more apt to heate surbate or founder with sleight trauell Now for the second practise which is the gartering vp of his hinder legges that wil make a foale haue thicke and foure cambrels insomuch that his ioyntes will appeare gowty and vnsuteable especiallye if you garter any thing too strait it is somewhat dangerous for the breeding of blood spauens in Foales because the blood being stopt so many daies together within the veanes doth many times corrupt and take part with other grosse humors which are the causes of that sorance Lastly and which is the worst fault of al the ambling pace which is got by this experience is nothing comely to the eie albe it often fal out to be most easie for the gartering of the foales legges makes it cramble with the hinder pattes and goe both crookedly and illfauouredly Now for the last practise which is the raysing vp of a Foale first behinde when it is new falne besides that it is not decent to handle or meddle with such young creatures till their dams haue discharged their kindnesses that they haue taken naturall and orderly stifning It is with horsemen held both vnwholsome and daungerous to the life of the Foale for it is moste certaine that the coÌ„pulsion which is therein vsed brings the Foale to a moste extraordinarie weakenesse and faintnesse from whence and from no other secret proceeds the alteration of the pace wherefore since there are thus many daungers in these two earely tryalls and that the working of these single benefits in foales may lose al the future hopes and seruices which a man expects when they come to be Horses I would for mine owne part wish al Gentlemen how much soeuer they are naturally inclined to their owne ease to omit and let passe this pactising vpon foales except it be at some speciall time when for the bettering of their knowledges they will trie the examples of their reading and onely to put in vse those practises which are fit for the horses of elder age as foure fiue sixe or seauen which hauing both strength and power to performe and abilitie of bodie and member to indure the vttermoste which arte can inuent to impose vpon them are more worthie of your labour and more neare to your present seruice of them I purpose wholy to intreate hereafter CHAP. 3. How to teach a horse to amble by the help of a new plowde field and the faults therin THere both haue beene are many questions raised not by horsemen for they know the truth of art but by such as bear the false shapes of Horsemen as amblers common horse breakers alike in qualitie to Mountebanks horse collers touching the making of horses to amble some inuaying against one practise some against another neuer contented with any one certainlie but with that which either they haue most vsed or is last in learning so that to reconcile them and bring theÌ„ to an vnitie both in arte and opinion were a labour teadious and infinite neither will I spend mine houres so vnprofitablie yet it is moste certaine there is but one truth and one true way to hit the marke wee shoote at which because my knowledge shall neither bee a iudgement nor Oracle I will not so much arrogate to say this is it but vnfolde at large all the seuerall practises which either my selfe haue experiencd or else noted in other mens labors together with such errors as pursue follow euerie such method so that euerie ripe industrious braine may by comparing the fruits faults together easily iudge which practise deserues the best entertainmâ—t is most worthy a popular imitation wherfore to begin with the manner of making horses to amble the first way that I fouÌ„d which carried in it any substantial grouÌ„d of reason was to make a horse amble with the helpe of a new deepe plowd fielde where a horses legs might sinke deepe into the earth and make his labour painefull and it is to be done in this sorte You shal first put into your horses mouth if it be tender and good a Snaffle verie round smoothe and ful of a size somewhat bigger then an ordinarie trauelling snaffle and with that ride your horse into some deepe new plowd field All the way as you ride into the field not suffering your horse to trot but rather to go foot-pace Adioyning to this field you shall haue either some faire hye way or else some plaine greene Meare and then being vpon the hye-way you shall plucke vp your bridle with both your handes so that your Snaffle may not rest vpon his châ— but vppon the weekes of his mouth and then spurring him gentlie forward see if hee will alter his pace which if he will not as it is moste likelye you shall then thrust him vppon the deepe landes and there you shall toyle him vppe and downe for a quarter of an houre in as swift a foote pace as you can make him goe suffering him not by anie meanes to trott although hee bee neuer so hastie nor labouring much to make him amble though you should finde him willinglye inclyned thereunto but onelye keeping him to the height of his foot-pace and bearing your bridle reyne aloft as was before tolde you After you haue thus toyled him a prety while vppon the landes you shall then bring him to the hye way againe and then approue to make him amble by holding vp your bridle hand carrying the reynes thereof straite and by helping him with the calues of your legges one after another and sometimes with your spurres one after another also as thus if when hee begins to breake and alter his pace hee giue you now and then a little iumpe vpon your right buttocke as hee goes then you may knowe that hee treades false with his right hinder legge so that then you shall giue him either the calue of your right legge or your right spurre hard to his side but if hee doe the like with his left hinder foot then you shall giue him the helpe and correction vppon the left side for you must knowe that in ambling it is euer the hinder foote and not the fore foote which treadeth false and if you do but preciselie marke of which of your buttockes or of which side of your bodye you feele the moste shaking or Iogging you shall easilâ—e perceiue which foot treades amisse and therefore it is necessarie that before you take vpon you to teach horses to amble you be so well experienst in the knowledge feeling of the pace that you may at the first apprehend the least step that your horse can tread amisse After you haue thus the second time approud your horse vpon the hye way if yet notwithstanding he will not fall to any amâ—â—â—â— you shall then labour him againe vpon the deepe landes in the same manner as you did before onelye in a swift foote pace and thus continew from the landes to the hie way and from the
Sinues Veynes and Bones of a horse 3 Of a horses vrine and of his excrements 4 Of letting of horses blood the time the cause signes 5 Of sicknesse in generall 6 Of feuers and the diuers kinds thereof 7 Of the pestilence or gargill 8 Of the inwarde diseases of the heade and first of the headach 9 Of the frenzie or madnes in horses 10 Of the sleeping euill or lethargie 11 Of a horse that is taken 12 Of the staggers 13 Of the falling-euill or falling-sicknesse 14 Of the Appoplexie or Palsie 15 Of the Witch or night mare 16 Of crampes or conuulsion of sinewes 17 Of the pose or colde in the head 18 Of diseases in the eies first of watrish eies 19 Of bloodshotten eies 20 Of dimnes of sight pin web pearls or spots 21 Of the Haw 22 Of the lunatike or moone eies 23 Of the canker vlcer or fistula in the eie 24 Of diseases beloÌ„ging to the eares first of laue ears or hanging eares 25 Of the impostume in the eare 26 Of the poll euill 27 Of the Viues 28 Of the cankerous vlcer in the nose 29 Of bleeding at the nose 30 Of diseases in the mouth first of the bloody riftes 31 Of the bladders 32 Of the lampas 33 Of the canker in the mouth 34 Of heate in the mouth 35 Of the tung being hurt with the byt 36 Of the pappes 37 Of the paine in the teeth and of the wolfes 38 Of the cricke in the necke 39 Of wennes in the necke 40 Of swelling in the necke after blood-letting 41 Of stenching of blood whether it come by blood letting or by any wound receiued 42 Of the falling of the crest 43 Of Mangines or scabs within the maine 44 Of shedding the haire from the maine or taile 45 Of the swelling of the withers either by pinching or galling with an ill saddle 46 Of the impostumations in a horses withers 47 Of hard hornes knobs or sitfastes growing vnder the Saddle 48 Of the nauell Gall. 49 Of the swaying of the backe 50 Of the weakenes in the back 51 Of hide bound 52 Of the strangle 53 Of the cough 54 Of the inward and wet cough 55 Of the frettized broken rotten lungs 56 Of the putrified or rotten lunges 57 Of the shortnesse ofbreath or pursiuenes 58 Of a consumption and the seueral kinds 59 Of griefe at the brest 60 Of the Anticor 61 Of tyred horses 62 Of diseases vnder the midriffe 63 Of the loathing of meate 64 Of casting out drinke 65 Of surfaits 66 Of the hungrie euill 67 Of the diseases os the liuer 68 Of the consumption of the liuer 69 Of diseases in the Gall. 70 Of diseases in the Spleene 71 Of the yellowes 72 Of the Dropsie 73 Of the diseases in the Guts 74 Of costiuenes or belly bound 75 Of loosenes 76 Of the bloody sluxe 77 Of the bots or wormes 78 Of paine in the kidnies 79 Of pissing bloud 80 Of the colt euill 81 Of the matering of the yarde 82 Of the shedding of seede 83 Of the falling of the yarde 84 Of the swelling of the cods or stones 85 Of incording or bursting 86 Of the botch in the griones 87 Of the itch or manginesse in the taile 88 Of pinching splating or wrinching the shoulder 89 Of the swelling of the legs after labour 90 Of foundring in the legs 91 Of the splent or Serewe 92 Of the Mallender or Sallender 93 Of an ouer-reach or attaint vponthe sinew of the shanke 94 Of an ouer-reach vpon the heele 95 Of halting eyther before or behind 96 Of being hipped 97 Of being stisâ—ed 98 Of the bone spauen 99 Of the bloud spauen 100 Of the Kurbe 101 Of the paines 102 Of kibd heeles 103 Of windgalles 104 Os wrinching the neithe ioint 105 Of the shakell gall 106 Of the Scratches 107 Of the Ring-bone 108 Of the crowne scab 109 Of hurts vpon the cronet of the hoofes 110 Of the quitterbone 111 Of grauelling 112 Of sarbatting 113 Of a pricke in the soale of the foote 114 Of retreate 115 Of Cloying 116 Of loosening the hoofe 117 Of casting the hoofe 118 Of hoofe bound 119 Of the running frush 120 Of the leprosie 121 Of the Farcion 122 Of the Canker 123 Of the Fistula 124 Of an Anbury 125 Of woundes 126 Of brusing or swellings 127 Of sinewes cut or prickt 128 Of woundes made with gun shot 129 Of burning with lime 130 Of the byting of a mad Dog 131 Of being shrew runne 132 Of the warble or felter worme 133 Of being stung with adder or Snakes 134 Of eating Hens dung 135 How to kill lice 136 To keep horses froÌ„ the stinging of flies 137 The cure of broken bones 138 Of the taking vp of veanes 139 Of Glisters 140 Of purgations 141 Of calteryzing and the vses 142 Ceraine speciall receites for speciall purposes The Table of the eight Booke Chapters 1 OF Horse corsers in generall 2 The obseruations Horse-corsers vse in the choice of horses and the deceits they vse in couering their saults 3 Of the discouerie and preuention of the Horse coursers deceites 4 Of the excellencie of Horses vnderstandings 5 How a horse may bee taught to doe any tricke dooneâ— by Bankes his Horse 6 Of drawing drye-foote and the aptnesse of Horses thereunto The end of the Table CAVELARICE The first Booke CHAP. 1. Of the breeding of Horses and first touching the choice of groundes their vses and seperations HAuing resolued inwardly in my selfe euen to the vttermoste of my best powers to giue to euerie creature that shall reade these my labours a full and vndoubted satisfaction touching anie scruple misterie or other Inigma that hath hitherto beene concealed in this moste famous Art making a plaine euen and direct way where there hath formerly beene much roughnes some hilles and many interchangeable turninges I thought it moste conuenient to begin with the Art of breeding of Horses which how euer it bee not so generally appertayning vnto all men as the other members of the same Art in this volume following yet for as much as bringing fourth must goe before the vse of the thing brought fourth and that this Art of breeding is onely appertaining to Princes Potentates and men of best place and estimation it must necessarily challenge the precedent place Wherefore to you that are the owners of the earth and desirous to inrich her and your selues with Beastes of the greatest vse and vertue I dyrect my discourse Know then the first obseruation in breeding is the knowledge of groundes their natures clymats fertilnesse or barrennes The second the distinguishment of Horses and Mares according to their breedes or proportioÌ„s coupling each kinde together in such sort as may bee moste commodious for that purpose to which you intende And the last the disposing and vsing them being brought foorth both in their foleage best strength and old age For your grounds I am of opinion with Zenophon and Grison that you must
ground a president And thus much for Mares and their barrennesse CHAP. 10. The vse of Mares when they are with Foale and of the casting of Foales AS soone as your Mares haue conceiued and are with Foale those great persons which keep their studds onely for breede and no other labour are to respect that they may goe in good short yet sweete pasture especially if they giue sucke and that for a month before and after Michaelmasse they be not chased strained or troubled for then is the time of their knitting and quickning so that a small rush at that time breedes aborsment which is the casting of their foales But for such men as must by labor make some especiall vse of their mares they must haue care that after their Mares haue conceiued they labour and worke them very moderately shunning by all meanes to put them to the cariage of heauie burthens or the toyle of hastie iourneyes but aboue all as before I saide a month before and after Michaelmas Mares that are with Foale and haue Foales sucking vpon them must haue in the Winter besides grasse good store of sweet hay and light Corne they must haue good shelter as house or houel dry layre The houses or houels where they eate their winter meate must bee large and spacious so that they may not bee throng'd vp together for feare by rushing or striking they bee forc'st to cast their Foales Some haue beene of opinion that the change of strange pastures and strange waters will make a Mare cast her foale but it is not so onelie a man may by dryuing Mares from pasture to pasture with vnruely chassing make them cast their foales with is the cause I would haue mares with foale seldome remoued or dryuen but that fresh pasture should doe them such hurt it is senceles As for the mast of Cedar trees the treading vpon Wolues or such-like all which some writers say wil cause aborsmevt we here in England need not feare them But for stinking smells as the shuffs of candles carrion or such like I hold it verie daungerous and doe often occasion aborssement fatnesse in a Mare is dangerous for aborssement also or if they scape casting their foales yet fatnesse puts a Mare to great hazard in her foaling which is the reason that many good breeders which I know willet their Mares after they are quickned be moderately trauelled or wrought till within some month or six weekes of their foaling but not any longer for the onely time of danger is at the first conception and at the time of teaming And thus much for this matter CHAP. 11. Helpe for a Mare that is in danger in foaling and other secrets MAres naturally contrarie to the custom of other beastes doe foale standing and as certaine ancient Writers report for I haue not at any time seen it the foales when they are new foaled haue vppon their foreheads a little blacke thing like a figge called Hypomanes which they say will procure loue the dam bites it off and eates it as soone as the foale is falne but if she be preuented therof she will neuer suffer the foal to sucke as if the tendernesse or naturall loue which a Mare beares to her yong sprung from this accidentall cause and not from the motion of her naturall inclination but for mine owne part hauing seene so many Mares foale as I haue done and neuer perceyuing any such obseruation I cannot imagine it any other then a fabulous dreame But to proceede to our purpose if your mare either by mischance or by naturall defect as by taking the Horse when she was too yong as vnder two yeares olde or vpon her first foale which euer hath the greatest perill be in danger at her foaling or put to extraordinarie torment in foaling you shal ease her by these meanes first one is of opinion that if you make one stand before the mare when she is in foaling that shall holde her nostâ—ls close in such sort that shee cannot take her breath it will procure her to foale with much ease but for the 〈◊〉 I doubt onely I knowe it will procure heâ— more speed in her businesse but the most 〈◊〉 and surest remedie for this euill is to take the 〈◊〉 part of the Crab-fish feere and beating 〈◊〉 to powder mixe it with sweete Wine and Sallâ— Oile and giue it the mare with a horne to drink and iâ— wil bring her ease presently of which I haue knowne good experience but if it shall faile then I woulde haue you take the helpe of some discrete woman whose better experience knowes best howe to handle such an occasion Now if after your mare haue foaled shee doe not scowe away her Secundine which is the skin wherein the foale is wrapped after that naturall maner which is requisite in such a case some thinke it best to giue her this medicin first to boile two or three haÌ„dfuls of fenel in water theÌ„ to take half a pint of that water as much old sweet wine a fourth part of sallet oile mingle them together vpon the fire theÌ„ when it is luke warm to power it into the mares nostrils and to holde her nostrils close after it which will bee a present meanes that she shal expel the former substaÌ„ce but for as much as this medicine is somewhat teadious in making and that a Mare should not be so long in scowring as this in compounding boyling and cooling I haue euer obserued that as soone as my mare hath foald to giue her a little bottle of green forrage that is the blades of young Wheate or Rye but of the two Rye is the better and it will both expel and clense a Mare presently touching the eating of the Secundine which moste commonly mares doe some think it is verie vnwholsome and that it maketh a Mare sicke and vnlustie which opinion I hold for great truth adding this with all that it is a greate hindrance to the Mares milke wherefore so far foorth as is in a mans power I would haue it preuented And thus much for this matter CHAP. 12. How to make a Mare cast her Foale SOme say it hath beene a practise amongst ancient Horsemen in times past that when they haue had a Mare vnworthylie couered as when a fayre Mare hath either by stealth or mischance taken some ill fauoured ston'd Iade or when a mare of some especiall hope or vertue as eyt her for ryding running or huÌ„ting is preseru'd from the horse and yet not withstanding through some negligence gets to the Horse and is couered In this case it hath beene a practise to force the mare so couered to aborsment which is to cast her Foale and it is a thing my selfe haue practised vpon a mare in whose speede I was infinitelie much perswaded the rather because I know this generall rule neuer to fayle that a mare which once giueth a Foale sucke shall neuer boast of that speede which in her maydenhood she
stander by to prick him in the buttock with a hot burning yron or goad but the former corrections I thinke will be sufficient Now for the horse whose restynes proceedeth from pride and stoutnesse of courage which oft is found in sanguine and chollericke complexions you muste vnderstande that his faults are plungings boundings and such fierce disorders wherefore if at any time you finde him so addicted you shall immediately put vpon him the Musroll and the Martingall binding the Musroll to such a straitnesse that when hee shall at any â—ime exceed the limits of his trench the due proportion of his best reine hee may foorth-with feele the pinching of his Musroll And if you shal till this error be reclaymed take from him the vse of the bytt and onely vse the Musroll Martingale and Trench you shal doe much better for this is a generall rule and infallible and I dare verie well auerre it vpon many sufficient and experienced trialls that any horse of what nature or qualitie soeuer hee bee I will keepe him from all disorderly plunging or leaping with the Musroll and the Martingall onely for the reason is this if a Horseman bee vppon such a restiffe horses backe and first see that the Martingall holde the horse to the orderly proportion of his reyne and then the ryder hold vp his head so as by no meanes hee may thrust it betweene his legges or win it to such a loosnesse from the riders hand that he may yarke vp his hinder partes at his pleasure then of necessitie it must folow that the horses head being held at such a constancie betweene the ryders hand which holdes vpward and the Martingale which holdes downward that there is left vnto the horse no possible meanes or abilitie to disorder by plunging Wherfore to conclude if his restifnes consist onely in disorderly plunging there is not in all the Art of Horsmanship a more infallible remedie then the Musroll and the Martingall Other remedies I know both Grison La Broue and diuers other Horsemen haue prescribed which carrie in them sufficient reason but much care more toyle and most losse of time as for exaÌ„ple to ride a horse in the open field if whilest he is in the exercise of his lessons you shall perceyue that he prepareth himself for such disorders that then vpon such imaginations you shall begin to rate him beate him about the head and vpon the fore-legs when it may fall out your thought may erre and then your corrections preceding his faults may out of desperatenesse beget a fault the horse neuer thought of so that in this your too great haste to preuent a fault you may ingender a fault And I hold it more in excusable when with lesse trouble it may bee preueuted then with the expence and losse of time hardly reclaymed Others vse to ride with a sharpe naile in their hand with which they pricke the horse continually behinde vpon the rumpe neuer remouing the punishment till the horse leaue his stubbornnesse This sounds in mine experience verie grosly for such compunctions and tortures wil euen force the best and most gentlest disposed horse to leap plunge and disorder then if a man will suffer a horse of free and stout courage nay more compell such a horse to plunge whilest he is able you shall not onely reclaime him from that vice but also from all vertues for it is the hie way to kil such a horse and of this I haue good experience for I had once vnder my hande a Mare bredde from an excellent race of Coursers which out of her hie pride and stomacke was naturally giuen to this vice of plunging which when I perceyued and noted the manner of her leaps which were euer exceeding hie and so round that she would haue fetched twentie or thirtie together all in the compasse of her length by meanes whereof shee would plunge her Riders so blinde that not any man was able to sit her my selfe beeing then young and somewhat idly witted intending to trie experiments I reclaymed that Mare onely to mine owne vse and for mine owne Saddle to which shee was as gentle and as orderly in all vses as any beast whatsoeuer but to all other men so diuelish and full of stubbornnesse that I neuer sawe any man whatsoeuer hee was that was able to keepe her backe insomuch that of diuers Horse-men I wanne diuers wagers amongst whome a Coatchman that was a stronge rough Ryder and had receyued of her two or three falles whether mooued with passion or desire of conquest I knowe not but when my selfe was at dinner and the whole housholde also hee tooke the Mare priuately with a great Horse Saddle on her backe into a straitewald place which was not aboue seuen or eight yards square and their taking her backe as he confest hee thought she gaue him aboue twentie falles but he not desisting did continue till she was able to coÌ„ntinue no longer and in the end maistered her and made her to trot about gently but the next morning I found the Mare deade in her Stall which amazing me I opened her with mine owne hands both to find the cause of her death being so suddaine and also for other experiments and I found that her rimme was hroken her cal cleane consumed and her heart swelled as bigge as fiue hearts and the blood about it as blacke as I eat which signes assured me the cause of her death but by no means it would be confest till almost a quarter of a yeare after when both griefe and furie being spent the Coach-man of himselfe declared the maner of his trial from whence I conclude that whosoeuer to a horse of right breed courage and complexion wil giue or inforce libertie of plunging he shall as mine old maister worthy maister Storie was wont to say neither euer be good horsman nor euer make good horse but if the horses frenzie and rebellious nature be either so great that the former rules preuaile not or the Riders vnderstanding so little that out of true Arte and iudgement in ryding he knowes not well how to reclayme him from these plungings I woulde then haue him to watch his horse and for three or foure nights and dayes by no meanes suffer him to sleepe or close his eyes which hee may doe either by keeping candells light in the Stable or else by some extraordinarie noyse or other diligence After he is thus ouer watcht 〈◊〉 â—e is readie to sleepe as he standes you shall take him foorth and ride him vppon some newe plowed peece of ground and if you chuse your houres for this purpose to bee at such time as the nightes are darkest It is a great deale the better and by this meanes onely I haue seene most desperate horses reclaymed prouided alwayes that you obserue in the time of your ryding to ride him with the trench Musroll and Martingall There be diuers horses which haue such euill habits of
weeke together in al which time I would haue you to vse no correction whatsoeuer either of spurre rodde voice or any thing else that your horse may by your patience and temperance come to a perfit knoweledge of your minde or intention which hee no sooner knowes but out of the tractabilitie of his owne nature hee is as willing to performe as you to proffer After you haue assured your horses knowledge so much that he knowes when he shall goe forward then if eyther out of his churlishnesse or restife nature hee rebell and withstand your minde then you shal correct him with the euen stroke of both your spurres with your rodde ouer his left shoulder and with the threatning of your voice all which if they doe not preuail you shal then as before make vse of the stander by who shall not onely leade him but also beate him till hee performe your minde with chearefulnesse which as soone as hee doth foorthwith cherrish him and giue him somewhat to eate By this lenitie and gentill meanes first making yourâ— horse to knowe your minde and after to vnderstand the cause of his punishment for disobeying your minde you shall make no doubt but hee will performe all you can desire with both feare and dilligence for it is a maxime in horsemaÌ„ship that as knowledge is the misteris of arte and obedience so Ignorance is the roote of all euill and disorder Now albe some horsemen especially La Broue is of opinion that this gentilnesse in restrayning restife horses is onely to bee vsed but to Colts and such young horses whose faults onely proceede from follie and naturall weakenesse for mine owne part I haue found both by experience and doe approue it in naturall reason that these gentill courses which doe giue a horse the surest knowledge and playnest instruction are the onely assured meanes to bring our desires to a perfect end Other trickes or violences being but like superficiall workes which may carrie a showe or apparance but neuer continue or worke in a naturall fashion thus much for restifnes and their seuerall kindes CHAP. 9. How to correct a horse that runneth away and the cause of such euill THis vice of running away how euer othermen are contrarily opinionated yet for mine owne part I hold it for most vndoubted truth that it euer proceeds from ignorance and want of discretion in the Horseman and neuer from any naturall defect or inclynation in the horse for it is questionlesse that a horse taketh no delight in running away but rather feeleth offence and dislike the causes which make a horse to runne away be these First if a horse be of a short fore-hand that is haue a short thicke necke and a strait chaule if then his rider wanting arte goe about by compulsion eyther of ciuell and sharpe byts or by tormenting chaines and cauezaÌ„s to make him haue a better reyne then nature or proportion will allowe In this case a horse beeing tormented aboue his power and neither knowing â—he cause nor hauing abilitie to ease his paine he presently beginnes to runne away foolishly thinking to ouer goe that which he carries away with him Secondly if the Ryder haue an vntemperate hand which euer pulleth and hangeth vpon the horses mouth neuer giuing him ease or sweetnesse the horses mouth will grow so dead and sencelesse that when hee shall bee put to any thing contrarie to his owne minde hee will presently run away hauing lost the tendernesse of his mouth which euer kept him in obedieÌ„ce Lastlye if the ryder for euery sleight offence in the horse or to show in him more spirit and courage then he retayneth when he would haue the horse doe that which neither himselfe nor the horse knowes how to doe if he fall to spurre and strike his horse in any of these cases the horse findes no ease but by running away If then it be your chance to light vpon the reuersion of any such horse who by these former ignorances hath got this fault of running away you shall first put in his mouth a swoothe woâ—ne trench and vppon his head a strong Musroll and a good Martingale then taking his backe you shall ride him iâ—to some sandye or grauelly way where you shall at the end of euerie ten or twenty yards make him stop go backe thus shal you do for a myle or two ryding during which time if he take any suddain toy so run away you shal in his ruÌ„ning let the reynes of your bridle slack theÌ„ suddainly draw theÌ„ vp againe then ease them againe draw them vp againe and questionles by so doing 3. or 4. times together you shall make him stay the reason being that his liberty giues him such a perfect feeling of the correction in one instant feeling two coÌ„traries that is Ease and Paine that euen with amazement he will yeelde and stay Where on the contrarie parte if you shall continuallie as hee runnes pull and hang vppon his head not letting him feele anye ease or libertie at all the verie want of that contrarie knowledge shall make him runne away the faster This course of reclaiming a horse by gentlenesse and oft stopping and going backe I haue found much to auaile and it is verie well allowed of by manye horsemen especially by La Broue But if the mallice of your horses nature be so great that notwithstanding the former obseruations the horse still continueth running away you shall then as soone as hee refuseth to yeelde to your hand thrust him foorth of the hie way vppon some deepe newe plowdeland and there euen force him to runne till he beginne of himselfe to yeelde which when you feele you shall then stay him and returne againe to the hye way Where as you did before you shall againe trot him twentie yardes and stoppe him then galloppe twentye yardes and stoppe him and so as before continue the space of a mile obseruing at euerie stoppe to make him goe backe two or three paces in which space if againe hee offer to runne away you shall againe thrust him ouer the deepe landes as before and doe but obserue this order thrice a day at the least for a weeke together and there is no question but you shall reclaime him Some will obiect that this course which I haue prescribed is of too great violence and may indanger both the Horses strength and winde but they are deceiued for I doe not giue directions that you shall force your horse to runne ouer deepe lands so long as hee is able to runne for that were not to hurt but to kill but till such time as either hee shall yeeld to your hand or else through his owne wearinesse fall to a flower pace in his running which if you obserue be well assured the horse will neuer doe himselfe hurt out of his owne nature Againe this manner of reclayming a runne away horse doth neither hurt the horses mouth or bringes him to other inconueniences which
chearefulnesse for as to horses of great mettal and couragiousnesse all torture extremitie prouocation is to be auoided so to these melanchollye and dull Iades there is nothing to bee done without violence quicknes sodainnesse of voice and helpe of correction prouided alwaies that such motions be euer attended on with such temperatenes that by no meanes they drawe the horse either into amazement or desperation but that hee may knowe that all his punishment dooth proceede from his owne sloath and disobedience And allbe I doe to the reclayming of this dulnesse prescribe you but onelie three daies labours yet you must vnderstand that if euery one of these daies works aske you a weekes worke you must not thinke much or holde your time mis-imployed For mine owne parte I haue beene my selfe three monthes in bringing a horse to spirit and lightnesse and in the end thought it the best part of my labour After your horse will trotte forward freelie with good courage stoppe and retire at your pleasure You shall then for a weeke or tenne daies onelieâ— exercise him in trotting forward or round about some greate heathe plaine or greene fiâ—lde first a mile then two mile after three mile not stopping him aboue once in a mile or a mile and a halfe by this exercise continuall labour at least once in a day or not aboue twice at the moste you shall bring him to such lightnesse of head nimblenesse of foot and sence of correction that nothing you shall put him to as long as you keep your selfe within the limits of reason will be either troublesome to you or laboursome to the horse Some there are as namely Grison and his Schollers who to the reclaiming of a horse subiect to this dulnes sloathfulnes of spirit would haue you ride him vpon newe plowde lands reasoning thus that the deepnesse of the landes will make him plucke vp his feete bestirre himselfe with more labour and so consequently bring him to more quicknesse and sharpnesse of spirite But vnder the reformation of his more auncient knowledge I am of a cleane contrarie opinion and so is also La Broue who absolutelie holdes deepe lands rough waies the worst meanes to bring a horse to spirrit or lightnesse for if dulnesse proceede from the coldnesse and weakenesse of nature ingendering faintnesse and floath then must that which bringeth foorth toyle and labour without any ease or rellish of pleasure not onelie increase that faintnes but bring it to the verie heighâ— of all cowardise as thus for example a Horse that sloathful dull in so much that you shal hardlie force him to go vpon the paine smoothest ground thinke you he wil trott in deep landes where stepping euerie foot in earth aboue the pasterne sometimes wherewith his best force hardly drawing his leggs after him shall feele nothing but toile beyond his strength no it is most impossible but forth with he growes desperate and where before vpon the plaine ground hee woulde haue gone a little by this ouer-sore vse he will neither vpon plaine nor deepe ground goe at all and from hence many times springeth the groundes of restifnes tyring basenes of courage yet I doe not somuch dislike the vse of the new plowde ground that I vtterlie prohibite it but as I discommend it for these faint dull horses so I commend it for such horses as are of too ficrie mettall who out of the pride of their courage will obserue no temper in their going but one while trotting another while prauncing and another while offering to gallop they both disorder themselues and trouble their rider for these double minded Iades whose fantastical lightnes incertain spirits transports them beyond al compasse of moderation there is nothing better theÌ„ the new plowd landes which with the labour toyle wheruÌ„to they wil put a horse they easily correct his madnes makes him with carefulnes diligence attend to his labor the wil of his rider Now if your horse haue mettall courage strength in ough only out of his stubbornnes of nature wil not shoe it you shal theÌ„ not only ride him in deep grounds but also prouide that those grounds be ascending and mountainous by labor wherupon he shal be compeld â—o take vp his feete more roundlye and with greater strength then on the leuel earth and be forced to more vse of his strength then on the other groundes which when at any time he shall slacke for such slacknesse feele correction he will forthwith thrust out the best of his powers nothing being more contrary to his nature courage then the induraÌ„ce of torment When you haue by the method before taught broght your horse to a quicknes lightnes of spirit that he wil trot freely vnder you answere to the motioÌ„ of your body yeeld with obedience to the coÌ„maundmeÌ„t of your hand yet wheÌ„ you sput him you find him no more to be moued with the sharpnes of that correctioÌ„ theÌ„ with the ease of the other helpes as if he had no more feele of your spur then of the calfe of your leg or the Iert of your stirrop leather when this you finde you must conclude that your horse is dul vppon the spur if you let him passe with that fault vnreformed then when other helps shal faile you there shal be nothing left whereby eyther to bring grace or quicknes to your horses lessons or to show by the testimonie of his obedience by what arte and rule you hold him plyant to your commaundement When therefore your horse is dull vpon the spurre you shall at first forbeare to spurre him for any sleight fault or omission but rather vse the correction of your voice or rod but wheÌ„ he shal fal into any grose error especiallie such an error whereof hee hath had fore knowledge then you shal spur him soundly that is you shall giue him halfe a dozen strokes together as neare as you can all in one place that close behind the hind most garthe making euerie stroake at the least to draw blood which done the fault amended you shall then cherrish him and by no meanes spurre 〈◊〉 againe till you haue the like occasion which once offered do as you did before thus I wold haue you doe three or foure times in a morning obseruing not by any meanes to giue that stroake which shall not fetch blood nor to spurre him for anie fault at all but such as shall deserue and haue at least halfe a dozen stroakes together Your horse being thus wel spur'd blood drawn vpoÌ„ both his sides as soone as you bring him into the Stable cause the Groome to bathe both his sides with olde pisse and salt rubbing the same into the sore place so violently that it may search into the verie bottome of the prickes This medicine will keep the sore place either from rotting or ranckling yet notwithstanding it will keepe the sore place
horse onely vpon a swift trot till he grow so light and nimble that vpon the least motion of your legge hee will presently aduaunce and away againe without any sticking neyther disordering his head reyne or any other part of his bodie but carrying euerie member in his place and comelinesse When your horse is thus made perfite vpon these foure aduauncements then you shall deuide the quarters of your ringes into halfe quarters And where before he did aduaunce at the end of euery three yards you shall make him aduaunce at euerie yard and a halfe so that then your whole ring shall carrie eight aduauncements according to the lines in this figure following in the next page Vpon this Ring and with these eight aduauncings you shall practise your horse so long till hee either grow to such perfitenesse that if as soone as hee hath aduaunced and set downe his fore-feete againe going but one foot forwarde you giue him the least helpe with the calue of your legge that may bee hee will presently aduaunce againe and then going againe but one steppe forwarde aduaunce againe doing thus till he growe so perfite that as he aduaunceth with the helpe of your legge so putting your feete forward hee will likewise followe with both his hinder feete euen together and set them down euer in the same place where he tooke vp his fore feete onely carrying his inmost fore-foote and his inmoste hinder foote a little more forwarde then his outmoste feete whilest hee doth any thing in circle but when hee doth it straight forward then to take vp his fore-feete euen together his hinder feete euen also first not aduauncing thus forward aboue twice or thrice together without cherishing till he come to that perfection and cunning that he wil with the helpe of your legge with these aduauncements beate the whole ring round about wherein you must obserue that besides the carriage of his head and reyne which must euer bee constant round and in the best grace he doe also follow his aduauncings with his hinder leggs so close and iust that by no meanes hee may seeme to sticke in his passage or appeare as if either his hinder parts were glewd to the ground or else too heauie for him to raise from the earth as in these dayes you shall see many horses doe yea euen sometimes vnder those who take vppon them to be as good as the best schoolmaisters but it is a fault vilde and insufferable springing euer from corruption in teaching as thus when a man will bring his horse to make his turne by forcing him to aduaunce three or foure times together in one place and then going a steppe or two forward to aduaunce as oft more And thus by continuance of these many aduauncings and few steps going at last the horse is brought to take vp both his hinder feete together and so to followe his fore-feet setting the turne round about but those many aduauncings together in one place is euer the cause of a horses slouthfull bringing on of his hinder partes because hee thinkes according to his first custome that he should not remooue vppon the first aduauncement or if he doe remooue it 〈◊〉 so little that it is almost as good as nothing at all wherefore if you will haue your horse cunning and gallant in this turne by no meanes let him aduaunce aboue once in his first teaching before he stoppe forwards You shall aâ—so obserue in this turne that your horse keepe true time and lesure that is that he aduaunce not faster nor slower at one time then at another neyther take greater strydes at one time then another but euer obserue that iust time and measure which he vndertakes at his first beginning the fault whereof when at any time it happens must euer consist more in the horsman then in the horse for the horse neuer aduauncing but when you giue your helps look what time you obserue in your helpes necessarily the same time hee must keepe in his motions and in this time keeping lieth much arte because euerie lesson that is rudely done without it is better vndone as hauing in it neither grace nor profite When your horse will with these aduancings beate this large ring about both strongly iustlye and with a good grace you may then drawe your ring to so small a compasse that with foure aduauncings you may make a compleate circkle according to the small ring in the center of the former ring obseruing this generall note that in your first teaching vppon euerie single turne setting that is vppon making one circle compleate you cherrish your horse but by no meanes suffer him to stand still but vpon the finishing of his turne to make him then trott about the ring that hee may recouer newe breath and in his trotting cherrish him and looke whatsoeuer you doe vppon the right hand forget not to doe the same vpon the left hand also or if he be apter to one hand then the other looke vpon which hand he is most vnapt and vpon that hand you must euer double his exercise After you haue once begunne with this turne you must not cease dayly to practise your horse therein till you haue brought him to that perfitenesse that with the least feeling you can possible giue with your legge he will both begin and contiuue his turne by meanes whereof you shall not be compelled to vse those grosse and farre fetched motions which many of our English Riders vse but performe your helpes so couertly that though they be felt yet they shall not be discerned You may then also double his turnes and where hee went but once about make him goe twise thrise or foure times according to his strength and courage you shall then also leaue these large double rings onely mark out one single ring bearing but halfe the compasse of the former And after you haue paced and trotted it about you shall then giue him the helpe of your leg and make him as was before shewed you beat the ring round about raysing vp his fore parts and following them swiftly with his hinder partes till hee haue gone twise thrise or foure times about according to your pleasure on your right hand which done you shall then trott him againe aboute the ring foure or fiue times to recouer his breath and then trotting him out of the ring take a little compasse about and turne him vpon your left hand on which hand you shall doe in all poynts as you did vpon your right hande the maner and proportion of your change you shal behold in this figure following When by exercise vppon this Ring you haue brought your horse both to perfitnesse and constancy insomuch that he performes euerie lesson with great Arte nimblenesse lightnesse you may then aduenture to proceede further and put him to the Caragolo or Snaile ring wherein you are to vse no other Art or helpes then were vsed in the former rings for the difference is
the day is troublesome both to the horse and man yet I know these baytings are much more troublesome neither would I haue any man to vse them for wheÌ„ the horse hath his limbs chaft and heated with his trauell and then is set vp till they be growne stiffe and staâ—ke and so presently put to his labour againe then I say the verie paine and griefe of his limbes do so trouble him that except he be of an extraordinarie spirit he wil be much subiect to faintnesse in trauell besides to make your horse iourney continually vpon a full stomacke is both painfull and bredes sicknesse wherfore I conclude these baits are good for none but Carriers Poulters Iades whose labours not being aboue foote pace may euer like Asses haue their prouender bagges at their noses And thus much touching a horses exercise and labour CHAP. 6. Of sleeping waking fulnesse and emptinesse SLeepe in a horse as in euerie other beast which hath moouing is a most necessarie and especiall thing neither can a horse liue without it wherefore it is the place and office of euerie good keeper to haue a careful regarde to the rest of his Horse and to note both after what manner he sleepeth and how long hee sleepeth for if a horse sleepe verie muche it is a great signe of dulnesse and fluxe of grosse and colde humours in the braine but if he sleepe for the most part standing it is a token that he hath some inward paine in his backe or bodie and feareth to lie downe lest he cannot rise againe without much torment if a Horse lie much yet sleepe but a little it is a signe of weake ioynts frettized feete or limbes beaten with trauell if the horse neither sleep nor lie much but as it were wake continually it is a signe the horse hath both a pained bodie and a troubled mind insomuch that he can not possiblie liue long both because hee wantes that which giueth the greatest strength to Nature and also the chiefest meanes both of blood and disgestion sleepe being indeede nothing else but certaine sweete vapors which ascending from the heart numbes the braine and keepes the bodie for a time sencelesse so that euery keeper should haue a carefull eie ouer his Horse to see how hee sleepes when and how long time then how hee wakes when he wakes and after what manner hee wakes for if he wake much his brain is diseased if he wake often or sodainlie his heart liuer or stomache is grieued and if hee wake seldome or with much adoe then his whole powers are ouercome with some colde humor Next vnto these obseruations the carefull keeper shall looke to his horses fulnesse or the filling of his bellie I do not meane those phisicall fillinges which consist in humors either generallie or particularlie distributed ouer the bodie consisting in quantitie or qualitie for they are obseruations fit for the farryer but to that fulnesse which onelye consisteth in the excesse of meate wherefore the keeper shall note well the temper of the horses feeding that is whether he fill sodainly or slowly and according to his filling so to temper his dyet and to giue him the lesse or the more meate according to his appetite keeping the grosse horse emptie the longer before his trauell and the tender horse with meate till your foote be readie to be thrust into the stirrop for the full horse with suddaine labour wil soone burst the emptie horse with much fasting will not bee able to indure anye violence through faintnesse Next to your horses filling you shall note his manner of emptying that is the state of his bodie whether he be costiue or sollible or whether his vrine haue a free or troublesome passage by the rule of them you shal feede your horse more as lesse as thus if your horse be sollible or free of vrine you through that helpe of nature may aduenture to feede him the harder for albe hee fill much yet he holdeth not that fulnesse any long season but hauing an easie disgestion bringes his bodie soone to a temperate emptinesse but if hee bee costiue or haue straite passage for his vrine although fasting be the greatest cause of costiuenes yet when you prepare your horse for a iourney you shall not neede to feed him so extreamely neither shall your meate bee for the moste part any drie food but rather moiste washt meate of which foodes I shall haue cause to speake more largely in the book of running Horses Now you shal vnderstand that fulnesse and emptinesse are phisicke helpes one for another the full horse being to be cured by emptinesse as fasting purgation letting blood or such like and emptinesse to be cured by fulnes as by restauratioÌ„ or renewing of those powers which are decayed so that the keeper carefully obseruing these rules shall so quickly perceiue anie imperfection in his horse that a sleight preuention shall quickly auoide the greatest mischiefe And thus much for sleepe and feeding CHAP. 7. Of the soile or scowring horses with grasse and of other foodes TOuching the opinions of Horsemen for the scowring of Horses with grasse they be diuers and intricate some holding forrage which is the blades of green Corne as of wheate or barley to be the best some three leaued grasse some young thistles and such like so also there is a difference amongst them for the time in scowring one alowing but fifteen daies another a month and another the whole summer neither are they certain in the place where the Horse should be scowred for some would haue it in the stable some in a large parke or fielde and some in a little wald plot of ground not aboue the quantitie of one or two Akers Now to reconcile all these and to bring them to as orderlie a coÌ„formitie as is fit for a reasonable vnderstaÌ„ding I will declare mine opinion First if your horse bee either Hunting horse running horse or one that hath been vsd to much trauell or iourneying I holde it verie necessarie that he be scowred with grasse either in some parke close or other spacious ground where he may haue sweete feeding fresh springs or riuers to drinke at and good shelter both to defend him from flies and Sunneshine the time to bee for foure monthes that is to say from the beginning of May to the end of August in which time he will not onelie scower and purge himselfe of grosse and corrupt humors but also after such cleusing grow strong fat and full of health and liuelinesse recouering by such rest and libertie that weakenesse stiffenesse and numbnesse of ioynts which his labour before had brought vnto him But if your horse bee a beast of great courage and onely wantonlye kept eyther for your mornings exexrcise in riding or for seruice in the warres so that hee will neither indure with anye patience abroad nor hath beene put to anie such extreamitie that he standeth neede of recouerie then I wold haue you
sundrie opinions some saying it should be done at the beginning of euery quarter in the yeare as the spring summer autumne and winter others wil let bloud but three times in the yeare that is the beginning of May when bloud springs the beginning of September when the bloud is warmed and setled and the beginning of December when the bloud is grosse thickned others would haue a horse blooded but once a yeere and that is in May onely because when bloud springs if the new bloud should mixe with the olde corrupt bloud it cannot choose but soone inflame and ingender sicknesse all these reasons are probable inough and wee see few horse-maisters at this day but doe follow either one or other of these obseruations yet for my owne part I cannot be induced to become any of their imytators as houlding this opinion not by any meanes to let my horse blood but when vrgent necessitie and apparent reasons draw mee thereunto for aboue all things I hate to doe any thing for fashion sake and I must confesse I doe euen contemne and enuie to see euery Smiths shop in Christmas holy dayes looke like a butchers slaughter house not one Farriar being able to giue me a reason why he hath blouded any two of these horses more then it is an old custome and that the holy dayes is a time of rest wherein the horse may recouer his bloud again not cōsidering how pretious a thing bloud is nor what euills such customes bring vnto a horse as weaknesse of body imperfection of sight crampes conuulsions and palsies besides when a horse is let bloud by the rule of custome if at any time you breake or omit that rule there presently followes disease and infirmitie Againe oft letting of bloud makes the bloude fall into the inwarde parts cloying the heart stomake and guts and leauing the outward parts makes them goutie grosse vnnimble wherfore if your horse be in health and good state of body by no meanes let him bloud except it be now and then with the point of your knife aboue the second and third barre in the roofe of the horses mouth by which meanes the horse may chewe and licke vp his owne blood which is most wholesome for many diseases as you shall perceiue hereafter or now and then in his eye veines which is comfortable for the head and cleereth the sight but for letting bloud in any long or more fluent veines I would not haue it vsd but vpon necessitie as for any obseruation of the tyme of yeere houre of the day and state of the moone or signe when there is cause of bloud letting I haue euer set those cautions behind the doore respects of little vallew because the forbearance of a quarter of an houre may bee the losse of the horse and indeed they are but bugbeares only to scarre the ignorant but for obseruing the clyme wherein a horse is bred the age strength and disposition of the horses bodie they are notes worthie regard onely touching the quantitie of the bloud you take away for horses bred in hot countryes olde horses and flegmatique horses would not haue so much bloud taken from them as horses bred in colde regions yong horses or chollerike horses Now that you may know when a horse stands neede of bloud letting if you perceiue that hee hath any extraordinary itch so that hee now and then rubbeth his necke or buttocks or if his skin begin to pyll or the hayre either of his maine or taile shed if you haue giuen him any violēt exercise aboue his strength so that he hath either taken surfeit or bin tyred if he bee brought to an extreame pouertie of flesh or if his eyes looke redd and his vaines swell if you find in him the effects of any Feuer the Yellows or Anticor or any inward sicknes proceeding either of inflamation or corruptiō of the bloud in any of these cases it is necessary to let blood and if the infirmity be not growne to any strength then the best time to let bloud in is somwhat earely in the morning the horse hauing beene kept fasting al the night before let your horse as neere as you can stand vpon euen ground when he is let bloud and let the cord wherewith you bind his necke straite be strait twound so that by no meanes it may retch out but keepe the straitnes it holdeth you must in any wise bee most carefull that when you strike with your fleame or instrument of blood-letting that in stead of the vaine you strike not the arterie which lies closse by the vaine or setting the point of your fleame by the side of the vaine that the skinne slippe and so you misse the vaine and hitte the arterie either off which may indaunger the horsses life which to preuent it is good when you haue raisd the vaine to spit vppon it or wet it that making the haire lie close and smooth you may at a haire see howe to place your fleame in the right place whilst your horse bleeds you shall put your finger in the side of your horsses mouth and by rubbing and tickling his vpper barres make him chewe and mooue his chapps which will make him bleede much more freshly but if hee will not suffer you to put your finger in his mouth then you shall giue him a little hay or a little grasse only to make him mooue his chappes if hee will not as many old Iads are of that qualitie suffer you after his necke is bound to come to set on your fleame you shall then either put a paire of close spectackles ouer his eies or else blindfould him with somthing else so that you may without daunger approch him It is very good to saue the blood you take from him and whilst hee bleeds to stir it about for lumping then to mingle it with bean◠flower and boale Armonicke and being made thicke like a plaster to spreade it vpon his backe and loines for it is exceeding good both for his legges feete when your horse hath bled sufficiently you shall loose the binding corde with it stroake downe the vaine twice or thrice and it will staunch of it selfe after the horse is let blood you shall cause him to be set vp in the stable and to fast at least two howers after and then giue him what meate you please if he bee fat and in strength but if he be leane and weake then you shall giue him a warme sweete mashe made of water and ground malte well mingled together And thus much for letting of blood CHAP. 5. Of Sicknes in generall SIcknes is by diuers auncient writers diuersly defined and as diuersly deuided One saies it is an euil affection contrary to nature hindring some action of the body and deuids it into three kinds the first parts that are a like the second parts instrumentall the third both these ioyned together the first consisteth in the predominance of the elementes as when
ouer loading of a horsse vpon the fore shoulders by some great cold taking or when a horsse hath layne with his necke awry as either ouer the gruppe-tree behind the planchers or in the field ouer some moale hill or in some hollowe furrow the signes are a horse can sometimes not stirre his necke any way some times but one way and from these Crickes many times come Feuers and other inward sicknes The euer is not according to the opinion of old Martin drawe him alongst each side of the necke from the roote of the eare to the brest a straw bredth deepe and then to put a rowell in his forehead annointing it with hogs-grease for it is grosse sauors nothing of good arte but you shall first purge the horse with the scowring of butter and garlicke then holding a panne of coales vnder him you shall al to chafe the nape of his necke the temples of his head and his whole neck with sacke and the oile of Cipresse mixt together and made hotte vpon a chafing-dish and coales then cloath him vp warme and ride him in some warme place gently for an hower and more this if you doe three or foure dayes assuredly the Crick wil vanish CHAP. 39. Of Wennes in the neck WEnnes are great or little rounde swellings like tumors or pustules ōly there is not in thē any inflamatiō or sorenes their insides are tough and spungie yet in coulour yellow like resed bacō they proceed frō corruptiō of blood cold humors and the euer is thus first apply vnto it rosted sorrell or the plaster of Pitch and Hogs-grease mixt together for the space of seuen daies to see if you can bring it to a head or rottennes which if it doe then you shall launce it and after the filth is come forth you shal heal the wound with the salue made of Turpentine wax and Deare suet But if by no meanes it will come to any head or rottennes then you shall oner night apply round about the wenne Bole-armonike and vineger mixt together then the next morning after you haue set fresh butter to boile vpon the fier and put a calterising iron in the fier also you shall then take off the plasters and the horse beeing fast helde first you shall first with a rasor and warme water shaue all the haire from the wenne then you shall note how the veines runne that as neare as you can you may misse them then with an incision knife you shall cut the wenne cleane away and with spunges taking away the blood leaue not any part of the yellow substance which done you shall calterize the sore with scalding hot butter but if that will not stay the fluxe of blood you shal then calterise the heads of those veines which bleede most with the hot Iron then making a plegant of soft to we as broad as the sore dip it in fresh butter molten very hotte and laye it vppon the sore then couer it ouer with the plaster of waxe turpentine and Deares suet and so let not the sore bee stirrd for eight and fortie hours then vpon the second dressing if you see any of the substance of the wenne be left vncut away you shal then take hogs-grease and vardigrease molten together and with it dresse the sore till it haue eaten away all the grosse matter and then heal vp the sore with the salue before prescribed CHAP. 40. Of Swelling in the necke after blood-letting SWelling after-after-blood letting proceeds from diuers causes as if the Orifice be made too great and so the subtill winde strike sodainely into the wounde or if presently after a horse is let blood you turn him to grasse and so by thrusting downe his head too sooue to eat his meate the blood revert backe and fester about the wounde or if the smith be negligent and strike him with a rustie or venome fleame The cuer whereof is thus you shal take wheate flower two or three handful as much sheeps suet shreaded small and as much Camomile shredded small likewise boile them altogether in three pintes of newe milke till they be very thicke then take it very hotte and lay it vnto his neck this pultis will in once or twice laying to either dissolue the humor or drawe it to a head and breake it which if it do then you shall heale vp the sore with a little Turpentine Waxe and Hogs-grease molten together made into a soft salue some Farriers vse to breake the sore with the oile of camomile or with old rotten lit ter or with wet hay and then to taint it with Turpentine and hogs-grease only till it be whole but it is not so good a cuer for it wil be both longer in ripning when it is broken the tainting will bring downe such a fluxe of humours that I haue oft seene such sores turne to Fistulas which had they beene but ordinarily delt withall nature it selfe would haue cured CHAP. 41. Of staunching of blood whether it come by blood-letting or by any wound receiued IF either by disorderly blood-letting as when the veine is striken cleane thorow or the orifice by the vnstaidnes of the Farriers hand is made too great or if by any casuallyty a horse receiue a wound amongst the principall veins so that the flux of blood will not be staid for as touching that opinion that the veine will not bee stopt which is strooke when the signe is in that parte it is both idle and friuolous the cuer thereof is thus take bole-armonike and vineger and mixing them thick together dip flaxe therin lay it to the wound it wil stanch the blood a sod of new erth laid to the wound wil stanch blood also hot horse dung being applied wil do the like or if you temper with the dung chalk vineger it is good also yet to apply any of these medicins in case of any sore or grieuous wound they are dangerous for making the wound gangrean so that I allow the powder of blood to be much better then any of them but if it faile in extreamity to worke the effecte you desire you shall then garter or binde your horse very straite aboue both his foreknees also vnder his fore-knees aboue both his hinder cambrelles and vnder the spauen ioints you shall then draw a sursingle very strait about his body also and so letting him but stand a little space you shall presently see his blood staunch which assoone as it doth you shall apply to the wound sallet oile hogs grease molten together boyling hot and then vnbinding him let him abide with that dressing the space of 48. houres at the least and then you shall not need to feare any more the flux of blood CHAP. 42. Of the falling of the Crest THe falling of the Crest is when the Crest or vp per part of the neck on which the mane grow eth which naturally shold stand vp strong firmely doth either laine to the
the horse bloode and then to giue him to drinke a pinte of Malmesie brewed with Sinamon Lycras and the shauings of Iuory for fiue mornings together Of the tyred horses Chap. 58. EVery one knowes both the cause and signe of this euil the cure therefore is to bath his limbs with pisse and salt Peter and to giue him to drink eight spoonfuls of Aqua-vitae wherin hath bin infused for the space of xii houres halfe an ounce of strong Tobacco and after straind Diseases of the midriffe or stomack Chap. 59. DIseases of the my driffe or stomack are loathing of meat casting vp of his drinke surfeits or the hungry euil and though there bee longe discourses made seuerally of each one of them yet this cure will helpe any of them when they happen first let your horse be wel ayred then wash his mouth with vineger salte then giue him to drinke a pinte of Malmesie mixte with the powder of Sinamon Anni-seeds and Cloues and after to giue him his meat by little at once with good leisure betweene meale and meale Of the diseases of the liuer Chap. 60. DIuers diseases are supposed to proceede from the Liuer but that which wee most generally find is the consumption thereof it coÌ„meth by the grossenes of humors or inflamation of the blood being broght to putrifaction the signes are dislike of meate losse of flesh continually stretching out of his body the cure is onely to poure into his Nostrils for a weeke together the oyle of Oats and sweet wort mixt together if that do not stay the coruption which comes from his nostrils the griefe is incurable Of diseases in the gall Chap. 61. HOw euer other men imagine yet I haue not found any disease to proceed from the gal more then the Yellowes yet that it may sometimes be pained I denie not and it is to be knowne by the yellownes of his water for cure whereof there is nothing better then the ordure of a goose being infused in white Wine and ginen to the horse to drinke Of diseases in the Spleene Chap. 62. THe spleene of a Horse is troubled with no disease but a litle swelling which comes of too proud keeping the cure is after you haue made him sweat to giue him in a pinte of white wine the leaues of the â—amariske brused and Cummin-seede beaten to powder mixt together and warmed vpon the fire Of the yellowes Chap. 63. THe Yellowes is a disease of the gal and it is mortal if it bee not preuented the signes are yellownes of his eyes lips tonge and other parts and the cure is first let him blood in the pallat of the mouth then giue him to drink a pint of strong Ale mixt with a quarter of so much of the iuice of Selladine and an ounce of Saffron luke warm for three mornings together Of the Dropsie Chap 64. THat which is calld the Dropsie in horses commeth of raw foode and sore riding when a horse is fat the signe is the swelling of his legs and the cure is to purge him wel with milk and Sallet-oyle and to bath his legs daily with Len-seed oyle Of the diseases in a horses guts Chap. 65. THere belonges to a horses guts many diseases as costiuenes orbely-bound which you may cure with any of the scouringes in the booke of hunting or els feeblenes or loosnes which may be cured by giuing him beane-flower and Tanners barke boiled in a quart of milke or the bloody flixe which you may cure by giuing him about a pinte of Redde Wine boiled with the Hearbe called Sheapheardes Pursse or Lastlye he wormes which you may kil of what kinde soeuer they be if you giue him three mornings together three slipps of Sauen and then to make him fast two houres after Of paine in the kidnies Chap 66. The greatest disease beloÌ„ging to the kidneys is the stone which you may cure by giuing the horse to drinke a quart of stroÌ„g Ale in which hath been steept for 24 houres two pound of radish rootes slit in quarters and to giue it three mornings together Of pissing blood and all diseases blonging to the priuities Chap. 67. To the priuites of a horse belongs sundrie diseases as the pissing of blood which comes either by a straine or by ouer riding the cure is take halfe a pinte of milke halfe a pinte of white wine boile therein a pound of daffadill rootes two ounces of wheat flower giue it the horse to drink seauen mornings But if he bee troubled with the Colt-euil which is only the swelling of the yard stones if either you swim him in colde water or bath him in cold water it wil help him if there come any putrifaction from his yarde you shall either squirt into his yarde white wine and Allome mixt together or when the horse pisses with your hand stop his sheath make him pisse in his sheath it wil help him If hee shed his seede you shall wash Turpentine and mixing it wel with Sugar make the horse euerie morning for a weeke swallow downe three bals as big as a Walnut If his yarde fall and will not lye within his sheath then you shal bathe it with vinegar and Salt and he will draw it vp but if his cods swell only and not his yarde then you shal bathe theÌ„ with vinegar Salt-peter boilde together and it wil help them Lastly if the horse be incorded or bursten so that his guts fal into his cods though the Auntients talke of remedies yet I could neuer find any did good only the best is to annoint his cods with May-butter and with listes made like a trusse to binde his stones close to his bodie Of the botch in the groine chap 68. The botch in the groine of a horse comes of pride of blood or sore labour it resembles a great bile and is cured either with rosted sorrell or a plaister of shooe-makers waxe Of mangines in the taile chap 69. If a horse be scabd or mangie about the taile the cure is first to let him blood then to wash his taile twice a day with olde pisse and copporas boilde together then annointed with narue oyle and quicke siluer beaten together till the quicke siluer be kild Of pinching splatting or straines in the shoulder chap. 70. The worst pinch or straines that happens to a horse is that in the shoulder which if at any time it chance you shal take of oyle petrolium of oyle of Cipres and of linseede-oyle of each like quantite and being mixt together bathe the horses shoulder therewith if that take not away his halte then put a rowell betwixt his shoulder and his brest Of swelling of the legs chap 71. If your horses legs swell at any time vpon any occasion you shall bathe them with warme traine oyle and it will helpe them Of foundring chap 72. Foundring comes by suddaine heate after violent labor the signe is