THE ENGLISH HORSMAN The English HORSMAN And Complete Farrier Directing all Gentlemen and others How to Breed Feed Ride and Diet all Kind of HORSES whether for War Race or other Service WITH A Discovery of the Causes Signs and Cures of all Diseases both Internal and External Incident to Horses Alphabetically digested WITH THE Humours of a SMITHFIELD Jockey By Robert Almond a well known and skilful Farrier of the City of London Practising therein above forty five years LONDON Printed for Simon Miller and are to be Sold at the Sign of the Star at the West-end of St. Paul's 1673. TO THE READER Reader I Do here present you with a book which with modesty I may say is worthy of your perusal it contains almost whatever is useful and necessary as to an Horse and all his diseases I confess in my younger days I was not a little curious and have been at some expence for translations out of several Languages as to the several practises of divers Countreys in the profession wherein I was bred I have made it my study and practice out of all to select what I have here for the good of my Countrey delivered with great pains and long experience I must confess I owe much to my famous Countrey men Mr. Blondevil Mr. Markham and Mr. Le Grey for that great light and knowledg I have received from them I have very much lamented the several books I have read in Horsemanship which only discourse of Cures without giving any account either of the cause or sign of the disease which I am sure hath been the occasion of the loss of many a good Horse What I have done is as plain as I could read and judg Your affectionate Countrey-man Robert Almond The Table A. AGe of an Horse to know 48 49 50 Anticor its cure 70 Anbury or Wart 139 B. Breeding Horses best method 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bones of a Horse 47 Blood letting 59. 137 138 Bots Cause and Cure 72 Blood staling its cure 73 Blowing with difficulty its cure 74 Belly ach cause and cure 75 Broken Wind a certain Cure 76 Broken Lungs or Rotten how to know and cure 77 Bloody Flux cause and cure 106 Brittle Hoof cause and cure 144 Bone Spavin 145 Back Swankt or Swoln 147. 150 Burning by a Mare its cure 147 Button Farcy 148 Bunches of all sorts how to cure 149 Blood Spavin its cure 150 Barbs cause and cure 151. 265 Botches in the Groin cause and cure 153 Blood to stanch 277 C. Colts when to geld 9 Colts when to break 10 Complection of an Horse how to judg 20 21 Choice directions in bleeding or Physicking Horses 55 Cold the best cure 78 Consumption cause and cure 78 79 Colt Evil cause and cure 79 Clysters proper for Horses and how to apply them 81 82 83 84 Canker in the mouth cause and cure in the head 154 155 Curb cause and cure 157 Crest fallen cause and cure 158. 273 Casting the Hoof a remedy 158 159 Camery its cause and cure 160 Cronet a certain cure 161 Canker in the Withers cause and cure 161 Casting the hoof how to do it 162 D. Directions for chusing good Horses 15 16 17. 346 347 Diseases in Horses and their causes 50 51 85 Dropsie cause and cure 84 Drenches for all diseases 85 86 Diseases of the Gall cause and cure 87 88 Defence against Flyes 163 Dangerous sickness its cause and cure 164 165 Dislocation of joints 167 E Exerements of an Horse to judg 56 Ears imposthumated cause and cure 89 Enterfering cause and cure 168 169 Eyes hurt by blow cure certain 171 Eye Film Pin or Web 171. 174 Eye Canker 172 Eyes watred 175 Eye bitten 175 Eyes imposthumated 175 Eyes inflam'd 217 F. Feeding of Horses for Race choice observations 26 27 Feavers of all sorts their cures 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66. 93 Frenzie cause and cure 91. 334 Falling Evil 91 Foundring in the belly 92 Flux in Horses cause and cure 95 Farcy cause and cure 148 Falling of the Fundament cause cure 177 Fetlock hurt cause and cure 178 179 Frettizing a certain cure 180 Frothy hoof a cure 180 False quarter in a hoof its cure 182 Fig a disease on the heel its cure 185 Fistula cause and cure 187 188 189 190 Frets Cause and cure 190 191 G. Glanders cause and cure 95 96 97 General Rules for Sores and outward Maladies to be observed by the Horse Chirurgeon 133 134 Gaunt belly how to remedy 152 Gravelling cause and cure 191 192 193 Gourged or gourded legs 193 Gelding of Horses and Colts what to be observed and time when 195 Garget cause and cure 196 Gauled back its cure 198 Gigs cause and cure 200 Glanders a Pill 262 Grease molten 305 H. Head Ach cause and cure 98. 205 Hungry evil cause and cure 98 Horse Hide bound cause and cure 99 Horse lean how to fatten 100 101. 213. 345. 357 Horse shot to cure 144 Hurle bone disjointed 203 Hide bound cause and cure 204 Heels troubled with the Mellet 206 Hips hurt or strained 211 Hough bonny cause and cure 212 Halting by stroke or strain its cure 213 Hair to make slick and smooth 339 Hair how to take off of any part 340 Horse how to make to follow his master or find him out amongst a multitude 342 Horse to make nimble at the spur 343 Hair to make grow soon thick and long 344 Horsemens observations for ordering Horses 351 I. Instructions to accomplish a rider 22 23 c. Jaundies eause and cure 101 Inflamations how to ripen cure 103. 217 Inflamations about the heels to cure 142 Ives cause and cure 216 Itch in the tail cause and cure 220 Interfering its cure 220 Joints grieved with ach weakness or swelling by cold 221 Jade tired or dull how to make to go forward 341. 356 Though resty and heavy to prance and caper 355 K. Kidney infirmities cause and cure 104 Kernels like Grapes cause and cure 140 Knots or knobs to remove â—22 Kernels in the throat to dissolve â—23 Knees broken to cure â—24 Kibed heels cause and cure 239 L. Loathing meat cause and cure 105 Lask cause and cure 106 Lips heat 210 Legs swelled to cure 224 Leprosie cause and cure 227. 272 Lice to clean from Horses 229 Lampas cause and cure 230 Lave-Ear'd Horses how to remedy 232 M. Method of breeding Horses 4 Molten grease and fatning balls 39 Murrain or Plague 68 Molten grease cause and cure 108. 238 Mourning of the chine cause and cure 108 109 Maunge 201. 235 Mouth heat 210 Moon eyed Horses its remedy 173. 223 Melander cause and cure 234 Mouth sore 237 Mellet cause and cure 237 Mortfounder'd its cure 238 Mallender cause and cure 240 Mourning of the chine its cause cure 241 Molt long or Molt worm its cause cure 242 Mollifiers against hardness 243 Main shedding its remedy 297 Mark in the mouth to counterfeit 355 N. Night Mare cause and cure 110 Navel
gall cause and Cure 244 245 Nose running 247 Neighing how to hinder 340 O. Over gorged cause and cure 111 112 113 Over reach and over strain its cause and cure 247 Oyl of Oats its soveraign virtue and how to make it a great secret 250 Old sores a speedy cure 251 Old Horse how to make him seem young 339 P. Praise of a Horse 1 Properties of a good Horse 11 12 13 14 Pursiveness its cure 74. 116 Pissing blood cause and cure 115 Pricking by shooing a remedy 140. 157 158 159 Pole evil in the Neck cause and cure 251 252 253 Pole evil in the Head 254 255 Pastern joints strained 256 Prick on the Crownet its cure 256 Purgation its benefit 264 Purgation for Surfeits 264 Pains near the Fetlock its cure 266 267 Plaisters 274 Q. Quitter bone cause and cure 269 270 271 Quick scab cause and cure 272 R. Rules for ordering breeding Mares 348 Rules for ordering Colts 8 9. 349 Race Horses how to order 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Rot in Horses cause and cure 118 Red water and matter to take away 273 Ring bone cause and cure 274 275 Rats tail to cure 276 Rowels how to order in any part 276 Ring worm 317 S. Scouring for a Horse 36 37 Shape of a Horse good to know 42 43 Sinews of a Horse 46 Sneezing to cause 67 Shedding Seed cause and cure 120 Staggers cause and cure 121 Sleeping evil cause and cure 122 Surfeits of all sorts cause cure 123 124 125 Staling how to cause 126 Squinzy cause and cure 126 Star in the forehead how to make 127 Strain in the Kidneys its cure 147 String halt cause and cure 156. 307 Scab on the Hoof to cure 160 Stub or Thorn how to draw 166 Scab or Leprosie 201 Shoulder hurt or Wrench cure 208. 279. 281 Strain or swelling 214 Shingles 234 Sore mouth 237 Sores to skin presently 268 Saddle hurt or swelling its cure 276. 302 Swift cut 277 Stanching blood 277 Salves for all sores 278 Shoulder dislocated its cure 280 Shoulder splat cause and cure 282 283 Shoulder pincht 284 Sinew sprain'd strain'd or griev'd 285 286 Scratches 287 288 Surbating of an Horse 289 290 291 Sinew crampt cause and cure 291 Strangle 292 Strain in the Pastern 293 Strain in the Coffin joint 295 Stifling cause and cure 295 Stumbling 298 Stars artificial to make 300 Smath'd back cause and cure 303 Spur galling 303 Selender cause and cure 305 Surfeit or Grease molten 305 Stripe on the Eye 307 Swelling after bleeding 308 Screw or splint 309 Shackle gall 310 311 T. Tiring on the road a remedy 128 129 Teeth pained cause and cure 265 Tongue hurt how cur'd 313 Tetter or Ring worm a cure 314 Tail how to cut V. Veins of an Horse to know 44 45 Vniversal medicine for all diseases 69 Vives in the Ears cause and cure 70 Vomiting cause and cure 130 Vlcers of all sorts a speedy remedy 215 Vniversal Plaister for most sores 262 Venom drank its cure 318 W. Worms how to cure 73 Wind Cholick its cure 131 Wind broken its cure 131 Wind to preserve 131 Warts to cure 149 Wens to cure 149 Weeping Hoof a cure 180 Withers grief its cure 201 202 Wild Fire its cure 321 Warts in the Eye 322 Wens to remove 322 323 336 Worms of all sorts a cure 324 325 326 327 328 329 Wind gall a cure 330 331 332 Weakness in the back 333 Water Farcy 334 Wolf teeth a cure 319 Y. Yellows vide Glanders Yard mattering to cure 337 A Brief Encomium OF AN HORSE By way of Introduction OF all four-footed Beasts I cannot find any so useful to man and so serviceable as is that generous Creature we call an Horse Neither doth the pleasure man receives by him come any ways short of the profit he reaps thereby In peace he serves to till the ground and as he takes great pains in causing the earth to bring forth its fruits in its proper season so when produced he labours no less to lodge them where his master shall appoint If the gallantry of his Masters spirits commands him to the War how chearfully he obeys and foams with impatience till he shares in his riders self-propounded honour How troublesome would Land-travail be were it not for this hardy and laborious creature who in the darkest night through thick and thin performs his journey not valuing the extremity of weather And this he seemeth to do out of pure gratitude to his feeder endeavouring this way to recompence his cost and why not since it is acknowledged by all intelligent persons that an Horse is endued with great understanding and from my own experience often knows when he hath a fool on his back It is reported in History that Bucephalus that famed War-Horse would not suffer any to mount him but Alexander the Great who then exprest all imaginable pride and satisfaction in bearing so victorious a Conqueror And that we may see farther how far this Creature is naturally inclined to love man I have read of one Nicomedes a King whose Horse so intirely loved him as that upon his Masters death the beast refused his best beloved food and so continued till he dyed And that we may not altogether borrow examples of this kind from forreign parts I shall produce you this one and no more observed in the Battel fought on Marston-Moor A Gentleman of eminent note being at that time there mounted on an excellent Gelding whom he had bred up from a Colt charged the enemy with much Gallantry yet notwithstanding it so happened that he was slain he that slew him observing his horse to be much better than his own alighted and so exchanged the horse immediately finding a rider on his back which he was unaccustomed to bear and now retaining as it were a resentment for the death of his Master began to fling and bound and never gave off yarking till he threw his rider and then fell to him with his heels which he exercised so nimbly that he gave his masters overcomer not the least opportunity to escape and having kill'd him left him and ran into the body of his own party I know not whether this Horse might not deserve as great esteem as such horses who for their love and tractableness have had Statues nay Cities erected to their memory However I must not applaud the Egyptians who have raised mangnificent Pyramids to those who have been eminently serviceable in their Wars But as I must condemn so I cannot but laugh at the preposterous folly of that Roman Emperour who doted so much on a horse that he made him a Senator But in truth there is so much to be said in the praise of this noble useful creature that should I write the one tenth thereof there would be no room for my ensuing matter But by the way this Encomium doth not belong to all Horses but such as are good To the intent therefore you may
a Chafingdish and held under the Horses nose and this will cure his head ach For any obstructions or cold in his head there is nothing better than a rag anointed with Oyl de Bay and therewith rub his Nostrils as high as you may For the Glanders anoint two feathers with Oyl de Bay Euphorbium and white Ellebore and thrust these into the Horses Nostrils For any Cephalick distemper but especially the Staggers Cold Glanders or Strangle take the powder of White Pepper and blow it into his Nostrils or squirt into them Aristolochia mixt with Wine and you will find a suddain amendment But the best fume of all is made of Olibanum Storax and Benjamin being bruised together and burned under the nose of the Horse CHAP. XXIII Of the Gargil Plague or Murrain in an Horse THis Disease hath its original from several causes sometimes from Surfeits sometimes from evil Planetary influence not only corrupting Plants but several sorts of creatures Of such an infectious nature it is that it will not only spread through a Studd a Shire but through an whole Kingdome The signs of this disease are lowring and hanging down the head and in a small time after this first observation you will find a swelling under his Ear-roots or Tongue which swelling will be hard and spread over one side of his face his Mouth and whites of his Eyes will be yellow and will have a very stinking breath As an Antidote or Preservative take a pint of Muscadine and dissolve therein two Ounces of the best Treacle and give it them To cure the deseased take a good quantity of stale Urine and mix therein a good deal of Hens-Dung stirring it till it be all dissolved take a pint hereof at a time and in an horn give it your Horse luke-warm CHAP. XXIV A Diacatholicon or Vniversal Medicine for all Distempers If at any time according to the former signs and symptoms you find your Horse not well open his Neck-Vein taking from him a good quantity of blood then fasting give him three mornings together half an Ounce of Diapente well brewed in a pint of Muscadine which Diapente you shall make after this manner Take Gentian Aristolochia Bay-berries Myrrh and the shavings of Ivory of each a like quantity beat them into very fine powder and searce it I say having given him of this powder then ride him abroad an hour and then give him what he will eat at Noon give him a sweet Mash and at night with a course Rubber rub him well all over â—specially his Head and Nape of his Neck this you must do three or four days together and you will find a suddain reparation of health Here followeth â—n Alphabetical â—ccount both as to the names character causes signs and cures of the most common and dangerous diseases which belong to Horses Avives Avives is a French appellation for this disease and is corruptly called by English Farriers the Fives or Vives It s growth is under the ears descending downwards towards the Throat with inflammation and swelling this disease is dangerous and often mortal for this swelling will stop his wind and choak him if not timely prevented The causes of this distemper are great heats and rankness of blood The cure you may effect this one way which is worth all the rest I have read of Take a penny worth of fine Pepper beaten to fine powder a spoonful of Swines grease the juice of an handful of Rue two spoonfuls of Vinegar mix them well together and put it equally into both the Horses Ears and tye them up with two strings shaking the Ear so that the Medicine may sink downward this done let him blood in the Neck-Vein and Temple-Veins and you need not question the cure of your Horse Anticor The nature of this disease agreeth with its name for by reason of immoderate riding or too hard feeding without exercise the Horses blood becometh corrupted and inflamed taking up its residence in and about the heart and having not speedy vent is the cause of suddain death You may know this disease by this sign just against the heart there will be a swelling in the middle of the breast before the swelling doth appear the signs will be these he will groan very much when laid down hanging down his head he will refuse to eat Immediately upon the appearance of the swelling open both the Plate-Veins or take away a good quantity of blood from both sides of his Neck having done this give him a Drink of Diapente with Ale putting thereto an Ounce of brown Sugar-Candy and half an Ounce of London Treacle which will expel the grief from his heart after this anoint the swelling with Hogs grease Bores Grease and Basilicon of each three Ounces incorporate these well together and rub the swelling every day therewith till it come to suppuration or softness then by opening it let out the matter then wash your sore with Coperas water which you shall make thus take two quarts of fair Water and adde thereto half a pound of green Copperas with an handful of Salt and put these into a Posnet with a spoonful of Honey and a branch of Rosemary boyl these together till one half of the liquor be consumed a little before you take it off the fire put to it the quantity of a Wall-nut of Allum then let it cool and preserve it for your use Having washt the sore clean with this water then apply thereunto this Oyntment put into a clean Skillet of Rossin the quantity of a Wallnut being molten add thereto the like quantity of Wax and when that is melted put thereunto half a Pound of Hogs grease tryed and that being melted put in a spoonful of English Honey and when these are melted and well stirred together put thereunto half a pound of ordinary Turpentine this being dissolved take it from the fire then adde of Verdegrease finely pulverized one Ounce and so stir them all together then set it on the fire and let it simper but if it boyl it is utterly spoiled then strain it and when cold preserve it for your use This Ointment is of excellent Vertue to cure old Ulcers Fistulas but more especially any green wound Bots or Worms in Horses It is the opinion of the most judicious that there are three sorts of Worms which breed in the Bowels of an Horse First Bots being short Worms with great red heads and long small white tails next Truncheons which are short and thick being all of a bigness and the last are as big as a mans finger and six inches long and are only called Worms Mr. Markham by experience hath found out a fourth sort which are of a middle size and are red and fiery with thick short sharp heads and are of all others most dangerous for sometimes they will get up to his very throat and choak him sometimes eat through his very Stomach and kill him These Worms do proceed from a raw gross
one great broad sinew of three inches in breadth being of one single substance no other sinew having any derivation from it which not only holdeth the Shoulder-Blades together but covereth all the Chine over and this is commonly called Pax-wax Of all the principal Sinews appertaining to an Horse from whence an infinite number of small ones are derived there is in number thirty eight according to the opinion of such who have made frequent inspection into the Carkase of an Horse CHAP. XIV Of the Bones in an Horses body AS in an Horse so in an Oxe there are just one hundred and seventy bones which are number'd thus in the upper part of the head two bones from the forehead to the nose two his neather Jaws two twelve fore Teeth four Tushes twenty four Grinders seven bones from the Nape of the Neck to the points of the Spade-bones eight from thence to the Huckle-bones and thence to the Tail seven The great broad binder bone hath twelve joints in it then are there two Spade-bones and from the Forcels two Marrow-bones two Thigh-bones two Shank-bones and from thence downward into the Hoofs there are sixteen small bones In the Breast of the Horse there is a great bone whereunto are fastned thirty six Ribbs there are many more bones in all two hundred fifty seven of which you may come to the knowledge if you are so desirous by your own strict indagation and curious inspection or inquiry Before I enter on the cures of the several Distempers that attend an Horse which are more than belong to any other Beast especially the running Horse by reason of his violent exercise give me leave to inform you how you may know the age of any Horse CHAP. XV. The most experienced and most approved way to judge an Horses Age by his Teeth Hoofs Tayl Eyes Skin Hair and the Bars or Stairs in his mouth AS I told you before in the Chapter of an Horses bones an Horse hath twelve fore Teeth six above and six beneath twenty four Grinders and four Tushes which make in all forty Teeth His Foal Teeth for the first year are only Grinders without Tushes which are white small and bright the second year the four foremost Teeth change colour and appear more big and brown The third year the next Teeth unto these do change also and no Foal Teeth are visible before but two on each side above and as many below being both bright and small The fourth year he hath left but two Foal-Teeth one on each side above and below The fifth year his foremost Teeth will all change and then his Tushes will appear compleat and those which appear in the place of the last Foal-teeth cast will be hollow and have a little black speck in the middest and this is the mark so much talked on which continueth till after eight years old The sixth year beareth little difference to the fifth but in the seventh year his Teeth are at their perfect growth and the mark in the Horses mouth will then be plainest seen In the eight year the mark will in a manner disappear and vanish At the ninth year his foremost teeth will seem longer yellower and fowler than before and his Tushes very bluntish After this year you shall never certainly discern what age an Horse is by his Teeth wherefore you must apply your self to other helps as first observe whether the Horses Hoofs be rugged and seamed full dry and rusty he is then for certain stricken in age whereas if his hoofs are smooth moist and hollow he is undoubtedly young Secondly with your finger and your thumb take your Horse by the stern of the Tayl close at the setting on by his Buttock and if you find a joint sticking out more than any other joint about the bigness of an Hasel-nut then you may adjudge him about ten but if it be smooth in that place and no such thing be felt he may be eighteen years old for ought you know Thirdly mark if his eyes be round full and staring from his head and the pits filled even with the Temple it is a sign he is young if wrinkled under his eyes or about his brow he is then old Fourthly pull with your fore-finger and thumb his skin up if it return to its place smooth he is young if otherwise old Fifthly if the eye brows or main of a dark coloured Horse shall grow grissel he is very old Lastly if the bars in his mouth feel rough and hard and are great and deep then conclude him very old but if otherwise soft and tender there is no fear but that he is young and lusty And now we shall descend to the cure of diseases which are twofold internal and external we shall begin with the last and end with the first CHAP. XVI Of Diseases in Horses and their causes IT is not to be expected that any man should become a Farrier who shall not know First to what disease an Horse is most inclinable Secondly what are the causes of every disease in particular Thirdly how and by what means those diseases do accrew Fourthly the signs and symptoms how to know and distinguish them and Lastly the means and manner how to cure them I shall insist on every one of these in its due order Now first touching the diseases an Horse is most inclinable to they are suitable to the complexion or constitution of the Horse for example if the Horse be colured Mouse-Dun Chestnut Brown Soot colour or Iron-Gray his complexion then is melancholy participating more of earth than any other Element by which means he becomes dull heavy dogged restise faint-hearted c. and therefore most inclined to Inflammation in the Spleen siccity in the Liver to the Dropsie Frenzy and the like and so may you judge of other diseases by the other three Complexions already treated of in a foregoing Chapter Secondly we must consider what are the causes of every disease in particular where note that the causes of sickness are all unnatural effects and evil dispositions Of these causes there are two sorts external and internal External are such which afflict the outward parts of the body and the Internal the inward parts proceeding from ill diet evil humours obstructions c. Sickness it self is no more than an evil temperature and that is two fold either simple or compound simple when one quality is redundant as too cold too hot too moist too dry compound when more than one quality abound as too cold and too moist Some diseases are lingring and consume the body by degrees as Consumptions Glanders others short and presently mortal as soon as discovered as Yellows Anticor and Staggers Now some diseases again do occupy the whole body as Feavers Pestilence Convulsions and so forth others only some parts as Colds offend the head Surfeits the stomach Thirdly how and by what means do these accrew the means are inbred or accidental either coming from ill humours and
and Phlegmatick matter ingendred by foul feeding The signs are the Horse will refuse his meat will be much addicted to lying down rowling on his belly beating it sometimes with his feet if troubled with the Red Worms his pain will be intollerable so that he will beat his head against the ground Some approve of this as an excellent remedy take the warm guts of a new killed Hen and mixing them with Salt thrust them down the Horses throat this must be done three mornings fasting withholding him from water four hours after or else give him to drink a spoonful of Soap in a Pint of Milk or lastly take of Gentian Aloes and Savin of each half an Ounce and brew them together with Honey and strong Ale But if it be a Mare with foal give nothing internally for fear of killing her Colt only let her blood in the roof of her mouth and make her swallow her own blood which will not only kill the Worms but help most internal Maladies Blood-staling An Horse many times instead of Urine will void pure blood which is occasioned often times by labouring over much and by that means breaking a Vein then will there issue from his Yard pure blood without any other commixture but if the Blood be mingled with Urine then it proceeds from the Kidneys wounded with a ragged Stone therein but Mr. Markham is clearly of the opinion that there is no greater cause of Blood-staling than the taking up of an Horse in the dead of Winter from Grass and without a days respite riding him a long journey The signs are so apparent that we will pass them and fall upon the Cure and in the first place it will be proper to phlebotomize him in the Palate of the mouth or in the Neck and let the blood be sodden with Wheat and with the powder of dryed Pomegranat pills having strained it give him hereof four or five mornings together and in the space of time let him not labour by any means Or take a quart of strong Ale and a red Herring cut it into small peices and let it lye steeping in the Ale then give it the Horse with an Horn and it will stop the inward bleeding of the Horse Otherwise you may take a spoonful of Taragon and steep it in White-Wine and as much Poppy seed beaten as will lye on a Shilling give this fasting in the White-Wine and it is an infallible cure Blowing and Pursiveness in an Horse Many Horses are naturally thick winded by reason of their being Cock-throppled and narrow chawled but most frequently it is so by accident as when he is fat and over-laden with flesh by rankness of blood or by too much foulness in the body and by these means will upon any exercise sweat pant blow and heave at the Flanks To the intent wherefore you may prevent his being broken winded in time apply your self to the cure and let it be in this manner Let him feed moderately on Hay for Horses so diseased are greedy Feeders and let the Hay be always sprinkled with water which will asswage his thirst and very much cool his inflamed blood then give him two Egges steeped twenty four hours in the strongest White-Wine-Vinegar five or six mornings following and let him swallow the Vinegar afterwards then ride him gently an hour after then set him up warm and three hours after give him Hay sprinkled with Water and at night give him Oats wetted in good strong Ale do this ten days keeping him the while to spare diet and let his drink be white Water This Medicine will both purge and scowre from him much flegm and filth at Nose and mouth and if moderately exercised will be both sounder and better in health a long time after Belly-ach This Belly-Ach or Fretting in the Belly proceedeth from eating green Pulse or raw undryed Pease Beans or Oats or when gross humours Inflammations or any sharp matter is gotten between the Pamile and the great Gut The signs are great groaning wallowing striking at his Belly and gnawing on the Rack or Manger The Cure is first to anoint your hand with Sallet Oyl or Butter and then thrusting it into the Horses Fundament pull out as much Dung as you can reach which is called Raking an Horse then give him a Clyster of Water and Salt or a Suppository of Honey and Salt and then let him drink the Powder of Centaury and Worm-wood brewed with a quart of Malmesey But the best remedy in most mens opinion is a Suppository of New Castle-Soap Broken-Windedness This disease may happen by over hasty running a fat Horse presently after his Water or without exercise standing too long in the Stable or foul feeding whereby so many gross humours may be drawn down into the body of an Horse that cleaving to the hollow parts of his Lungs and stopping the Wind-pipes his Wind may have its recourse backwards and not upwards filling the Guts and diminishing his strength The signs of this disease are violent beating of his Flanks drawing his Belly upward great opening of his Nostrils with a swift going to and fro of his Tuel all which are accompanied with a dry Cough This is the worst of all the Distempers of the Lungs and therefore the Cure is the more difficult however take this method having been found an excellent remedy by frequent experience and hath done its work when all others failed Take of Pances Long-Wort Maiden-Hair the Crops of Nettles Carduus Benedictus the Herb Flueâ—in Dragon roots bruised Elicampane roots bruised of Water Hemp Peniroyal Light-Wort and Angelica of each of these a good handful bruise them and lay them all night in two Gallons of Water let it boyl in the morning and when it is luke-warm give the Horse hereof as much as he will drink after this drink give him a good quantity of sodden Wheat use him to this Diet for ten days and then if the season be convenient turn him out to grass Others apply this Medicine they will take his Water for nine days and boyl Liquorish therein mixt with Wine and so give it him to drink I do not deny but this may be a safe and good Medicine but the first for my money Broken Lungs frettized and rotten The Lungs are inclosed by a very thin film and therefore are the more subject to break and being broken if the cure be neglected they will soon impostumate and inflame The signs are when the Horse cougheth his Flanks will beat but the flower they beat the disease is the more dangerous by how much it is of the longer standing or continuance besides he will draw his Wind short groan much and when he coughs he will bring up something which he will champ in his mouth To cure him you must give him two or three Ounces of Hogs grease and three spoonfuls of Diapente brewed in a quart of Barley-Water wherein Currans have been boyled Or you may take of Fenugreek and Linseed of
the liquor three hours standing over the hot embers then add thereto half a pint of Sallet-Oyl give your Horse this blood-warm four days before the full and change of the Moon Clyster for any desperate sickness Take of Oyls of Dill and Camomile of Violets and of Cassia half an ounce of each and of brown Sugar-candy powdered three ounces of Mallow leaves half an handful boil the Mallows first to a Decoction in fair water then strain it and put therein all the aforesaid ingredients This Clyster is a sovereign help against all Feavers the Pestilence all languishing Distempers or Surfeits and will corroborate and strengthen in a very short time Clyster for the Plague or Pestilence Take half an Ounce of the pulp of Coloquintida the seeds and skins exempted three quarters of an ounce of Dragantium of Centaury and Wormwood of each half an handful a quarter of an ounce of Castoreum boil all these in three quarts of water to a quart then strain it and dissolve into it three ounces of the broth of Gerologundinum and of white Salt three drachms of Sallet-oil half a pint and so administer it being blood-warm Clyster lenitive against Convulsions Cramps Costiveness Surfeit or Foundring Take four ounces of Butter or half a pint of Sallet-oil and put it to the Decoction of Mallows and give it him Clyster-wise blood-warm it is a great Cooler of the body and doth infinitely asswage pain Clyster for the Cholick Take salt water or new made brine a quart dissolve therein a pretty quantity of Soap and so blood-warm administer This Clyster is not only good against the Cholick Griping of the Guts but any other distemper Dropsie This disease is known by an universal swelling of all the body in general but especially the legs through the abundance of water lying between the skin and the flesh the Belly will swell like to a Mares with Foal a swelling also betwixt the great Bag and the Kell this disease is farther known by shortness of breath loss of natural colour want of appetite and a continual christ This disease which is an evil habit of the body is engendered by surfeits and unreasonable labour and is cured by taking two handfuls of Wormwood and boil it in Ale or Beer a quart or better and give it the Horse to drink luke-warm morning and evening at noon let him drink his own water But the best and most approved remedy is to take a Gallon of strong Ale and settling it over the fire scum off the froth which ariseth then take a handful of Wormwood with the stalks and put them therein and let it boil to a quart then take it off and strain it well then dissolve into it three ounces of the best Treacle and put in also an ounce and a half of long Pepper and Grains beaten to a fine powder then brew them together till it be luke-warm and so give it him to drink the next day let him blood in the Neck-vein and anoint his Fore-legs with Traine Oil then turn him into good grass and do not doubt his recovery Drenches general for all Diseases in Horses If for colds take half an ounce of the powder called Diapente the way how to make it I have already discovered in a Chapter foregoing and brew it with a pint of Sack if for sickness at heart brew it in Muskadine and give it the Horse fasting in the morning give him this to drink as soon as ever you see him begin to droop and so continue doing for three or four mornings Another Drench you may make by taking two handfuls of Celandine root and leaves chop them and bruise them then take of Rue red Sage and Mint as much of Aloes half an ounce boil these in a pottle of Ale to a quart and give it the Horse luke-warm Or take four ounces of Diapente and mix it with four ounces of Honey clarified and keep it close in a Glass then take a pint of sweet Wine and put half an ounce thereof into it and it is an excellent Drench Take of Liquorish an ounce of Anniseeds Cumminseeds and Elecampane roots of each half an ounce of Turmerick and Bays of each a quarter of an ounce of long Pepper and Fenugreek of each two drachms beat these small and sierce them and put five spoonfuls into a quart of Ale warmed with a little Butter or Oyl The powder of Brimstone mixt with sweet Wine is a very good Drench The root of the Sea-onion the roots of Poplar mingled with common Salt given in water preserveth health a long time Garlick and Housleek beaten together in a Mortar and then boiled in Ale from a pottle to a quart and mixt with Liquorish Anniseeds and Sugar-candy with a pretty quantity of Sallet oil is an incomparable Drench for any internal maladies proceeding from hot causes Of Drenches and their uses let this suffice Diseases commonly infesting the Spleen The Spleen is the receptacle of Melancholy and the dregs of blood there is no part of the body more subject to diseases than this is for through its Sponginess it is inclined to suck in all manner of filth and communicate it to the whole body The diseases of the Spleen usually afflict Horses in the Summer most proceeding from the greedy eating of green food The signs of these Maladies are Heaviness Dulness pain on the left side hard swellings short breath much groaning The speediest way to cure him is to make him sweat then take the leaves of Tamarisk bruised a good quantity of Cumminseed beaten to powder and boil them in a quart of white wine and so give it him luke-warm This last is not the least nor a despicable remedy Take Cumminseed and Honey of each six ounces of Lacerpitium as much as a Bean of Vinegar a pint and put all these in three quarts of water and let it stand so all night in the morning give him a quart to drink having fasted all the night Diseases of the Gall. If the Liver be troubled with many diseases so is the Gall which is a long slender little greenish Bladder fixed underneath the Liver which receiveth all the Cholerick bitter moisture which would otherwise not only be offensive to the Liver but likewise the whole body Now if the passage of this necessary Vessel be stopped there will certainly follow many diseases as the Lax Bloody-flux Yellows and the like Or if the way whereby such Choler should issue forth of the Bladder of the Gall down into the Guts and Excrements is closed up and so aboundeth with too much Choler hence proceedeth Suffocation heat thirst and a disposition to rage and fury and for certain in any beast there is not a more dangerous disease than the overflowing of the Gall. The Symptoms of these Maladies are yellowness of the skin yellow Jaundice with costiveness of body The Cure is to boil good store of Saffron in Milk or Ale Saffron and Anniseeds mixt together But I am of the opinion
that Celandine roots and leaves chopt bruised and boiled in beer and given the Horse luke-warm to drink is more sovereign But notwithstanding our prescriptions for these maladies some do confidently affirm that an Horse hath no Gall at all but that filthy and corrupt matter is wasted and spent either by sweat exercise or turns into diseases Diseases incident to the Liver The diseases of the Liver are many and do proceed from many causes as when it it too hot and too dry two moist or too cold or by intemperate riding evil food corrupt humours or overflowing of the Gall. If his distemper proceed from any hot cause then these are the apparent signs he will be lean and loath his meat his thirst will be great and he will be very laxative Now the general heads from whence a disease in the Liver doth proceed are Inflammation Impostumation or Ulceration If his distemper proced from a cold cause it must be by an Ulcer which proceedeth from a cold cause and the Symptoms to know it by are continual coldness of his Body great feebleness and faintness and the reason is because the ulcerated matter diffuseth ill vapours through the whole body So soon as you discover this distemper by the Symptoms aforesaid let him blood immediately in both sides of the Neck and the next day let him blood in both the Spur-veins and then give him this Drink Take Hâ—ssop Cowslip leaves Liver-wort Lungwort and Harts-tongue of each an handful then take Gentiana Aristolochia rotunda Enula campana dried and long Pepper of each the like quantity so as when they be pâ—unded and sierced you may have of each a spoonful chap the herbs and then mingle them with a spoonful of live Honey then boil all these ingredients in a quart of Ale till one half be consumed then strain it and give it him blood-warm if he refuse to eat by reason this drink hath made him drie then give him a warm Mash let him rest three days betwixt every Drench Ears Impostumated This disease hath its rise from several causes either by a blow about the ears or poll or else by being galled thereabout with a new Halter sometimes it proceedeth from a cold other whiles by bad and peccant humour The Signs of this distemper are burning glowing and swelling about the part and he will not endure to be touched thereabouts For the Cure Take Linseed and make it into a fine powder and Wheat flower of each half a Pint ordinary Honey a pint tried Hogs-grease one pound mix these well together and warm them on a fire keeping them stirring continually then take of this Ointment and spread it on a linnen cloth or leather the breadth of the swelling and so apply it warm renewing it once in twenty four hours till it comes to suppuration and so break then having cleansed the part heal it thus Take Mel Rosarum Sallet oil and ordinary Turpentine of each two ounces having incorporated them well together make a bigging for the Horse to keep on the medicine and tent it to the bottom with this Ointment applying likewise a Plaister of the same to the place aggrieved renewing it daily till the sore be well Frenzie This Frenzie or madness in an Horse is fourfold first when some naughty and corrupted blood doth strike only one part of the Panicle of the Brain and you shall know this by his turnning round like a Beast troubled with the Sturdy The second is when a poisonous blood infecteth the middle part of the Brain then will the Horse be mad leaping against any thing and running his head against a wall Thirdly he is said to be mad when blood filleth his stomachical Veins Lastly he is then frantick indeed when the poyson of the blood not only infecteth the Brain and Heart but the Panicles also which you may know by his biting of every thing comes near him by gnawing the Manger and lastly by tearing his own skin in pieces The speediest cure is to let him blood in most of the lower parts of the body to draw down the blood from cumbring his head The Veins most proper to be opened for this dangerous Distemper are the Shackle-veins the Spur-veins the Plat-veins and the Thigh-veins taking very much blood from them after this give him this drink take the root of wild Cucumber if not that a handful of Rew or Mints and an handful of black Hellebore and boil them in strong red Wine and give it in an horn luke-warm The Cure which Mr. Markham hath by long experience found most safe speedy and expedient is either to make him swallow down hard Hens-dung or else give him to drink the root of Virga Pastoris stamped in water As for his ordering during the Cure his Stable must be quiet but not close and his food only warm Mashes of Malt and Water of this but a little at a time for the slenderer his Diet the better it is Falling Evil. This Falling Evil is the same which in men is called the Falling sickness it deprives the beast of all sense whatsoever It proceeds from gross and cold flegm gathered together in the fore part of the head betwixt the Panicle and the Brain which being by any hot vapour disperst through the whole Body it doth instantly cause the Falling the signs of this Distemper are so apparent they need no farther description than this that all his body will quake and quiver foam at the mouth and when you think him past recovery he will start up and fall to his meat To effect the Cure let him blood in the Neck-Vein five days after bleed him in the Temple-Veins and in his Eye-Veins then anoint his body all over with a comfortable Friction then bath his head and ears with Oyl de Bay liquid Pitch and Tar mixt together dropping some thereof into his Ears make him a Cap of Canvas quilted with Wool to keep his head warm and force him to sneeze Now because this is a disease that doth not frequently invade the bodies of English Horses only the Spanish French and Italian Horses I think what already is written of this Malady may suffice Foundring in the Body This Distemper of all Surfeits is most dangerous and most incident to Horses which dayly travel It proceedeth from suffering the Horse to drink too much in his travail being very hot whereby the Grease being suddainly cooled it doth clap about and suffocate the internal parts with such a loathsome fulness that without a speedy purgation death will speedily and inevitably follow And this disease may proceed from another cause viz. suddain washing of Horses in the Winter time when they are both fat and hot by travail where are cold Vapour of the Water striking into the body of the Horse benums the inward and vital parts making the blood to lose its office whereby he loseth his strength in such manner that he can neither go nor bow his joynts and being laid he is unable to
common and yet most dangerous if not timely cured wherefore I shall lay down the best receipts I could meet withal And first phlebotomize your Horse in the Neck-vein and let him bleed so long till you see the blood come very pure then give him of this Drink Take a quart of Ale and put therein Saffron and Turmerick of each half an ounce and the juyce that is wrung out of a great handful of Celandine and being luke-warm give it the Horse to drink keeping him warm three or four days giving him warm water with a little Bran in it Another way to cure him is when you perceive he is troubled with the Jaundice by the sweating at the roots of his Ears and by the yellowness of the Whites of his Eyes then blood let him in in the Neck-veins on both sides of the Neck then take Elder leaves Celandine and Camomile of each an handful cut them small and give them to the Horse in a pint and an half of the best Beer being made luke-warm fasting keep him warm and give him warm water to drink for two or three days So much of the yellow Jaundice a word or two of the black Jaundice It is the opinion of several understanding men that the black Jaundice is a disease incurable but because others are of a contrary opinion I will give you an account of what they prescribe for the Cure thereof First rake his Fundament then give him a Clyster made of Oyl Water Milk and Nitrum then pour into his Nostrils the Decoction of Mallows mingled with sweet Wine and let his meat be Grass or Hay sprinkled with water and a little Nitre and his Provender dried Oats he must rest from labour and be often rubbed I shall say little to it only leave it to your own Experience Inflammations how to ripen as Pustuls and Kernels which grow under the Chawl of an Horse These Pustuls and Kernels proceeding from Inflammations occasioned by colds c. must be dissolved otherwise all remedies will prove insignificant wherefore to bring these Pustuls to suppuration you must take Wheat-bran two handfuls and a quart of Wine or Ale to thicken it with put to it half a pound of Hogs-grease boil these together till the Liquour be quite consumed and so apply it to the place as hot as the Horse can endure it renewing it every day till it be so soft as that it be fit to be opened to let out the corruption then tent it with Flax dipped in this Salve But if the Inflammation be impostumated you may then take of the grounds of a Beer-barrel a Gallon of Smallage Peniroyal Winter Savory Cumfrey Rew and of the Berries and Leaves of the Misseltoe of each two handfuls chop these very small and put them to the Beer grounds and add thereunto Deer or Sheeps Suet tried one pound and three or four handfuls of Rye or Wheat-bran so much as will serve to boil these to a Pouâ—tess then apply it to the place and let it be never so much impostumated it will either break or soften it but if it be very hard it will discuss and divert the humour some other way Kidney Infirmities The Kidneys are frequently afflicted with Inflammations Obstructions Aposthumes and Ulcers and these are occasioned by some great strain by over-riding or over-bearing The usual Symptoms of the distempers in the Kidneys are discerned by his staggering and roling as he goeth his Urine will be thick and blackish if he hath stones they will be shrunk up if none his sheath will be drawn backward The Cure Bathe his Back and Loins with Oyl Wine and Nitrum warmed together and after he is bathed cover him with warm cloths and let him stand in Litter up to the Belly then give him to drink water wherein hath been sodden Dill Fennel Anniseeds Smallage Parsley Spikenard Myrrh and Cassia or as many of these Simples as you can well procure The next morning fasting give him a quart of Ews milk if you cannot get that then half a pint of Sallet oil with the root of Daffadil boiled in wine and let Oats be his Provender If the Horse be troubled with the Stone which you will discover by his often straining to piss but cannot then take an handful of Maiden-hair and steep it all night in a quart of strong Ale and give the Horse to drink every morning till he be perfectly cured this is an infallible Medicine to break in an Horse any stone whatever Loathing of meat in an Horse This is a disease proceeding from the intemperature of his Stomach occasioned by rankness of blood or overmuch travel Dayly experience makes this latter apparent for if an Horse be ridden hard and put up into a Stable hot he will refuse his meat and hence it is that I cannot but condemn baiting at Noons a vulgar ignorant custom because a journey commonly craves haste so that an Horse is not admitted to take so convenient a cooling as is requisite before his meat which breeds many distempers Now to cool him moderately either wash his tongue with Vinegar or give him to drink Oyl and Vinegar mingled with cold water But if the loathing of his meat proceed from the coldness of his Stomach which is only known by the standing up and stovering of the hair then give him Wine and Oil to drink mixed divers mornings together or Wine Oil Sage and Rice boiled together giving him thereof a quart at a time Some again will give him Onions pilled and chopt and Rocket-seed boiled and bruised in Wine others mingle Wine with the blood of a Sow-Pig But to conclude Take this as the best remedy for any general forsaking or an Horse's loathing his meat whether it proceed from hot or cold causes in the Stomach and that is when there are green Blades of Corn especially of Wheat give your Horse a good quantity thereof if it be at such a time as that they cannot be procured then give the Horse sweet Wine and the seeds of Gith mixt with it or else sweet Wine and Garlick well pilled and stampt brewing it a good while together this is a sovereign remedy in maladies of this nature Lask or Bloody Flux The Lask or â—ax is an unnatural loosness in an Horses Body which if not in its due time stayed will bring the Horse to great debilitation and weakness this disease proceedeth from very many causes wherefore I shall pass them over and only inform you that as you must have a care not to stop it too soon so let it not run too long both being of an equal dangerous consequence As long as you find the strength and good estate of your Horse continue you may let him scowre but when once that begins to impair you must put a stop to its farther course which you may do several ways As first take of Bean-flower and Bole Armoniack of each a quartern mix them together with a quart of red Wine give it him luke-warm
sufficient Spongia Marina and powder of Risagallo are of like power and vertue but that the last is too great a fretter But by reason there is such choice of medicines of this nature to avoid prolixity I shall only propose this last as the best Take white or black Heleborus Ink quick Sulphur Orpiment Lithargy Vitriol unslak'd Lime Roch Alom Galls Soot or the Ashes of Avellan of each half an ounce and they will expeditiously consume all manner of dead flesh Eye of an Horse hurt with a blow The causes and signs of this Sorrance are perspicuous enough wherefore we shall only insist on the Cure and as to that you must first bathe the part in warm water next shave off all the hair about the swelling then take the tops of Wormwood Pellitory and Branca Vrsina of each half an handful chop the Herbs very small and then beat them to an Ointment with old Boar's Grease quantum sufficit then put to it of live Honey and Wheat-flower of each one spoonful and of Linseed oyl three spoonfuls boil these very well continually stirring them when boiled enough strain it into a Gally-pot well stopped and keep it for your use when you have occasion to make use thereof only anoint the place grieved therewith Eye-film Pin and Web. These distempers are commonly engendred by distillation of bad humours from the head to the eyes by a stripe or some Hay-dust getting therein the signs are visible The Cure must be thus effected Take Camphire Sal Armoniacum or Sugar Candy any of these pulverized very fine and blown into the eye are most soveraign for these diseases in the Eyes of the Horse If a Film or Pearl grow without a Pin or Web then take the tops of red Nettles and having stampt them well put them into a clean linnen cloth the Nettles being in the rag dip them into Beer slightly then wring forth the juice of the said Nettles into some clean Vessel which done put thereto a little Salt made into fine powder the Salt being dissolved conveigh but one drop at a time into the grieved Eye morning and evening and this will totally remove the Film If it be a Pin and Web that afflicts the Eye of the Horse then take Cuttle-bone Tartar Salt-gem of each the like quantity and make them all into fine powder and mix them and with a quill blow of some of this powder into the Eye of the Horse twice or thrice a day and you will find it a speedy remedy If it be an Haw in the Horse's Eye I would not advise you to take it away as Smiths usually do from the outside of the Eye but from that part which lieth next of all to the Eye and this way will better preserve the sight of the Eye as also the Wash which is the ornament thereof for if that be taken away the Horse will appear blear-eyed so soon as you have cut away the Haw wash the Eye with white Wine and the juice of Celandine mingled together of each a like quantity for this not only healeth the Sorrance but keepeth the Eye from ranckling Eye-Canker If a Canker happen to be in your Horses Eye as it is a thing very usual then take your true ground-Ivy and stamp it well in a Mortar and if it be very dry then moisten it with a little white Rose-water or the water of Eye-bright distilled and so strain it into a clean Glass and therewith wash anoint and tent the Sorrance and it will speedily cure it this is also very good for Blood-shotten Eyes If any Wart or spungy Excretion grow near to the Eye of the Horse which usually proceeds from a condensed flegm that descendeth to the Eyes will in a little time much prejudice them Take Roch Allom and burn it and then add to it as much white Coperas unburnt grind them together into very fine powder then lay a little of this powder on the top of the Wart but be cautious that none fall into the Eye for it will corrode exceedingly Let the Wart be thus dressed every day once and in a very little time it will so eat away the root of the Wart that it shall never come more Eyes Lunatick or Moon-blind The only reason I can gather why an Horse is called Moon-blind is that at certain times of the Moon he will see well at other times a little and sometimes not at all and therefore this Malady is called Lunatick or Moon-blind This kind of blindness is held the worst of all other you may know by the colour of his Eyes when he seeth and when he doth not when he doth see his Eyes will appear dim and yellowish but when he is blind then will his eyes look red and fiery This distemper comes sometimes hereditary either from his Sire or Dam sometimes again from ill humours descending from the head and taking up their abode in and about the Eyes and this usually happens by exposing the poor Creature to more labour than nature could perform The Cure must be by taking Pitch Rozin and Mastick of each a like quantity melt them together and having beforehand provided two Plaisters of Leather the breadth of an half Crown-piece spread the medicine hot upon these two Plaisters and apply them to his Temples letting them stick thereon till they fall off of their own accord then rowel him on the face just under his Eyes with a small French Rowel the breadth of three pence at most and let it be turned every day once the space of fourteen days then take forth the Rowel and heal up the orifice with the green Ointment I prescribed in treating of drawing a Stub or Thorn By the way take notice That if your Horse be weak sighted when ever you draw blood from him the less you take the better it is for his sight Eye broken and beaten out by some stripe or unlucky stroke As soon as this unhappy accident hath befaln your Horse that his Eye is absolutely broken and beaten out by some unhappy stroke Take Alom and first burn it in a fire-pan then put it on the hot coals and let it burn there till all the moisture be consumed so that it becometh as light as a feather as white as snow and so brittle that it will break with the least touch then take of this powder and mix it with live Honey and stir them well together so that you reduce them to an ointment then take a feather and dip it herein and morning and evening put thereof into his Eye then lay your hand upon the Eye-place a pretty while that the Unguent may not issue out of the hole by so doing in few daies the hurt will be cured though it be impossible for the Eye to be restored Eyes troubled with any sores an incomparable Water for them Take the Stone called Lapis Calaminaris and heat it red hot in the fire then quench it in half a pint of white Wine so doing
twelve times together then add unto it half the quantity of the juice of Housleek and with this wash and bathe the Eye twice or thrice a day this is good for any infirmity whatsoever belonging to the Eyes Here followeth another Water not inferiour to the other Take a pint of Snow-water and dissolve therein four drachms of white Vitriol wash the Horses eyes herewith at least four times a day and the effects will be admirable Eye-bitten This frequently happens as Horses stand in the Stable one Horse biting the other where he can best or next fasten his teeth if so then it fall out that your Horse be Eye-bitten take a little Honey with a little grated Ginger mingle them together and put them into the Horses Eye with a feather three mornings together Ears Impostumated This disease proceeds from several causes either from some violent stroke about the Ears or Poll or else by being wrung too hard with a new hempen hard Halter sometimes by a cold in the head or by other ill humours which strive to get a vent or passage through the Ears The signs are apparent for the Ears will burn glow and swell besides the Horse will be very unwilling to be handled thereabout The Cure is thus Take Linseed and make it into fine powder then take Wheat-flower of each half a pint ordinary Honey one pint tried Hogs-grease one pound mix all these well and warm them on the fire continually stirring them then spread this Unguent upon a Linnen cloth or Leather the breadth of the swelling and lay it thereon very warm once in a day and a night renew it till it break or be so ripe as that it may be convenient to lance it which must be downwards that the corruption may have a more easie passage then heal it thus Take Mel Rosarum Sallet-oyl and ordinary Turpentine of each two ounces make these into a body then make a Night-cap to keep on the Plaister tent the sore to the bottom with this Ointment and make a Plaister thereof and lay it on the place grieved once a day you must lay on a fresh Plaister and tent anew till it be whole But if the Ears be only inflamed then take Oil of Roses Venice Turpentine and common Honey of each a like quantity mix them well together and making them blood-warm dip some black wool therein and stop the Ears therewith renewing it once a day and it will remove the Inflammation Foul and old Sores how to cleanse and mundifie This following Water hath been often tried and upon trial found to be be a most excellent cleansing and healing Water for all old and rotten Sores Take of green Coperas and of Salt-petre of each half a pound Bay Salt and Salt-gem of each three ounces Arsnick one Ounce powder all these finely and put them into a stillitory Glass the pot or bottom thereof well nealed adde thereunto one pint of the strongest White-Wine-Vinegar set the pot on the fire and put on the head closing it with Cute of Hermes and being thus placed in the Furnace make under it a strong fire for the space of five or six hours and with your Receptory take the first water that cometh after an hour the fire will be out of the water then stop up the Glass very close and preserve it for your use When you are to wash any sore with this water have a care that you do not let any fall upon either Vein or Sinew for it will burn them in twain but where Ulcers and foul old sores are in the flesh this water will work wonders Falling of the Fundament The falling of the Fundament is a Distemper proceeding most commonly from over much laxativeness and flux of blood who growing exceeding weak by the voiding thereof straineth to bring forth something and instead thereof the fundament cometh out sometimes it comes by Colds or mere Poverty Cure it thus take white Salt made into very fine powder strew a little upon the Gut then take a piece of Lard and first having boiled Mallow leaves till they be soft take of these leaves and beat them well with the Lard and when sufficiently beaten make it up in the fashion of a Suppository and apply it fresh to the place once a day Fetlock hurt The Fetlock may be hurt by casting the Horse with the double rope or sometimes by a bite of a Dog if by either of these this Sorrance happens take unslaked Lime and the Yolk of an Egge of each a like quantity beat them together to an Oyntment then mix therewith the juice of one head of Garlick and a little soot and anoint herewith the sore till it be almost well but skin it over thus take Sallet Oyl and Oyl of Roses of each one Ounce of Turpentine three Ounces and of new Wax one Ounce melt them well together and adde to them the fourth part of the powder of Verdigrease and herewith anoint the sore in few days it will skin over the sore and heal it Foundring in the feet if new a suddain Cure If your Horse be foundred in his feet but of no longer standing than seven or eight days with this following remedy you may restore his feet to their former soundness First let him blood in the Neck Breast and Spur-Veins taking from thence two quarts and receive it in a clean vessel and therewith make this ensuing charge Take the blood and put into it eight or nine new laid Egges shells and all and beat them well with the blood put to them of Bole-Armoniack pulverized very fine half a pound strong White-Wine-Vinegar one pint Sanguis Draconis three Ounces finely pulverized make this up thick with Wheat Meal with this charge his Back Reins Breasts Thighs Fetlocks and Soles and apply two cloths Plaisterwise to the Coffin of his hoofs and bind the forelegs above strait with broad filletting then ride him two hours upon an hard way if paved best of all then set him up This Foot-foundring in an Horse is a certain numbness pricking or tingling within his hoofs and I can compare it to no more proper thing than when any of us by cross sitting do cause our feet to be asleep as we say vulgarly during which time we are so disinabled from going that we cannot stand but with some difficulty so it fareth with an Horse the course of whose blood being stopped those obstructions cause that torment Several are the causes of this Malady briefly it comes sometimes by taking off his Saddle too suddainly after a great heat or by standing still in the cold unwalked or by standing in some shallow Water after he hath been ridden no higher than his Fetlock or by too strait and uneasie shooes Now though I have already prescribed a remedy for this foundring I cannot let this one more pass which for its excellency can hardly be valued and is good for all sorts of Foundrings new or old In the first place you must with a
before prepared this Salve in a readiness to fill up the chinks of the said quarter Take of the roots of Lingua Bovis green and newly gathered of the roots of Consoâ—ida Major and the root of Mallows of each half a pound wash them and scrape them clean and cut them into small pieces boil these in two quarts of Aligant till the liquor be consumed and the roots become soft then pound them very well and strain them through a fine Searser reserving a little of the wine to moisten it that it may strain the better then take of Venice Turpentine new Wax Burgundy Pitch of each half a pound of black Pitch four Ounces of the oldest Oyl Olive one quart put these together with the former recited ingredients into a clean Kettle after this manner first the roots then the other ingredients in their order by themselves but not the Turpentine till all the other are melted let these boil together till all the Wine be consumed and the ingredients be well incorporated then take them off the fire and put in your Turpentine then let it have one walm or two over the fire then take it off continually stirring it till it be cold and so preserve it for your use With this Salve anoint and rub well the place where the hoop and filletting is to be bound on and having fastned them take Hurds and rowl it up into a Rowl the full length of the rist of chink of the quarter and having first anointed the Hurds very well with the Salve bind it thereon When you dress him which must be once in three days unty all as well the hoop as filletting and continue so doing till you find an absolute cure Fig. The Fig is a disease which derives its denomination from the shape of the Sorrance which is naughty and superfluous flesh growing on the frush or heel in the likeness of a Fig being full of little white grains as you may perceive in a Fig opened and this Malady is occasioned either by stub great nail thorn bone splent or stone either in the sole or any other part of the foot The old experienced Farriers were wont to cut the fig away with a hot Iron and keep the flesh from rising with Turpentine Hogs grease and a little Wax molten together and laid on with a little Tow stopping the hole very hard keeping down the flesh and applying this fresh every day till the sore be healed But latter experience finds this to be much better after you have cut away the Fig close with an Incision knife but it is much better to burn it off with a red hot Iron if so then lay for two days together tryed Hogs grease to draw out the fire then take the tops of the most angry young Nettles you can find pound them very small and spread them on a linnen cloth just the bigness of the Fig then take the powder of Verdigrease and strew it on the plaister of 〈…〉 before you lay it to the Sorrance 〈…〉 thereon laying fresh every day 〈…〉 grow perfect and sound this is 〈…〉 you Frush running or rotten The running Frush is a Sorrance called by some Country Smiths the Frog because it breedeth in that spongy part of the Heel which they call the Frog I know not for what reason they should give it that appellation since it is formed and fashioned like a forked Arrow-head and is the tenderest part of the Hoof towards the Heel this is that part which when Farriers cut they say they cut forth the sole of the Horses foot The causes of this Sorrance are several as first when the Smith inconsiderately pareth that part to the quick which afterwards becomes sore and often turns to the Running Frush which will so stink as not to be endured by reason of the Gravel getting into it through travel causing a rankling and impostumation sometimes it hapneth by an evil humour falling down into the legs and making its way out through the Frush being the softest and tenderest part of the foot now though hereby the legs are kept clean from Wind-galls and all other tumours and swellings by reason that the humours have passage that way yet by reason of the corruption gathering into that part I look upon the mischief of this Sorrance much greater than the advantage it brings with it making the Horses foot so weak and tender that he is not able to tread on any hard ground The signs are he will ever go best on green swarth but when he comes into hard and dry dirty ways he will halt by reason of the Gravel getting in fretting and paining him to the quick and you shall observe that when he resteth the Frush will weep sending forth a watry stuff which will so stink the scent will be insufferable The Cure Take stale Chamber-lye and boil it with a quantity of Alom and keep it close stopped in a Glass then take of red Nettles two handfuls the strongest and most angry dry them well and reduce them to powder and what quantity of this powder you have join to it as much beaten Pepper and mix them well together and keep it in a dry Bladder for your use when you have occasion to make use thereof take off the shooe and open the Frush then wash the sorrance to the very bottom with this water and powder mixed together and warmed then hollow the shooe that it hurt not the Frush and so put it on but before you do it the foot being well washed and cleansed from all putrefaction and gravel fill the hole with the aforementioned powder and stop it with Hurds and splent it that the Hurds may keep in the powder and that nothing may come to prejudice the Sorrance and thus renew the washing with filling up the hole with the powder every day once and in seven or eight days it will be perfectly cured provided you suffer no dung to come to the place afflicted and that he tread not on any wet during the time of the Cure Fistula A Fistula is a running Ulcer deep hollow and crooked being much straiter at the mouth or orifice than at the bottom occasioned by some wound bruise sore or canker not throughly healed sometimes proceeding from malignant humours sometimes from a stripe which being strongly laid home and bruising the flesh to the bone it afterwards putrifies inwardly and turns to a Fistula or lastly it comes by being wrung by the Tree of an ill-made Sadle The signâ— hereof are so apparent they need not an Ecce in their discovery therefore let us pass to the Cure which must be thus First take some pliable thing as a Goos-quil a small piece of Lead or a rod and therewith probe or search the bottom thereof making your Probe to bend which way soever the crooked cavity of the Fistula leaneth Having found the bottom thereof make so large an incision that the corruption may have a free passage downwards but have a care you do
former by being deep black about the sides and bottom neither increasing nor healing The causes are either bruise wound or impostume abused in the cure or else the cause may arise from the negligence or unskilfulness of the Farrier suffering ill humours to slow down into those parts The signs are according to Mr. Markham's judgment the long continuance of the Sore the blackness thereof with inflammation and the thinness of the matter flowing from it Observe this in the Cure first mundifie or cleanse the sore well with white Wine then take Lilly-leaves and Copperas and beat them well in a Mortar with Swines-grease till they turn to a Salve then with flax lay it on the Sorrance covering it also with a Plaister as in the cure of wounds and it will speedily be a Cure this must be renewed once a day But as for an old Ulcer in particular I never found any thing by experience better than this Take Frankincense Mastick Cloves green Copperas and Brimstone of each a like quantity twice as much Myrrh as any of the former beat it into powder and burn it on a Chafing dish and coals but let it not flame as the smoak ariseth take an handful of Lint and hold it over the smoak so that it may receive the fume thereof into it then close this Lint in a Box and keep it It is to be supposed that this Lint or you may use fine Hurds instead thereof is throughly persumed and observe before you use it purifie and wash well with Urine or Vinegar either made warm the sore and then having dried it lay on some of these Hurds or Lint continuing so doing twice a day take this from experience to be a speedy and never failing Cure Ives The Ives grow in a rowl betwixt the hinder part of his Jaw-bone and his Neck if they should chance to reach the roots of his ears the Horse is in a dangerous condition If you will work a Cure you must first let him blood in both the Neck-veins having thus done take Vinegar Pepper and Hogs grease of each a like quantity having wrought them well together divide it into two equal portions putting the one part into one ear and the residue into the other then clap in after it wool or flax to keep it in and then stitch up his ears close with a needle and thread for a day and a night In the time of the Cure let him stand in the house Inflammations Pustuls and Kernels under the Chawl of an Horse These inflammations have most commonly their rise and original from either cold or Glanders which must be dissolved or discussed or the Horse will never be sound to this purpose therefore take two handfuls of Wheat-bran a quart of Beer or Ale or so much as will thicken it then add to these Hogs-grease half a pound boil these together till the liquor be quite consumed then take thereof and lay it to the place as hot as it can be endured doing thus every day so long till it hath either broke the swelling or softned it in such manner as that it is in a fit condition to be opened having cleansed it from its filth and putrefaction then tent it with flax dipped in this Salve following Take of Turpentine and Hogs-grease of each a like quantity of Rozin or Wax somewhat more melt all these together and your Salve is made put hereof into and upon the wound once a day till it be whole Inflammations in Horses Eyes These inflammations happen often by an Horses long standing in a Stable whereby motes fall into his eyes or they may come by foul feeding and no exercise or by corrupt or rank blood The signs are plain the Cure must then follow first phlebotomize him on the Temple-veins and upon the Eye-veins and then wash his Eyes with Milk and Honey mixt together or you may wash his Eyes after you have bled him with Milk and Aloes Hepatica Impostumation in general how to ripen If any swelling doth impostumate you shall discern it by the heat for if you lay your hand thereon you will feel it burn exceedingly when you have discovered the nature of the malady your next care must be to ripen it so that it may be fit to be opened for that purpose take Mallow-roots and white Lilly-root of each a like quantity bruise them and put unto them Hogs-grease and Linseed-meal boil these till they are soft and then lay them in manner of a Plaister to the Swelling Before I give you any more receipts for the ripening or softning an Impostume give me lieve to tell you first what an Impostume is which may be thus defined It is a gathering or knitting together of many and most corrupt humours in any part or member of the body making that part to swell extremely and growing into such violent inflammation that in the end they rot and break out into foul mattery and running sores having their original either from corruption of food or corruption of blood Now let me proceed to give you a farther account of what will ripen them Some take Swines-grease red Wax and the flower of Euphorbium and mixing them well on the fire lay it to the Impostume Others say this is better to take two handfuls of Sorrel and lapping it in a Dock-leaf roast it in the hot embers and so lay it very hot to the Impostume renewing it once a day But in my opinion this is best Take of Sanguis Draconis of Gum Arabick of new Wax of Mastick of Pitch of Greece of Incense and of Turpentine of each a like quantity melt these together and having strained them make a Plaister thereof and lay it to the Impostume and this will both ripen break and heal it so much in general Now you are to understand there are two sorts of Impostumes the one hot and the other cold If the Impostume hath its original from any hot cause as extraordinary travel or inflamed blood then according to the judgment of the most knowing take Liverwort and stamp it and mingle it with the grounds of Ale Hogs-grease and Mallows bruised Or you may take Lettice-seed or Poppy-seed and mix it with the Oyl of red Roses and lay it on the Sore plaister-wise if it be done at the beginning of the swelling it will take it clean away But if the Impostume be engendered by any cold cause then take Balm and Hogs-grease and stamp them well together and apply it as aforesaid Or open the Impostume in the lowest part with a hot Iron then wash it with warm Urine after that anoint it with Tar and Oil well mixt together Note by the way if you make your Incision in the form or manner of an half-Moon it will be more advantagious for your purpose Or Lastly take an handful of Rew and stamp it well with the yolks of Eggs and Honey and applying it Plaister wise it will cure any old Impostume Itch in the Tail of an Horse
Corrupt blood rank feeding or over-heating do cause this Maunge in the Tail yet not always for sometimes it is occasioned by Truncheon-worms in the Fundament which are bred there in the Spring which will cause them frequently to rub their Tails in this case you need do no more than anoint your hand with Butter or Soap and pull out the Worms and the cure is effected But if you find the Tail grow bare by reason of shedding the Hair which is occasioned by some small worms which grow at the root thereof or otherwise by some small fretting Scab then anoint his Tail throughout with Soap and after wash it with strong Lye this will both cleanse him from the Scab and kill the Worms Sometimes there will grow a Canker in the Tail which by degrees will eat not only the flesh but seize on the bone so that it shall drop joint by joint against this Malady you must take this course Take of green Copperas and Alom of each two pound of white Copperas half a pound boil these in five quarts of running water in a strong earthen pot till one half be consumed then with a little of this water luke-warm wash his Tail every day once with a little Flax bound to a stick and it will quickly be well Interfering Interfering or Enterfering signify both one and the same thing this infirmity comes sometimes naturally the pace being very strait or sometimes by broad shooing so that in his going he heweth one leg against the other whence come hard scabs and very mattery sore causing the Horse to halt down-right The Cure is thus Take of May-butter or fresh Grease and mingle it with Nerve-oil and Turpentine fry these in a pan and then add Cow-dung and apply it Plaister-wise You need not trouble your self about the cure hereof if your prudence and discretion would look after his shooing so that he might go so wide as not to touch However if you will play the Horse-courser you may take a sharp and knotted Cord and draw it from his Dock between his legs to the Girths and so ride him Joints grieved with any Ach Numness Weakness or Swelling whatsoever which proceedeth from a cold Cause The causes of this Ach Numness and Swelling are either a strain or a cold taken by violent exercise labour or immoderate riding The Signs or Symptoms are so visible to the Eye they need no description The Cure is Take Aqua vitae and warm it on the fire then take it and bathe the part grieved and rub it very well holding before it a broad flat hot Iron which will cause the spirit to sink in the better then take a ragg or piece of Flax and dip it in the Aqua vitae then take Pepper and having beaten it well fierce it in a fine fierce and lay it on the rag or flax and bind it to the grieved member then swathe it well with a Linnen Rowler do thus once a day and this will soon recover him There are others who take Acopum and mingle it with sweet Sack and therewith rub and chafe the grieved joint this is an excellent Medicine though not altogether so good as the former Increase of an Hoof lost or torn by some accident If your Horse hath lost his Hoof or if it be any ways impaired then take the Oil of Hemp-seed of Wax of Venice Turpentine Rozin Pitch Bay-seeds dried and powdred of each half a pound Roch-alom two ounces incorporate these well together and let them seeth over a soft fire having thus boiled some little space take it off and strain it through an hair cloth thus you may preserve it till you have occasion to make use thereof Once or twice a day take of this Unguent and anoint the Hoofs of your Horse and this will make them grow exceedingly and so sound as that hereafter they will not prove brittle Knots or Knobs how to remove If you perceive that your Horse hath growing on any part of his body any unnatural Knot or Knob which by Artists are called Excretions caused by putrified blood or by wounds not well healed which Excretions are not only perspicuous to the Eye but plainly felt by the hand I say in such a case you must endeavour to remove them with all expedition which may be done thus Take an Incision-Knife and scarifie those Excretions then lay thereon Coloquintida burned and sifted having eaten away this Knob or Knot then heal it up with some drying Medicines as Honey Lime or Bole armoniack Or take the strongest sort of Aegyptiacum and with Cotton lay it thereon and in four or five times doing it will utterly destroy or eat away the Excretion Kernels under an Horses throat how to discuss suddenly safely and with little Expence In the first place you must take a lighted Candle and therewith sear the Kernels then take Butter it matters not whether fresh or salt and lay a piece thereof on a red cloth and rub it well in therewith and in less than fourteen dayes the Knots will vanish and if the Nose run by reason of them it will stop as soon as they are gone During the Cure if it be in Winter he must be kept warm in the Stable otherwise he may run at grass but neglect not to anoint his Knobs or Kernels once a day at least Or you may take Soap and mingle it with Brandy-wine and having a red hot Iron in readiness hold it somewhat near the part as you apply the Soap and Brandy-wine to make it sink in the better this Medicine will suddenly bring them down or break them Now if your aforesaid Knobs be of a long standing and be extremely hard then in this manner you must work the Cure Take an ounce and an half of the Oil of Turpentine and joyn thereto the like quantity of strong Beer put these into a glass and so shake them that they be well mingled together with this bathe the Knob clapping it in well with your hand and using an hot Iron to make it sink in the more four days after apply the charge of Soap and Brandy-wine Five or six days after you may ride him whither you please Knees broken of a long standing perfectly cured If your Horse have old broken Knees much swelled and hard and have been a good while healed up only take the Oil of Worms and anoint the places grieved for this is a great mollifier of any hard and bony part if this answer not your expectation then may you use the aforesaid Remedy which I prescribed for hard Knobs of a long continuance Legs that are swelled how to cure As to the swelling of an Horse's Legs you must consider whether it be before or behind if in his forelegs then the cause hereof was some over violent labour by reason he was fat and the Grease which was melted fell down in his forelegs which had it staid within and not fallen outwardly would have ingendered an Anticor or some other
cured Take Rock Allom and burn it in a fire-pan then take as much Bay Salt and burn that too having so done beat them to a very fine powder then take of common Honey and sweet Butter of each a quantity alike and work all these into a body bring it thus into a salve and not by the help of fire When you intend to use it let it be either plaisterwise or Tentwise or both ways according as occasion shall require this will not only heal any sore very perfectly but will also eat away any dead or proud flesh Poll-Evil in the Neck The Poll-evil is so called from its breeding in the Poll behind the Ears it is a great Swelling or apostumated Inflammation and to say the truth let men give it what appellation they please it is more than a Fistula in Grain or formal The Causes of this Pole-evil are several as first from the Horses struggling in a new hard hempen halter or from a blow given behind the ears by reason of which bruise the flesh festering and becoming inflamed this loathsome Sorrance hath its original many times bilious and malignant humours invading that place do cause it The Signs are a tumour with Inflammation where note that the putrefaction is greater within than without and therefore you must timely think of letting out the corruption before it happen to break of it self As to the cure you must lay unto the swoln place whatever is mollifying and will ripen it as for example take Hogs grease and lay thereunto as hot as may be or else take Loam of a Mud wall in which there is no Lime by how much the older it is the better boil hereof what you think sufficient in the strongest White-Wine-Vinegar and let it boil to a Pultess and apply this very hot to the swelling renewing it twice a day till you have brought the swelling to suppuration that it is fit to be laid open then look where it is softest and with a Copper round instrument for that is better than any Iron as big as a mans little finger and sharp at the end and being hot thrust it in two inches beneath the soft place so that the point of your cauterizing instrument may come out at the ripest place by this means the corruption will descend downward at the neather hole which you must keep open for the better issuing of the aforesaid matter to that end tent it with Flax dipt in Hogs grease warm laying thereto a Plaister also of Hogs grease upon the same renew this every day once for five days together at the expiration of which time take half a pound of Turpentine very cleanly washed in several waters which when throughly dryed mingle therewith the Yolks of three Egges and a little Saffron Now take your probe and search the bottom of the wound then make a Tent with a piece of dry Sponge never dipt in water so long as near upon to reach the bottom and so thick as it may fill up the cavity but before you put it in dip it in the afore specified Ointment after this lay on a Plaister of Hogs grease made indifferent warm changing your old Plaister for a fresh till you have perfected the cure Or thus you may do first ripen the swelling then open it and cleanse it well from its matter and corruption then apply Hogs grease to extract the fire your Cauterizing Iron hath left behind it then heal it after this manner Take of Hogs grease the quantity of a Tennis-ball Brimstone beaten into the fine powder with an ounce of Quick-silver very well killed and so mingle these together that you have made them into an Ointment and anoint the swelling herewith having so done take a penny worth of red Tar the reddest is the best of Hogs grease half a pound of green Copperas and Bay Salt of each an handful and pulverize them then boil these exceeding well and as it comes scalding hot off the fire dip therein a clout fastned at the end of a stick and anoint or scald the sore four mornings together for this scalding kills the Fistula so that its future and further progress is absolutely hindered after this you need only but to warm the Tar and apply it to the place and the Cure is consummated Now there are some Farriers which cure the Poll-evil only by first opening the sore with an hot cauterizing Iron then taking red Lead and black Soap mingle them with water till they are thick and so tent the Horse therewith till he be whole But the best Remedy I have met withal as a general Cure for any Pole-evil whatsoever is first shave off the hair from the part that is swoln then lay thereon a Plaister of black Shoomakers-wax spred upon white Alom'd Leather letting it lie thereon till it have broken the Impostume then take better than a pint of strong white Wine-vinegar and when it is about to boil put therein as much Lome of a Mud-wall straws and all as will thicken it into a Poultess applying this to the Sorrance as hot as the Horse can suffer it and by renewing it once a day in a little time the Impostume will be whole Pole-evil in the Head There is little difference between the Pole-evil in the Neck and the Pole-evil in the Head only there is a discrepancy as to their place the Causes and Symptoms of this distemper are much alike As to the Cure of the Pole-evil in the Head take this method As soon as you perceive a swelling take presently half an ounce of the oyl of Turpentine and anoint therewith the part grieved and that it may the better sink in chafe it very well with your hand and so let it alone for four days in which time you will perceive the skin to shrink up seeing the swelling thus begin to abate and come down then take of Burgundy-pitch and black Pitch of each an ounce and an half and with a slice daub or spread it over the swelling in his forehead but first you must melt them in a Pipkin with an ounce of Mastich having so done take flocks and lay them on thick upon the place anointed and so let them lie till they fall off which most usually will be about three weeks now when the Plaister falls off if you see no venom nor swelling remaining you may conclude you have done your work but if the impostumation remain unbroken then lance it and cut out what dead flesh you find therein filling the cavity with Flax to dry up the blood and putrefaction suffering it to remain in that condition seven or eight hours then take it out and lay thereon some of that generally known Receipt for a Canker in the Head dressing it once a day if you make an hole at the edge of the swelling below it will heal much the sooner still when you take off your Plaister mark by looking on the top of the Pole-evil how far the proud flesh reacheth which will
be white and like Jelly and cut it out with your Incision-knife till you come to the sound red flesh spare not to cut it all out though from the flesh and veins there flow a great quantity of blood but cut not by any means the Pax-wax which you shall plainly discern by its whiteness But you shall find a white pith near the Pax-wax which I would advise you by all means to remove and indeed it is no ways difficult so to do for if you will lay but your Pinchers to it it will come away whole like a plugg having drawn it out apply some of the Medicine aforesaid and it will heal it up Pastern-joint strained When I speak of a strain in the Pastern-joint I do not mean that the back sinews have sustained any detriment wherefore if the Pastern-joint be only strained then take a quart of Brine and boil it till it ariseth then strain it and put to it of Tansey and Mallows of each one handful of Honey two spoonfuls and of Sheeps-tallow four ounces take these and having first chopt them very well pound them in a Mortar after this put them into a Posnet and boil them well then take it off and when it is but warm put it into a cloth and sow it on to the Sorrance letting it remain there six days but if in that time the Cure is not wrought then wash it with warm water shaving off the hair scarifie the joint and then apply the Medicine compounded of Cantharides and Euphorbium and this will undoubtedly effect the Cure Prick on the Crownet with a Pitch-sork or otherwise Take a pottle of Stale Urine two handfuls of Mallows and half a pound of Boars-grease boil them together and being indifferent hot bathe the Legs therewith then apply the Mallows to the Wound but if the swelling ascend upwards and be great then rope the Leg up and moisten the ropes with his Urine this is good for any swelling whatever Or take Turpentine black Soap Hogs-grease great Treat and Pitch a quantity alike mix and boil them well together and so apply it warm or otherwise Pricking in the Foot If an Horse by chance or negligence of the Smith be prickt in the foot you will know it when he goeth by favouring that foot which is offended when he stands still by standing a tiptoe on that foot As soon as you shall perceive your Horse to be thus abused take off his shooe and pare him by degrees with the Butteriss and your Drawing-knife having found out the bottom of his grievance cleanse it very well take Turpentine fresh Butter with a small quantity of black Pitch sodden together and poured in scalding hot then dip some Tow therein stuffing it well between the shooe and foot you may take a piece of upper-leather and stuff it in between the Towe and the shooe Now if it be some Nail in the streets or channel which hath struck into his foot then finding out the Nail pluck it out and heating it red hot put it again into the same hole from whence you drew it thus searing it with the red hot Nail will keep the hole from festering and rankling then melt Turpentine Butter and black Pitch and as it is scalding pour it therein then put on the shooe and stuff the soot with Towe or Hurds this never faileth Prickt in the shooing and festering afterwards If your Horse be prickt by the carelesness or ignorance of a Smith and after the hurt received you perceiving it not presently the place rankleth and festereth in a very great measure then must you first open it very well to the very bottom letting out all the corruption therein search it be sure as far as the Nail did go and then mundifie it after this take five or six House-snails a little Salt the quantity of a Walnut of Soap and beat these together and lay this to the foot that was prickt a whole day and a night or longer till you see it begin to heal then dress it but once in eight and forty hours five dressings will be sufficient This pricking in the foot hath several names though they all import but one thing as Accloyed Cloyd Retrait and prickt yet Mr. Markham seems to make some difference between them of which I shall give you as brief an account as Imay But first give me lieve to recount to you the several general Causes which happen very commonly by the ignorance and unskilfulness of the Smith in driving of his nails whereby some are broken and not being immediately drawn out caused the part to fester and impostumate sometimes the Horse is injured by the weakness or ill-pointing of the Nails Now if after the new shooing of your Horse you suspect him prickt yet cannot discover it by his halting search his feet and that foot which is grieved he will shrink up as soon as you have laid your Pinsers to the place for their nipping will pain him to the quick Or by knocking with an Hammer on the top of the Clenches you will presently discover which Nail it is that hurts him Now by reason of the anguish and the pain he undergoes by this pricking his foot will be more hot that is hurt than the rest so that if you take a pail of water and throw on his feet that foot grieved will be sooner dry about the hoof than the rest Having discovered his Malady by these infallible Symptoms first search his foot very well then take of Goats-grease or rather Deers-suet if to be had of Turpentine Sallet-oil and new Wax of each two ounces melt these together and before you take it from the fire put to it of ordinary Honey three ounces and of Sanguis Draconis one drachm pulverized work these into one body over a slow fire and make an Unguent thereof take a good quantity hereof and pour it into the Sorrance indifferently warm then stop it up with Towe or Hurds and be sure that he tread in no cold water The French are so in love with this their own experienced Remedy that they will admit of none else for the cure of a prick Having first searched and washed the Sorrance very well then they take Oil de Bay four ounces of Orfin Cantharides Euphorbium of each two ounces make them all into fine powder and set it on a small slow fire stirring it till it become an Ointment with which they dress ths Sorrance and to speak the truth it is a very excellent and speedy Remedy Now it becometh every one that hath respect for his Horse to be careful in the curing of this same prick in the foot for if it be not throughly searched cleansed and healed to the bottom it will certainly break out about the Cronet or top of the Hoof so loosning the hoof round about that it is ten to one but that the hoof will come clearly off Now if you perceive that it begins to break out above make as large a
strained and wash well and bathe the place therewith every day twice till it be perfectly cured Venom drank how to cure An Horse may swallow poison divers ways as by drinking Horse-leeches by licking poisonous Spittle off the grass by eating Hens-Dung licking up a Feather and the like you shall know his distemper by these three signs either panting swelling or scouring For the Cure take Sow thistle an herb so called and having dryed it beat it into powder and take three spoonfuls thereof into a pint of Ale and give it the Horse to drink Veins taken up why and for what causes It is the opinion of most skilful Farriers that some Maladies will never be cured but by the taking up of Veins for if not those Veins will so feed the Sorrance that unless the passage of those malignant humours be stopped the cure will never be effected Now as the taking up of Veins hinders the progress of a Sorrance so it prevents the coming of some which if seizing the part would never be cured without it For Example the taking up the Thigh Veins will send packing Spavens Splints Curbs Kibed Heels swelled Legs Scratches Malenders and the like besides it easeth all pains aches strains and stiffness in the limbs Take up the Shackle Veins and it preventeth the Quitter bone Ring bone Swelling in the lower joints Foundrings and the like Wherefore these premises considered they are much to blame who exclaim against the taking up the Veins betraying rather their own ignorance and want of experience than any just fault in the exercise thereof Wolfs teeth The Woolfs teeth are two extraordinary teeth being small and growing in the upper jaws next unto the great grinding teeth which are so painful and troublesome to an Horse that he cannot indure to chaw his meat but is forced either to let it fall out of his mouth or else to retain it in his mouth half chewed The Cure is thus first cause the Horses head to be tied up so high to some beam or rafter and his mouth opened with a cord so wide that you may with much ease see every part thereof then take an instrument made like a Carpenters Gouge and with your left hand set the edge of the tool at the foot of the Wolfs teeth on the out side of the jaw turning the hollow side of the Tool downwards holding your hand steadily so that the tool may neither slip nor swerve from the Teeth aforesaid then having a Mallet in your right hand strike a strong stroke upon the head of the Tool so that thereby you may loosen the Teeth and bend them inward then straining the midst of your Tool upon the Horses neather jaw wrinch the Tooth outward with the hollow side of the said Tool and so thrust it clean out of his head which done serve the other Woolfs tooth on the other side in like manner and fill up the empty holes with Salt finely brayed But this is a long tedious way and I cannot approve of it in my judgment to come near this way I am going to prescribe which I have frequently experimented and that is when you have tied up your Horses head or if you please you may cast him then open his mouth and with a very sharp File file the Woolfs teeth as smooth as is possible and then only wash his mouth with a little Allom water Wild-fire This Wild-fire is a very dangerous Malady and difficultly to be cured before I met with an Italian I made several attempts to cure it but all to no purpose but having made tryal of his Receipt I found it wonderfully successful it is made after this manner Take of living Toads five the blackest and largest can be found four Moles living seven or eight old Shooe soles and about forty heads of Garlick unpilled with their heads and roots remaining then ta kt four pound of the Smoakiest and leanest Martlemas Beef also take five quarts of Oats and two pound of very old Woollen rags with a good quantity of Swallows Dung and half a dozen living Swallows put all these ingredients into a new Earthen pot big enough to contain them having so done lute up the pot so close that no air may enter Now take your pot and carry it into some void place and there make a great fire round about it and keep the fire about it till it be red hot continuing the fire about it after it is red hot for near upon an hour letting the fire to go out of it self letting the pot to stand therein till it be throughly cold then take out what is contained therein and put it into a great Trough so placed where no wind may come covering the trough with a Cloth then stamp it well with a pound of unslaked Lime but let him that stamps it have a care of his eyes and therefore a glass case would tend very much to their preservation having reduced it into fine powder searce it through an hair cloth and so preserve the finest of the powder in a Gallipot for your future use This by my own experience I have found a sovereign remedy against all Wild fires Running Sorrances and Ulcers whatsoever but you must be cautious of applying it to fleshy places where Veins and Sinews be for it will burn them asunder Warts in an Horses Eye I have often seen these Warts or fleshy Excretions growing sometimes upon the Eye and sometimes upon the inside of the Eye lids This distemper is occasioned by a thick flegm falling down into the Eye by keeping an Horse too long in a dark Stable which in continuance of time will bring the Eye of the Horse to a Consumption making it grow little You must take this Sorrance in time by taâ—ing Roch Allom and burn it on a Tile stone 〈◊〉 then put as much white Copperas thereunto unburnt and grind them to powder then lay a little of that powder just upon the Wart do this every day and in a short time the Wart will be conâ—â—ined Wens or other Excretions in the Flesh how to remove A Wen is an hard Excretion rising out of the flesh being somewhat firm externally but internally towards the bottom there lodgeth putrfection The Causes hereof are several but the most usual are some hurt stroke bruise blow or knock of a stone there need no other signs than the apparent swelling As to the Cure if you can tye a thread about it and that will eat it off but if you cannot come to tye any such thing then take your Incision knife and cut it a-cross into four equal quarters to the very bottom but have a care you cut neither Vein nor Sinew then burn off the four quarters with your Cauterizing Iron then heal the place with your afore prescribed healing Salve There are again Warts or Wens which grow about the Saddle skirts growing betwixt two ribs and do always proceed from old bruises The usual way of curing them is dayly to