is with her; if so, on which side shall he ride? That is a
much-mooted question, and one that I will answer in my
own way (after a large experience). A good horseman
should ride on her left, a doubtful or unaccustomed rider
on the right. The former on the left has his right hand
free to use either in adjusting her dress, if required, or
arranging anything about her bridle ; in short, whatever

yo

LADIES MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING.

she may require, his hand is free to do it, and, without
moving her shoulders, from time to time she obliques her
face towards him to speak or answer. Altogether it is, in
my opinion, more secure for the lady. The principal objec-
tion urged is that his spur will catch in her dress, or that
his horse may press too closely and hurt her foot ; but as
I am writing now of a horseman, I cannot admit such
objections, as he will not surfer either to occur, and in
this position also he is between her and passing vehicles
approaching. On the other hand, the novice had better
be on the right, for the reason that he will have enough
to do to ride and manage his own horse, and could not,

THE LADY'S PATENT STIRRUP, EXHIBITED AT REST AND IN ACTION.

if he desired ever so much, be of assistance to her. Of
course his spur cannot entangle her dress ; and if on the
left, he would very often worry her against his will by
letting his horse get so close in narrow places as to pos-
sibly bruise her limb ; but even a good rider on her right,
in case her horse runs away or attempts anything wrong,
to use his right hand, would have to reach a long way
over to get at her horse's head, bridle, or bit. The best

LADIES MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 71

way to settle the question is to ask the lady on which side
she prefers you to ride, as some, I know, admitting the
greater security of the left, still like their companion on
the right.

And now a few words on the subject of road-riding,
dismounting, and we will suppose our pupil to have
attained a fair proficiency as an equestrienne.

Ladies, do not ride your horses too hard; recollect they
have legs and wind-works to be injured, and they afford
you so much pleasure you must give a little thought to
their welfare. I know how delightful a light canter or
gallop is, and the longer you can keep it up the greater
the pleasure, at least until you become fatigued : but your
horse will come to that sooner than you, having the weight
to carry; therefore think of him. Half a mile is enough
at any one time for an extended gallop, then ease him up
to a slow trot and to a walk for a quarter, then trot a
quarter, and, if disposed, now you may gallop another
half-mile. By so changing his gait he is very much re-
lieved, and can carry you a much greater distance with
less fatigue than if kept at one gait for a length of time;
the change at the same time will be a relief to you. When
you desire to start him in the gallop, touch him behind
with your whip, raise him on the curb, speaking to him
to go at same time. The same general rules for ladies in
regard to the use of bridle as gentlemen. Now, if our
fair reader is satisfied with her ride, we will return and
dismount, being very particular to walk our horses for the
last half-mile or mile, if agreeable, before reaching home.

2d. To Dismount. — Horse stopped; reins changed from
left to right, she holding them at the end to be dropped
as she alights; foot out of stirrup, and leg over or off
pommel. Gentleman off his horse, and his horse four
feet from the lady's, headed towards hers, for fear he

72 LADIES MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING.

might take a notion to kick. Gentleman within one foot
of lady, he puts up both hands to her elbows, she gives a
slight spring off, his hands receive her weight, — enough to
permit her to alight on the ground without a jar. Or,
another way : gentleman standing six inches farther off,
turns half around, she puts both hands on his shoulder,
gives a little spring off, breaks her fall by the pressure on
his shoulder, and alights necessarily lightly and with per-
fect ease. Now she gives her horse a few gentle pats on
the neck or face to assure him of her satisfaction, which
he appreciates fully. It is an incontrovertible fact that a
horse often restive and uneasy under a gentleman's con-
trol will be just the reverse under a lady's; simply on
account of her lightness of hand he will be submissive
and tractable as possible.

A few words on the subject of her saddle : horns on
pommel should be reasonably low; the old-fashioned high
horns are in the way of the hand, somewhat difficult to get
the leg over or off, and in beginners are sometimes wrongly
used too much for support : the seat not so high as in the
modern ones, by which she is perched up a foot above her
horse's back. There should be a sweep of the seat, up from
greatest point of depression, of at least one and a half
inches at that point, and lower by that much than between
the horns. The modern knee crutch is also desirable. Of
girths there should be three : two inside and one outside,
— the latter with side strap attached to back of seat on the
off or right side, — the two former only should be buckled
tightly, the latter quite loosely, as the side strap draws
that back and makes it tight enough over withers. And
about the padding, the same general precaution as in a
gentleman's saddle; but in front it should be so raised as
that the shield in front of pommel should not rest on,
but only lightly touch, the neck.

LADIES MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING.

73

Having written all I think necessary on this subject, I
will take leave of my horseback riders, whether ladies
or gentlemen, and proceed to discuss the various ills that
horse-flesh is heir to, to the best of my ability, and en-
deavor to write something to alleviate their sufferings, and
at the same time save many a good horse from being con-
demned and his owner the price of a new one ; to say
nothing of what affection may be entertained for him,
supposing him to have been a long-tried, faithful servant.

74 DISEASES INCIDENTAL TO HORSE-FLESH

CHAPTER XIII.

DISEASES INCIDENTAL TO HORSE-FLESH — HOW TO D_.COVER
AND TREAT THEM, AND SO ON.

MY reader being the owner of one or more highly-
valued animals, and having his stable arrangements com-
plete, is as yet not master of the situation, nor will he be
until he can give his groom directions what to do in case
anything occurs to his pets. In very serious cases he
must send for the very best veterinary surgeon that he
knows. But in very many cases he can order the treat-
ment himself; as, for instance, one of his horses is lame
behind (which is less often the case than before).

THE POINTS OF VIEW WHENCE TO LOOK FOR SPAVIN IN A HORSE.

i st. You look for spavin : to do so, look between your
horse's fore legs, back, stooping from that point ; you can
better see if any excrescence once shows itself on the inner
side of the hock-joint. Spavin consists in exostosis from
the adjacent external surfaces of the tarsal bones, always on
the inner side of the hock-joint, or in other words, an
exudation from the joint or its surroundings, ossified,
or in process of becoming so. Seeing the excrescence,
you naturally infer that is the cause of his lameness ; then
examine ; put your hand on it to determine where it is in

DISEASES INCIDENTAL TO HORSE-FLESH.

75

connection with the joint ; if it is below clearly and
seems to be tending down, from the joint, do not yet

NATURAL POSITION OF FOOT,
WHEN RAISED.

BADLY SPAVINED.

BONE SPAVIN.

be alarmed nor condemn the horse, but first remove his
shoes to let his heels down, and if he has heels on now,
have him shod flat hereafter, — then shave the hair off the
part affected, and apply a
good strong blister once or
twice until the part is sensibly
affected by it ; then when it
has ceased to water and is dis-
posed to heal, encourage it by
washing with Castile soap and
water and anointing with
sweet oil. It is just possible
that when healed the soreness

may be removed, and he may THE MANNER IN WHICH TO FEEL FOR

never lame again from that

cause, and you may save for yourself a useful animal. If,
on the contrary, the excrescence is directly on the joint,
grown over it so as positively to stiffen it, there is not
much chance of his ever getting well ; true, lie may only
be stiffened and lame for a mile or two, after that, being

7 8 DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC.

found from either of the above causes, examine his frog,
a stone bruise may lame him ; if such is found, a cooling
poultice of fresh cow-droppings will relieve that in a few
days, if such is not to be had use flaxseed-meal. If, how-
ever, he is not lame from any of the above causes, con-
clude he is strained ; if there is no swelling or any exter-
nal symptom by which you can determine where it is,
of course you are all in the dark, and all you can do is to
give htm rest, take off shoes, and turn out in grass if the
season and circumstances suit ; if not, rest him in the
stable ; it is not at all improbable but that he may get
well from rest alone.

2d. Loins. — To discover if his lameness proceeds from
a strain, run your thumb and forefinger, apart, along
his back across his loin, pressing a little ; if he flinches
press a little more ; a decided soreness, there is evidence
of injury. If of recent occurrence, a sheep-skin fresh from
the slaughtered animal may relieve him ; but be careful
how you approach him with it, as some horses have a
horror of blood ; that and rest, with occasional rubbing,
may save him, but in all cases the cure is doubtful.

3d. Front Feet. — If, on the contrary, your horse should
be lame in front, examine his foot by the same rule as be-
hind ; if nothing there, feel his pastern-joint; no fever or
swelling there, keep on examining; but if there should be
fever and swelling, then stand him in water, if you can,
up and over the joint; if you cannot do that, squirt water
from a hose on it for fifteen minutes at a time, as often as
you can for a few days ; it will come all right. But if no-
thing is the matter, look higher up ; a splint interfering
with a tendon might lame him ; this is a bony growth
from the cannon-bone, about the size of a large pea to
that of a walnut, but it so seldom lames a horse that I
would examine it carefully before doing anything to it.

DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC. 79

If, however, you conclude it is that which lames him, it
must interfere with the back sinews or suspensory liga-
ments ; true, it is not near them, but may affect, and does
sometimes, by its attachments. In that case I would not
blister to make a sore, but try the old-fashioned plan of a
white pine stick, soft as you can get it, and have it tapped
frequently through the day, and if not much lame, use
him all the time, — the stick should be round, about the
size of a broom-handle ; in a short time it will begin to
disappear, and by continuance will go away entirely; or if
you prefer, try some absorbent, that may be less trouble
and produce as good an effect. If not lame from that,
having already examined him from the knee down, —

4th. Look higher up to the arm and shoulder ; if you
can see nothing, stand in front of him, raise his foot and
leg, straighten it out ; if he winces from that, conclude it
is there. Or another plan : if the above shows nothing,
push him around on his fore legs short, the one that is
raised on the turn with more or less difficulty is proof
of the strain, and you may conclude it is a dangerous
lameness, as shoulder strains are always hard to cure, and
often produce sweeny or a decay of the parts around the
bone, and sometimes the bone itself, causing a shrinking
of the same in fron. the skin, but can be relieved in so
far as to make a horse valuable for ordinary purposes. But
unless he is very much valued, it is scarcely worth a gen-
tleman's while to be bothered with him ; though in case
he should desire to attempt a cure, I will give him the
receipt for so doing. The seat of trouble will be found
about an indenture on the shoulder, as though the bone
was shrinking from the flesh ; if the skin is just at that
point taken up firmly and raised so as to make a trans-
verse cut of about one and a half inches, so that the finger
can be inserted, and some pulverized camphor applied to

8o DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC.

the part near the bone for a few days, and the horse
not moved out of his stall, the probability is that he
will get well ; I do not mean exactly sound, but he will
be well enough for ordinary purposes, and may last a long
while without even showing lameness, unless put to fast
work, and that would likely bring back a recurrence of
the disease. I recollect one case of the very best mare
that ever came under my notice ; she was thorough-bred,
and her racing name, I always understood, was Polly
Hopkins. She was lame from the same cause every year
for about three weeks, but after that was perfectly well
the remainder of the year ; that was so for fifteen years
that I owned and rode her, during all that time she was
never off her feet, and was always fit to run for a man's
life. Hagerstown, Maryland, in those days was a great
place for running horses, and if a young horse made ex-
traordinary promise, so great was the old mare's fame,
they would send him over to try a few jumps with her,
and invariably she beat all comers. At the same time I
owned a gelding by John Bascombe, and he was very fast,
but never could beat her (although he had the advantage
of weight). I always rode her at about one hundred and
fifty pounds, and he was ridden at one hundred and
twenty-five pounds ; but at the first jump or two she, the
old mare, managed to get nearly a length ahead, and her
staying powers were so extraordinary that he never could
make an inch on her. But she had this same disease
every year for fifteen years, and never lamed (only at the
time) ; she was shot, having broken her leg by a cast in
the stall. It was to her I adverted when speaking of
arranging a stall for preventing casts. For all this, I
would not advise any one to buy a sweenied horse, for as
a general rule they are not of much value, even for slow
work. In short, it depends upon how the strained part is

DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC.

8l

affected. If you have the horse, and value him very
highly as an old friend, try to cure him; if no particular
attachment, part with him at any price.

5th. Quarter Crack and Contraction. — This is a separa-
tion of the laminae of the hoof, causing a crack in the
front foot, the inner quarter generally, commencing at the
hair and running down ; and if notice is
not taken of it, and the horse allowed
to work until he becomes dead lame,
his usefulness will be lost for six months
or more. It is very easily cured if
taken when first discovered: drive
a very sharp three-fourth-inch chisel
right into the flesh when the hoof
pains it, say one-eighth of an inch in ;
do it quickly; it will bleed pretty freely; and when dry
cover with a rag to assist in bracing the cut up, as his
weight will force it together and it will soon heal. Keep
him in his stall, with feet well stuffed with fresh cow-
droppings every day ; do not have him moved' at all ;

*4 !£5S
side of the fo

A PARTIAL QUARTER SANDCRACK
DRESSED AND SHOD.

THE METHODS OF ERADICATING A SAND-
CRACK : EITHER THE SEMICIRCULAR OR
THE ANGULAR LINES ARE EQUALLY EF-

carry everything to him until healed. His food in the
mean time should be of the most cooling kind but plenti-
ful, either grass or carrots or hay, but positively either
grass or carrots if to be had ; salt and water as much as
he wants. Keep shoes on cracked foot all this time, all
the others take off and stuff same as this one, at least the

82 DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC.

other front one. In about a month the hoof will have
grown down from the hair at least one inch ; now your smith
should put a very delicate flat nail just at the top of the
crack for support, and if you wish now he can be used
moderately without injury ; true, if you do not wish to
use him, it would be better not to do so for two months ;
in about six months it will have grown entirely out and
he will be as sound as ever.

6th. Contraction of Front Feet. — A growing inwards
of the back part of the foot and reduction of action of the
frog ; it is a great source of lameness and very often in-
curable in old horses, but very easily produced, as has
been truly observed. Daily exercise is almost essential to
the health of the foot ; you seldom see or hear of a horse
that is regularly used every day becoming contracted, un-
less he is shamefully shod. This disease arises from a com-
bination of circumstances : standing on plank floors, high
feed, little use, and bad shoeing, or the latter alone, with
some horses, will produce contraction. As many are, from
the natural conformation, more prone to it, I have cured
a number by simply taking off their shoes ; this only occurs
to the front feet, so I write only of them. Rasping the
quarters down so as to weaken them, and cause a little
healthy action of the part, and at the
same time increase the action of the
frog, put on tips (a miniature shoe,
very light, for the toe, — the lighter the
better), running back but a couple of
inches each side ; this is merely to
prevent the hoof from splitting and
enable his owner to use him whilst
he is being cured, but when in the
stable his feet must be stuffed all the time with fresh cow-
droppings. All grain should be taken from him, and his

SMALL FROG.

DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC. 83

feed the same as in quarter crack, only give him plenty
of it; and if it suits to turn him to grass, do so; if not,
have him used a little every day. It is better to drive
him every day a few miles to keep up a healthy circulation
in the foot and impart to the frog particularly some ex-
citement, by bringing it in contact with the ground, there-
by causing expansion, which will in time effect and tend
to expand his quarter. If the horse is young, say from
four to eight years, there is very little difficulty in effect-
ing a cure, particularly if he can be used a year or so in
the country; in an old horse a cure is more doubtful, still
it can do no harm to use him with tips.

I am using an eight-year-old that came to me this
spring, very lame indeed from contraction, so much so
that all who thought they knew said he never could be
cured ; his feet seemed to be almost without circulation,
so much so that any attempt at a trot or gallop caused him
to hobble all over as if he would fall heels over head —
this was only in front — they must have felt to him as if
loaded down by some heavy weight. After having shoes off,
tips on, stuffing with cow-droppings for a few weeks, say
three, feeding on grass all the time, not a particle of grain,
in order to cool his system and start his feet to grow, he
began to feel much lighter about the parts. On trial finding
him not lame, only a little tender, I commenced using him,
and have been doing so for the last four months without the
least ailing ; true, all cases cannot be cured, but so many
will yield to the treatment that it is in all cases worth a
trial, especially as you can use your horse all the time if
not too dead lame ; if he only shows it moderately, to use
him helps to accelerate the cure.

yth. On Shoeing. — If gentlemen would show an interest
in having their horses shod, by telling the groom to be
particular in the stable that their feet are always kept cool,

84 DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC.

then go and see the smith personally, and tell him that
they do not want their horses' feet tied up with heavy
shoes, but to use light, plain ones, and at the same time
insist upon it that he shall touch with his knife neither
frog, sole, or bar, but with his buttress alone let him
level off the outer crust to obtain a level bearing, then
put on shoe, with care not to prick or injure the foot
in any way, nature will take care of the rest, in the
shedding of frog and its surroundings. Your smith will be
glad to do as you tell him if he has any sense, and if he
has none the sooner you get one that has the better for
your horse's sake; he will gladly do it, inasmuch as he gets
the same pay for half the amount of
iron, thereby making so much more
profit. A very good plan is to have
your horses' feet stuffed, with the most
cooling thing you can get, the first
night after being newly shod; if no-
thing better to be had, use wet clay.
Grooms often grease the outer horn,
as they think, to soften it. This is
another vile practice, arising from
ignorance alone ; through that horn
insensible perspiration exudes ; to grease it is to stop the
pores and prevent nature from acting ; in consequence a
dead hardening of the horn instead of softening it.
Standing in mud, if necessary, is a good softener (thin
mud), or frequent stuffing with cow-droppings is the best
of all. With the necessary orders to your smith and at-
tention in the stable, you can reasonably expect your
horses' feet to be always in order. If any of my readers
are curious on the subject, and desire to know more of the
modus operandi of shoeing, let them get Fleming's work
on the subject, — probably the very best ever published,

DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC. 85

going into the subject thoroughly as it does, and exhaust-
ing it as nearly as possible.

Tips, Shoeing with. — The originator of tips should be
immortalized, and if the community of horses had any
say in the matter I have no doubt he would be, as I
consider them probably the most useful of all protections
to the feet. It is barely possible they were the first at-
tempt at a shoe, inasmuch as they really are only some-
what of an apology for one ; and in that consists their
great merit, for the less you bind a horse's foot with heavy
iron bands the greater chance you give nature to act,
and the more she is allowed to assert her sway the more
healthy will be the foot. All a shoe is required for is to
prevent the hoof from being broken, and at the same
time give it a chance to grow out. Now the tip just
covers the toe, and around back to the quarter ; behind
that protection is not necessary, unless in cases of
car horses, or something of that kind, that are always
on the stones. But I am on the subject of gentlemen's
horses. Now for those especially who take their horses
to the country in May, to remain during the sum-
mer and fall : if they would have their shoes taken
off, and use them with tips all the time that they remain
in the country, the benefit to their feet would be such
that they would have no difficulty from any unsoundness.
One may say, the turnpike would injure them : not at
all ; where it is very rough, ease up a little, that is all.
On ordinary pikes a horse with tips will do very well ; the
great mistake is, too much shoeing and too heavy shoes.
As a question of economy also it is worth looking into
for some, as the cost will not exceed one-half the regular
expenditure for heavy shoes, — if you choose to be particu-
lar about that. Besides, any smith can make and put on
a tip, whereas the same might not be able to put a

86 DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC.

shoe on properly. I should be glad to see their use more
general.

8th. Thrush. — A very bad case of thrush will lame
a horse ; the cure for that is very simple. It is a disease
of the frog, caused from want of attention, fever in the
frog, producing inflammation and suppuration ; a very
noxious matter exudes from it, and renders it very tender
and sore to the touch, ending in a decay of the parts.
Have it well washed out with Cas-
tile soap and water, scrape out all
the soft particles, and when dry
pour in spirits of salts, — it will bite
him pretty sharply, and cause him to
stamp pretty well ; when the smarting
THRUSH IN THE HIND FOOT, is over, stuff with fresh cow-drop-
pings, and let him stand on a clay floor until next day ;
then clean out again, and if any more noxious matter
follows, repeat the salts and cow-droppings; meanwhile
take off grain and feed him with green stuff, a week at
most, and possibly a few days will effect a cure : till well
keep up the cooling feed.

9th. Scratches. — This is the result of an impure state
of the blood and filthy stables, and although not an abso-
lute unsoundness, still a horse will stiffen from its soreness,
and show lame when first going out. First take off his
grain feed, then wash clean, soften, and take off the scaly
surface ; for that purpose, when soft, a corn-cob answers
a good purpose, but a rag will do, anything to rub the
top off. When dry anoint with a salve made of equal
parts of hog's lard and pulverized gunpowder. Keep
his blood cool by feeding on grass, carrot, or, in their ab-
sence, ship-stuff mashes, with a teaspoonful of pulverized
saltpetre at night. In a week he will be fit for work
again, and to prevent a recurrence just keep the parts

-*

DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC. 87

clean and blood cool, taking more than usual care not to
overtax or overwork.

loth. Grease. — Is an exaggerated case of scratches com-
ing from the same general causes, and runs up the leg
(hind leg) from the heel to the back. The leg is swollen
tremendously, and so stiff and sore that great lameness
follows. The discharge becomes very offensive, and

THE SUREST MANNER OF PRODUCING CURB.

fungous excrescences cover the whole skin. To cure, first
wash clean, then dry, next put on any powerful poultice,
brown soap and brown sugar mixed, or anything stronger
if you can get it. Repeat this for several days until the
fungoid parts are ready to fall off; then wash again, use
Castile soap plentifully, and if parts are drawn enough
anoint with carbonate of lead or white lead in oil. Keep
that on a few days, all this time feeding with nothing but
green food, saltpetre, and mashes ; as much depends on his
feeding as on the dressing. It can be cured in a short time
by proper care. The only bad case that ever came under
my notice was cured by the above treatment, and I knew
the horse to be well and work for. years after, nor was

88

DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC.

there any swelling of the leg left ; in fact it was a perfect
cure, and I believe that what was done in this case can
be done always.

nth. Curb. — This consists in an enlargement, or a
gradual bulging out, at the back of the hock, a few

A CLEAN HOCK.

A CUKBY HOCK, SLIGHTLY
BULGING OUT BEHIND.

inches below its point, and is probably caused by a strain
of the ligaments of the tendon. To look for a curb, ob-
serve the leg sideways. Rest and cooling lotions applied
will effect an amelioration of the case; but a real cure is

AN INDIA-RUBBER BANDAGE, FOR KEEPING
WET CLOTHS UPON A CURB.

THE LINES MADE, FOR SOME IMAG-
INARY BENEFIT, WITH A HEATED
IRON, UPON THE HOCK OF A HORSE
HAVING CURB.

hard to insure. A cloth, doubled over and over, may be
bandaged by means of India-rubber, as is shown in one
of the accompanying engravings : when this may be used,
it is afterwards to be kept constantly cool and wet. Pre-
vent exposure whilst under such treatment, as much as
possible, and have but very little movement until the heat
and swelling are diminished and the leg is almost sound.

DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC.

89

Curb is considered an unsoundness, but in buying a horse
I would not mind a small curb. True, I would call the
attention of the seller to it, and ask an abatement of
price in consequence ; but for ordinary work I would not

do anything for it, if it did not lame him, which it seldom
does, only in the case of a race horse : therefore I would
risk a curb if I ot something off the price to warrant
the risk.

8*

9o DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC.

1 2th. Thorough-Pin. — Is a large windgall on the hock,
between the cord and the bone. It is not in popular esti-
timation an unsoundness, but is regarded
as only an eyesore, and seldom has any bad
effect, such as laming or causing any stiff-
ness ; therefore I would not attempt to re-
move it, as it very often disappears when a
horse gets regular work and attendance.
1 3th. Stringhalt. — A sudden jerking up

THOROUGH-PIN. Qf Qne Qr ^Q^ hjn(j Jegg Jj- jg SUppOSed tO

be some obscure disease of the sciatic nerve. I know no
cure for it ; and although a horse will work on for years
with it, still, it is decided unsoundness, and shows more
in winter than summer.

THUMPS.

CHAPTER XV.

THUMPS.

AN internal working, heaving, or thumping of the
flank, occasioned by excessive fatigue, probably causing
some derangement of the heart-functions, but is seldom
attended with immediate serious results. A horse with
reasonable care may last with them a long time, and only
show the distress when overworked. No absolute cure for
it. His work should be so regulated as not to create too
much oppression, and when attacked feed to be given as
in heaves.

90 DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC.

1 2th. Thorough-Pin. — Is a large windgall on the hock,
between the cord and the bone. It is not in popular esti-
timation an unsoundness, but is regarded
as only an eyesore, and seldom has any bad
effect, such as laming or causing any stiff-
ness ', therefore I would not attempt to re-
move it, as it very often disappears when a
horse gets regular work and attendance.

1 3th. Stringhalt. — A sudden jerking up
THOROUGH-PIN. of one or Dotri hind legs. It is supposed to
be some obscure disease of the sciatic nerve. I know no
cure for it ; and although a horse will work on for years
with it, still, it is decided unsoundness, and shows more
in winter than summer.

THUMPS.

CHAPTER XV.

THUMPS.

AN internal working, heaving, or thumping of the
flank, occasioned by excessive fatigue, probably causing
some derangement of the heart-functions, but is seldom
attended with immediate serious results. A horse with
reasonable care may last with them a long time, and only
show the distress when overworked. No absolute cure for
it. His work should be so regulated as not to create too
much oppression, and when attacked feed to be given as
in heaves.

92

COKNS.— TREA TMENT.

CHAPTER XVI.

CORNS.

I OMITTED speaking of corns when treating of diseases
of the foot. A corn is generally the result of bad shoe-
ing, sometimes arising from a bruise. It is simply a
rupture of the delicate blood-vessels of the sensible sole,

DIAGRAM

Showing the position of the hindermost
part of the coffin-bone when in a pas-
sive state ; also portraying the shoe
in the fleshy or flat foot.

Illustrating the relative positions of the
wings of the coffin-bone, and the thick,
concave, horny sole of the contracted
foot when not in motion.

and is of a semi-fungoid character. The commonplace
of cutting them out only affords temporary relief. I do not

THE SITUATION AND ASPECT OF
AN OLD CORN UPON A LARGE.
FLAT FOOT.

THE DEEPLY-SEATED AND SMALL
SCARLET SPOT WHICH DECLARES
THE PRESENCE OF A NEW CORN.

like the plan. The horse should be let up for at least a
month, his shoes taken off, and turned out to grass, with-

CORNS.— TREA TMENT.

93

out touching the foot. The cooling food, expanded frog,
and its effect on the sole will absorb the semi-fungoid
substance, and the horse will get perfectly sound. Or if to
turn him out is not convenient, then, with shoes off, keep
him standing on wet clay, and feed him with carrots and

THE SOLE OF THE HORSE'S FOOT BEING TESTED FOR CORNS.

hay. The effect will be the same, but it may take a little
longer time, as his general health will not be so good as if
turned out. The very exercise that he would take in the
field would tend to hasten the cure.

94 WIND - WORKS.— HEA VES.

CHAPTER XVII.

WIND-WORKS. — HEAVES.

MANY fine horses are rendered unfit for a gentleman's
driving by this disease, and yet very many, if properly
fed, could be driven on for years agreeably. Under this
head I would again urge the exactness of stable management,

DIAGRAM, TO ILLUSTRATE THE RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE STOMACH AND OF
THE DIAPHRAGM.

i. The lungs. 2. The stomach. 3. The intestines. 4. The diaphragm. 5. The
bladder.

as very many, of these same diseases are brought about by
neglect of it, heaves among the number. They of course
affect the horse's general usefulness, and are very often
brought on by an excessive quantity of hay before driving,
particularly if it be, as often it is, a little musty. When the
horse's lungs happen to be in a state to be thus affected, the
disease shows itself, and seems to be the result of excess-

WIND - WORKS.— HE A VES.

95

ive dilatation or rupture of the air-cells of the lungs,
which seems to account for the cause and symptoms
attending heaves ; the latter, when excessive, after filling
the matured and enlarged cells, first employ the former
by natural respiration, and then by a greater action of
the diaphragm and intercostal muscles expel the air from
the diseased portion of the lung; a distended stomach
then acting against this difficulty of respiration, heaves
follows. When really very bad, there is no cure; but it is
not often so bad but that the following treatment will
benefit him somewhat, and in ordinary cases a horse will
so benefit from it as to be useful for a long time : as soon
as the owner notices the symptoms as above, he inquires
about his hay, and if he finds it musty and is satisfied
from all the attendant symptoms that his horse is heavy,
let him try at least to nip the disease in the bud ; if the hay
is not musty, have it cut (get a cutting-box at once if you
have not one, no stable should be without one). Cut your
hay one-half to three-fourths of an inch long, wet that well,
and put on a mixture of ship-stuff, or corn-meal, or anything
of wheat except the pure bran, — I confess to not liking
bran for horses, it only irritates the bowels without afford-
ing nourishment; or have oats chopped, — anything that is
nutritious, but feed nothing dry, — and change your mode
of feeding for a few days at least, until you find the horse
more easy, by giving him only the same quantity. But
instead of giving it to him in three feeds, divide it into
six parts, so that at no time shall his stomach be so dis-
tended as to cause inflammation. That done, if you find his
respiration regular, return to the three regular feeds, but
make all wet, — not sloppy, simply wet ; now feed once a
day a medium- sized spoonful of pulverized alum, and occa-
sionally an amount of ground ginger, say a large spoonful
(table spoon). If you find him improving on this treat-

96 WIND - WORKS.— HE A VES.

ment, and you can use him satisfactorily, do not part
with the horse, but keep up the wet feeding, and as long
as he gets no worse he may last you a long time. An in-
stance : I bought a fine mare before the war (at the begin-
ning of it) for ninety-five dollars, used her for troop
service, had her pretty well broken ; then having no more
use for her, sold her for one hundred and fifty dollars;
she was next sold for five hundred, held by the party a
few months, pronounced unsound, and sent to auction. I
bought her, a heavy mare, for one hundred and twenty-
seven dollars, and, with the treatment above described,
rode and drove her, and jumped her as high as any-
body's horse could get up with my weight, and she
never suffered, and in fact no one knew it. If, however,
they get worse instead of better, the sooner you sell
the horse the less trouble you will have, as a bad case
may run into farcy.

FARCY.

97

CHAPTER XVIII.

FARCY.

THIS disease, although not so dangerous to humanity, is
still closely allied to glanders, and very often runs into
the same ; the difference is that elimination is attempted
in the skin instead of the mucous membrane 'lining of the

FARCY ON THE INSIDE OF THE HORSE'S
THIGH, WHERE THE SKIN IS THIN
AND THE HAIR ALMOST ABSENT.

A PORTION OF SKIN, TAKEN FROM A
FARCIED HORSE, INJECTED WITH
MERCURY.

nose. As no treatment can be relied on for a cure, the
stable should be relieved of a horse so diseased. It is
known by small buds under the thighs and belly.

98 GLANDERS.

CHAPTER XIX.

GLANDERS.

FOR this there is but one cure, and that is the bullet, or
any other summary process that will put the horse out of
the way. To ride or drive or have any association with a
glandered horse, endangers the life of the individual so
engaged ; it is an awful disease, and seems to be a
poison in the blood, which nature attempts to throw off by
a discharge from the nose, very often from one nostril
only. It is pure pus that comes, yellow and opaque and
quite offensive ; the smallest quantity of it getting into
the human system is certain death ; and there being no
possible cure for the horse, there is but the one thing to
be done.

RING-BONE.

99

CHAPTER XX.

RING-BONE.

THIS consists in the throwing out of a hard substance,
bony matter, about the coronal joint, near where the hair
joins the hoof, generally in front. When it first appears a

THE PASTERN AND PEDAL BONE OF A
HORSE AFFECTED WITH SEVERE RING-
BONE.

1. The joint between the pastern bones,
showing the groove in which the tendon
of the extensor pedis muscle reposed.

2. The joint between the lower pastern
and the bone of the foot.

THE FOOT OF A LIVING HORSE WITH
AGGRAVATED RING-BONE.

The animal from which the above
sketch was taken, although used to
propel a cart, was by no means of a
cart breed. The creature rather hob-
bled than went lame ; but all flexion
was entirely lost in the pastern bones.

strong absorbent may put it back, but if the disease once
obtains a strong hold the animal is of little value, and
any attempt to effect a cure will be waste of time.

TOO

POLL EVIL, OR FISTULA.

CHAPTER XXL

POLL EVIL, OR FISTULA.

THE former comes on the poll or top of the head, a
little back of the ears, the latter just beside the top of the
wither. Unless the horse should be a highly valued one,
I would not advise a gentleman to bother about curing
him, but sell him to some one whose business it is to cure

THE POSITION OF THE HEAD BEFORE AN ENLARGEMENT ANNOUNCES THE EXIST-
ENCE OF AN ABSCESS ON THE POLL.

and sell ; but for the benefit of any who should desire to
attempt the cure, I will advise. Both diseases come from
the same cause, a bruise ; and as they first get hard, swell,
then suppurate, the only plan is to open at the lower
part of the diseased poll or wither, so as to let the nox-
ious matter out below. When it has been running until the
swelling is somewhat abated, wash out with Castile soap

POLL EVIL, OR FISTULA.

101

and water, inject the same repeatedly through the day,
until it is seemingly disposed to get better ; then inject
with a mixture of Castile soap, camphor, turpentine, and
proof spirits, in other words, soap liniment, with a few

A HORSE WITH FISTULOUS WITHERS IN THE WORST STAGE.

drops of turpentine added to it, any druggist knows it.
Use this twice a day, and if it does not do good the case
may be set down as hopeless.

T02

CHRONIC COUGH, ETC.

CHAPTER XXII.

CHRONIC COUGH, ETC.

As it occurs very often after eating, the seat of disease is
evidently in the lung, with distended stomach and a press-
ure on the diaphragm, and that on the lung; they forming
some congestion are not able to transmit the air, and in
violent efforts to discharge their functions irritation is
caused and cough follows. Short-cut feeds, but little hay,
anything to keep him cool, and feeding little at a time
and often.

Spasmodic Colic may come on at any time, even when

THE FIRST STAGE OF SPASMODIC COLIC.

you are out riding or driving. I have on several occa-
sions met friends on the road with their horse out of the
shafts, harness off, and the animal in agony, rolling about
the road ; knowing me they would hail my appearance,
with a hope of getting home with their horse sooner
than expected. In such a case the most efficacious

CHRONIC COUGH, ETC. 103

mode is with your pocket-knife, small blade, sharp
point (if not so, make it as sharp as you can on the
first stone you see) ; then bleed him in the mouth freely.
As he will swallow his blood, it will relieve him in a few
minutes, and probably he will not have a recurrence for
some time ; if he has, when you get home drench him
with whisky and black pepper. To explain, so that any
one can bleed in the mouth : standing on the left of his
head, you raise his upper lip with your left hand, and
with your right, knife blade held firmly, stick it in
quickly about one inch and a quarter in the gum, near
third bar, counting from back of front teeth. If it spurt
out well and bleed freely, it is enough ; if not, go to the other
side and try it a little deeper, always keeping the point of
the knife inclined a little up. I never knew a horse to
bleed to death, but one came very near it. It only
requires a finger held over the orifice, or if that does
not answer, a cobweb put into the outer edge of the cut
will do it ; this is supposing you are bleeding on the road
to relieve a horse from sudden pain, where no modern
appliances for stopping blood are to be had.

N

104

INFLAMMATION OF THE EYES.

CHAPTER XXIII.

EYES.

IF any inflammation, examine the eye first to see if any
hay-seed, bit of straw, or hay may be there; if so, take it
out and wash the eye with cold water, and the inflamma-
tion will subside. If not, and you can see nothing but
general inflammation, then wash with lead-water. To do
so properly use a small, clean sponge, — be sure there is no
sand in it ; when saturated with the lead-water, squeeze the
sponge in the cup above the eye, — the water will run into it

AN EYE DISPLAYING THE RAVAGES
OF SPECIFIC OPHTHALMIA.

TERMINATION TO SPECIFIC
OPHTHALMIA.

from the corners, and cool it nicely. If the inflammation
continues to exist, bleed in the vein beneath the eye : it
is a small vein, but by holding your finger on it, to stop
the regular course of the blood, it will swell so that with a
small, sharp blade, by sticking it upwards so as not to cut
through it, you will get a reasonable amount of blood ;
and the probability is, unless something serious is the
matter, that the eye will get well. For further informa-
tion on this subject I refer my reader to Mayhew's "Illus-

INFLAMMATION OF THE EYES.

trated Horse Doctor," by J. B. Lippincott & Co., as it

gives a detailed account of the eye and its various diseases.

In the country, where the people are in a semi-barbarous

state in regard to such matters, they blow in dry bird-lime

through a quill, and if that does not restore, which it is

impossible that it should do, as it only makes bad worse,

they aggravate the case by blowing in pulverized glass,

which causes the poor animal intense

suffering ; and if there was a shade of

hope for his sight, this caps the

climax, and he is a blind horse for

life. I once had a curious case in a

superb gray horse, owned and ridden

by a physician, who was a heavy man

and a heavier rider ; he was absolutely

ridden blind. I bought him for

twenty-five dollars as an experiment.

On examination found his eyes cov-

ered with a sort of blue film, the

DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING
THE ACTION OF BELLA-
DONNA.

The inner space repre-
sents the natural pupil, on
no cataract is to be
The

washer terribly inflamed, and by some on two partial cataracts

- * are to be remarked, i he

invisible attachment drawn up, nearly other space merely repre-

sents the dilated pupil.

half over or near the ball. I also ob-

served in his ear a prominent cord; and, thinking over

PARTIAL CATARACTS, OR SMALL WHITE
SPECK WITHIN THE PUPIL OF THE EYE.

COMPLETE CATARACT.

it, wondered if that was by some slight ligament attached
to the washer, as that cord, from its hardness, was evi-

E*

106 INFLAMMATION OF THE EYES.

dently contracted. Ergo, might it not cause his blind-
ness, from the inflamed washer effecting and causing that
film over the sight? Without much thought I cut the cord
in each ear directly off, clean and clear ; this was thirty
years ago, but I have a most distinct recollection of it,
as it seemed a hollow tube ; at all events, the eyes in a
few days began to look better. True, I fed him salts
freely, and cooling food, and in a week's time he seem-
ingly had as fine an eye in his head as you would desire.
A party came to see him, who became so pleased with the
horse that he insisted on buying him, knowing all the
circumstances. I parted with him reluctantly for one
hundred and fifty dollars, and often heard of him as
being foremost in many a deer-hunt, but never set my eyes
on him after. However, presumed if he was able to be at
some good ones in a day's hunt, that his eyes stood him
in good stead.

LAMP AS AND WOLFS TEETH.

107

CHAPTER XXIV.

LAMPAS AND WOLF'S TEETH.

LAMPAS occurs more frequently in young horses from
four to six years old. The gums swell and rise even with
and sometimes beyond the teeth, are very sore, and make
it impossible for the horse to eat without great pain. Con-
sequently he refuses to eat and becomes thin and languid.
To cure, use a sharp-pointed knife; stick all over the
swollen parts, deep enough to bleed pretty well. If that
does not give you enough blood, scarify by drawing your

BURNING FOR LAMPAS.

blade from point to point, and the inflammation will sub-
side and the horse be all right. If a recurrence, do the
same thing over, and the inflammation will subside en-
tirely. This is a great deal better than the brutal practice,
so prevalent in the country, of burning the horse's gums
with a red-hot iron. It is cruel beyond expression, and
should never be adopted.

Wolffs Teeth. — I invariably knock them out, often

108 LAMPAS AND WOLFS TEETH.

they can be taken out with the finger; if not, knock
them out. A small iron applied with a good stroke of a
hammer will do it. They come just before the grinders,
are easily got at, and have some mysterious connection,
from their attachments, with the eye.

LUNG FEVER.

I09

CHAPTER XXV.

LUNG FEVER.

A VERY common disease, particularly in the spring,
although it is of rare occurrence to a horse well wintered
in the city, but seems to affect young horses brought in
from the country for sale : whether from cold taken on their
journey or from the closeness of a city stable, the poisonous
air with which they are infected, or what else, it is not nor
cannot be known ; probably it comes from a combination
of causes. If the breathing is labored and somewhat
accelerated, — although the pulse may not be very much
quickened, but beats with a sort of a bulge, — the ears being
dejected, coat rough, bowels costive, and a general op-
pression, he is in a bad way. Bleed now from the jugu-
lar, but not immoderately, one quart is enough if it seems
to give relief; my object is now to give not take away
strength. After a slight bleeding, soak each foot in hot
water up to the knee, not scalding, but near it, for ten
minutes, then wrap in flannel cloths. Give him in this
case rock-salt in his trough, or any kind of salt, and with
plenty of bedding ; let him rest an hour or more, then give
him a bucket of gruel made of scalded shorts or ship-
stuff, or middlings ; after scalding, let them be cooled.
Put two quarts of this mash into a bucket of hot water,
— make it very hot, even , if the weather is warm, the
object being to start perspiration,— give him this six
times a day if he will drink it; let him have his legs
kept in the woolens until morning, and then examine.
If still cold, repeat the soaking process of yesterday

10

IIO LUNG FEVER.

and wrap up again; take care to keep so that no draught
can touch him, but at the same time as much pure air for
him to breathe as possible, and the chances are your
horse will get well. Some cases are beyond all chance of
getting over. If markedly improving, continue the gruel.
Hand-rub his ears often during the day under any cir-
cumstances ; as soon as they and his legs show warmth
his danger is lessened. Continue the gruel, the more he
will take the better his chance.

COLDS OR CATARRH, AND MEGRIMS,

CHAPTER XXVI.

COLDS OR CATARRH, AND MEGRIMS.

AN inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal
cavity. First reduce the solid food of your horse, substi-
tuting grass or carrots in reasonable quantity. I would only
reduce his grain by one-half. Give him to drink tar-water,
say one quart of tar put in the bottom of his bucket, then
bucket filled with water, and let it stand overnight ; when
drunk, fill it up again until the tar ceases to give out any v
virtue, then remove the dross and put in fresh. He will
soon get over it by this treatment unless he is very bad, with
considerable fever attending. If alarmed, you had better
send for a professional, for when it gets to that stage it
may be a long case and hard to cure, and if not properly
taken in hand may result disastrously.

Having now written all I deem necessary at this time on
diseases, I will add a little on miscellaneous subjects. But
just at this juncture my farmer, who has two, to him, very
valuable work horses, tells me there is a disease prevalent
in the neighborhood, and that a friend of his has lost a
pair of horses that cost him' three hundred dollars. I tell
him, without knowing anything about the disease, to get
asafoetida, and put a lump big as a walnut in a rag, and
nail it in the bottom of his horse-bucket, and another lump
somewhere near his feed trough, so that he cannot get at
it to eat (as some are very fond of it), but so that he will
inhale the air infected by it. Then whitewash every week
around his trough and inside of it, and around his hay-

H2 COLDS OR CATARRH, AND MEGRIMS.

box. All these are good preventives. Again, a gentle-
man just called to say he has a very fine horse, fast and
handsome, a good feeder, apparently sound, but occa-
sionally all of a sudden he falls in harness, gets up in a
minute or so all right, and keeps so until he falls again, —
the other day he broke a shaft. I say to him, part with him
immediately, he may fall some day in double harness, break
a pole, and if the other horse is not as quiet as a lamb
will endanger the lives of all in the carriage. You are
never safe behind him. The disease is called megrims,
and may be caused by a fatty condition of the heart, or
by some congestion of the brain-vessels, — we do not know
exactly, — but 'he is not fit for a gentleman's use. For
slow work on a farm he might last a long time and do no
harm, if kept on grass in summer, and on hay, with half a
regular allowance of grain, in the winter.

A ball of, or lump of, pure clay is a most excellent
thing for all horses, acting as a tonic; and a horse of this
kind should have it always before him. In fact, all horses
should have access to clay by some means, as there is
nothing better; put it in his trough occasionally, and you
will find he will lick it with delight.

WATER.

CHAPTER XXVII.

WATER.

UNDER all circumstances give your horse clean water ;
no animal is more particular about his water, he will
almost die of thirst rather than drink from a dirty, greasy
bucket ; muddy water he will drink, but greasy water
never. He will reject his feed for the same reason, and
is probably the most dainty of all animals, being neither
carnivorous nor omnivorous. His feed trough should be
whitewashed inside once a month if it can be done, and
always looked into or felt before feeding, to out pick any-
thing in the shape of a nail or pebble, if any happen to be
there. Never allow your horse to drink from a public horse
trough without examining if any noxious matter happens
to be there, from horses before him ; from not attending
to this, glanders may be transmitted, and other diseases.

MISCELLANEOUS.

MEDICINE.

I AM decidedly opposed to giving medicine, as my
readers may have judged ere this, — unless it be a little
Glauber's salt in their food. The drenching and balling
done by grooms is not to be allowed on any consideration.
Sometimes in ignorance they severely injure a horse's
throat, to say nothing of the permanent injury the dosing
may do him. It may be rank poison for all they know,
it is a ball to them, that's enough, — down it is rammed.

I must confess that in the spring, weather just getting
hot enough to produce languor or weakness, I like to feed
a mixture, as thus: two tablespoons of hickory ashes (or
oak) — wood ashes, one spoon pulverized alum, and one
fine-cut tobacco, — what they call cut-and-dry, — mix all
together and feed in their chop at night. It strengthens the
digestive powers and destroys worms. Certainly I never
knew it do any harm.

A tea made from the bark and berry of common spice-
wood, welt boiled, and mixed with a horse's chop, is also
an excellent thing for both stomach and blood.

ACUTE FOUNDER.

This should never occur to a gentleman's horse ; but
for fear that it should, it may be as well to know some-
thing about its cause, treatment, and so on. First, over-
(114)

MISCELLANE OUS. 115

heat, — being allowed to swallow, when the whole system
is overwrought, water or even grain ; a very few mouthfuls
of either does the business. When done his feet will be
feverish, and he will be stiff all over ; will often not be
able to rise. The only thing to be done, and the sooner
the better, is to take from him from one to two gallons of
blood from the jugular vein. Take off shoes all round,
and poultice feet with fresh cow-droppings, to cover foot
and pastern with it, if possible; or, if not to be had,
bran or linseed-meal mixed with warm water. Put on
fresh poultices five or six times a day, and for some time,
until he is able to bear his weight comfortably on his feet.
Feeding all the time green food, not a mouthful of grain,
but as many carrots and as much hay as he wants, or, if
to be had, grass. When he is sufficiently able -to feed and
take care of himself, let him be turned into a soft meadow
for a few months. It often ruins a horse for all his after-
life, and a very little care would prevent it. No matter
how tired a horse may be, if you will only wash out nos-
trils and mouth, and under and around the root of his
tail, dry rub his ears, straighten his hair, and give him
either hay or grass, but the latter to be preferred, — let
him eat of these what he will for half an hour, then give
him water and a mash of scalded oats and ship-stuff, — and
he will be all right next day. If he will eat a little hay
before his water there is no danger of founder, unless he
should be in a draught.

One other cure for founder, if the horse can be taken
soon after the mischief is done. Get him into a profuse
perspiration, — in plain English, sweat it out, — blanket him
all over, hood and body blankets (if on hand), make him
trot, gallop, or anything, to get him well sweated; then
in a close stable, where no draught can reach him, scrape
well and rub. Give some tepid water mixed with a quart

! ! 6 M ISC EL LANEO US.

of corn-meal to the bucket; then blanket up again, and
get another sweat out of him. Scrape again, put on dry
clothes, and let him stand. Feed him scalded ship-stuff,
if grass is not to be had, — the latter always preferred, — or
carrots and hay. Without any more violent exercise, the
probability is, by care and attention to his diet, and keep-
ing his feet cool, he may get over it. There is no cer-
tainty in either cure, but either may do a great deal of
good if the case is not of too long standing.

WATER AND ITS USES IN CONNECTION WITH FOUNDERS.

Extremely cold water, or very hot water, are alike use-
ful in cases of slight founder, or slight indisposition of
any kind, causing stiffness, want of appetite, and general
debility, attended by slight fever. If he will drink very
cold water (ice cold) all right; if not, and generally horses
prefer hot to cold, then give him hot, — not warm, but hot,
as hot as he will drink it, — and as much as he will drink;
it will cause free perspiration, and effect a quick and cer-
tain cure, always provided he is not allowed to take cold;
keep him free from draughts, and if the weather is cold
put on a blanket until he is quite well.

HORSES THAT HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS GRAIN FED.

To such, taking off shoes and turning out to pasture, if
but for two weeks every year, gives them a new lease of
life, and almost insures them against lameness from crip-
pled feet. It is a great thing to give a horse grass in
summer; nothing cools him so nicely, or is so grateful
to his appetite. If gentlemen would take the trouble to
let their horses pick grass, or pluck it and give them on a hot
afternoon, the avidity with which they eat, and the seem-
ing enjoyment to them, would repay the owner for the

MISCELLANE 0 US.

Iiy

trouble, and then the horse returns to his stable with a
renewed stomach for his night's feed.

RINGWORM AND VERMIN.

The former very much resembles the same in a human
being, coming in ugly blotches on the horse under his
mane, and thighs, belly, and behind the fore legs.
When discovered the horse should be kept by himself, and
anoint the affected parts with a mercurial ointment (red
precipitate), to destroy the parasitic fungus, once a day
for a few days ; feed meanwhile on cooling food ; have
him well rubbed with hay or straw ; neither curry-comb or
brush need be used at this time, particularly if he is in a
stable with other horses, and yet apart from them, as he
should be. A week of care will cure, but he must not be
allowed to go out nor have any chance of getting cold ; to
subject him to that would be to ruin him.

VERMIN (LICE).

A horse wintered in the country (poorly), nothing but
hay, and that possibly of bad quality, is very apt to come
up in the spring with a hide covering multitudes of lice.
If his coat stares, and his eyes look dull, and he scratches
himself in the stall, look for them; and when found, as
they will be, use the same ointment as in the case of ring-
worm, only rub it around the base of the ears, down along
the root of mane, under the fore arm, along the spine,
root of tail, and under thighs inside ; a few anointings
will kill them all. Keep them out of the weather also, until
the effect of the mercury has been dissipated.

MANGE.

This is a skin disease, the hair seeming to rot and fall
off, and is decidedly contagious. To be sure of it.

n8

M ISC EL LANEO US.

scratch him along the mane, and he will stretch out his
neck to get the full enjoyment of your titillation. For cure

THE TEST FOR MANGE.

use an ointment, say four ounces of strong mercurial oint-
ment to one pound of soft soap ; anoint freely.

A CRIBBER

cannot be called exactly un-
sound, and yet such a horse
may so fill himself with wind
as to unfit him for the work of a
sound horse ; it is a habit one
animal will take from another,
and I have no doubt its origin
may be traced to a diseased
stomach. This is a case in which
rock-salt in his stall always may
do some good, by keeping his
stomach cool ; he will not want
to crib; but the habit once acquired is hard to break; a
strap around the neck, buckled tight, will do it for the
time.

EGG BLISTER.

In a case where you only want a moderate blister, as it
will only ruff the hair if not too severely applied, take the
white of three eggs, one wineglass of turpentine, and one

A HORSE IN THE ACT OF CRIB-
BITING.

MISCELLANE O US.

119

of proof whisky, put in any vessel, stir well, and heat in
the sun or in a stove for a few hours, until it becomes a
thick paste, then rub the affected part twice or thrice a day,
as seems best. A fine horse came to me lately, — hind
sinews strained badly. I did nothing but rub with this
egg blister, and he was cured entirely. True, I altered his
shoes, to take the strain off the heel and put it on the toe.

SURFEIT,

from the combined causes of over-feeding and over-heat-

ing, sometimes give much trouble, — the animal feels very

! 20 MISCELLANE O US.

badly, his digestive powers are weakened, he breaks out
in skin blotches, and is unfit for work. Bleed from the
neck liberally, feed him nothing but green food, as much
as he will eat ; if that is not to be had, wheaten mashes
and saltpetre, as before directed ; stand him on clay, or
stuff his feet with it and let him rest ; keep his skin clean
that the pores may be open and nature act. A few days
of this treatment will make him all right again.

HIDE-BOUND.

This is not by any means unsoundness, it is brought
about by neglect, irregular and bad feeding, combined
with want of rubbing, from which his pores are measura-
bly inactive. Have him well cared for ; feed chop every
night for a time (corn-meal and shorts), water regularly,
and give him to amuse himself plenty of good pure clay
and salt; in a short time his hide will be healthfully
loose.

ROARING, OR A ROARER.

An unnatural sound, seemingly from the throat (when in
action). It may be produced by some unseen compression
of the larynx, or by some particular conformation of the
throat from some injury received, — possibly from having
a ball administered injudiciously; thus, with his head
braced up very high, the noise is necessitated. It is un-
doubtedly unsoundness, and not likely to be cured ; cool-
ing food, and allowing his head to remain in the position
nature intended it, may do some good.

BROKEN WIND.

This is a sad affliction, and seems somewhat of the same
general character as asthma in the human being, and is
brought about by insufficient nourishing food, where a

MISCELLANE O US.

121

large amount of work is required, allowing his health to
run down for want of care, great exposure, and starvation,
— whether in the lungs or stomach, or both, is hard to tell ;

the poor creature is a burden to himself and valueless to
his owner.

CROOKED OR SPRUNG KNEES.

Occasionally we meet a horse fresh from the country,
young and sound save his being forward on his front legs.
The dealer will probably tell you he was so from his early
coltship ; and from his youth at present it may be so, and he

F II

1 2 2 MISCELLANE O US.

may still be a sure-footed horse. In that case it is waste of
time to attempt a remedy; but if he should become for-
ward in your ownership, and be a reasonably young horse,
say from five to ten years, as soon as you notice the de-
cided weakness, have shoes off, and let him have a run at
pasture (if possible, an entire let-up from work), and whilst
idle have the back of his leg or legs (for sometimes only
one is affected) rubbed twice a day with dog's fat, if to be
had, — if not to be had, hog's lard, with a small quantity
of pulverized camphor mixed or melted in with it, say
four ounces to the pound of lard. Three months' rest will
probably restore him for years of usefulness.

TO CURE A SHYER OR JIBBER.

Under some circumstances it is impossible to abso-
lutely prevent a shy, — as, for instance, if it comes from
defect of vision. In that case the only remedy is to cure
the diseased organ. True, a horse having confidence in
his rider, when about to shy, if spoken to and encour-
aged, may be diverted from his object; but it may be of
so frequent recurrence as to become irksome to the rider;
and there is no cure, unless to cure the sight. Some
horses shy from habit ; having once learned their power
to wheel and run, they will do it for their own amusement.
To cure that is very simple : when he wheels, just at the
moment apply the opposite spur pretty vigorously, and
draw the opposite rein (snaffle), turn him clean around,
that will stop his run, and face him to the object. Now
incline both spurs, and with steady hand and seat speak
to him to go on : if he still refuses, and wheels again,
repeat the same method ; only at each repetition let him
feel more punishment from the spur. A very few attempts
will satisfy him that in this case he has mistaken his man,
and that he is no more master. A shy from absolute fright

MISCELLANE O US.

123

must be treated without punishment, but with firmness.
Let him have his gallop out, a short distance from the
object of his fright, then wheel him, and caressingly urge
him back, but not fast, slow but decidedly ; and so repeat
until he will come up to and near the object. Nervous
shyers to be treated the same as affrighted ones.

DISEASES OF THE URINARY ORGANS.

A horse affected with inflammation of the kidneys, or
any of the surrounding parts, will show it by straddling as

he walks, to enable him to relieve some pressure on the

! 2 4 M ISC EL LANEO US.

inflamed parts, that would otherwise, in his natural gait,
be very painful to him. True, these organs in the horse
are very little prone to disease ; if observed, however,
and you find him suffering apparently as he travels, give
half an ounce of sweet nitre in his mash, for two or three
nights successively; let him remain without work during
that time. Feed nothing but cooling food, — no grain ;
warm mashes, or grass (if to be had) ; keep his strength
up by mashes of ship-stuff; if grass cannot be had, feed
carrots instead. If he gets no better, then send for a
regular practitioner. A teaspoonful of pulverized rosin
sometimes has a happy effect, if the obstruction is not great.

BRITTLE HOOFS.

Often an otherwise valuable horse has feet that will not
hold a nail for any length of time, and has to be sent to
the smith-shop once a week to have new nails put in,
and shoes removed ; all this is necessarily attended with
great expense, and the foot at last becomes so bad that
the horse is useless. The cure is as simple as it is certain.
Have a tin or earthen vessel standing in the stable out of
the way of your horse; let it be said to contain a gallon,
more or less ; every morning let it be filled with cham-
ber lye, a stick, some three feet long with some rags
fastened at the end, put in it ; with this let your groom
swab your horse's feet as often as he pleases, at least a
dozen times a day, keeping them stopped meanwhile with
cow-droppings or flaxseed-meal. Feed cooling food, and
in a few weeks your horse's feet will be perfectly sound,
when the practice can be discontinued.

CLIPPING.

On this subject much has been said pro and con. All
I shall say is simply that a horse used for light purposes,
to be speeded often on the track or road, causing great

MISCELLANE OUS. ! 25

perspiration, if he is a heavy-coated horse naturally,
should be clipped in the fall : of course he must be more
carefully blanketed than the undipped horse. The reason
for this is obvious; he comes in sweated, the weather
cold, he cannot from the thickness of his hair be rubbed
dry, and, no matter how many blankets put on, he will
remain clammy all night, and, of course, cannot feel well
next day ; therefore such a horse, I say, have clipped ; but
that is the only kind I indorse the practice for. Of
course this will apply to menage horses, and all others
that are intended for such severe work, causing immense
perspiration in cold weather. In hot weather they dry
off without it, and then their summer coat is by nature
lighter, and it is not necessary.

BLANKETING AFTER A DRIVE.

There should be two blankets for every horse in a gen-
tleman's stable: one for the stable, and another for a dress-
blanket to take out with you. The stable one should be
all wool and large, and should not be put on at once when
the horse comes in wet; let him steam off for five minutes,
during which time rub his head, ears, and over the loins;
then double the blanket and throw it over his loins, and
commence to rub from head to loins, then, being still
double, put it over his shoulders and continue to rub loins
and hind parts. Now pull it back single from withers to
croup, first buckling in front. Now rub his legs well, and
up under thighs ; give his hay, and let him munch at that ;
buckle up surcingle, and let him alone for the night.
Even if not quite dry, the perspiration will come out on
the top of woolen blanket, and his skin will be warm and
comfortable. Feed and water without fear of trouble,
and in the morning you will find him warm and feeling
better than if you fussed over him half the night.

n*

I26" MISCELLANE O US.

BLANKETING GENERALLY.

A horse of all work should not be blanketed until win-
ter has fairly set in, as the early blanketing prevents nature
from putting on as warm a coat as she would otherwise
do. If a horse comes in cold and chilly, a blanket thrown
over him until the stable is shut up for the night is good
for him ; but then it is better to take it off. I am opposed
to the custom prevailing of heavy blanketing, it tends to
make the horse tender and liable to colds.

Horses driven by physicians, and all others much ex-
posed in very bad, cold weather, should have a short
blanket from the saddle back, and a breast-piece of
blanket. In very wet weather a rubber in the place of a
blanket should be used. A blanket, if soaked, and the
horse standing in it, is worse than nothing on him.

Horses so used in our cities, and all other places, that
are from their duties necessitated to stand (after probably
a sharp little drive) exposed to all weathers, should under
all circumstances, when having to stand the brunt of a
storm, either of wind, rain, sleet, or snow, be turned tail
to it. The vehicle behind them affords them some pro-
tection, and as it is their natural mode of standing in a
storm, to them is afforded a great amount of comparative
comfort over the opposite position of heading the storm,
the latter subjecting the animals to colds and inflamma-
tions arising therefrom, and possibly in some causing the
loss of a fine horse. The trouble so to place him is nothing ;
but the insurance against disease is great.

Driving in blankets, as many coachmen do, is all wrong ;
they should take the blankets on the box with them, and,
Jf required to stand a long time, double and throw over
the horse's loins when standing.

MISCELLANE 0 US.

127

HINTS TO A GENTLEMAN TRAVELING WITH HIS OWN
HORSES.

If you have a five hundred mile journey before you, by
all means take your own groom, as you can only rely on
country hostlers to feed and water. Supposing the season
to be summer, time it, if you can, to have moonlight
nights. First, have your horse's shoes attended to a few
days before starting, — if new ones are required his feet
will have become used to them before starting; if the old
ones are good, have them removed only. Be ready to
start at four in the morning, and feed before starting only
two quarts of oats to each horse; take your own cleaning
tools, — all, including bucket, — to enable you to wash
mouth and water at little rivulets, as you meet them. Do
not drive over five miles an hour for the first four hours, that
will take you twenty miles to breakfast. That being in
progress of cooking, have your horses stripped, and lead
on to a greensward; after eating five minutes, they will
want to roll ; let them do it to their heart's content.
Now put in stable, wisp off and straighten hair with cards,
and give them each two pounds of hay; have legs hand-
rubbed whilst eating this. Now they may be watered and
fed four quarts of oats, bed well, and shut up stable ; make
it as dark as possible, to keep out flies. After eating, if
not disturbed, they will lie down and rest until nearly
noon; then feed ten quarts of oats to each and water,
and make your arrangements to be off at three P.M. In
the afternoon's drive, in fact in all the drives, average
the time or distance in the time, — five miles an hour, but
do not let it be done by steady jogging, wake your
horses up now and then, and drive half a mile at a ten
mile an hour gait ; then go back to a three mile or walk.
Change their speed every now and then for their relief,

1 2 8 MISCELLANE O US.

and wash out mouths at least once every hour if roads are
dusty. From three o'clock until eight will put twenty-five
miles behind you, that will do for the first day and second.
After that they will be a little seasoned, and you can go
fifty-five to sixty a day without injury. Supposing you at
eight o'clock at your journey's end for that day, then do
as in the morning ; let them eat grass and roll if they will,
— the former they will certainly if you give them the
chance. After putting in the stable, and wisping off and
rubbing legs, give hay again — two pounds. That eaten,
water, and give six quarts of oats, or, if you can get it,
some middlings or rich ship-stuff; put two quarts of that
to four of oats for night's feed, — wet it a little; then,
after all, give six pounds of hay, bed well, and leave them
for the night, after stopping their feet with cow-droppings.
Do this every night, as it will keep their feet delightfully
cool, and they will feel so much better for it in the morning.
Your groom should be up at three o'clock, clean and feed;
only give two quarts of oats before starting at four, no
hay. Then pursue the same course as the first day, and
if you wish to increase the distance to fifty-five miles,
drive five more in the morning and five more in the even-
ing; divide the ten miles. By this careful mode you can
drive a good pair of horses five hundred or one thousand
miles without the slightest injury to themselves, and with
great pleasure to the driver.

BOG, OR BLOOD SPAVIN,

was omitted in treating on bone spavin. It does not
always cause lameness; in fact, seldom. When it does,
if the horse is an old friend, try removing it by absorp-
tion,— it is the only reasonable way ; if that will not do,
nothing will.

MISCELLANE O US.

129

BLEEDING.

Use fleam or lancet to bleed in the neck. The
the old style, and the safer instrument. It is to be
on the side and top of vein, and struck with a
piece of hard wood, so as to cut down and
across, not straight, for fear of injuring other
side of vein. The latter (lancet) has more
the appearance of a regular surgical instru-
ment, and is therefore most used by the prac-
titioner, when, as in fleam, it is necessary to
blindfold on the side you strike. For smaller TWISTED
veins, use small thumb-lance or penknife.

PRESSING THE BLOOD CAN AGAINST THE NECK, TO ARREST THE DOWNVVAKU CUXKENT,
AND TO CAUSE THE BLOOD TO FLOW FORTH.

130

MISCELLANE O US.

A BALKY HORSE OR JIBBER.

It is difficult to get him over the habit, which must be
done without the whip, or even its presence. Some will
back and break your vehicle, and to whip them will prob-

ably produce a kick. It is not the weight or their inability
to pull from any cause ; they have been spoiled, and do it
for mere deviltry, knowing their power in that. The only

MISCELLANEOUS. 131

way to get over it is to find what they are fond off: sugar,
or apples, or whatever it is ; and before you get in to drive
let them advance to you to get the desired object; give
it, jump in quickly, and start off immediately. The
object is to get the idea out of their noddle ; the ex-
pected treat does it. You don't give them a chance to
balk; instead of it, you treat your horse to something.
He forgets it for the time, and possibly by frequent atten-
tions may be cured for all time as far as you are concerned.
When another owner gets him, he may go back to his old
tricks unless he knows how to tickle him.

ECONOMY IN FEEDING.

The following remarks are not intended to interfere
with, or at all contradict the directions given for feeding
under the head of Stable Management in another chapter,
as that represented the stable of a gentleman who has his
horses driven probably but once a day, and then a sharp
ten or twenty miles' drive, and whose horses should always
be kept in tip-top condition; but this is simply for another
class of gentlemen, viz., those to whom economy is a neces-
sity. There are many such, obliged from their situation to
keep a horse, with but little work for him to do; still, that
little requires a horse. To such I \^ould say, when corn
is seventy-five cents a bushel, and o&ts from forty-five to
fifty cents, feed corn, as one bushel of corn is about equal
to two of oats in its nourishing properties ; it is therefore
cheaper by nearly one-half. True, it is a little more
trouble, but very little, as it should be soaked for at least
twelve hours before feeding, — that is, after it has become
hardened by age and exposure to the air (after being
shelled). The reason for soaking and making compara-
tively soft is, simply, that being very 1 \ a horse fed
sparingly, as I propose for an economist, will be generally

I32 MISCELLANEOUS.

very greedy, and will not take time to properly masticate
the hard corn but swallow it whole (in part at least),
which will do him harm instead of good ; if soaked, it is
comparatively soft, easily masticated, and of course more
easily digested, and he gets the full benefit of its strength
in nourishment. Two quarts of this, with two pounds of
hay in the morning, two pounds of hay at noon only,
and two quarts of corn, with six pounds of hay, at night,
will keep any horse in good order and healthy for short
drives and light work. If in the summer, and grass can
be substituted for hay, so much the better. At seventy-
five cents per bushel for corn (a bushel will yield thirty-
two quarts), four quarts a day will last eight days, — that is
about ten cents a day, — and ten pounds of hay at twenty
dollars a ton is one cent a pound, or ten cents a day : with
the corn is twenty cents a day, for a week is one dollar
and forty cents ; cheap enough. On this you can keep
your horse, for the work as above described, in good
order, provided he is otherwise properly attended to, and
regularly cleaned, watered, and bedded ; the latter, if in
the country, need cost nothing but the gathering, as green
weeds in the summer and leaves in the winter are all
that are necessary. My reader will say, what a bother to
weigh the hay every meal ! I say it is very little trouble;
a patent balance, costing twenty-five cents, weighs twenty-
five pounds ; tie up what you suppose two pounds of hay,
weigh, and regulate that and your six pounds night feed,
and in a few days you can guess within a fraction of the
amount without more weighing ; and you can save all
the trouble of soaking the corn for at least four months
in the year, from November until March, by feeding it on
the cob, right out of the field. Many will say it is dan-
gerous to feed it green, unless you feed much salt with it:
that is a great mistake, salt begets thirst, and much water

MISCELLANE O US. 1 33

to slake that thirst, on green corn, might produce colic;
by itself, with the hay fed first, there is no danger. I have
fed it for thirty years and never had a sick horse from it ;
but instead of salt, I feed a tablespoonful of ground gin-
ger for a few days, each day with the corn, and consider
it in the fall the very best food a horse can partake of;
from six to eight fair-sized ears in the morning, and the
same at night, are enough for all necessary purposes for a
horse of little and slow work. You may even drive him
some pretty nice spurts on such feed, only do not make
them too long, not more than a quarter of a mile ; but he
will stand ten miles a day of easy work on such feed and
continue to thrive. And again, another piece of economy
is to have him shod with tips all the time, instead of
shoes, as they should cost but half price.

COLT'S DISTEMPER.

This is common in colts, and only requires care and a
little knowledge. If swollen about the glands, blister
with egg-blister, or a mixture of three parts turpentine
and one part sweet oil ; rub in pretty well, and keep in a
good, comfortable stable and feed wet hay, salted, and
wheat mashes, warm, and give to drink tepid water. If
he gets worse, swelling increasing, poultice with brown
soap and brown sugar, in order to induce its breaking on
the outside ; that done, he will soon get well, only keep
up his strength by cooling mashes, and keep him in a warm
stable.

HORSE EPIZOOTIC.

9

In view of the epizootic now raging in Canada and
Rochester, N. Y., and since in Boston and New York
City, on the old principle that an ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure, I would advise all owners and

12

134

MISCELLANE O US.

stable-keepers to have their stables thoroughly white-
washed, also feed-troughs, inside as well as outside, — of
course stables well ventilated, — and to continue to white-
wash inside of troughs three times a week during the
prevalence of the disease. I would also have a lump of
assafcetida, size of an egg, put securely in a rag, out of
the reach of the horse's mouth, but so that he can inhale
some of the odor from it ; this done, if the disease shows
itself by a disagreeable discharge from the nose and red-
dening of the membranes of the eyes and nose with a
slight hacking cough and general depression, with excited
pulse, go to work at once. Give him to drink hot water,
as hot as he will drink it ; mix two tablespoon fills of nitre
in half a pail of water, and let him drink as much hot
water as he will ; and feed slops (the rich offal of wheat),
ship-stuff, and that scalded first, and then cooled a little,
so that he can take it warm ; mix a little salt in this, to
create thirst for more warm water. If the legs are cold,
steep in hot water, very hot ; put each leg in a bucket of
it, and sponge the whole leg for a considerable time, say
fifteen minutes, and then rub dry ; quickly wrap up in
heavy flannels, not very tight, but still tight enough to
remain on ; this done, perspiration will almost to a cer-
tainty follow. If so, rub dry, blanket lightly, and keep
him out of any draft, and the chances are the horse will
get over it ; if, on the contrary, he still has fever, make a
blister of the whites of three eggs, one wine-glass of tur-
pentine, one of proof spirits, mix well, then warm it,
and it will thicken to a paste, and rub this in well behind
the shoulder about the lung, once, twice, or thrice, if
necessary. If these things cannot be had, use any other
blisters, all the while keeping extremities warm, and feed
warm food and hot drinks; his throat may be rubbed with
same paste, if perceptibly swollen ; at same time keep

MISCELLANEOUS. 135

nose and mouth well sponged with vinegar diluted with
water. Meanwhile, have the floor of the stall covered
(where the urine falls), and about the spot, with ground
plaster of Paris, — it will take up and fix the ammonia
therefrom and relieve the air of the stable very much. If
that is not to be had, ground charcoal, — or braes of
charcoal, is the next best absorbent. Of course this ap-
plies chiefly to a diseased stable.

ON HARNESS.

Great care should be taken that your narness is good
and strong, not only the leather but the buckles and
keepers should be all right ; the former should be made
of the very best iron. In olden time, when all buckles
were made of good wrought-iron and heavy, there was
no danger ; but now, when almost everything is made of
cast-iron, — what they call malleable casting, — I do not
consider any one very safe. True, if the pig from which
the casting is made comes from a reliable ironmaster,
and is made in a cold-blast charcoal furnace, and from
a proper combination of magnetic and hematite ores, the
casting may be as strong as necessary. But how is the
buyer of a set of harness to know all this? It is impossi-
ble ; therefore I recommend all gentlemen to buy from a
good reliable maker, charging him to test every piece of
iron he puts in, and be sure not to have his harness too
light ; it may at any time be subjected to a heavier strain
than expected when made, and therefore it is better to
have it always on the strong side. A very serious accident
may occur from what one not accustomed to harness may
think a most useless strap, and that is the outside belly-
band ; if it becomes unbuckled, or breaks going down a
hill, what chance has a horse to hold back the vehicle ?
Not any ; up go the shafts over his back as far as the

136 ' MISCELLANEOUS.

tugs will allow, and he has no control of the wagon at all;
it comes on his heels necessarily, and what follows ?
Either a kicking scrape, upset, run away, or smash-up
generally. Very few attach any importance to this strap,
therefore I mention it.

Again : a gentleman driving his wife and family
(within a few days), although everything was new, at the
top of a long hill, going slowly down, the hook, or
connecting iron between the saddle and crupper, broke, —
the iron broke, it was fastened to the saddle by a rivet
one-eighth of an inch thick — that was made of cast-iron,
and having an unseen flaw, broke; consequence, breeching
dropped on the horse's heels; then he commenced to
kick and run, and the whole family were more or less in-
jured,— the lady, it is feared, will never recover. I men-
tion this to show the importance of having reliable tackle ;
without it you are never safe, especially in a hilly country.
A good plan is to have two short straps from back strap
attached to the side of your saddle ; in that case, if rivet or
anything about it breaks, the straps keep all in place.

TO KEEP HARNESS OR BRIDLES IN ORDER.

They should be wiped off with a damp sponge every
morning, and then with a sponge filled with the heavy
suds of Castile soap (I don't mean the light soap-suds) ;
squeeze that out and rub more soap in the sponge, until
the suds are thick ; rub or polish all the leather over with
that, especially in and about all the buckles and billets
(all over), it will give the leather a nice polish, and keep
it soft. Twice a year harness should be greased with neat's-
foot oil, if to be had ; if not, whale oil (sperm). Of bits,
stirrups, and spurs: if of steel, wip? dry after use, and
rub with an oiled rag, sweet oil ; if of brass, use rotten-
stone and any acid.

MISCELLANEOUS. !37

CONCLUSION.

In fine, taking leave of my readers, I hope they have
ere this discovered that in penning the foregoing hints
I have been throughout impelled by the hope, slight
though it may be, of ameliorating the condition of the
noblest animal that God has given to man ; and I shall
be amply repaid for the little trouble if my lady and gen-
tlemen owners and riders will personally attend to their
horses' welfare and comfort. In fact, these remarks are in-
tended for all owners of horses ; let them satisfy them-
selves, and not trust to the views of the ignorant ; by
doing so, great pleasure will accrue to themselves in the
use of their horses and a comfortable enjoyment in the
reflection that they have not neglected, but, on the con-
trary, have endeavored to deal justly by them.

Very cordially your obedient servant,

THE HORSE'S FRIEND.

THE END

IFORNIA

NIA