it will be fit that his hind shoes have at their Toes that which we call a Beak which is nothing else but a little of the shoe at the Toe about the length of ane inch turned up and fastned in upon the fore part of the hoof there is not a Smith who hath had the least experience in his imployment but what knows it and at Paris they shoe all the Coatch Horses which have begun but lately to draw and trot upon the streets with these kind of Beaks upon their shoes Now the reason why they make use of them is because the Horses pulling always up their hind-feet to their Bellys to drive away the Flies and setting or stricking them down again with force upon the ground do by this violent kind of motion beat of their shoes every minute and so break and spoil their hoofs This Beak upon the shoes of the hind feet is also a soveraign remedy to prevent such horses loosing of their shoes which by reason of any itch strike violently while they are in the Stable with their hind feet against the ground for it keepeth their shoâ—â— fixed and steddy in their places It is indeed true that it is not so dangerous for horses to travel a little wanting their hind shoes as their fore however if it be in a Stonny Country their feet would immediatly spoil with so frequently loosing their shoes and fastning them on again beâ— sides that they will be so broken that the Smith will not find a place where he may safely drive a nail without hazard of pricking and then the Horse must remain foâ— some time useless because of his not being in a condition to receive a shoe Your Horse being as I have told you shoed at his ease you are next to see that he be right bridled for I suppose that you have already fiâ—ted him with a propper Bâ—â— according to the directions I shall hereafter give you and therefore you are to take notice if the mouth of the Bit rest upon his Barrs about half a finger breadth above hâ—â— Tushes and if it does not make him frumple his lips also if the Curb rest in its dâ—â— place which is in the hollow part of the Beard a little above the Chin and if it do noâ— hurt him by galling the part where it resteth for if it do you must save and defend the pâ—â—ce with a peice of buft or soft Leather I think it is also pretry material to take care that all your horses but especially those for travel be accommodated with Bits which are both proper for them and also aboundantly light for these which have so very much Iron in them as those made in Germany when ever a horse beginneth to weary or that he naturally incline to carrie low which but too frequently falleth out I say that in that case a too heavy Bitâ— will without doubt contribute very much to make him heavie or rest upon thâ— hand which is what we call to make use of his fifth leg and which is found to be 〈◊〉 very incommode by all people that a Gentleman riding from Paris to Orleans upon horse which was pretty heavie on the hand and rancountring with one of his freinds who enquired at him where he was going very pleasantly and wittily replyed thâ— he was going to carrie his Horses head to Orleans The Head-stall and Reins should be of good Leather but especialy these peices of leathâ—â— which support the Bit called in french Poretemrds should be lookt to that they bâ— not fretted and burnt some people for more security make them of Hungarian leatheâ— which is a kind of strong unlimed leather brought from thence and therefore 〈◊〉 great dale tougher than your ordinary leather which is all limed others again make them double which is not a bad method In time of war it is common for people to cause fasten a small Iron chain all 〈◊〉 long the insides of the Reins now although this premonition concerning the Head stall and reins may seem to be of small consequence yet I have known horses to have been lost for want of a good head stall for if you are necessitate to make fast you horse in the open fields only with their Bridles which is what you should preven and shun as much as possible if but a Bird or any other thing come to surpriâ—â— them unawarres and without being expected they will not fail to pull back and break their Bridle reins or Head-stalls and so scamper thorow the feilds which might be prevented were they provided with good Head-stalls and Reins but especially strong and fresh Port-mouths which being frequently wet and retaining long the moisture because of their being next to the Iron are therefore the more subject to break there arâ— but very few Head-stalls which are proof against and can resist the pulling back of 〈◊〉 strong and high mettled horse except it be those made of the the above mention'd Hungarian Leather and also pretty broad therefore if you are to make fast your horse do it alwayes either with his halter or a peice of good strong and fresh rope CHAP XXVII What is to be observed in Fitting a Horse with a convenient Saddle before a Man goe to the wars or begin a journey AFter observing your horses shoes and bridle CHAP XXVII How to fit a horse with a convenient Saddle you are next to consider if he be well Saddled and that it be so exactly fitted to him that it cannot hurt him It is not enough that the Saddle be adjusted to the horse it should be also commodious and easy for a horse-man because if a man sit not at his ease upon a Saddle he can never place or six himself exactly in the middle of it so that although the Saddle may be very fit for the horse yet the rider charging and pressing it more in one part then another it will at last spoil the horse or at least wearie him sooner then if the Rider were placed exactly in middle of it That a Saddle may not spoil and gall a horse it should all of it rest equally upon his back that is no part of it should more press his back than another neither should it any ways rest upon his Withers Reins or back-bone which is termed upon the length of it To know if it rest equally over all you must cause some person get up on it for it is only when a Saddle is filled that this is best known now if it incline to pinch the horse in any part you may easily perceive it because that part will be more pressed by it than any other whereas it should rest equally over all For Example if the Toes or points of the Saddle's fore-bow press too much the horses sides then the upper part of it will be void and hollow and not closs enough to the horses back and so the Saddle will be too narrow in its Toes or points and may come to make the
them when they stand in need of it because the necessity of having a horse sometimes shoed is preferable to the observation of the Moon for if a horse want a shoe he must alwayes have one put on again and if it be in a good time of the Moon you may cause pare his foot but not otherwayes For feet that are brittle and which split easily you should alwayes as much as possible shoe them betwixt the full Moon and the change yea even in the last quarter of the Moon and you will know by the practice of it the good effects that it hath it being true that the feet shoed about the last quarter grow very little but then they become firmer and are not so apt to break this is what few people consider for they think it enough if they cause shoe their horses at the change if your horses feet be brittle you must never pare them at the change but alwayes after the full Moon that is to say in the Decress Whoever will observe this direction I assure him he will make his horse's feet become better and although they be brittle yet the horn will become tough for which purpose this following composition will be very useful Take common honey white grease and tar of each a like quantity mix them cold and use it for anointing brittle hoofs every other day it will keep the feet moist and soften them if nevertheless it hath not that effect you expected of it have recourse to the hoof-salves set down in the 47 Chap. of the 2d part Sect 2d c. But horses which have hard feet in which People cannot drive a nail without bending it by reason of their hardness should be shoed at the Change if the horn with that hardness be not also brittle which almost alwayes happeneth but if it be both brittle and hard he should be shoed after the full Moon and his sole should be moistned with good Remolades or softners and his horn with hoof-salves or thrust forward his own dung being wet with a little fresh water under his fore feet and cause him stand upon it the whole day and continue it for a time this will doe more good to some kind of hoofs than the remolades but not to all Having now discoursed of shoeing in general Without tying my self to any particular imperfection in the feet I shall next speak briefly of all kinds of Feet in particular CHAP. XXXVIII Of low heels tender feet and other kinds of bad and imperfect feet WHen you are paring a horse's feet which hath low heels CHAP XXXVIII Of low heels tender feet and other kinds of bad feet you must only pare the Toe without touching in the least the heel and also it is good not to touch the Frush unless it be begining to corrupt and then you must pare it flatt you must also cut the toe with the Cutting-knife or Rasp only and not with the Butteris People make only use of the Butteris for to give the shoe a seat after they have cut the Toe with the Cutting-knife for Examp the breadth of ones finger or thumb if the foot be too long at the Toe in which case you must also cause pierce the shoe near the edge at the Toe for fear of pricking and so placeing the shoe after that fashion you will force the too great nourishment which went to the Toe to strengthen the heels and in twice or thrice shoeing the foot will come to take a good shape and form and also in the time that you restrain the Toe by cutting it the heel will strengthen Now these kind of feet growing only at the toe all the nourishment of the foot goeth there and so the heel becometh alwayes narrower and daily weaker but if you observe that which I tell you to cut the toe with the Cutting-knife having only as it were Blanched or cleaned the sole with the Butteris and that you put the shoe at the Toe a finger breadth or ane inch back according as the toe is too much sprung and that afterwards you cut away the horn I assure you the foot will take quite another form or shape which will be a great deal better and the heels will also strengthen But if your horse's heels be low and not narrow and that the Frush be large or fat with great difficulty will you keep it from touching the ground and then your horse will be in danger of halting especially when he is riding upon hard ground To prevent it I think there is no other remedy than to give him Calkins after the Fashion of the point of a Hares eare in French en Oreilles de Lievre which is doâ—e by turning the insides of the spunges the whole breadth of the shoe and making then after the fashion of Calkins now these kind of Calkins will not do great harm 〈◊〉 his feet and he will also goe the more firmly with them upon the street or 〈◊〉 slippery ground so by this means you will hinder his Frush to touch the ground It is not that I approve of Calkins after whatever fashion they are made the greaâ— Calkins are the worst and those which spoil most a horse's feet but these after the fashion of the point of a Hares care are the least dangerous and if people could also dispence with the want of these it would be still so much the better But if the horse which hath low heels have them also narrow near the shoe although that his frush be large which is not ordinary you must then give him no Calkins neither after the fashion of a Hares care nor any other but you must cause shoe him with Panton shoes in French fers à pantouffle with a narrow Spunge and very thick in the inside that is to say that it must slope very much from the inside of the shoe next his foot to the outer edge and place the spunge of the panton shoes upon the heels so that the thick edge of the spunge may enter within the Corners of the Frâ—â— to press them out when they grow cut his Toe with the Pareing-knife according as you shall find occasion for it and after that he is shoed keep his feet in his Dâ—â—â— being a little moistned with water untill he leave halting for he will for a few day have pain in his feet untill he be accustomed to wear these kind of shoes afterward you may cause him work for he will not have carried them long when he will I accustomed with them and after thrice shoeing the heel and also the whole for will have taken a good form or shape The Horse-coursers to cover this imperfection of having low heels cause make the Spunges of the shoes great and thick for to supply the want of the heels which is indeed a very good invention to spoil the heels for good and all for it is good for nothing but this that it maketh those who are ignorant buy such horses
of wheat straw Stepping him out twice a day to the Water and after he hath Drunk walk him up and down an hour without making him sweat that so you may bring him in Wind and it should be about two hours every day that he should be thus walked abroad in some pleasant Field wherein he takes delight if a Stallion were not thus brought in wind before he is made to Cover he would either become pursey and broken-Winded or run a great Risk of being so and were he not well fed he could not perform his Task but 〈◊〉 deceive your Mares or at least the Colts would be but pityful and very weak 〈◊〉 Sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus and although you nourish him very well yet 〈◊〉 will alwayes take him in again abundantly lean if you give him many Mares he 〈◊〉 not serve you so long and his Mane and Tail will fall away through poverty 〈◊〉 you will find difficulty enough to recover and bring him to a good condition 〈◊〉 Body for the year following you are therefore only to give him Mares according to 〈◊〉 strength that is twelve or fifteen and at most twenty Wee should in England cause cover our Mares in the beginning of June that 〈◊〉 they may Foal in May in which Month there is plenty of Grass and which will 〈◊〉 make the Mares have a greater aboundance of Milk for the better nourishing of their Foals Mares go with Foal eleven Months and as many days as they are yee old for example a Mare of nine years old will carry her Foal Eleven Months aâ—â— nine dayes and one of six eleven Months and six dayes so that a man may here by regulate himself in the Causing cover his Mares that so their Foals may 〈◊〉 brought forth at such a time of the year as there will be aboundance of Grass in the Countrey where he intends to keep his Breed It sometimes happens that Mares kill their Foals through carelesness or for hareing been entangled in the stable with their Halters or through the difficulty they have in bringing them forth To assist a Mare at her Delivery now seing you may easily by what hath been saiâ— guess near at the time when she should Foal you should therefore cause alwayes a Servant attend her that so he may assist in case of necessity and who may observe whether it be for want of strength or courage that the Mare cannot bring forth her Foal in which case he is with his hand to close her Nostrils which will make her press to have breath in making which effort she will be delivered or otherwise let him pour into her Nostrils a little Claret Wine boylâ—d with Fennel and Sallad-Oil which will also assist her to bring forth But if through misfortune it be dead in her belly then you are to endeavour to cause her bring forth the dead Foal and also preserve her life by the following remedy take of Mare or Asses Milk or for want of that Goats Milk four pound weight which is about two English Quarts three pounds of strong Claret Wine-Lees Olive Oil two pounds juice of white Onions one pownd mix all together and make it Luke warm after which give it the Mare at twice about aâ—e hour betwixt each Drench If this remedy have not effect enough then some adroit Person shall anoint his haâ—d and arm with Olive Oil and shall endeavour to pull it out either whole or in piâ—â—â—â— and if he cannot get a good hold of it then he is to ty about the Chin of the Foal a large and strong Whip-cord and so pull it forth with as much Gentleness as possible Sometimes Foals come forth with their Feet foremost in that case you are to thrust them in again and with your hand endeavour to pull forth its head at least its nose thereby to facilitate the Mares delivery I had these remedies from an old Cavalies who practised them many times upon the Stud-Mares he had a charge of it depends upon your self to make use of them or not upon necessity he was an honest and itgenuous man and he also assured me that he had by this method preserved Mares from whom although having pull'd the dead Foals they yet did not fail afterwards to bring forth very good and beautiful ones You should about the end of May or beginning of June at which time there is commonly abundauce of Grass put your Mares into an Inclusure well Pallissado'd or enclosed with hedges or a stone Wall and which may be capable to feed them the whole time the Stallion is to be with them or that they are in Season in which Inclusure or Pasture all your Mares should be put together as well those which are Barren as others Then lead forth your Stallion having first taken off his hind feet shoes to prevent thereby his hurting the Mares when he kicks or stricks out bâ—â— his Foreshoes must be kept on for the preservation of his Feet then cause him before you turn him loose amongst the Mares to cover one twice in hand to render him the more calm and Gentle after which take off his Bridle and let him go freely to the rest with whom he will become so Familiar and use them so kindly that they will at last make love to him so that not one of them will be hors'd but as they are in Season after he hath served them all he will try them again one by one and will only cover such as willingly receive him he knows very well when they desire no more his Company and when he hath perform'd his Work so that then he begins to beat at the Palissade that he may be gone at which time he is to be removed and your Mares put into a fresh inclosure These are the wise means Nature makes use of and I assure you that of twenty Mares there will not three fail whereas if you caused Cover them in hand the one half would not Hold There should be built in that inclosure wherein the Stallion runs with the Mares a little Lodge for to retire and preserve him from the scorching heats in which there should be also a Manger wherein you are to give him his Oats Pease split Beans Bread or what else he liketh best and he must be alwayes thus had a care of while he is with the Mares which will be about six or seven Weeks and there should be not only to take care of that but also to give you a particular account how your Mares are Hors'd a servant appointed to remain night and day with them for whom there should be built a little Hutt in the same Inclosure for him to lye in he is also to take care that no other horses come to them nor other Mares to your Stallion and to advertise you when any thing extraordinary happeneth but above all to take care to lead the Stallion in time of excessive heats or great sun-shine into the Lodge built
a greater quantity and rather give him less as he desiteth then more also that he may be brought the sooner to take it mix the meat he loveth worst with that he liketh best till both be made alike familiar and so shall your Horse be a stranger to nothing that is good and wholsome 2. Observations from the State and Condition of his body Both laward and Outward OUR Keeper must observe that the strongest state of body which is generally accounted to be that which is highest and fullest of flesh so it be good hard and without inward foulness is alwayes the best and ablest for the performance of great Matches Yet herein he must also consider two things the first the shape of the horses body the second his inclinations and manner of feeding For the shape of the horses body there are some who are of a round plump and closs knit shape so that they will appear fat and well shaped when they are lean and in poverty others again are raw boned slender and looss knit and will appear lean and deformed when they are fat foul and full of gross humours So likewise for their inclinations some horses in feeding will grow plump and lusty outwardly and carrie as we say a thick Rib when they are inwardly lean as may be and others will appear outwardly lean to the eye when they are inwardly full of grease Now in this case our Feeder hath two helps the first outward and the second inward whereby he may be alwayes kept from being deceived with such false appearances The outward help is the outward handling and feeling the horses body generally over all his Ribs but particularly upon his short or hindermost ribs and if his flesh feel generally soft and loose and the fingers sink into it as into down then is he without all question foul but if he be universally hard and firm and only upon the bindermost rib is softness then he hath grease and foul matter within him which he must be made ridd of how lean and poor so ever he seem in outward appearance As for the Inward help it is only sharp Exercise and good and Beneficial Seourings for the first you are sure will dissolve the foulness and the later will not fail to bring it away 3. Observations from Sweat OUR Keeper should take a special notice in all his Airings Heatings and other Exercises whatsoever of the Horses Sweat and causes of it for if he Sweat upon little or no Occasion as walking a Foot pace standing still in the Stable and the like It is then Apparent that the Horse is faint foul fed and wanteth Exercise but if upon good Occasion as strong Heats great Labour and the like he Sweat yet his Sweat is white and frothie and like Sope suds then is he yet inwardly foul and also wanteth Exercise but if his Sweat be black and as it were only water thrown upon him without any frothieness then is he clean fed in good Lust and good Case so that you may adventure Riding without danger 4. Observations from the Hair OUR Keeper shall also observe his Coat or Hair in general but especially his Neck and such parts as are uncovered and if the Hair ly slick smooth and closs and also keep the Beauty of its natural Colour then is he in good case but if it be rough and staring or discoloured then is he inwardly cold at the Heart and wanteth both Cloaths and warm keeping 5. Observations from the Privy Parts OUR Keeper must observe his Horses Stones for if they hang down side or low from his Body then is he out of Lust and Heart and is either sick of Grease or other foulness but if they ly closs couched up and are contained in a small room then he is Healthful and in good plight and Vigour 6. Observations from the Limbs OUR Keeper must observe to Rub and Bath frequently his Horses Leggs especially the night before he runneth either his Heat or Match and that from the Knees and Gambrels downwards with either clarified Doggs Grease Marrow Head and Feet good Brandy or Spirit of Wine any of which are very good and let him work them well in with his hands and not with fire for what he gets not in of the Oyntments at first rubbing will be got in next Morning and what is not got in the next morning will be got in when he cometh to uncloath near the Starting post and before he beginneth his Heat so that he needs not to use the Oyntment but once before each beat but the Rubbing as often as he shall find Opportunity 7. Observations from the Ground to Run in OUR Keeper shall observe that if the Ground whereon he is to run his Match be dangerous and apt for mischievous Accidents as Strains Over reaches Sinew bruises and the like that then he is not bound to give all his Heats upon it but having made his Horse only acquaint with the nature thereof shall take a part of the Course as a mile or two or more according to the goodness of the Ground and so run him out and in which we call turning Heats taking alwayes care that he end and finish his Heat at the weighing or starting post And also that he make not his Course less or shorter but rather longer then that he is to run upon his Match day but if for some special Reasons he take no part of the Course as because his Horse is subject to Lameness or tender footed and apt to Surbate then he may many times but not alwayes give his Heat upon any other good Ground where the Horse may lay down his Feet streatch his Body and run at pleasure 8. Observations for Watering OUR Keeper shall also observe that albeit I have given no Directions for Watering after Heats yet he may in any of the last fortnights finding his Horse clean and his Grease quite consumed give him water somewhat late at night being made luke-warm and letting him fast-an hour after it also if at any time else thorrow the unseasonableness of the weather you cannot water abroad then you shall at your ordinary Watering hours water in the House with warm water as aforesaid throwing a handful of Wheat Bran or Oat Meal but Oat Meal is the best into the water which you will find to be very goo dand wholesome for your Horse Many other Observations there are but these are the chief and most material and I hope sufficient for any ordinary Understanding And thus much of the True and Modern Method of preparing a Running Horse which I hope you shall find hold good when tryed Let us in the next place consider the other Method set down by Mr. Solizel which is a little more Ancient And is as followeth SECONDLY A Method to prepare Running Horses somewhat more Ancient than the Former and set down by Mr. Solizel at the close of the second Part in the French Impression of the Parfait Mareschal IN England
skin and bone so consequently the smaller the better and to make you the more easily comprehend how this part of a Horses head should be shap't people commonly say that he should drink out of a Bear-glass by reason of the smalness of his Muzle That which will mightily contribute to the right shaping of this part in Colts is to cause cut out the Nerves in that place this doth extreamly dry up and macerat the lower parts of the Head and also as some people say preventeth the fat and thick growing of the neck Also that a Head may be the better shap't it should not be too long the Heads which are too long are unbecoming and are called Cymbal heads in French Tesles de vielle That which doth most contribute to the good appearance and air of a Head is a fine onset and exact situation when it is placed for without that a well shap't one will appear but ugly and with it an ill shap't will appear passible well and indifferent a Horse hath his head well placed when it is set high and that he can bring it in to it 's natural situation which is so that all the fore-part of the head from the very brow to the nose be perpendicular to the ground and that if there were a line and plummet applyed to it it would hang equally alongst it and but just shave or raze it The Nostrils should be large and extended that so one may perceive the Vermilion of the nostrils or red that is a little within them especially when the horse sneereth the wideness of the Nostrils doth not a little contribute to that easiness which a horse should have in breathing It is therefore upon this account that the Spaniards and many others cut up their horses Nostrils to facilitate their Breathing in violent courses which when such horses are brought to France is the cause of their being thought pursy or broken winded but they are reputed such only by those who have never been farther then their own Country Village or home even although they have been born in or about Paris but this cutting up of the Nostrils besides the ease it giveth in breathing bringeth also another advantage alongst with it for it preventeth a horses neighing which is very convenient for such persons as go upon party for then the neighing of their horses cannot discover them and I believe this is the chief reason why some horses nostrils are cut up because after it they neigh very rarely or not at all In Germany and the North almost all the curtail'd horses have their Nostrils cut up although their Wind be abundantly good but in France quite the contrary for there they never cut up the Nostrils but of such poor horses as have their wind broke and their Lungs quite spent and consumed with pursyness The Mouth should be indifferently well cloven when it is too much of the Mouth there is a great difficulty so to bit a horse as that he do not swallow it as we say And if he have a little Mouth and not enough cloven then with difficulty can the Mouth of the Bit be right lodged in it without either making him wrinkle his Lips or the mouth of the Bit to rest upon his Tushes a reasonable big Mouth is more useful for the goodness then beauty of a horse as are also all the internal parts which doe not appear but when the Mouth is opened nevertheless seing they are so essential to goodness and are in place of a Rudder whereby to govern him right or wrong I shall without strictly tying my self to set every thing in it's proper place continue this matter of the Tongâ—e which will be so much skill and knowledge already acquired for the right bitting of horses The Tongue should be small otherwayes it will be difficult to keep the bit from pressing it which making the tongue to extend over his barrs and cover them will render his Appuy as the French call it or feeling of the pressure of the bit dull by hindering it's operation and effect upon the Barrs for no liberty of any bit whatsoever is capable to contain these big Tongues although the Channel or hollow betwixt the horses Jaws be abundantly deep and large such horses as have very big Tongues have seldom or never a good and sensible Mouth because the barrs are commonly flat and low A horse should have his Barrs sharp ridged and lean for all the subjection which a horse suffereth by the Bridle proceeding from the Barrs of the Barrs if they have not the above-mention'd qualities they will be very little or not at all sensible so that he can never have a good Mouth for if they be flat Round and unsensible the Bit will not work it's effect and to take hold of such a horse by his Tail or by the Bridle to govern him will prove much about one The Channel or hollow betwixt the under-jaws of the Channel should be large enough to contain his Tongue that it be not pressed with the mouth of the Bit which should alwayes have a little liberty in the midle of it His Palate should be lean for if it be fat that is if it be full and high so that it be equal almost with the extremities of his upper Teeth of the palat the least height in the liberty of a Bit will incommode him and if that part prove too sensible and ticklish the horse to evite the trouble and pain he receives from the liberty of the Bit which hurteth him in that place will either chack in the Bridle and be alwayes throwing up of his head or otherwayes carry it too low which besides the deformity of it will also very much incommode the hand of the Rider of the Lips Thin and little Lips contribute to a horses having a good Mouth but the contrary if they be large and thick The Beard should be neither flat of the Beard nor too high raised or pointed if it have any of these imperfections it is ill shap't and the Curb can never be made to rest in it's right place it should also have but little flesh upon it and almost nothing but skin and bone without any kind of Chops hardness or swelling all these conditions make a good Mouth whereas if the horse had any of them in too great a degree or excess his Mouth would prove bad by being too good For example if his Barrs were so sensible and sharp that they could not suffer the pressure of the Bit and consequently that the horse could not endure the pulling of the Bridle to keep him in subjection this would be a great defect 't is true the other parts particularly the Beard have seldom that degree of sensibility and tenderness although it is affirmed by the Duke of Newcastle in his book of riding that the beard is the most sensible part of a horses mouth The general qualifications of a good
is of greatest importance and use in any Horse for people buy Horses only to Ride or Travell upon that is the end for which they will have them any other design being only so many means the better to arrive at and obtain that end but before you cause walk any Horse you must observe if when he is standing still he be right planted upon his Limbs because upon the right or wrong Camping of a Horse when he is standing still doth depend notwholly but in a great part his good or bad going and carriage Now the natural situation of the Legs should be larger or wider above than below that is to say the distance which is betwixt the one foot and the other should be less than that between the one of the fore thighs and the other upon the inside and at that part of them which is next to the shoulders the knees should not incline too much to other or be too close one upon the other but the whole Leg should descend in a streight line to the very Pastern joynt the feet being placed upon the ground should be turned neither out nor in but the Toe pointing directly forewards being situate or camped after this manner he will be very well plauted on his Legs and all this may be observed when he is at rest and standing in the Stable As for the Hind-hand his jarrets or hams should not be too closs together and if they are then he will be crooked or bowed called in French un Cheval crochu but according to the term the Horse Coursers give it they say that such a Horse is only a little too much closed behind the hind-leg or rather that part called the instep which is betwixt the Hock and Pastern joynt should stand perpendicular to the ground if it stand foreward or as it were under his Belly the situation of it is bad but if it stand stopping a little backwards from the perpendicular line and be so situate as when a Horse is going to stale or piss it is no bad stance but then commonly such Horses have too long Haunches which is a deffect for the manage because it is with a great dale of difficulty that they can assemble themselves and goe upon their Haunches but they have for the most part always a good walk or Raik although the fore parts be the sooner spoilt and ruined by it upon the contrary again those Horses whose Haunches Hams and In steps are altogether streight that is whose hind legs towards the feet fall not far enough back when standing still I say such Horses can but with difficulty raik or walk well moreover if the hind Pastern joynt be so placed either to one side or forewards as if it were dislocate such situations are nought he should likewise plant his hind feet fla upon the ground and not rest only upon his Toes as those Horses which are called in French Chevaux Ramptins you must also observe if he turn the toes of his hind feeâ— much outwards which is a very considerable imperfection in respect that in great descents such Horses have almost no strength in their Haunches and if they be designed for the Coach it will not be possible for them to keep her back when upon any considerable descent but that you may be the more sure of this cause the Horse which situates himself after that manner to go or be put back with ones hand and if in going back he keep the toâ—â— of his hind feet turned outwards then is it with difficulty that he goeth back which is a sign that he will be for no great service and the more that he turneth out his hind toâ—â— the more reason will you have to conclude that he is a bad Horse whatever other qualifications he may have This much of the situation in which a Horse should most commonly place himself when standing still let us now prosecute the rest and observe his step or walk you must then cause step him forewards to know if he be not lame for if he be it will be to no purpose to examine him further few People buying Horses which are nottarly known to be lame You must cause ride the Horse at a foot pace that you may have the more time not only to consider if he walk well but also if his Legs perform the actions which they ought now for a Horse to walk well his steps should be quick that is he should not make in his walk slow and debile motions with his Legs but should move them quickly and make two times with them in the space that many Horses mark but one thus he will walk more commodiously fatigue himself less and his rider will be more eased and comforted by it After having made this general view you are to observe that for a Horse to go well he should have the Raising or lifting up of his Leg the Stay or keeping of it up and the Tread or setting of it down all good these are called in French Le Lever ou hausser le Soûtieu et L'appuy now because this is a kind of Language not understood by every Person I shall explain each term by it self as followeth The Lever raising or lifting up of a Horses Legs when he is walking will be good if he perform it hardily and with ease not crossing his Legs the one over the other nor carrying his feet either too much out or in and that he also bend his knees as much as is needfull this is for the Lever or raising of his Legs The Soûtien stay or keeping of them up is good when after that his legs are raised he keepeth them up so long as he ought the rest of his body and head remaining in a good posture a man may know when a Horse hath not the stay or keeping up of his leg good when he perceives him set it down suddenly to give ease to his other leg in which he is perhaps either pained or hath a weakness some Horses also appear as if their noses were always a going to the ground and of these it may be very justly said that the stay or keeping up of their Legs in the Air is nought and that their legs are weak and pained this much of the Soûtien or stay of a Horses Legs in the Air which is the Second thing to be considered in a Horses going In the third and last place you are to consider the Appuy or setting down of the Legs or rather feet upon the ground commonly called the Tread which to be good should be firm vigorous and streight and without resting upon one side of the foot more than upon the other or setting down the toe or heel the one before the other but that both be done at one and the same time and when the foot is placed upon the ground that it be turned neither out nor in but perfectly streight that the Pastern also be neither too much plyed nor too stiff or streight
have but a small thickness and although they have the inward part of the foot that is the sole hollow yet they have so little strength in their Feet that they easily halt and are also subject to heat their feet upon hard ways which at last becoming painful maketh them lame these kind of Horse are very oft upon their litter that is people are obliged to let them stand soft and give them but very moderate labour a man should therefore take special notice to such Horses particularly if they be designed for the Coach The Foot being alwayes kept up you may also consider if he be strait heel'd 〈◊〉 hoof-bound to which your small sized Horses as Barbs and Spanish Horses are more subject then others especially such of them which have high heels and dry'd hoofs Hoof-binding is known when the heels do not take a right Tour or Compass but straiten towards the Clift of the Frush so that upon each side of the said clift there is not above a finger breadth of distance and that the whole heel is little more as two finger breadth Whereas a Horse should have alwayes about four at the heel but that is either a little more or less according to the size and bigness of the Foot There are narrow heel'd Horses which have high heels but so weak that by pressing the two sides of the heel one against the other they yeeld and move which is a token of tenderness in the foot and although the Horse were not hoof-bound yet such yeelding heels are alwayes weak Some narrow heel'd Horses have not high heels but upon the contrary abundantly low but then that part of the hoof next to the heel and which rests upon the shoe is much more straitned than that which is next to the Cornet and it is that which hoof-bindeth a Horse Now for these last the Panton or Pautable shoes have a very good effect There are Horses which have the back parts of their pasterns next to the heels as if they were pointed and by that meanes have their feet too long because they exceed the ordinary roundness at the heel and extend too much back-wards Commonly such have very bad feet and are almost alwayes hoof-bound They have likewayes that part of the pasterns too fleshy and Subject to the Formes which is an imperfection sufficient to make a man reject a Horse and not to meddle with him you are therefore by this to regulate your selfe as to the shape of the foot that it should approach as near to a round form as possible and that those whose heels extend backwards and have their foot almost of an ovall shape have a bad figure of a foot for service Besides this fault in small sized Horses of being hoof-bound they are also Subject to have one of the sides of their heels higher by an inch than the other This is a considerable fault but not altogether so bad as hoof-binding because besides that hoof-binding doth for the most part make a Horse to halt it is also a token of a great dryness in the foot Also bad shoeing may occasion this of the heels being higher upon one side than the other neither is this imperfection incureable but it is somewhat expensive to performe it it proceedeth partly from the aridity and dryness of the foot and the method to prevent it is to cause shoe and pair such kind of feet each month that so you may keep them from taking that bad shape small sized Horses which have narrow heels and which never ride in humid and wet ground that so they may have occasion to moisten their feet are most subject to this infirmity I am of opinion that no man should buy a Horse of Value that is subject to it Horses which are hoof-bound are also subject to have Seymes or clifts in their Quarters These two imperfectiones proceed from one and the same internall cause which is the dryness of the foot the externall cause proceeds from the Horses Riding upon hard ground or in strong frost or by setting their feet with too much Violence to the ground as those Horses do which trot upon the streets having their legs ruined and spoilt also by leaping upon a very soft ground and many times also by galloping too high or making too great a motion with their legs it is easy to perceive this imperfection by their walking for they do not set down their feet firm upon the ground and so their Tread is not such as we have already described it should because for the most part they alwayes halt with it a foot which is of a right shape and well nourished will never be subject to Seymes or cloven Quarters and very rarely do people see hoofs which are round and solid have any of them Seymes or Cloven Quarters are known by looking to the Quarters of the hoofs upon the inside which will be found cloven from the Coronet to the very shoe quite thorow the horn and such Quarters are almost alwayes straitned some of these Clifts do not ascend so high as the Coronet and therefore are the less dangerous however although they may be recovered it is a very considerable imperfection and yet a greater in fat feet which have a thin horne where oftimes such Clifts occasion a javar Encorné as the french call it or scratches upon the onsett or Coronet of the hoof because the matter which formeth in that part spoileth and corrupteth the Tenaon or Cartilage which is the cause of a Coronet-scratch the difference between those and those other I was discoursing of which are the most common is that in those which are the most common there gathereth no matter but in these other there doeth people know when the matter hath formed in a cloven Quarter in that it appeareth upon the Coronet near to the hair at which part the matter which hath its origine and source in the Cartilage issueth forth and maketh the Horse halt to the ground such cloven Quarters are as difficult to be cured as a crowned scratch for they must be treated alter the very same manner Although Horses have only the most common kind of Seymes yet they cannot work but in very soft and Carpet kind of ground for upon a street or hard ground they but criple upon them and as they are walking the Blood frequently cometh out of the Clefts Cloven Quarters are alwayes a token of a dryed foot and bad temperature A cloven Quarter is enough to make a Man reject a journey Horse who hath it but yet more one which is appointed for the Coach and I am of opinion that the fault is aboundantly sufficient to do it unless the horse be designed for a Rideing school where he may be recovered but then he should be also bought at a more easy rate Sometimes the horn of the hind feet cleaveth just in the very middle of the fore part of the hoof from the Coronet to the Shoe this imperfection
is not very common but it is very troublesome and maketh the horse sometimes halt They are called Ox feet in French Pieds de Boeuf because of their being cloven in the middle after the same manner as the feet of Oxen are Mules are more subject to this imperfection than Horses and it should hinder the buying of them especialy if the clift be large because the sand and clay mix and incorporate in it and make them to halt by the pain it occasions There is another imperfection to which the hoof and Coronet are subject called in French Crapaudine or Tread upon the Coronet which is a kind of ulcer that cometh upon the Coronet and from which there issueth a filthy sort of matter which by its sharpness dryeth up the horn beneath the part where the tread is made in which there is made a kind of hollow or groove down to the very shoe and it would seem that the horn shrinketh in that part by reason of that humour which instead of moistning as it ought changeth its nature by the corruption it receiveth from the wound made by the tread and is the cause of this disorder Horses of mannage which do not cross their legs enough in passaging but knock and bit frequently their Coronets in one and the same place with the nails of their shoes and may very readliy occasion such ulcers of which they will halt very ill if they be not lookt to and kept clean however they are of no great consequence and come for the most part rather in the hind feet than in the fore It is a great imperfection to have upon the one hand feet which are too large or fat or upon the other to have them too little such Horses as have them too big and large are for the most part very heavy and but rarely light when their feet are of that shape they are likeways subject to lose their shoes and give no kind of agreeable service At Paris people sell horses for the Saddle which they call Flandrins from Flanders the name of the Country they came from and because they are well shapt and make a good appearance although generally those of them which are good are very rase therefore they make such pass for Normandy Horses and we have not a more certain mark whereby to know these Flandrins than by their big and large feet for when once they have been made a little use of they are but too well known for what they are the most part of them giving always upon the least toyl a belch as they are spurred too small feet are very much to be suspected because they are frequently painful and subject to cloven quarters and other imperfections we have been discoursing of again very big and large feet are also very incommode for Traveling in Tough and Clay high-ways neither do they endure Fatigue and the most part of Horses which have them stumble but if with such feet they have also weak Legs and too long pasterns they shall never have great strength There are other kinds of Feet whose form and shape are somewhat extraordinary because of their being foundered so that the hoof towards the middle of the foot is shrunk and fallen in hath many circles quite round the foot and appears altogether altered and dry with the heels all circled A Horse which hath such kind of feet that become stil worse sets alwayes his heels first to the ground when he Trots having the middle part of his hoof hollow and the sole high and round after the form of Crownea-soles There are also sometimes extraordinary founderings which fall down upon the feet and make them of such an odd shape that that form which they should have above upon the hoof they have beneath upon the Sole so that the feet are in a manner renversed now all these bad kinds and shapes of feet should be rejected CHAP XIV How to know if a Horse be well body'd or have a good Belly HAving narrowly examined the feet of any Horse you intend to buy CHAP XIV How to know if a horse be well belly'd you must next consider if he have a good Body and be full in the Flank or if he want a Belly all which signify but one and the same thing but to speak properly a Man should only say that a Horse hath not a good Body or a full Flank for to say he hath no Gutts is an expression not much in use although a man may very well say that a Horse hath no Belly therefore that I may be the better understood by all I shall without prejudice make sometimes use of it This imperfection may proceed from several causes which it will be fit to examine that so you may with the more certainty judge of it and prevent being deceived by it and first if the last of the short Ribs be at a considerable distance from the Haunch-bone which is known by the great space there is between that bone and the last or hindmost Rib now although such Horses may for the time have pretty good Bodies yet when they come to any considerable labour or exercise they absolutely lose it and these are properly the Horses which have no flank A Horse hath also no flank when his Ribs are too straitned in their tour or compass which is easily perceived by comparing their height with that of the Haunch bones for they ought to be as high and elivate as them or but a very little less when the Horse is Lusty and in good case because when he is lean and no flesh upon his Ribs they cannot in that case appear so high and well raised as the Haunch bones The imperfection of being narrow chested besides that it hindreth a Horse to have a good body his wind and breathing is also never so very free by reason of the last or hindmost Ribs squeezing and compressing too much the inward parts If such Horses as have their Ribs strait be great Feeders then their Bellys will be gulped up so that it not being possible for the Entrals to be contained within the Ribs they will press downwards and make the shape of a Cows Belly which is very unbecoming besides that those Horses that are strait Rib'd are very difficult to Saddle for there must be Saddles made expresly for them they have no wind and are subject to the Cough But they have all of them for the most part a good Chine or Back If a Horses not having a good Belly proceed from Leanness or for having fatigu'd too much it is not so much to be apprehended especially if his Ribs have a good turn or compass for rest and ease with the assistance of cooling and moist nourishment may come to recover him Such Horses as are naturally light Belly'd although otherwise fat and plump enough cannot endure any great Fatigue the precaution which people observe in buying such Horses is to take notice if they eat heartily their Hay
as they Having observed all I have been saying you are as yet to consider if your horse be Sound that is if he doe not halt you will know it best upon the Step or Trot for upon a Gallop a man can perceive but very little without having had a great and long experience especially if the lameness lie in his fore quarters but still it will be less perceptible if he be gallop't by a good and skilful horseman The surest way then by far to know if a horse halt is to make use of the very same method people take for Coach horses which is to cause trot them along the streets iâ— ones hand it is there that a man cannot possibly disguise and conceal a horses lameness and is the true touch stone whereby a man cannot be deceived in buying any kind of Horses and not only for knowing if they halt but also for observing their strength and reins When a horse trotteth in ones hand you are to observe if the lifting up keeping up and setting down of his fore Legs in French Le Lever Le Soutien et L'Appuy be such as they ought and as I have already told you in the 11 Chapter if he keep his Reins streight and equall without rocking or swinging his head high well placed and firm for if he halt he will mark every time in his trot with a motion of his head When a horse rocketh which I have explained in discoursing of the Step or Walk it is when one of his haunch bones goes up and the other down always the one after the other every stâ—p he marketh with his trot for his Croup should not at all move thus after the fashion of a ballance beam and if it do it is a token of no great strength The Horse-Marchants are obliged to warrant and secure the horses they sell from these infirmities following to wit Pursyness Glanders that he shall prove sound when either warm or cold that is that he shall no more halt after he is warm than he did at first going out of the stable when cold If a horse have any of these three infirmities people both at Paris and almost over all France oblige the seller to take him again within nine dayes after the delivery For the other infirmities which I have been all along explaining in the preceeding Chapters you are to have your eyes as sharp and clear sighted as possible that so you may discover them because theÌ„ Horse-marchants who are otherwayes generally called Horse-coursers are not obliged to warrant them nay nor even the Eyes for it is to be supposed that you might have looked to them and so have discovered whether they were good or not but if you are a buying a horse from a Gentleman or Burgess who tells you expresly that he will not warrant his soundness you should in that case use all diligence imaginable to discover the horses infirmities if you suspect he have any for when a horses price is once payed it is very difficult to make him be taken back again When a Man buyeth a Horse at Paris it is very fit to know the person from whom he is bought least he might have been stoln because it is lawful for the true owner of the Horse to take him again where ever he can find him so that in this case the Buyer will be sent to seek after the Seller he knoweth not where and if he cannot find him the price of the Horse is lost for good and all it is just so when a Man buyeth a Horse in the weekly Mercats but if it be in an open and publick Fair there is no such hazard You are yet further to observe if the Horse you intend to buy be right situat and planted upon his legs and feet as he is standing still and quiet and that he have the toes of his hind feet pointing streight forwards and turned neither out nor in or that he do not bring his hind legs too much forwardbeneath his belly as he is standing which is the very worst of all stances People say of such a horse that his two ends or head and Croup are going to join when they perceive him standing in such a posture and it is either a token of a bad horse or that he is much fatigued when he thus endeavours to give ease to his fore-legs by bringing forwards and as it were beneath his belly those behind that so he may make them support the most considerable weight of his body Having thus examined your horse in every point as I have directed you will when once you have had a little practice in the twinkling of an eye find out and discover the smallest imperfection so that if a horse have any it will be the first thing will fall under your view and presently displease you you are in the next place to consider if he have a good Mouth CHAP. XVIII How to know if a Horses Mouth be good and Loyal A Horse to have a good Mouth CHAP. XVIII How to know if a Horses Mouth be good and Loyal should have a well raised Neck and if it be somewhat large and thick it should be at least well turned his reins strong and well shapt and his legs and feet likewise if he have all these right no doubt but he will have unless it be by accident a very good Mouth Look to or rather feel between the upper parts of the jaw-bones to know if they are sufficiently well seperate that so the Horse may with the more ease bring in and place his head exactly for if these two bones be too closs upon other and that he have also a short and thick Neck charged with flesh so that he cannot place his Head right his having a good mouth well be to little purpose because you cannot make use of it and also this goodness of the Mouth is only agreeable when the Head is brought in to its best situation and posture for we do not imitate the Cravates who make their horse carry their Noses in the Air by which they are very subject to falling and also when any of them are in thir countryes the Clods or Stones in the high-wayes make them frequently trip and stumble You have in the second Chapter of this First part particular observations whereby to know when a Horses Mouth is good to which I referr you that I may avoid repetitions put your finger into the horse's Mouth pressing his barr pretty hard with it and if you find that it paineth him it is a token that the barr is sensible and consequently that his Mouth is good but upon the contrary if the barr be not sensible his Mouth will be nought for a horses Mouth is no otherwise good but it so far as it is less or more sensible however too great a degree of it will render it bad as I shall shew you Move your Finger also along his barrs to feel if they be high and ridged and
it would be a great deal better for them even although they should receive no other advantage by it but this that they will eat with a great deal better appetite But perhaps some may say that horses have been long enough bridled the whole day before so that there is no need of letting them stand so long unnecessarly in the stable without eating To which I answer that besides what I have already said there are many Horses to whom it is very fit to suffer the froth and foam to come in their mouths by the assistance of the Bit which obliges them to move their Tongues and by this meanes they moysten their mouths which giveth them a better relish of what they eat whereas if their mouths were not thus refreshed they would eat but a very short while so that a man thereby rather gains as losses any time contrary to the common Maxim of the hostler-boyes You are also to observe this by the way that if your horse hath been very Warm and that you could not have the conveniencie to cause him drink upon the road he will when unbridled eat but very little although you have exactly observed all the directions I have been giveing and that because he is much prested and troubled with thirst therefore in that case you are to give him such a quantity of Oats washt in Ale or Beer as you shall judge sufficient however less if you intend to feed him again after he hath once drunk Many are of opinion that people spoile their horses by giving them Oats before their water because say they the water maketh the Oats to pass too soon and so undigested out of the stomack I again think that it is good to feed with Oats both before and after watering although it be commonly the custom not to do it till after The Carriers and Coach-men upon their quick dispatches give it alwayes after watering neither is it without some appearance of Reason that they thus feed with Oats only after watering because the water doth not remain so long in the stomack but quickly passes so that the stomack is not at all weakned with it and the Oats which are of a porous and spongious body retain abundance and as much of the moisture of the water as is sufficient for the benefit of the horse this is the only Reason why people feed with Oats only after watering which however is not of force enough to hinder a man to feed Horses before watering which have been very warm and hard Rid for they will be a great deal the better of it and not at all in hazard of becoming sick When people Travel in Flying-Coaches or with laid or fresh horses from stage to stage and that they have driven very hard when the horses are taken all in a sweat and out of breath from the Coach they should as I have already said cause first scrape off their sweat rub them well down and cover them and then cause walk them half an hour in peoples hands that they may recover their wind during which time they shall prepare for each of them a French half Bushel of wheat Bran which is about six English quarts and which must be well moistned with water then having put them in the stable and unbridl'd them lay it before them in the Manger that so they may with it cool and refresh their mouths which are dryed with the dust and sand and which many times reacheth to their very Throats now this wet Bran detatches or separates the dust from their mouths and Tongues and even although horses be a little warm they very seldom receive prejudice by this method This dust and and sand doth sometimes so very much dry the tongues palates and throats of horses that they many times lose their appetite by it because their tongues become hard and dry especially in horses which suffer them while they are traveling in excessive hot weather to hang out of their mouths and therefore people should never fail either to give such horses alittle wet Bâ—an for the first thing they give them to eat or otherwayes to cause wash their mouths and tongues well with a wet Spunge to oblige them to eat People make use of the same method for hunters and all other horses which having Rid hard are out of breath but especially if they be very fat the use of this we Bran doth exremelywell with them and gaineth them time because useing it they may be the sooner unbridled and in a condition to eat In places where wheat Bran can be haâ— this method is excellent but except in France it is somewhat scarce and difficult to be got other Countreyes not making much use of it this way and in Holland 〈◊〉 soon as their horses arrive whether they be warm or not they give them drink with out apprehending any prejudice by it as I have already observed was the custome amongst the Waggoneers but then their waters in those countreyes are not quick and sharp for becoming in a manner warm by standing they cannot therefore 〈◊〉 readily prejudge them but when people attempt this method with horses in France they frequently dye before they can be accustomed to this so dangerous a habit of liveing which I assure you shall never be put in practice by me People should take exact notice to the water which horses drink especially when traveling for upon that in a manner dependeth their preservation or destruction that water which is least quick or penetrating is the best if you can have the conveniency of a River it is preferable to a Spring and a Spring or Fountain to a Draw-well but when a man is necessitate to let his horses drink of such penetrating waters he should cause bring it in a pretty time before he use it set it in the Sun or cause warm somed it to correct the sharpness of the rest but it is sooner done to throw amongst it a little wheat Bran or some soft of bread crumbled for want of both which the crudity of the water may be a little corrected by either stirring it some time about with your hand or throwing a little Hay amongst it but if the water be extremely quick and peirceing neither the stirring of it with your hand nor Hay will prevet the horses taking the Vives and therefore in that case you are either to mix with it a little warm water or wheat Bran which will sufficiently correct it It sometimes happneth that horses are so hard and unmercifully rid that they are burst and either dye or become foundered if a man do not apply proper remedies to prevent it for example people are at the Stagg-hunting and cannot have the conveniency of their laid or fresh horses because the Stagg takes quite another way theâ— where they are placed or perhaps runns further than is expected so that people being warm and bent upon the chase do not consider their horses but push theâ— on to the outmost
it be in Winter you shall not unsaddle him so soon but 〈◊〉 when he is fully dry and that he hath eat some after which you shall also cause 〈◊〉 him well beneath the Saddle When you have taken off the saddle you shall cause set it in the Sun that so 〈◊〉 Pannels of it may dry then you shall cause beat them with a Rod that they neâ—ther harden nor hurt the horse those who make use of Saddle-Cloaths which the double and put beneath their Saddles don't run this risk and the method is very good 〈◊〉 if it be in the winter when you have not much Sun-shine proper for it and that you horse hath sweat a great deal then the Saddle being wet in the pannells you shaâ—â— cause dry it by a fire rather as set it upon his Back next day all wet I had almost forgot to tell you that when you take off the Saddle you are 〈◊〉 feel your horses Back where it stood to discover if he be neither pinch'd nor galleâ— and if he be you are both to cause rectifie the Saddle and apply something to the part afflicted the Saddle by taking away some of it's stuffing where it pressed him or by chambering it he must be a very bad Saddler who does not understand how this is to be done for in all the considerable Townes they know it are to the sore by treating it as I shall hereafter shew you When a horse hath stood an hour or two unsaddled a man will discover betteâ— those parts in which he hath been oppressed than just immediatly when the Saddle is taken off because when he is cool the part which was oppressed will swell whereas instantly after he is unsaddled it cannot be so well perceived because the heat hindereth it from rising But if your horse be only swelled without having his skin cut and only 〈◊〉 being oppressed and pinch'd with the Saddle then it is best to apply a remedy to it a soon as possible for if you should neglect it there would grow a hardness in the place which is called a Sit-fast and which through time will fall away and leaâ—â— a great wound in it's place all which may be prevented by the following remedy but not judgeing it needfull to refer you for so small a matter to the 2. pâ—â— which is the Treatise of Diseases you shall make the Restrictive following Sect. 2. A Restristive to repell and take away any swelling upon a Horse's back occasioned by a bad Saddle TAke three Sect 2. four five or six whites of Eggs according to the largeness 〈◊〉 the swelling put them into a pretty large plate and beat them with aâ— big peice of Alum untill you raise from them a strong and thick froth which will be done in about a quarter of an hour's time if you continue still beating it Tale then of this strong froth which will be pretty thick and Rub and chaff very well the swelling with it and also lay as much of the froth upon it as you can cause it imbibe and so leave it till next morning at which time the swelling will infallibly be repelleâ— and fallen I have had the proof of this remedy a thousand times there are indeed many other wayes to perform this but this is both the readiest and most easy of any if nevertheless you desire a greater variety you may have recourse to the Chapter of wounds in the second part you may carie always a piece of Alum along with you for this purpose because it will serve severall times and the remedie is both cheap and good Sect 3. Another for the same use RUB and chaff very hard the swelling with good Brandy Sect 3. and if with spirit of wine so much the better when you have Soked the place well with it set fire with a lighted paper to what remaines upon it of the Brandy or spirit of Wine and when the fire of its own accord extinguishes then the swelling will also dissappear Or otherways having chaffed extremely well the swelled part with good Brandy immediatly rub it all over with black Soap to occasion a froth which you are to suffer to dry upon the swelling and which I assure you will restrict it provided there be no matter in it this last is perfectly good for Coach-Horses whom the harness hath fretted if you have not conveniency of getting the best black Soap take that which is more common The most part of Horses become lean upon Travel especially the larger size which are made use of in Equipages because making the whole days Journey commonly with one reach they are bridled so long together that they become lean and their Saddles which rested very equally upon them at their first setting out are found to be now too large by reason of it And a Horse will become sometimes so lean by it that the Saddle will come to rest either upon the Withers or Reins which will prove very troublesome you are therefore when you perceive that the points of the Saddle-bows do not rest against his Body and that the Saddle appeareth to be too wide to cause stuff the points and that part of the pannel which goes all along the Back and also opposite to the shoulder pits with Hart-hair or the hair of cut Manes and Tails if need be sometimes also it is very fit to cause quilt and ply the points of the bows with Felt especially if the horses leanness be extraordinary and that he hath become very small in the body So soon as you give your horses Oats it is good to leave them alone that so they may eat them with the less greed and disturbance for a vigorous horse so long as there is any person behind him while he is eating will not fail to look about to him now and then and so loses many of his Oats which at that time fall from his Mouth that you may therefore prevent this you are to leave him alone provided you are in a place where they have not a trick of stealing horses Oats from them which is very ordinary in many Inns where although the Masters be both in a good condition and honest yet their Servants rob one another of the Oats committed to their Charge and then make a peice of Gallantry and Jest of it You are also before you leave your horse to see that he be so tyed as that he may ly down with ease and that his binding or halter be neither too long nor too short If your horse hath swett much all the day long and that you find he is perfectly dry after the eating his Oats it will be very fit to cause Curry and rub him over for a quarter of an hour that so his hair which the the sweat in a manner hath glewed together may be detatched and separate which would otherwayes render his body stiff and hinder him to rest well all night besides that it would also stop and bind up the Pores
whereby in the night time the Vapours and exhalations which are called the Excrements of the third concoction and which should evacuate are detained in the body to the great prejudice of his health for horses produce a great many of these vapours which should transpire and insensibly evaporate through the Pores especially in the night time which is most manifest by the quantity of dust which is found upon a horse's skin and which people take daily away with the Curry comb now if you hinder this transpiration which should be made in the night time you will prejudge him especially if he hath wrought hard and fatigued much all the day long I shall therefore conclude That a horse which hath swett much and is dry will be mucâ— the better of being Curried a quarter or half an hour in the Evening and if he be 〈◊〉 dry to have his Body rubbed all over very well for the like space with good Straw I will here set down an observation for the Curious and such as desire to be instructed in the least particulars relating to Horses it will be useful to them when their hoâ—es are either sick or very low and that they would recover and make them up again it may prove also very beneficial to them when Travelling that so they may prever all the inconveniencies which may hinder their horses to perform chearfully their Journey You are then to look to your horses dung thereby to judge of his inward disposition that so you may prevent the inconveniences which may befall him if 〈◊〉 dung be too thin it may be a sign that either the water which he drunk was too 〈◊〉 and peirceing or that he hath drunk too greedily of it if there be amongst his dâ—â— whole grains of Oats perhaps the horse hath either not grinded or chaw'd the well or that he hath a weakenss in his Stomack and if his dung be black dâ— or come away in very small and hard pieces then it is a token that he is overhâ—â—ed in his body Sect 3. Now according as you have judged by these remarks of his inwâ—â—â— constitution so you shall administer that to him which you shall think most propeâ— and which is taught you in many places of this book the Ancients it seems 〈◊〉 this method for I have read in a very old Author viz Galen Veneti et Prasâ—â— fludiosi spectatores equorum stercora quo intelligant quemadmodum alimenta coxerint odâ—â— tur tanquam ex eo omnem eorum bonam habitudinem cognituri Where by the word odorantur I think he can mean no other thing but that they lookt attentively and carefully to the dung and not that they smelled it for if it was smelled at 〈◊〉 was certainly only by the commoner sort of people who were notwithstanding 〈◊〉 Curious When horses are arrived at the Inn and tyed up to the Rack a man should besâ— they are unbridled cause lift their feet to see if they want any of their shoes oâ— those which they have do not rest upon their soles and cause pick and clear thâ— of the earth and gravel which may be got betwixt their shoes and soles and 〈◊〉 also stop them with Cow-dung if the horses be worth that pains as I have alâ—â— ordered you or that the Master be so careful as to cause do it If you water them abroad so soon as they return from the River if you 〈◊〉 stop their feet with Cow-dung it will ease the pain in their feet and take away tâ— heat and benumb'dness which may have been occasioned by the hard earth and 〈◊〉 dung remain in their feet all night which will keep them soft and in a good â—â—dition by expelling the heat There are many Horses which so soon as they are unbridled do instead of eaâ— lay them down to rest because of the great pain which they have in their feet that a man is ready to judge them either sick or very much harassed but if he look their Eyes he will see they are lively and good and if he cause offer meat to the as they are lying they will eat it very willingly yet if he handle their feet he 〈◊〉 find them extremly hot which will discover to him that it is in that part they â—â—fer therefore you are to cause observe if their shoes do not rest upon their for which is somewhat difficult to be certainly known without unshoeing them but you cause take off their shoes then look to the insides of them and you will obâ—â—â— that those parts of them which rest upon the soles are more smooth and shining the any other you are therefore in that case to cause pare their feet in those parts 〈◊〉 fix on the shoes again anointing their hoofs with ointment of Roses or some oâ— thing of that nature and causing also stop their soles with scalding hot black pâ—â— Tar or Ship-pitch which are all much about one and let it cool in them before yâ— suffer them to go to the ground this Pitch or Tar will nourish the soles take aâ— the painful heat and perfectly strengthen them at Paris people have the conveniâ— of geting Ship-Pitch which is nothing else but that mixture wherewith they pitch thâ— Boats and which strengthens sooner horses feet when applyed hot then almost 〈◊〉 other kind of application it is composed of old oyl or grease and black pitch whâ— they cause melt and mix togither and so keep it for their use Horses which have tender feet are commonly they which immediatly lay then selves down to rest so soon as they are unbridled and that because of the great pâ—â— which they have in their feet By tender-footed horses I here understand such a have low heels or whose feet have but a small body that is but a very little thicknâ— betwixt the sole and hoof in that part of the foot which is about two finger breadth or less above the Toe or fore part of it also those which have too little feet or which have cloven quarters or are hoof-bound or have their hoofs Circled and last of all those which have Flat-feet When People Travel in very warm and dry Weather their horses feet do many times alter and become dry and the hoof for lack of moisture spleets and breaks so that a man is in hazard of having his horse loss his shoes you are therefore before you take such horses to the Water in the morning to anoint their fore-feet just at the on-setting of the hoofs with the ointment of Roses or any other hoof-salve whereof I have given you a description in the 2d part sometimes also when the feet are much altered you should anoint them at twelve a Clock and it is particularly of such kind of horses you are to take the greatest care because of having their hoofs so very brittle when you are either Travelling in hot Countries or that you have a great difficulty to cause them keep their Shoes There are some horses
of value which having their backs swelled beneath the saddle People are necessitate to let them lye all night with their Sumpter saddles upon them Sect 3. lest the cold in the night time should cause the bruised parts to swell so excessively that they could not conveniently saddle and load them next morning some times people also suffer the Sumpter saddles to remain all night upon their backs to keep closs upon the swellings or Galls the remedies they have applyed Now it is a bad enough invention thus to cause a poor horse lye all night beneath a saddle it is therefore far better and more proper to cause fill a bag with good warm dung and tye it upon the swelling which will not only binder it to increase but perhaps also quite discuss it The Egg-Carriers which come from Normandy to Paris never take off their Horses pack-saddles in the night time but then they have alwayes their horses Hung. There are few horses but what in a great journey interfere and cut themselves less or more but so soon as ever you perceive it you may cause help it as I shall show you when I discourse of shoeing In the Morning before you saddle your horse you should alwayes feel the Saddle-Bows to know if they be unglew'd or broke then observe if the band of the saddlewithers be unnail'd or split or the long bands any-wayes loose or unfixed if the Cloath of the Pannels be too stiff and hard or that the pannels themselves be separate from the Bows when a man hath had but never so little practice in this he will run over all these particulars in the twinkle of an Eye so that after he hath done it he may cause cast the saddle upon his horses back which should be alwayes done so soon as he is Curried and drest and a pretty time before he take journey because commonly when horses which are a little aged are once saddled they make a great deal of more haste and dispatch in eating Likewise before bridling a man should look to those Leathers in the head stall which support the Bitt to see that they be neither broke nor rotten as also to the bridle reins where they are joyned to the Branches Horses should alwayes be fed with Oats before parting for he which hath an empty belly is not in a very good condition to endure any great fatigue because as horses are of a hot and dry constitution if their natural heat find not something whereupon to work it feeds upon its own proper substance which very quickly makes the horse become lean or at least over-heats him very much inwardly There are many People who are more curious in providing good chear for themselves than for their horses and who if they have their own bellies full don't concern or trouble themselves much with any thing else now such persons particularly and many others unworthy to mount or ride a horse having read or heard read all the preceeding particulars have said That to observe them exactly a man needed noe other business seing it would take up the most part of his time and that for their own part they would rather venture the spoiling of their horses then be at so much care and trouble I confess that it is not alwayes needfull to observe them all but only the most necessar and if you be once alittle accustomed to it you will do all with a great deal of ease and even almost without thinking on it however I with all my heart consent that those who will not observe them follow their own inclinations because I write only for such as are well intentioned and desire to be instructed and values very little what others shall either act or say against this subject This is all that is to be observed before and in time of Travell It now remains that I say something of what is to be done after journeying and when people are arrived from it CHAP XXXV What is to be observed after People are arrived from a Journey or Travelling Sect. I. WHen you are arrived from a journey CHAP XXXV What is to be observed after People are arrived from a journey you are immediatly to cause dâ—â— the two heel nails of both the fore feet and if it be a large 〈◊〉 then four and two or three dayes after to cause blood your horse in the Neck and to feed him for ten or twelve dayes with wet Bran only without 〈◊〉 him any Oats also during this time keep him alwayes soft and cleanly litter'd Tâ— reason why after a long journey you are to draw the heel Nails is because the 〈◊〉 swell and if they were not thus eased the shoes would press and straiten them 〈◊〉 much it is also good to stop their feet with Cow-dung but there are some 〈◊〉 cause take their horses shoes quite off which is naught and it is also a very bad cuâ— to cause pare their feet Sect. 1. because the humour is drawn down upon them by it After your horse is Bled you are next day to apply upon his shoulders legs and 〈◊〉 the red Emmielure or Charge described in the 31 Chap Sect 2d of the second 〈◊〉 or otherwayes make use of the Charge with Cow-dung and Vinegar or 〈◊〉 made of quench'd Ashes or any other you please If you make use of the red Charge you are twenty four hours after the first anâ— cation to renew it again after the same manner and so continue it every four a twenty hours without taking away any of the old untill you have applyed it three four times after which you shall prepare a bath with the lees of Claret wine as I 〈◊〉 taught you in the 35 Chap. Sect. 3 of the 2d part and without removing any of 〈◊〉 Emmielure or Charge rub all the parts covered with it with this bath once 〈◊〉 day untill you have bathed him with it three or four times if your horse howeverâ— tigued he be is not recovered with this you are then only to give him rest and he 〈◊〉 recover of his own accord without needing the application of any more 〈◊〉 medies Your horse being thus fully refreshed and unweari'd you are to cause takeâ— his shoes pare his feet and shoe him a-new again then take him every day to a 〈◊〉 ning Water or Rivulet and let him stand in it for half an hour both Morning and â—vening if it be in the Summer time but if in Winter then it is sufficient to let 〈◊〉 only remain in it while he is a drinking If he be not much fatigued as he will be but very little if you have carefully loâ—â— to him upon the Road then it will be sufficient having first drawn the heel nailsâ— his fore feet to cause blood him in the Neck and receiving his Blood in a Veâ—â— keep it alwayes stirring lest it Clot and fix afterwards among three pound Blood which is the quantity should be taken add a pint of the best
appearance to interfere this is very pâ—â—bable but there is also something else in it that is more considerable which is 〈◊〉 those kind of Horses strike the one leg against the other in different parts of the legs 〈◊〉 that people cannot well perceive if they cut themselves when they strike their legs 〈◊〉 one against the other after this fashion for if it be upon a sore and tender part they 〈◊〉 halt the next step after the stroke by reason of the pain and therefore people 〈◊〉 sometimes think that horses legs are spoilt although they be very good for the 〈◊〉 which the stroke occasioneth maketh him halt And this way of striking the 〈◊〉 leg against the other is worse than if they Cut themselves because for this there mayâ— a cure but for that there is none To prevent being deceived by it never buy 〈◊〉 ses which cross their legs after that manner upon a walk although people may 〈◊〉 deavour to perswade you that they do not Cut themselves for it is likely that whâ— they are weary they will first strike or Cut themselves then halt and perhaps afâ—â— wards if they are put to a Gallop go topsie-tursy Shoeing is the only means whereby to help such horses as Cut and it is easy to 〈◊〉 it in the beginning while they are as yet but young and that their not knowing hâ— to ride or rid their Limbs as we say is the cause of their Cutting There are four things which occasion a horse's Cutting himself the First is weaâ—â— ness the Second weakness in his Reins the Third not knowing how to go or 〈◊〉 his feet when Travelling and Lastly his not being accustomed to travel nor suâ—â— in his step now people may remede such kind of horses or rather prevent their Cutting I might also add to these his being badly or too old shoed but I suppose that the horse be for the most part indifferently well shoed So you see he may for oâ—â— of these four preceeding reasons cut himself but it falleth out more frequently in the hind legs than in the fore If a horse then Cut himself through wearyness I know no better remedy than to 〈◊〉 him rest and to feed him well the Barbs which are led in ones hand easily 〈◊〉 themselves with one leg against the other and almost alwayes Cut themselves because they walk very coldly and negligently which is contrary to other horses 〈◊〉 Cut themselves because they lift or raise their legs too high when they travel which wearyeth and fatigueth them in a very short time so that at length they Cut andâ—â—terfere When people see a horse which Cuts himself they should not at first sight condeâ— him for it until they have examined whether it may not have been some rivet 〈◊〉 nail which hath occasioned it or that the shoe exceedeth too much his Quarters up the insides Every horse which after a long journey hath not Cut himself giveth a favourâ—s token and proof of his goodness for there are but few which after a long journâ— are not found to have Cut themselves less or more This imperfection is easily known for people at first view perceive the skin uâ— the insides of the Pastern-joints to be cut and many times galled to the very bâ—â— so that the horse frequently halteth with it and hath his Pastern-joints also swelled If a horse Cut before you are to cause take off his two fore shoes and take very 〈◊〉 down the out quarter of each foot and place the inner edge of the shoe so that 〈◊〉 follow exactly the Compass of his foot without any ways exceeding it towards thâ—â—â— in other shoe then cut the spunges equal with the heel and rivet the nails so exaâ—â— into the horn that they may not at all appear above it or that you may make 〈◊〉 rivets the more closs and flat burn with the point of a hot Iron the horn a little 〈◊〉 low the hole of each nail and then beat down and rivet them in these holes If the horse after this method of shoeing continue still to Cut himself you are thâ— to cause thicken the inner Quarters and Spunges of his shoes to double the thickness these upon the outside and pare alwayes very much down his out quarters even alâ—â— to the quick and without in the least touching those within but be sure alwaâ— to rivet the nails very justly and closs If he Cut behind you are also to cause unshoe him and pare down his Out-quart almost to the quick give his shoes Calkins only upon the insides and such a Turnâ— may make them follow exactly the compass and shape of his Foot without exceedâ— it especially in the inner quarters and above all rivet the nails exactly for one sirtâ— rivet will occasion a great disorder The large Mules which Cut themselves behind are worth nothing and peopleâ— apt to believe them stressed in their Reins and unfit for any great service unless that their Cutting and intersereing proceed from their being very young Calkins which are only used upon the insides of the hind-feet are generally speaking more advantagious of greater use and more Graceful than those upon the out as most people use them and without any kind of reason except it be for such horses as carry their Feet badly and wear their shoes only upon the outsides A Calkin upon the inside maketh a horse to walk more open more at his ease and giveth his Leg also a more natural situation unless as I have said you observe that he naturally wears and uses them only upon the outsides for in that case Calkins upon the insides are altogether needless I mean still for the hind Feet For horses of Mannage people give them no kind of Calkins at all neither before nor behind because as people have frequently occasion to make them passage upon Volts or Circles if they were either fretful or mounted by persons which are not very skilfull they would in crossing their Legs infallibly give themselves Treads upon their Coronets which will be so much the more severe because of their being Calked and may at last turn to Ulcers or Quitter-bones If notwithstanding of all these precautions your horse continue still to Cut if for example he be a young Coach-horse you are to cause do all to him which I have ordered that is take very much down his Out quarters give him Calkins upon the insides cause the shoes answer exactly the inner Quarters of his Feet and drive no nails at all upon the insides but only make a Beak at the toe to keep the shoe firm in its place and continuing this method for some time the horse will learn to walk rid his feet and interfere no more although he be afterwards shoed after the ordinary fashion or otherwayes Rest if he be very much fatigued will recover him but if none of these will do then for last recourse cause shoe him after the Turkish Fashion If you are upon a journey after
cauterized for having beâ—â— suffered to stand too long amongst their Dung and Urine also if People are in a â—â—venient place to send them once a day to the River to wash their Legs it willâ— very well There are few Grooms who will be of this Opinion because they 〈◊〉 very glad to have so much spare time from dressing their horses having in a maâ—â— during that space nothing else ado but to throw their meat before them CHAP. LII How to Fatten horses with Grass or green Barley WHen people would fatten young horses which are very low CHAP. LII How to fatten horses with grass or green Barley with grâ—â— Barley they are in the first place to give them tuice a day dry brank if they be reasonably plump then there is no need of giving it the twice for once will be sufficient and that about mid day and seeing horses wâ—â— eat green Barly have frequently their teeth set on edge by it I have found out a 〈◊〉 thod which will make them eat it with ease Cool them purifie their Blood and â—â—vent that Corrnption which is engendered by worms in the bodies of such horses 〈◊〉 are thus at soyl You are therefore once a day when you give your horses Bran to mix with it two ounces of the Liver of Antimony in fine Pouder it is alwayes supposed that you have moistned the bran a little before hand with water that so the pouder because of it's weight may not fall to the ground for in that case the horse would not eat it and it is likewise to be supposed that the horse to whom you give it is young continue to cause your horse eat it after this method so long as he is eating either cut grass or green barley and he will recover more in one Month with it then he would do otherwayes in Six The method of making the Liver of Antimony or Imperial Pouder is set down in 67 Chap of the 2d part Sect. 14. Don't apprehend this remedy at which so many people are afraid for it is nowise Purgative to horses but cordial and sometimes Diuretick and for the most part worketh all its Effects by insensible transpiration I know the success of it so very well having given it after so many different fashions that I can assure you you will receive a great deal of satisfaction from it I shall not enlarge here upon the good effects which Antimony hath upon horses according to its different preparations but shall discourse of it hereafter however I am the first who ever made use of it for horses and discovered the great advantage it bringeth them You are to bleed your horses which have ate green barley so soon as you put them again to their hard meat that is to Hay and Oats I shall here give an advice to those who cause their horses eat green winter barley That there are some years in which there happeneth cold Brizes which proceed from the North winds during that time of year they are at soyl so that if they do not take care to cover them well and to keep the Stable very warm they will become foundered now if there happen any to founder while they are eating their green Barley or grass immediatly Blood them in the Neck and afterwards give them of the stinking pills described in the 85. Chap. of the 2d part Sect. 3. and according to the directions there set down neither are you to forbear the giving them their green Barley for I assure you they will recover and be restored again to their health which I have had proof of many a time I have known some years in whch there were more then fifty horses foundered in one little Village near Paris called La Vilette where people commonly graze their horses and that by reason of a cold wind which happned while they were a grazing If you are in a place where you have the conveniency of turning your horses to grass they will be very much the better of it if they be young there are some also which agree very well with eating green Barley after they are done with grazing About Parts where the green winter Barley can be easily had a man may give it to his horses before they be turned to Grass because that is a great deal sooner ready than this but where he can get no other Barley than that which is sowen in the Spring then the grass is many times in a condition and ready to be given before the Barley which is commonly later To give a young horse Methodically grass in the feilds until he be seven or eight years old you are first to bleed him in the neck and then to turn him to grass two dayes thereafter taking care that it be alwayes so well grown that the horse may feed heartily upon it and you shall there leave him both night and day for a Mouth and more without either Currying or dressing him and without giving him any other kind of food but his grass Grass charged with dew purgeth a Horse by evacuating all the bad humours which he may have in his Body and then it afterwards fattens the dew also besides this contribures to the recovery of spoilt legs by drying up all the superfluous humours which they may have in them and if a horse have any kind of itch or mange the grass will recover him In fine there are few diseases in young horses for which grass is not a soveraign remedy except the Farcy Glanders and Pursyness to which it is a great Enemy as Experience will discover to you contrary to the opinion of many Grass is whole some and profitable for young horses but Coldeth those which are Aged When a horse is at grass he should have water given him only at Twelve a clock and in the Evening In excessive hot weather the grass becometh hard and is no longer wholesome and in hot countreys the flies do so mightily incommode them in the Meadows that they cannot with ease remain in them however notwithstanding of both these People 〈◊〉 not scruple to give their horses grass while in the Army but there they can do 〈◊〉 better besides that such grass with Oats is a pretty good food The Reguain as the French call it or second growth of Grass is worth nothing 〈◊〉 borses neither green nor in hay those who give it to them do wrong and it may 〈◊〉 be the occasion of several bad accidents It is an old Maxim that the dew of Mâ—â— fattneth the horse but macerates the Ox and that upon the contrary the dew of Angâ—â— fattens the Ox but macerates the horse Every horse which hath either eaten cut green Barley grass or hath been turned 〈◊〉 graze in the Fields should eat hay and oats ten or twelve dayes at least before he 〈◊〉 put to any violent exercise immediatly when horses are taken from Grass they should be bled and afterwards brought to their wind by degrees after they come from
take blood from the same horse about four a clock in the Morning which is the time that blood predominats you will then find his blood good and but a little mixture of Bile amongst it and so of the other humors This change in the Mass of the blood is a certain token of its circulation and in effect if it had not this motion it would corrupt after the same manner as those humors that are in the Body do who either ly still or are stopt in some part of the Body and which by reason of their putrefaction are the cause and origine of many diseases And Blood did it not circulate would so much the more easily purifie in that it containes in it the principles of Corruption to wit Heat and Moisture Now this being laid down as a Principle is it not very advantagious to evacuate the humor that offends or causes any indisposition in the Horse this may no doubt be done by this Observation which is to take blood of him in that time wherein the humor which a man intends to evacuate doth most predomine in the Veins but upon the contrary Blooding will be prejudicial to him if practised at any other time because there will then be evacuate an humor which neither offends in quantity nor quality it is therefore of greatest consequence to observe exactly the time and hour in which it is most proper to Blood a horse It is also to be remarked that the Compleat Circulation of the blood is not always precisely performed each six hours because of the temper of the horse therefore supposing it to be phlegmatick in that case it will exceed the six hours but if it be Bilious then it will be accomplished in less than six and so of the rest To prevent therefore your being deceived by this I have ordered the time of Blooding to be four hours after that the humor which should prodominate in that time of circulation hath begun to change and increase for example for such horses as are Bilious at four a clock at night that so you may not be mistaken and perform a Bleeding that will be useless and unprofitable for your horse I lay down then for an infallible Rule that the Sanguine horse should be bled at four in the Morning the pituitous or Phlegmatick at ten the Bilious or fiery at four a clock in the afternoon and the Melancholick at ten at night and if till now you have performed many Bloodings which have produced bad effects it is because you did not know and make use of these Observations Blooding should be also practised as much as possible in the increase of the Moon and never when she is in the signs of Leo or Taurus when the Blood is to be taken from the Neck or if it be from any other part of the Body it is to be taken you are then to observe never to take Blood from that part which is governed by any sign while the Moon is in that sign for example in the Fore-thighs or plat Veins when the Moon is in Gemiui The letting of Blood should be also performed in a calm and clear day and which is free from clouds and fogs because the Veins being emptyed a little by the Blooding do immediatly attract into their vacuities the Air which is an univeâ— Spirit and which if pure and clear will be in no hazard of altering the blâ—â—â— but upon the contrary will fill them with pure Atoms which will rectify it whereas if be moist to open the Veins at such a time is just to mix with the blood noysce Serosities with which the Veins do many times abound Moreover you are to a serve not to let bood when the Moon is in Opposition to the Sun that is when it is 〈◊〉 Moon nor when they are in Conjunction which is new Moon nor when they 〈◊〉 in a Square which is the Quarters because in all these times Blooding prejudicial Without designing to show my abilities and skill I can assure you that before made these observationes I took sometimes blood from horses which did alone cost them their Lives and that only for once Bleeding and that since that time have performed Bloodings which have manifestly saved them and that cheifly for being caused take it at a proper and seasonable time I am therefore hopefull that having cleared this road and path some who 〈◊〉 Curious will advance and penetrate further in it and that being grounded upon true opinion which is for the Circulation of the Blood it will discover to the pâ—â—lick such secrets as have been hitherto unknown I had almost forgot to tell you that you are never to take blood from horses the Solstices nor Aequinoxes for these are times in which Nature is a kind of 〈◊〉 ferer and therefore waits for some Crisis or other extraordinary effect You are then not to incommode her at these times be cause it may produce very considerable accidents and this is to be observed not only upon the very dayes themselves but also two dayes before and as many after But if you know certainly the conâ—â—tution and temper of your horse then if he be Sanguine observe to blood him whâ— the Moon is in any of the earthly signs which are Taurus Virgo and Capricorn if 〈◊〉 be Cholerick blood him when the Moon is in a watery sign such as Cancer Scopâ— or Pisces if Melancholick when the Moon is in an Airy sign such as Geeâ—â— Libra or Aquartus and if Phlegmatick then when the Moon is in any of the fiery signs which are Aries Leo and Sagittarius I have added these circumstances purposely for the Curious who I know will please it CHAP. LXIX Of the parts of the Body wherein Horses are commonly bled WHen people blood Horses by way of prevention CHAP. LXIX Of the parts of the Body wherein horses are commonly bled they should when 〈◊〉 conveniency will allow them take it from young Horses in the 〈◊〉 or fifth day of the Moon and from old when it is three or four dâ—â— past the full young Horses as well as old are to be bled as rarely as possible 〈…〉 also the same of such Horses which pass their Aliments without being concocted as digested such as those who have much whole and undigested Oats amongst thâ—â— dung unless it be that the Horse swallow them without chawing which is frequently the custom of many Horses Neither are you to blood such Horses as are cold and phlegmatick nor those whâ—â— work in an excessive cold Countrey no more than those in other Climats in the gâ—â—â— heats and excessive colds because during that time their bodies stand more in nâ—â— to be strengthned than weakned There are some who observe very exactly what I hinted a little at in the preceâ—â—ing Chapter and they do very well in so doing when they are Masters of the time and that it is only by way of precaution that they do it which is not
for that purpose You are to take care when you cause cover your Mares either in hand or otherwise that the Stallion and Mare feed alike for example if the Stallion be at Hay and Oats which is commonly called Hard-meat the Mare should be also at Hard-meat otherwise she will not so readily Hold In like manner if the Stallion be at grass the Mare is also to be put to it and this will be an easie method to make them retain with more ease You are also to observe that Mares which are very Fat hold with great difficulty they are therefore those which are only indifferently Fat and plump which conceive with the greatest ease and facility Mares retain a great deal better when they are Hot or in Season this heat excites the horse who upon his part performs that Action with the greater Ardour and Vigour when the Mare is to be covered in hand that she may the more certainly Hold let the Stallion and her be so placed in the Stable as they may see other and so let them be kept for some time which will animate them both and so the generation will hardly fail To bring a Mare in Season and cause her retain you are to give her to eat for the space of eight days before you bring her to the Horse about two English Quarts of Hemp-seed in the Morning and as much at Night If she refuse to eat it mix it with a little Bran or Oats or else cause her fast for a while and then she will eat it of her own accord and if the Stalsion eat also of it it will contribute much to the generation As for the Age of a Stallion people should never oblige him to cover before he be Six years Old nor after he is Fifteen but as to this last you may regulate your self according to his Strength and Vigour It is to be observed that young Barbs generally deceive Mares so that they hold not to them there is therefore a necessity that they be at least Six or Seven years Old before they are in a condition to be made use of for Stallions As to the age of the Mares they should not be covered before they be three years old but the goodness of the Mares and Foals which they shall bring forth should regulate you as to this It is a Maxim that a Mare should never be hors'd while she is a bringing up her Foal because the Foal to which she is giving Suck as well as that in her Belly will receive prejudice by it and the Mare her self will be also sooner spent Yet people fancie that by causing a Mare bring forth yearly a Foal they perform a peice of Husbandry whereas things being rightly considered there is more lost than gained which is a thing commonly practised in France However if you will thus cause Cover your Mare let it be seven or eight dayes after she hath Foaled that so she may have time to cleanse as also if you can conveniently don't give her the Stallion until she desire him and also encrease by all means possible that Passion as by strong feeding c At least the Foal to which she gives suck will be bettered by this method and thereby receive the more strength to follow her at grass as also the Mare will the more easily Conceive being brought thus in Season Those who desire to have Males although the Duke cannot Assent to it may practise what follows and which may be also experimented upon other Creatures such as Cows Goats Sheep c You must then bring the Mare in Season and cause cover her very early in the Morning any time from the fourth day of the Moon until it it be Full but never in the Decrease and thus she shall not fail to bring forth a Male or Colt the truth whereof a little experience will discover You may provide your self of young Breeding Mares from your own Race which as they are good and of a good Breed will bring you forth more beauâ—â—â—â— Foals then any other in respect that they have been engendered by a good Stallion and that the same who Covers them did also beget them for there is no such thing as Incest among horses Besides that they will be brought up according to the Soyl and Air of the Country where your Race is bred But you are not at all to make use of your Colts for Stallions because they will be much degenerate from the goodness of true Barbs and if you should so make use of them from one Generation to another they would become at last like to the Natural Race of the Countrey wherein they are so that in that case you need not take much pains to have beautifull Colts seeing there Source which is the Stallion is but of that same Countrey Breed One may say as much of all the other Creatures in the World even of Man For let a French Man remain in Germany and his Grand-child shall be a true German 〈◊〉 like manner let a German live in France and his Grand-child will be a French-man both in Spirit and Agility such influence hath the Climate Air and Soyl upon alâ— Creatures Therefore I would never advise you to chuse a Stallion from your own Breed but rather that you would change him for a good Barb or for want of a Barb 〈◊〉 a beautiful Spanish horse and so you shall alwayes have a good and beautiful Race of horses but still make choice of the most beautiful Mares of your own Race to Breed upon And above all don't grudge at any Rate for the price of a fire Stallion for there is no Money returns sooner again to a man than this and although he should cost 150 Pistolls yet if he be good and beautiful he will be cheap This is the first and only means whereby to have a good Race of horses for without it all other are to no purpose CHAP. LXXIX When Foals are to be Weaned or Separate from their Dames and how they are to beordered YOu should have in the Inelosure into which you change your Mares CHAP. LXXIX At what time Toals are to be weaned and how they are to be ordered as also in all these wherein they are to feed a Lodge or House large enough 〈◊〉 contain them all that so upon occasion they may be defended froâ— the injuries of the weather for there is no Creature to which cold is a greater Enâ—â—â— than to horses and with difficulty do they also suffer excessive heat you are also 〈◊〉 make provision of good store of Hay wherewith to feed them in the Stables dâ—â—ing the Winter Many are of opinion that Foals should Suck until they be a year or two Old but this is a great mistake in respect that it makes them become duâ—â— and ill shapt besides that it causes you loss the most part of that time for the fertility of your Mares You should wean your Foals at the beginning of Winter
man should therefore yeeld or slacken his hand as frequently as he can to all kinds of Horses and by this means he will draw some obedience from them when such as cleave to the Bridle Reins will draw from them none at all Part 1 Chap 82. Fig 1. Une Branch Droit à Pistolet A Streight branch after the forme of a Pistol Fig 2. Une Branch à La Conestable A Branch after the Duke of Moâ—â—erancy Constable of France his Fashion Fig 3. Une Branche à La Gigotte A Branch after the Forme of a Gigol or Log pretty well kneed and also bruised forewards at the Larrâ—t or Ham. Fig 4. Une Branche à La 〈◊〉 A Branch very much 〈…〉 Larret or Ham of it after 〈…〉 a bent Knee Fig 5. Une branche Françoise A Branch after the French Fashion Fig 6. Une autre Branche à La Conestable Mais plus hardie que La precedente Another Branche after the Duke of Mommorancy Constable of France his Fashion but more strong hardie then the proceeding Branch Fig 7. Une autre Branche à La Gigotte Mais qui ramens d'Advantage qui La precedente Another Branch after the forme of a Gigol or Leg But which bringeth in a Horses head better then the preceeding Branch Fig 8. Une autre Branche Françoise Mais plus hardie que la Precedenâ—â— Another Branch after the French Fasâ—â—â—â— but more strong hardie then thâ— preceding Branch Fig 9. Fer pour les pieds plats The true forme of a Shoe for Flat Feet Fig 10. Fer à Pantouffle A Panton or Pantable Shoe Fig 11. Fer à Demy Pantouffle A half Panton Shoe Fig 12. Fig 13. A Masticadour or Slavering Bit. Fig 14. CHAP. LXXXII Of all the different kinds of Branches most in Use THe Branch is the second part of that Division CHAP. LXXXII Of Branches we made in the beginning of our instructions for Bitting where we told its effect was to place a Horse's head and neck and that it was to be proportioned according to the design a man hath of either bringing in or raising a Horse's head The Branch is not the first Cause that acts in the placing a Horse's head and neck for it is only a second or help to the Bit-mouth because as a Bit-mouth hath no effect but by means of the sensibility that is in a Horse's mouth and that that sentiment is awakned no other way but by the Bit-mouth it follows that to make use of that sensibility there is a necessity that the Branch Cooperate with the Bit-mouth and but only as a second Cause to produce those effects which we know it doeth by giving so beautiful a posture to Horses and obliging them to carry in the most becoming posture whereof Nature hath made them capable The line of the Banquet is that part of the branch whereby we judge of its effects and which discovers to us its strength or weakness See plat 3 Fig. 4. A strong or hardy Branch is that whose Sevill-hole at the lower end of it is placed upon the outside of the line of the Banquet See Plat. 3 Fig 4.5 8. and the Flaque or Gentle which hath it placed upon this side of the above-mentioned Line See Plat 3 Fig. 1. A Rude and hardy Branch will bring in a Horse's head proportionably as it is more or less hardy and the Flaque or Gentle cannot operate but by its weakness thereby diminishing the effect of the Bit-mouth and so causing a Horse more easily suffer the Appuy or Pressure of the Bit who before had difficulty to endure it The ordinary effect of a Branch is to bring in a Horse's head that is the Action most natural to it because the further it is from a Horse's Neck the greater strength will it have in pulling and therefore that which is most hardy will bring best in provided it be in the hands of a Person who understands to make use of it A Branch may also raise a horse's head but then it shall be never but betwixt the Ham and Sevill-hole that it will have this Operation and that by reason of the Bent or turn that is given to it in that part for it is not the name of a Branch that causeth it either bring in or raise a Horse's head but only the Turn or shape that is given to its lower parts Short Branches are ruder then long if they have both of them the same shape and turn because as the effects of a long Branch cometh from a pretty distance therefore it does not constrain a horse so upon a sudden as a short which besides it's great constraint is also unpleasant I shall give a description of all the Branches which are of most use for the right briding of horses and in explaining the effects of each Branch in particular shall at the same time discourse of all those parts which compose one without speaking separately of each and thereby making a long discourse which proves many times as troublesome as useless It is difficult enough at first seing of a horse to chuse a proper Branch for him it being much harder than to appoint a Mouth because a Bit-mouth may be both seen and felt and People have a certain measure for its bigness but it is not so with a Branch because it must be proportion'd to the length of a horse's Neck however one may sooner fail in ordering a too short than too long a Branch I fancy that by considering exactly the Models I am to give a man can scarcely fail but that so soon as he sees a Branch he will be capable to tell that it is for a horse which hath such a Neck and that when he sees how any horse carries his head he will he also immediatly able to discover that such a Branch is proper for him because he carries so and so and hath such a Neck 1 Vne Branche droit a Pistolet See Plat 3 Fig 1. THis Branch being almost perfectly streight is called in French à Pistolet or Branch after the form of a Pistol as also à la Caâ—abroise it is the shape of its lower end which giveth it this Denomination it is called streight because it hath no shoulder and is made use of for young Horses because it is commonly the first which people give them to form their mouths and cause them relish a Bit. This fashion of streight Branch restrains a horse a great deal less than one having a shoulder and it is alwise the Method should be observed in beginning a young horse to constrain him as little as possible that so there may be no occasion given him to resist whereby he may shun that constraint which is displeasing to him for of all the Chastisements and Remedies wherewith Art furnishes us there are none less natural than the effects of a Bridle and consequently very difficult to be comprehended by Horses People commonly for the very same reason make Branches pretty long
unwholsome and dangerous the first breeding heart burning and the last causing Scouring When you are Mounted Walk or Rack him only a foot pace for you must neither Amble nor Trot because they are both prejudicial to Speed or Swiftness at least a Mile or two or more if you think fit upon smooth and equal Ground and if it have a Gentle Rising so much the better there Gallop him Gently afterwards Walk him softly that so he may cool as much one way as he warmeth another and when you have thus exercised him a pretty Space and seeing the Sun begin to rise or else newly risen Rack him down to some fresh River or clear Pound and there let him drink at his Pleasure after he hath drunk bring him gently out of the Water and Rack him away very easily and not according to the ignorance of some Grooms who rush their Horse presently as he cometh out of the Water into a Gallop for that bringeth commonly along with it two mischiefs either it teaches the horse to run away with you so soon as he is watered or it maketh him refuse to drink fearing the violence of his exercise which is to follow when you have thus walked him a little calmly put him into a Gallop gently exercise him moderatly as you did before then Walk him a little space after which offer him more Water if he drink then Gallop him again gently if not then Gallop him a little more to occasion thirst and in this manner give him alwayes exercise before and after water when you judge he hath drunk sufficiently bring him home gently without a wet hair or the least sweat upon him and when you are come to the Stable dâ—oâ— provoke him to piss if you can by stirring up some of the Litter which is at the Stable door under him if he do not stale at first no matter for a little custom will bring him to it and it is wholsome both for his health and the sweet keeping of the Stable This done bring him to the Stable and tye him up to the Rack then rub him well with Wisps afterwards loose his Breast cloath and rub his head and Neck with a dry cloath then take off his Saddle and hanging it up with his Body cloath rub him all over especially that part of his Back where the Saddle was placed then cloath him up first with a Linnen Sheet and then over that a good strong Housing Cloath and above it his VVooling Body cloath which in Winter it is not a miss to have lyned with Cotton but in Summer a single one is sufficient when these are all on girt on his Surcingle and stop it with small and soft wisps which will make him so much the easier After he is thus cloathed stop his feet with Cow dung or his own Dung being a very little moistned with fresh Water then throw into the Rack a little bundle of Hay well dusted and wrapt hard together and let him eat it standing upon his Bridle when he hath stood an hour or so upon his Bridle take it off and rub his Head and Neck very well with a Hemp or Hair cloath for this is good to dissolve all gross and thick humors which may be in his Head then after you have made clean the Manger take an English Quart or Scots Chopin of sweet dry old and clean drest Oats for those which are unsweet breed infirmities those that are moist cause swelling in the Body those that are new breed Worms and those which are but half drest deceive the Stomack and so bring the Horse to ruine as for Black Oats although they are tollerable yet they make foul Dung and hinder a man from knowing so exactly the state of his Horses Body as he ought now this Proportion of Oats you shall clean and dress in such a Sieve as shall keep the good and full and let a Light Grain or Oat pass thorow it and if he eat them with a good Appetite let him have again the same Quantity and so let him rest till Eleven a clock with the windows closs for the darker you keep him the better because it will make him ly down and take his rest which otherwise he would not so readily therefore you are to arm your stable with Canvass both for Darkness Warmth and that no filth may come near him eleven aclock being come rub his head and neck as before and dress him another English quart or Scots Chopin of Oats then leave him the Stable being made dark till one a clock in the Afternoon at one a clock use him just as you did before with Rubbing Feeding taking away his Dung and then leave him dark till watering time but only at one a clock give him another small and hard bundle of Hay to chaw upon till VVatering time Watering time being come go to the Stable and having made all things clean Bridle take off his Cloaths and dress him as in the Morning then cloath Saddle lead him forth and urge him to empty afterwards take his Back and Rack him abroad but not to Rising Ground as in the Morning if you can have the conveniency of any which is plain and there Air him in all points as you did in the Morning when you have watered him and spent the Evening in Airing until it be near Night for nothing is more wholsome and consumeth foulness more then Airly and Late Airings Rack him home to the Stable door and there alight and do as you did in the Morning both without doors and within and so let him rest till nine at Night At nine come to him and rub down his Leggs well with Wisps and his Head and Neck with a clean cloath and turning up his Cloaths rub all his hinder parts then give him an English Quart or Scots Chopin of Oats in the same manner as you did before and after that a little hard bundle of Hay then toss up his Litter and make his Bed soft leaving him so till next Morning The next Morning do every thing to him without the least Omission as hath been formerly declared and thus keep him for the first Fortnight which will so take away his Foulness and harden his Flesh that the nixt Fortnight you may adventure to give him some Heats but before I proceed to the second Fortnights feeding I shall answer an Objection which may be urged touching the quantity of Provender which I prescrive being but one English Quart or Scots Chopin of Oats at a Meal seeing there are many Horses who will eat a larger Proportion and Quantity so that to scant them to this little were to starve or at the best to breed VVeakness To this I answer that I set not down this Proportion of Provender as an infallible Rule but as a President which may be imitated or augmented at pleasure for I have given you this Caveat that if he eat this Quantity with a good Stomack you may give him another still
the Horse grows in Age. You must observe that when you open the Horses Mouth with the above-mentioned Upset to take away the Lampas Barbs or Wolve's Teeth that part of the Instrument which rests upon the nether Jaw must be cover'd with some old Raggs to preserve the Jaw from being hurt by it I have seen several Horses whose Mouths were spoil'd by neglecting so necessary a precaution CHAP. V. Of Hurts or Wounds in the Mouth WHen the Bit bears too hard upon the Horse's nether Jaw whether by the carelesness of the Rider or some other reason the Bars are oftentimes wounded or broken If the Hurt be small and the Bone entire you may rub the part with Honey of Roses eight or ten times every day But if the Bone be broken and when you touch the Sore with your Finger if you find a sharp point or prick or if there be an Ulcer already produc'd moisten a little Cotton in Spirit of Vitriol or Spirit of Salt which you must put into the hole of the Jaw and while it remains there hold the Horse's Tongue with one hand and with the other keep his Mouth open For 't is dangerous to pour the Spirit by drops into the Ulcer lest some of it should fall upon a sound part and corrode it also Afterwards rub the Sore every day with Honey of Roses or common Honey and the Escar or Scab will fall off and the Bone Scale of it self The Scab being fall'n anoint the part frequently with Aqua Vitae or put Sugar into it till the Sore be heal'd If there be a hole in the Jaw accompany'd with Rottenness and Stench which you may know by putting your Finger into it without finding a Scale and by the stinking Corruption with which your Finger will be smear'd when you pull it out you must fill the hole 3 or 4 times every day with Sugar beaten small which will quickly cleanse it and continue after the same manner till the hole be clos'd up and the Jaw heal'd But you must take care afterwards to put a single Canon-bit in the Horses Mouth and never to use any more the Bit that hurt him which would spoil his Mouth without Remedy If only the Tongue be hurt it will quickly heal of it self without any application if you change the Bit and take another that will suffer his Tongue to move freely Sometimes it happens that the Bone is split quite downwards under the Flesh of the Jaw where Matter gathering corrupts the Bone and by the provident care of Nature to throw off that putrid Matter it corrodes the Skin and causes a Tumor or Swelling to open a passage to the Corruption and discharge a part of it In this case you must first search the depth of the hole with a Probe for I have sometimes found that the Probe reach'd into the very Mouth And then make an Incision above the Beard with a Red-hot Knife reaching downwards and dividing the Skin to the very Bone after which put in the Probe again to guide the actual Cautery or Red-hot Iron with which you must touch the Bone several times till all the corrupted part of it be throughly burnt And to hasten the Exfoliation or falling off of the Scales you must anoint the whole burnt part with good Oyl of Bay every six hours for the space of two days But since it is necessary that the Horse should eat to preserve his Life the motion of the Jaw and of the part affected which is very moist will make the Flesh grow excessively which unless prevented in time will stop the hole you made in the Jaw and hinder the Scales from falling off And therefore you must take care to keep the passage open by burning the proud Flesh with a hot Iron and even sometimes the burning must be repeated three or four times or instead of that you may put Powder of Sublimate in the hole over-against the Beard where the Flesh grows too fast For on the Bars within the Mouth you must only put Sugar into the hole and the scale of the Bars will easily fall off But on the Jaw you will find it very difficult to separate the scale that should come out of the hole on the Beard and this is the part where the Flesh grows so excessively In the last place after the scales are fall'n off you must put Sugar beaten small into the hole within the Mouth and on the Wounds made on the Beard and afterwards wash 'em with Aqua Vitae and Burnt Allum continuing in the same manner till the Cure be perfected CHAP. VI. Of Loathing of Food or Want of Appetite A Horse is said to be troubl'd with this Distemper either when he eats less than he was wont to do or eats slowly and without Appetite or when he abstains from eating any Oats at all This Disease may proceed from several Causes some of which are easlly known and cur'd whereas others are uncertain especially in the beginning of dangerous and doubtful Diseases I shall proceed to consider the various Causes of this Distemper with the proper Remedies of each case Some Horses are naturally so nice and squeamish that the least bit of Filth or sprig of musty Grass which they find among their Oats any inconsiderable Trifle or almost nothing at all is sufficient to put 'em out of conceit with their Food But as they are apt on every slight occasion to forsake their Meat so they easily recover their wonted Appetite This Infirmity proceeds from certain little Worms within the Lips of the Horses both above and below which cause such an Itching that they are continually rubbing their Lips against the Manger and without any other Indisposition abstain from Eating If you turn back their Lips the Worms appear like little Lumps or Pushes To cure this Distemper you must cut the uppermost Skin within the Lips in the parts where you see the Worms with a sharp Knife or Lance and afterwards rub the Incisions and all the Inside of the Lips with Salt and Vinegar and the Horse will quickly recover his Appetite If you are wholly ignorant of the cause that makes your Horse loath his Food I am of opinion that 't is very proper in the Morning to bleed him in the Roof of the Mouth with a sharp pointed piece of a Hart or Buck's-Horn or which produces the same effect with a Lance. The Operation is thus perform'd find out the middle of the Roof between the two Crocks or if it be a Mare at the third or fourth Furrow of the Mouth and prick the part with a Lance or piece of Buck's-Horn either of which mey be us'd without any difficulty Then give the Horse two Pecks of moisten'd Bran to stop the Bleeding If he continue to bleed after he has eat his Bran draw up his Head with a Halter as if you were going to give him a Drench and immediately the Bleeding will be stop'd But if after you have kept his Head in
nourish'd by 'em which is follow'd by a Fermentation that obliges Nature to make an Attempt to expel the Remainders of the first Nourishment which serve for a Ferment in this Distemper And in the last place there are some who believe that all Liquors have their peculiar times of Fermentation as Wine Beer Cyder and Syrups boil cast forth a Scum and are purify'd some sooner and others later according to the various Constitutions of the Liquors and from hence they infer that the Blood of Animals has different times of Purification for which reason Men are seiz'd with the Small-Pox at diverse Periods of their Age but there not being the same Variety in the Constitution of Horses they are usually troubl'd with the Strangles about the Third or Fourth Year of their Age. But the Consideration of the Cause of this Distemper is of no great Importance for the Cure and 't is much more necessary to know the way by which Nature expels the Humour which as I intimated before is oftentimes evacuated by Swellings under the Throat or by the Nostrils Sometimes the Horses discharge the Humour visibly by these Boils whereas it happens not unfrequently that the Swellings are never ripen'd the Humour being resolv'd and insensibly transpiring thro' the Skin But the Cure is always most certain when the Swellings come to Suppuration Sometimes the Humour is evacuated by several Parts of the Body as the Shoulders Hams the Parts above the Kidneys the Feet and generally whatsoever Member is weaker than the rest Thus 't is voided by such Parts as have been hurt or wounded for when Nature is irritated by her Enemy she makes an Attempt to drive it out and 't is certain that the stronger Parts cast their Load on the weaker But if the Part that receives the Humour be either cold nervous or of small Capacity 't is never able wholly to discharge its unequal Burthen but ever afterwards remains weak and infirm When there is only an imperfect Evacuation of the Humour the Horse is frequently troubld with False-Strangles at the Age of Six Ten or Twelve Years which being neglected degenerates to the Glanders When the False-Strangles take their Course thro' the Nose which rarely happens the Horse is much more troubl'd with Sickness than when they find another Passage And in the general 't is certainly the best and sasest Evacuation that is perform'd by the Kernels or Swellings under the Throat for when they are open'd the Horse is out of danger and even those who void the Humor by the Nose are very much eas'd by ' em The most favourable time for Horses to be seiz'd with this Distemper is when they are Foals and run in the Meadows for their Heads being continually bow'd down to feed on the Grass the Evacuation is perform'd with less Trouble and Pain and besides Grass being a moist Aliment increases the Fluidity of the Humours and by making 'em run out more easily hastens the Cure But you must not conclude from hence that Grass is good for this Distemper the Strangles require hot Medicines and Grass is cooling but the Foals that are troubl'd with 'em in the Meadows have a sufficient Stock of natural Heat and Strength to expel the Humour and therefore they do not stand in need of additional Supplies of Heat since notwithstanding the Coolness of the Grass they are able of themselves to conquer the Disease But Horses that are us'd to dry Food must not be turn'd out to Grass which wou'd cool 'em too much and perhaps turn the Strangles to the Glanders None of all the Italian and Spanish Authors who write of the Diseases of Horses take notice of the Strangles and 't is very improbable that le Ruiny who has describ'd all their other Distempers so exactly wou'd have omitted this if he had known it But in those Southern Countries the Horses are either never troubl'd with the Strangles or discharge the Humour by the way of insensible Transpiration Pascal Caracciolo does not mention this Distemper in his large and excellent Treatise Entitled Gloria del Cavallo which deserves to be translated by some skilful Hand And therefore I think my self oblig'd to insist the longer on this Subject In Gascoign and some Parts of Bearn where the Climate is hot and approaches to that of Spain almost all the Horses die of the Strangles for by reason of the Imperfectness of the Evacuation the Disease ends either in Blindness or Death and I have seen some Spanish Horses at Paris who were seiz'd with Blindness because they had not voided the Humour that causes the Strangles To return to Gascoign and Bearn the Climate is not hot enough to resolve the Humour and dissipate it entirely and therefore since it ought to be expell'd by more open Passages the Horses discharge it imperfectly and out of season and if they be not powerfully assisted the least dammage they receive by the Disease is the Loss of their Eyes But in this Country we are not afraid of such Accidents for our own Horses because of the Temperateness of the Climate which enables 'em to expel the Humour without any difficulty This difference might be illustrated by a common Observation for 't is well known that at Paris Blows on the Head are not at all dangerous and Sores in the Legs are rarely cur'd whereas a quite contrary Effect is observ'd in Provence and Languedoc A Remedy for the Strangles To make a Horse discharge the Humour perfectly you must cover the Parts under his Throat with the Skin of a Lamb or Sheep laying the woolly Side next his Throat Keep him warm and well fenc'd against the Wind and every day rub the Parts about his Jaws with the following Composition Take Oil of Bay and fresh Butter of each an equal quantity Ointment of Marsh-Mallows the weight of both Mingle 'em cold in a Pot and besmear the Part with this Ointment which will ripen the Kernels Assoon as you perceive that there is Matter within 'em if it cannot pierce the Skin as it were to be wish'd it should you must apply to each Swelling a red-hot Iron of a crooked Figure for fear of hurting the neighbouring Gullet and after the Scabs are fall'n away apply a Tent cover'd with the Suppurative or Ripening Ointment to the Hole that is left open The Description of the Ointment follows The Suppurative Ointment commonly call'd Basilicum Take Yellow Wax Sheep's Sewet Rosin and Black Pitch of each half a pound cut 'em into small Pieces then put five pounds of Oil-Olive in a Bason or Pot set it over a pretty strong Fire and when the Oil is hot add the other Ingredients after they are wholly melted strain the liquid Mass thro' a Piece of Canvass or course Cloth and then add a pound of Turpentine stirring it constantly till it be cold so shall you have an excellent Suppurative call'd Basilicum You may either chafe the Parts that you would have ripen'd with this Ointment or
malignant Vapours are sent up to the Brain These thin Steams alter the very Substance of the Brain by their Sharpness and being condens'd or thicken'd by the natural Coldness of that Part produce a Humour of the same Nature with Aqua fortis which by its Acrimony irritates the Parts and augments the Ulcer from whence proceeds that troublesome Flux of Humours thro' the Nostrils And whereas the two Jugular Veins furnish and communicate a great Quantity of Blood to the Brain the Substance of which is already alter'd by the malignant Vapours that glide thither perpetually thro' the Coeliac Vein as to the Head of an Alembic the Blood instead of being further purify'd according to the establish'd Order of Nature is corrupted and from thence falling upon the Lungs heats 'em and being render'd incapable of performing its appointed Task to nourish and refresh that Part serves only to augment the Ulcers that are already form'd in it The remote or outward Causes are almost the same with those of the Cold. The Signs by which this Disease may be known are when a Horse already too old to be troubl'd with the Strangles without a Cough voids a great quantity of Matter by the Nostrils and when there are one or more Glands or Kernels fasten'd to the Bone between the two Jaw-bones which are so tender that the Horse can hardly endure you to touch 'em and tho' they be not fasten'd to the Bone yet if they be hard and full of Pain 't is almost always a Sign of the Glanders If the Horse void Matter by the Nose without a Cough and have a Kernel sticking to the Bone you may conclude that his Distemper is not a Cold which is usually accompany'd with a Cough whereas the Glanders are often without that Symptom and besides in the Glanders the Matter usually flows out of one Nostril whereas in the Cold it runs almost always out of both Some cast the Matter that is voided by the Nostrils into Water and if it swim on the Top they conclude the Horse to be free of this Distemper but if it sink to the Bottom 't is a Sign of the Glanders The principal Use of this Experiment is to distinguish the Pus which is properly the Matter of an Ulcer or Imposthume from the Phlegm that comes out of the Vessels which is not so pernicious for the Matter sinks to the Bottom and the Phlegm swims on the Top. But you must not depend on the Certainty of this Sign for if the Matter sâ—ick to the Nostrils like Glue 't is a bad Sign and you may conclude the Disease to be the Glanders tho' the Matter swim on the Top. When either the Breath or Matter that comes out of the Nostrils stinks the Disease is almost always incurable for that noisome Smell proceeds from some Ulcer or corrupt Humour which at least presages the Length and Tediousness of the Cure When in the progress of the Distemper the Humour voided by the Nostrils turns to a frothy Substance and continues to be so the Disease is usually incurable and the Horse dies quickly after I have seen some Horses troubl'd with this Distemper without Kernels or if there were any they were little and moveable and the only Sign by which we could discover it to be the Glanders was the Glewiness of the Matter which stuck to the Nostrils it flow'd not out but obstructing the Passages stopp'd the Horse's Breath but the Passages being clear'd by the help of a Syringe he found Ease and even the Matter was mixt with bloody Fibres which shew'd that it proceeded from some Ulcer that render'd the Disease incurable for not one of the Horses escap'd tho' no Means were neglected to preserve ' em Some pretend that the Seat of this Disease is in the Brain but 't is certainly in the Lungs rarely in the Liver Kidneys or Milt and never in the Brain This I affirm on certain Knowledge and the Account I have given of it is grounded on a Principle which nothing less than a plain Demonstration of its Falseness and Absurdity shall make me renounce This is the most contagious Distemper to which Horses are obnoxious for not only it communicates its Venom at a small distance but infects the very Air and seizes on all the Horses that are under the same Roof with him that languishes under it And therefore assoon as you perceive the least Sign of the Glanders you must separate the the sick Horse from all his Companions and not suffer him to drink out of the same Pail with 'em especially when the Disease is malignant for there are several kinds of Glanders some of which are not so extremely infectious as others but there are none of 'em that ought not to be suspected I 'm perswaded that this Distemper proceeds from a cold Cause and I do not at all doubt of the extream difficulty of the Cure All its various kinds are only distinguish'd by a greater or less degree of Malignity and it will be found that all those who pretend to have cur'd the Glanders have only cur'd either the Strangles Cold or some less malignant sort of Glanders for certainly these Cures are very rare and perhaps I might justly say impossible This Disease is caus'd and fomented by an Ulcer in the Lungs rarely in any other part which encreases and by degrees consumes the whole Lobes of the Lungs and at last kills the Horse If you do not begin while 't is still possible to enable nature to consolidate the Lungs and heal the malignant Ulcer you can never perfect the Cure You may conclude the Disease to be incurable when 't is seated in the Spleen because that Part will hardly yield to the Virtue of Medicines To begin the Cure you may by way of Precaution take up the two Veins in the Neck two Fingers breadth beneath the Place where the Horse is usually let Blood the Operation is perform'd thus First Make an Incision and lay the Vein bare then separate it with a Cronet and tye it with a double Thread of wax'd Silk without cutting the Vein lest the Ends of it should slip out of the Knot when the Horse eats and stirs his Jaws with which one of the Branches of that Vein communicates then fill the Wound with Salt and do the same on the other side of the Neck This Operation is also very useful for the Eyes that are either weak or troubl'd with Defluxions for these Veins being taken up the impetuous Course of the Blood to the Brain will be stopp'd and in the present Case since the Brain receives a less quantity of Blood the quantity of the sharp Humour that falls upon the Lungs will be also diminish'd and the Ulcer sooner healâ—d or at the least 't is certain that if the taking up of a Vein does not promote the Cure it cannot hinder it I adâ—is'd you not to cut the Vein between the two Knots because I have seen Horses kill'd by so
of this Liquor into his Nostrils five or six times every day These Injections will cure the little Ulcers in his Nostrils that are caus'd by the sharpness and malignity of the Matter and facilitate the descent of the Humour which is apt to stick and grow dry in the Passages and stop the Horse's Breath and therefore you must Syringe his Nostrils both before and after you give him a Medicine to expel the Matter Afterwards take four Spoonfuls of strong Vinegar and as much good Aqua Vitae dissolve in 'em a Dram of Treacle above two Years Old and add a Scruple of White-Hellebor in Powder and two grains of Powder of Long Pepper Mix 'em all together and inject the mixture into the Horse's Nose one half into each Nostril then walk him in his Cloaths at a foot-pace for the space of an hour suffering him to snuff the Ground with his Nose and he will infallibly cast forth abundance of Matter Nor must you be surpriz'd if he lose his Appetite for he will quickly recover it If any noble part be affected he will die in a little time but if he live beyond that time there is some hope of his Recovery Let him stand Bridl'd four hours before you give him this Remedy and two hours after and besides you must walk him abroad Morning and Evening for the space of an hour But tho the Horse have strength to undergo this Evacuation and tho' none of his noble Parts be consum'd I cannot positively assure you that he will be cur'd of the Glanders if there be a great Ulcer only he will not die so quickly Eight days after if the Running at the Nose still continue repeat the use of the above-mention'd Remedy and endeavour to ripen the Kernel or Gland by applying Retoires or Medicines to break the Skin and convenient Plaisters or Fultisses such as the Ointment in the Thirteenth Chapter or take it off with an actual or potential Câ—â—tery The actual Cautery is a red hot Iron which must be apply'd to the Kernel and the potential Cautery is that which is commonly callâ—d a Caustic Stone which insensibly burns the part and makes a Scab fall off Instead of the potential Cautery you may open the Kernel to the middle with a Lance and after it has done Bleeding thrust the quantity of a Bean of Arsenic wrap'd in a piece of Paper to the bottom of the Hole which must be stop'd with Cotton About the fifth or sixth day the Matter will begin to come out and after the ninth or tenth a Scab will fall off resembling the Kernel of a Nut. If there remain any Impurity or foul Flesh keep the hole open as long as you can with the Ointment Algyptiacum mix'd with red Frâ—â—cipitate If with all these Remedies you cannot ripen the Kernel you must endeavour to dissolve it by applying powerful Resolvents such as Vinegar strong Lyes Ashes of Vineâ—â—igs Allum Nitre Oil of Peter Euphorbium and other Medicines that have an attenuating Faculty and are endu'd with a vertue to make the Matter thin volatil and easie to be dissipated The Ointment Dialthaeâ—e the Resumptive Ointment and Melilot Plaister are good to soâ—â—en and resolve And you may make a Pultiss of the Roots of Briony and Flower-de-luce Honey and the Dregs of Linseed Oyl I have propos'd all these Resolving Medicines for the satisfaction and instruction of the Curious but if the Kernel be very hard and fasten'd to the Jaw-bone it will hardly yield to these Remedies For besides the inconveniency of the part for the application of Medicines they are not always attended with the expected Success The best way then in my Opinion is to soften the Kernel and to apply either a red-hot Iron or potential Cautery made of Arsenic Sublimate or some other Caustic Tho' the usual softening Remedies are not very efrectual yet there are some more proper in this case than others and you may confidently use that which follows for in the beginning it may resolve the Kernel before it grow to an extream hardness I have try'd it and found it effectual CHAP. XX. How to resolve a Gland or Kernel TAke half a Pound of Lin-seed reduc'd to fine Flower mix it with a Quart of strong Vinegar and boil it over a little but very clear Fire stirring it constantly When it begins to grow thick add six Ounces of Oil of Lillies mingle 'em thorowly and apply the Mixture hot to the Kernel and cover it with a Lamb's-Skin as in the cure of the Strangles Renew the same Pultiss every day and after two or three Applications you will perceive that the Kernel is dissolv'd The same Remedy is proper for the Strangles whether true or false and 't is an ill sign when it does not succeed in the Glanders When you undertake the Cure of a Horse that is seiz'd with the Glanders the Remedies here prescrib'd together with such as are given inwardly ought either to resolve part of the Kernel or bring it to Suppuration and then you may conclude that the Remedy works well and assaults the cause of the Disease since the Gland is lessen'd and becomes more moveable and whereas it was hard and large before is now either little soft or loose for 't is a very good sign when the Remedies that are usâ—d produce any one of these Effects But you must not flatter your self with hopes of Success tho' as it happens not unfrequently the Kernel should be considerably diminish'd during the Wane of the Moon and even without the application of any Remedies for in the next Encrease of the Moon it will grow as bad as ever and even sometimes harder and more fix'd than it was before And therefore when you see it decrease in the Wane of the Moon you must let the next New-Moon be past before you adventure to give any hope of a Cure The cure of this Disease is usually begun where it ought to be ended for as soon as a Horse is seiz'd with it the first thing his Master desires and the Farrier proposes to be done in order to the Cure is to take off the Kernel but they ought to consider that the Kernel is the Effect not the Cause of the Glanders and that the removal of that can never restore the Horse to his wonted Health And Experience as well as Reason has couvinc'd me of the preposterousness of this Method for I caus'd the Kernel to be thrice cut out of the same Horse and after all could not perfect the Cure tho' I gave him several good Remedies besides But when 't is convenient to take out the Kernel you must observe the following Directions In the first place you must cast the Horse and having open'd the Skin that covers the Kernel tye two threads to it to keep the Wounds open during the Operation Then without any Instrument take hold of the Kernel with your Thumb and separate it from the Bone for the cutting of any of the Veins that
will be red and yellowish which is a certain sign of the redundancy of Choler The inside of his Lips is yellow and his Eyes are infected with the same Colour 'T is call'd Gelbesucht or the yellow Disease by the Germans who are better acquainted with it than we and have invented a Remedy for it which a Farrier of that Nation sold for a great Summ of Money to a Frenchman who communicated it to me and I found it by experience to be very effectual for when I try'd it this was the only Disease of the Head that was known But since that time the Distemper has chang'd its Nature and the alteration of the Cause oblig'd us to search for new Remedies tho' to little purpose When a Horse is seiz'd with this Distemper he eats faintly hangs his Head and Ears his Eye is languid his Nostrils open and he is apt to stumble If these Signs do not appear the following Remedy will produce no effect for all Diseases of the Head proceed not from the same Cause and you will never be able by this Method to remove a Distemper that is not caus'd by the Overflowing of Choler The Diseases that were known by this Name in the Year 166â— and 1661. and those of 1669 1670. and the succeeding Years were not produc'd by the above-mention'd Cause and therefore could not be cur'd by the German Remedy nor could we find any other successful Medicine for more Horses died than were cur'd of those Diseases Nevertheless I have lately administer'd a Remedy in Thea with excellent Success by the use of which several Horses have been cur'd of those late contagious Distempers that were commonly call'd Diseases of the Head The Remedy for the overflowing of the Bile is as follows Take four Quarts of Spring or River Water and make a Lye with about half a Bushel of Ashes of Vine-Twigs by pouring the boiling Water four several times upon the Ashes then add a pound of good Oil Olive and a quarter of a Pound of Bay-berries in Powder Let the Horse be kept all Night Bridl'd in the Morning let him Blood plentifully in the Flank and two hours after give him two Glasses of the Remedy at the Nostrils let the Bridle remain on his Head two hours longer then unbridle him and give him some White-Water to drink and either moisten'd Bran Hay or Bread to eat after he has fed a quarter of an Hour Bridle him again and let him stand two hours after which give him a Glass of the Remedy at each Nostril two hours after unbridle him and suffer him to eat and drink a quarter of an Hour as before Continue after the same manner to give him two Glasses of the Medicine every four hours unbridling him a quarter of an Hour between every two Doses till you have us'd the whole Composition This Remedy makes the Horse cast forth Water and Snot at the Nose but it only appeases or quels the Distemper without removing the Cause For the Fix'd Salt of the Ashes being communicated to the Lye destroys the Acid that occasion'd these Disorders and produc'd the Heat with which this Disease is accompani'd and besides the Oil contributes very much to qualifie the Distemper as you may easily perceive in the making of Soap Afterwards leave the Horse in a dark place with good Litter and free from the noise of Men or Horses that he may Sleep for in this case Rest is the Sovereign Remedy As soon as you perceive that he has perfectly recover'd his Appetite walk him gently in the cool of the day about a quarter of an Hour for seven or eight days together and then purge him with the Medicine describ'd in the Twenty Sixth Chapter CHAP. XXV Another Remedy for Diseases in the Head THE Distempers that are at present known by that Name are not caus'd by the overflowing of Choler but tho' there is but little hope of Cure we ought not wholly to abandon the sick Horses For 't is some satisfaction to endeavour to give 'em ease tho' they are seldom fit for Service afterward As soon as you suspect the Horse to be seiz'd with this Distemper give him a Dose of the Lieutenant's-Powder or of the Cerdial Pills which have a vertue to resist the Poyson that Suffocates 'em and not unfrequently Cures 'em perfectly in a little time And those who are cur'd by this Method are as fit for Service as formerly And even by way of prevention you ought to give the same Powder or Balls to all your Horses and repeat 'em after three days for they who have taken these Remedies will certainly escape falling into this Disease Besides you must perfume the whole Stable and change the Pails Shovels Forks Curry-Combs and all the Furniture of the Stable But if the Horse has been sick for some time it will be convenient to try other Remedies for the Powder is only proper in the beginning and has no effect after the Disease has lasted four and twenty Hours Take the bigness of the Tag of a Point of good black Hellebore open the Skin on the Horse's Breast and put the piece of Hellebore between the Skin and the Flesh so that it may not fall out It will make the part swell as big as your Hat and draw the Fluxion thither by which means the Humour may be diverted which is carry'd from the Heart to the Brain A Remedy for the Disease of the Head call'd The Fiery-Evil As soon as your Horse begins to refuse his Oats let him Blood in the Temple-Veins and afterwards prepare the following Remedy Take of the Herb call'd Devil's-Bit and Fumitory of each one Handful Cummin-seed one Ounce Assa-faetida half an Ounce Strong Beer or White-Wine a Quart put 'em into a Pot cover'd close with a Hog's-Bladder and Paper and the Lid of the Pot over all Fit the Pot to the Balneum Mariae that is place it in a Kettle with a Straw-Rope between the bottom of the Pot and the Kettle then pour Water into the Kettle till it rise within an Inch of the top of the Pot and make the Water boil an hour over a strong Fire after which take out the Pot and when 't is somewhat cold uncover it strain out the Liquor and make the Horse drink it Blood-warm two or three hours after his Bleeding then let him stand four hours Bridl'd and at Night give him a Clyster with Sal Polycrest Next Morning Bridle your Horse and pour a Quart of strong Beer or White-Wine upon the gross substance that remain'd in the the Pot cover it as before and set it over a gentle Fire augmenting the Fire by degrees till it begin to boil Keep it boiling an hour over a naked Fire and not in a Kettle as before After 't is half cold press out the Liquor as hard as you can and throwing away the thick substance give the Liquor to the Horse to drink keeping him Bridl'd four hours after Then give him moisten'd Bran and
cry out They had rather die than take such a nasty Powder With all my Heart Gentlemen you may follow your Humour but d' ye think it impossible you cou'd be cheated and have this Powder impos'd upon you instead of your dear Snuff And besides who can assure such a dainty Beau that his Apothecary has not made him swallow many a nastier Medicine to cure him of the fashionable Disease But out of pure Complaisance I shall subjoin another Remedy for Horses which their Riders may also use Take a Hare that is killâ—d in the Month of March flay her and without larding her prepare her for the Spit but do not put her upon it then dry her in an Oven so that the whole Flesh may be reduc'd to Powder which must be blown plentifully into the Horse's Nostrils for 't is very effectual to stanch the Blood that flows either out of the Nose or of a Wound Thus I have given you a very good and easie Remedy which does not smell of Ass-Turd That which follows is also very good and may be prepar'd at any time of the Year Take Bark of Pomegranates dry'd Roman Vitriol and Allom of each four Ounces reduce 'em to Powder and reserve 'em for Use This Powder stanches the Blood in any part of the Body and is excellent for all sorts of Wounds It may be kept very long without losing its Virtue CHAP. XXXVII Of the Stag's Evil or Palsie in the Jaw I Know not whether Stags are also troubl'd with this Disease as the Name seems to import but it proves oftentimes fatal to Horses 'T is a kind of Rheumatism which keeps their Neck and Jaws so stiff that they cannot move 'em not so much as to eat and besides they turn up the Whites of their Eyes from time to time as if they were just ready to expire They are also seiz'd at uncertain Intervals of time with such a violent Palpitation of the Heart and Heaving or Beating in the Flanks that you wou'd certainly conclude they cou'd not live two Hours and these Fits return sooner or later without any fix'd Order If you feel their Neck you will perceive it to be stiff and stretch'd out the Skin is dry and sometimes the whole Body is stiff and the hinder Parts as much affected by the Distemper as the fore Parts in which Case few or none escape especially if the Fever be continual as almost always it is This Disease is not absolutely Mortal when t is not an universal Rheumatism spread over all the Body or when the Horses have brought it upon themselves by violent striving and drawing against the Halter by which unruly Motions they strain and stretch the Muscles of the Neck so as to draw the Humours to ' em But that is not the usual Cause of this Distemper for 't is almost always occasion'd by the Horse's being unseasonably expos'd to Heat or Cold or by his being cool'd immediately after he has been over-heated which sudden Change stirs the redundant Humours and breeds many Obstructions that hinder the Motion of the affected Parts and cause a Pain not only in these but also in the neighbouring Parts or such as have a Communication with ' em Tho' the Beating of the Flank and Heart be very violent yet when it intermits for a considerable space of time the Horse recovers a sufficient measure of Strength to resist the Distemper but which is very dangerous the Defluxion on the Jaws is sometimes so strong that the poor starv'd Creature dies merely for want of necessary Sustenance and the natural Heat not finding any Aliments to employ its Force in their Digestion grows sometimes so violent that it inflames the Blood augments the Fever and at last kills the Horse to prevent which you must give him softening Clysters Morning and Evening let him Blood frequently and even once in two Days till you see some Signs of Amendment for upon this the Cure principally depends tho' since it must be so often repeated it will be sufficient to take every time onely half the Quantity of Blood that is usually taken from Horses For his Food mix a little Bran with a great quantity of Water that it may be as thin as Broth and leave it before him the whole Day for he will stir it with his Lips and in his best Intervals endeavour to swallow a little of it but he can very hardly or not at all eat any Hay or Straw being unable to open his Jaws and you may give him luke-warm Water to drink After the Use of Clysters and Bleeding take equal parts of Spirit of Turpentine and Aqua-Vitae mix 'em in a glass Vial and shake 'em together till they be perfectly united With this Liquor anoint his whole Neck upon the Muscles and all about the Jaws chafing the Parts very hard with your Hand to make the Liquor penetrate which will heat the Muscles that are cool'd and stiffen'd by the Defluxion and two hours after rub the same Parts with the Ointment of Marsh-Mallows chasing 'em hard as before which will not only heat the Parts but help to loosen the Jaws and supple the Neck Afterwards rub the Parts affected every Morning with the Ointment of Marsh-Mallows and every Evening with Aqua-Vitae And besides If the Disease affect the whole Body rub the Horse's Reins with Ointment of Marsh-Mallows and Spirit of Wine and cover 'em with a Cloth dipp'd in Lees of Wine heated and put his usual Cloaths above all Repeat the Anointing and Fomentation every day and let him be put into a hot Stable for being thus carefully tended he may perhaps recover if his Fever intermit You must also give him three or four good softening Clysters every day and if the disease be very violent you may inject one in the Morning consisting of two Quarts of Milk eight Yolks of Eggs and two Ounces of Sugar to sustain and in some measure satiate the Animal Hunger of the Parts that have a Communication with the great Guts The rest of the Clysters must be compos'd of softening and cooling Ingredients Some thrust a red-hot Iron thro' the Neck near the Main in three or four several places and others cut the Nerves I look upon these Methods not only as unworthy to be recommended but I think my self oblig'd to dissuade you from the Use of 'em for the Horse endures so much misery already that we ought by no means to encrease his Torments without the least Prospect of future Relief If they cou'd be made to swallow any thing it would be convenient to give 'em some Doses of the Cordial-Powder or stinking Pills or some other proper Medicine but that is impossible and you can only administer external Remedies which are seldom able to save the Horse's Life If you perceive some encouraging Signs or if the Horse be in greater danger of dying of Hunger than of his Distemper because he is unable to take any Nourishment and if there be long and frequent
Intermissions of his Fever you may take the Advantage of one of those Intervals to prepare and exhibit the following Liquor Mix a Pound of fine Barley-Flower with a sufficient quanityt of Water as if you design'd to make Gruel boil it till it begin to thicken then add the quantity of an Egg of Sugar and while 't is moderately warm inject it into the Horse's Nose one half into each Nostril Since the Passages of the Nose end in the Mouth you will perhaps be surpriz'd that I do not prescribe this Nourishment to be given to the Horse in the Beginning of the the Disease when he stands so much in need of it as not being able to take any Food at the Mouth but I consider that every thing that a Horse takes by the Nose does extremely fatigue and torment him and therefore even the most cooling sorts of Nourishment such as Barley given after that manner might increase his Fever if he has any or throw him into a Fever tho' he were free of it before For tho' this Fever be only accidental and not much to be dreaded 't is nevertheless impossible to give any Nourishment by the Nose without manifest hazard and therefore I think we ought not to have recourse to that Method till the Horse be in danger of starving in which case 't is better to make an Attempt to save his Life tho' with some hazard than to suffer him to die of Hunger CHAP. XXXVIII Of the Vives 'T IS certainly a manifest Impropriety of Speech to say that the Horse has always the Vives because he always has those Parts where that Distemper is seated and shews it self when he is actually troubl'd with it These are certain Glands or Kernels near the Neck which being of a soft and spongy Substance and held to be the Drainers or Emunctories of the neighbouring Parts are subject to Inflammation which causes a Swelling that obstructs the Throat and stops the Wind so that if the Horse be not speedily assisted he is in danger of being choak'd The Pain and Uneasiness occasion'd by the stoppage of his Wind makes him lie down frequently and immediately start up again tumble struggle and toss his Body after a strange manner thinking by these various Motions to get rid of the Pain that torments and stifles him This Distemper may be very fitly compar'd to that which is call'd the Quinzie in Men. 'T is thought that the Vives are always accompany'd with the Colic because the same Symptoms appear in both The most usual Cause of this Disease is a sudden Change from one Extremity to another especially from a violent Heat to a sharp Cold as when a Horse is suffer'd to drink immediately after hard Riding or any vehement Exercise for by this means the Humours are melted and falling too plentifully on the Kernels swell 'em and occasion all the above-mention'd Disorders The Vives are also caus'd by over-working or riding a Horse beyond his Strength and out of Wind or by neglecting to cover and walk him after violent Exercise and a Horse may bring 'em upon himself by eating too large a Quantity of Oats Barley Wheat or Rye besides which they may proceed from several other Causes which are almost always owing to the Indiscretion either of the Rider or Groom Of Remedies for the Vives Bend the Horse's Ear downwards towards his Throat near the Cheek-bone and mark the place where it touches the Skin for that is the Part where the Inflammation is seated that causes the Swelling and if the Hair can be easily separated from the Skin by plucking it off with your hand 't is a Sign of Ripeness and that 't is time to resolve or at least to give vent to the Matter contain'd in the Swelling Then take hold of the Kernel which you will find in that Part with a Pair of Pincers or Plyers and beat the Swelling gently with the Handle of a Shooing-Hammer till you judge it to be sufficiently rotten or bruise the Kernels or Tumours with your hand till the Vives be rotted and soften'd making the flatuous or windy Spirits break thro' the Skin by way of insensible Transpiration after which the Swelling will certainly be resolv'd and disappear This is the easiest and surest Method 'T is the general Custom of Farriers to open the Vives with a Lance making an Incision upon the Kernel or Swelling out of which they take a certain Substance like the Fat of Beef but harder and afterwards stop the Hole with Salt Others pinch forth the Vives out of the Inside of the Ear pretending that the same Matter that is included in the Kernels which are the Seat of the Vives is also contain'd in that part of the Ear but this is a ridiculous Fancy 'T is better in my Opinion to rot the Vives than to open 'em because the last of these Methods renders the Horses more obnoxious to this Distemper Farriers think 't is the safest way to open 'em but I chuse rather to corrupt 'em unless the Swelling be so great that the Horse is in danger of being stifl'd in which case you must open 'em without delay to give Ease to the Horse After you have rotted or in Cases of Necessity open'd the Vives bleed the Horse under the Tongue wash his Mouth with Salt and Vinegar blow some of the Vinegar into his Ears rubbing and squeezing 'em hard to make it penetrate for it powerfully asswages the Pain that is communicated to the Jaws by reason of their Nearness to the Seat of the Vives Then take Hemp-seed beaten two handfuls two Nutmegs grated and six Yolks of Eggs mix 'em with a Quart of Wine and make the Horse drink it walking him gently half an hour after Sometimes the Distemper will not yield to this Remedy in which Case you must give the Horse a good Clyster with Sal Polychrest and repeat the Remedy of Hemp-seed c. Besides you must not grow weary of walking him abroad for Exercise rouzes the Natural Heat and puts it in a Condition to resist its Enemy This I recommend as a very good and sure Remedy and besides 't is cheap and easily prepar'd I can assure you from my own Observation that 't is a most present Remedy to thrust a Bodkin or Shooe-Maker's Awl quite thro' the Horse's Nostrils two or three fingers breadth above their Opening There will run out as much Blood on each side as would fill the Shell of an Egg and then it will stop of it self At the same time that you bleed him under the Tongue you must also let him blood very plentifully in the Flanks then cause him to be rak'd thus Chuse a Boy or any Servant that has a little Hand which you must make him besmear with Oil or Butter and stretching it out at full length with the Fingers join'd close together thrust his Arm up to the Elbow into the Horse's Fundament and draw out his handful of Dung But since a heedless and unskilful
accompany'd with a sort of Scab which is bigger or less according to the various degrees of the Malady The Selenders breed on the bending of the Hough they proceed from the same Causes that breed the Malenders and are known by the same signs but they happen not so frequently and are consequently more dangerous as denoting that there is a great quantity of Humours in the Hough which continually discharge upon the Leg those malignant Waters that at last rot and corrupt it We must not attempt a compleat Cure of either of these Sores but only endeavour to allay the Humour and qualifie its sharpness by the use of Alkali's which blunt and deaden the too sharp Acid for they who absolutely dry up the Sore may be justly compar'd to those who shut the door of the Sheep-coat to keep the Wolf in And therefore you must content your self with keeping the part very clean that is you must wash and scour off the filth and corruption that sticks on the Hair or Skin with Black-Soap which is an Alkali and rub the Malenders with it then wash the part with Urine or a good Lye or rub the Chink with Butter fry'd till it grow black The surest way to cure either Malenders or Selenders is to mix equal quantities of Linseed-Oil and Aqua-Vitae stirring and shaking 'em till the mixture grow white and to anoint the Sores with it once a day This will dry a little and allay the sharpness of the Humours so that the Malender will neither cause a Swelling nor Pain The same is an excellent Remedy for Coach-Horses when they begin to be troubl'd with Red-Waters Chinks and Mules accompany'd with Heat and Swelling Sometimes the Selenders cause a Swelling which grows hard and hinders the motion of the Hough and since the situation of the Part is very inconvenient for the Application of Remedies you must proceed to the give the Fire as I once saw done with very good Success to a Spanish Horse who was cur'd without the least ill consequence Anoint the Malenders with Oil of Nuts mixt and shaken with Water after you have rub'd 'em with Black-Soap The Ointment for the Feet describ'd in the Eighty Fifth Chapter is also very proper in this Case Album Rasis dries a Malender when it grows too big and asswages the Inflammation The Ointment of Roses is also an excellent allayer of Sharpness if it be faithfully Prepar'd for that which is commonly Sold as I intimated before is not made of Roses but consists only of Hog's-grease melted with a little White-Wax to give it a Body These Impostors stir it while 't is hot with a Root of Alkanet to dye it red and wash it afterwards in Rose-Water to make it smell of Roses Meer Tallow is not at all inferiour to this pretended Ointment with which so many People are cheated CHAP. LXIX Of Splents YOu will find a large Account of these Excrescences in the Second Part and therefore I shall content my self at present with giving this short Account of a Splent that it is a Callous hard and insensible Swelling which breeds on the Shank-Bone and spoils the shape of the Leg when it grows big The Splent is usually occasion'd by a Blow or other Hurt on the Shank-Bone which offends the Periosteum or Skin that surrounds the Bone for the Humour gathering by degrees on that part forms a Tumor or Excrescency A Horse may be also troubl'd with this Infirmity if he be over-ridden or hard wrought when he is too Young before his Legs be strong enough and his Bones of a sufficient solidity and firmness to bear the Fatigues of Travelling For by straining of that part 't is render'd subject to Defluxions or the falling down of Molten Grease and if the Humour slip between the Bone and its Membrane it breeds a hard Lump that by degrees encreases and draws its Nourishment from the Bone which I have seen full of Holes like a Sieve in that part To protect the weakest part of the Bone against the Humour Nature fences it with a Callus which we call a Splent and if the Excrescency be augmented by Travelling and ascend to the Knee it makes the Horse Halt and is more difficult to Cure than the other kind I advise those who undertake the Cure of a Splent never to consume it with violent Caustics which often scale the Bone and dry up the Sinew 'T is true these Medicines take away the Splent but they weaken the Leg so extreamly that it were better to let the Swelling remain If the Horse be old you will find the Cure very difficult and the Splent can hardly be remov'd whereas it may be easily taken away from a young Horse and in the general 't is certain that a large Splent may be sooner remov'd and with less trouble when the Horse that bears it is young than a small Excrescency in the Leg of an old Horse You shall hardly meet with one that pretends to understand Horses who will not acquaint you that he is Master of an infallible Receipt for the Farcin and another for Splents tho' upon trial you will find his performance come far short of his Promises When the Splent is an effect of the deprav'd Shape of the Shank-Bone 't is to be esteem'd a Blemish or Deformity rather than a Disease For 't is the same with that which Physicians call Apophysis and does not admit of a Cure A Remedy for the Splent Shave away the Hair and beat or rub the Swelling with the handle of a Shooing-Hammer till it be soften'd then burn three or four Hazel-sticks while the Sap is in 'em and chafe the Splent with the Juice or Water that sweats out of both ends applying it as hot as you can without burning the Part after which rub or bruise the Swelling with one of the Sticks and continue frequently to throw the hot Juice upon the Part but not so hot as to burn it rubbing it still till it grow soft Then dip a Linnen-Cloth five or six times doubl'd in the Hazel-Juice as hot as you can endure it upon your Hand and tye it on the Splent suffering it to remain four and twenty Hours In the mean time keep your Horse in the Stable without permitting him to be led or rid to Water during the space of nine Days at the end of which the Splent will be dissolv'd and the Hair will come again some time after If the Hazel be not in its full Sap it will not operate so effectually nevertheless it may be us'd but the part must be rub'd and bruis'd more strongly If the Splent be not quite taken away but only lessen'd repeat the operation a Month after Another Remedy Shave the Hair knock rub and soften the Splent as before then take a piece of the Skin of Bacon not very fat and lay it on the part with the fat side outwards Afterwards apply a flat Cautery or red-hot Iron of the bigness of a Shilling holding it
and Judicious observation of the various Circumstances that require the alteration of Medicines and the most proper Seasons for applying ' em For when one Remedy does not succeed we must have recourse to another and even take a third if the second prove ineffectual 't is certainly a great advantage to be Master of a good Remedy but the well-tim'd Application of it is of higher Importance and they are oftentimes both unprofitable without the assistance of Manual Operation 'T is true some Horses are less burthen'd with Humours than others or are not so sensible of Pain or are of a better Constitution of Body The Season of the Year is also to be consider'd for Cold is always very hurtful in this case and those Circumstances contribute more effectually than the Ointments to the Cure of these Distempers I have long endeavour'd with a more than ordinary care and diligence to procure all those descriptions of Plaisters and Ointments that are so highly extoll'd for the wonderful Cures they have perform'd and I must acknowledge that I have found 'em successful in the Cure of ordinary Hurts and even in Pricks that pierc'd quite thro' the Foot in the least dangerous Parts or at the Frush but I have often apply'd 'em without the least advantage to Sores that were seemingly less dangerous because the Sinews or Bone of the Foot were Prick'd So that I was forc'd to have recourse to the Method already describ'd in this Chapter And to convince the Reader that I us'd the best Ointments for Pricks with a Nail or Stub c. I shall subjoin the description of Three Compositions selected out of a great number of others and a Green Balsam commonly known at Paris by the Name of Madam Feüillet's Balsam I hope the Candid Reader will excuse the length of this digression since 't was only design'd for the Instruction of those that are willing to be inform'd When during the progress of the Cure there is no necessity for making a large Incision or cutting a great quantity of Flesh as soon as the Horse leaves off halting you must fill the Hole that was made for the conveniency of Dressing the Sore with white Tallow or Candle-grease pressing it down with Flax and stop the Foot with black Pitch pour'd in hot As for Retraites or pieces of Nails left in the Foot when a Nail happens afterwards to be driven in the same Hole it presses the former piece and thrusts it against the Vein or into the Quick which makes the Horse halt the Cure is the same with that of Pricks and if you feel a Retrait but cannot pull it out you must take out the Sole tho' before you proceed to so painful an Operation you may try the efficacy of the Vulnerary Water or the Oils de Merveille and Gabian or the Unguentum Pompholygos which may perhaps facilitate the drawing forth of the Retraite as I have several times observ'd I have seen Retraits that were thrust forwards by a Nail put into the same Hole so that the Hoof was drawn inwards against the Bone of the Foot which being naturally rough and full of little Furrows design'd by Nature for its firmer union with the Flesh that surrounds the Bone of the Foot crush'd and bruis'd the Flesh in that space where consequently there was a great deal of Matter generated that could not be wholly evacuated for a considerable time nor the Part consolidated or heal'd and therefore the Horse halted very long I preserv'd a great while the Hoof of a Horse where the above-mention'd case apear'd very distinctly he cotinu'd Lame three Months of a Retrait and serv'd a long time after After his Death I desir'd his Hoof to be brought to me where I observ'd the cause of his Lameness I will not trouble the Reader with a description of Ville Magne's Ointment tho' it be an excellent Remedy in all those Cases You will find it describ'd in all the lately Printed Books as in the Sieur d' Epinay's Art of a Farrier towards the End And I shall only add concerning it that the Balsam of Peru which is one of its Ingredients is a more effectual Remedy than the whole Composition together Nor have I inserted the description of Unguentum Pompholygos which you may find in Bauderon's Pharmacopoea and all other Dispensatories and besides hot and burning Balsams are more proper in this case than Ointments The following Oil is an excellent Remedy for Pricks with a Nail Stub c. CHAP. XCIII Oil of Gabian THis Oil or rather Bitumen swims on the surface of a Fountain near Beziers in Languedoc where 't is continually gather'd and distributed to those who use it for divers Infirmities I have made tryal of it for Pricks with Nails and Stubs and found it very effectual it must be apply'd warm without any mixture and the Application continu'd according to the Directions which you will find in the description of the Oil de Merveille and if the Sore or Wound can be possibly heal'd without taking out the Sole this Oil will infallibly perform the Cure 'T is sold at a low rate at Montpelier that which is gather'd in April May June and July is the best and its Value proportionably decreases according to the distance of the time when 't is gather'd from May. 'T is so common in that Country that I have seen it burnt in Lamps however the safest way is to intrust the Gathering of it to some honest and faithful Person who will not adulterate it It may be rectifi'd and render'd much clearer but in the present case there is no need of any Preparation at all It s Smell discovers the penetrating Faculty with which 't is indu'd and when a drop of it falls on a piece of Cloth it can never be taken out for it pierces thro' the smallest Threds 'T is a very effectual Remedy to dissolve cold and hard Swellings for it penetrates and dissolves very powerfully and by rarefying the Humours prepares 'em for Transpiration and besides 't is us'd inwardly and with good Success for several Diseases incident to Men. 'T is my Opinion and Advice that all Masters of Horses especially at Paris where the Streets are so full of Nails should never be without this Oil but since those who live at a distance from the Spring where 't is gather'd cannot easily procure it I shall add the description of another that may be substituted in its place The Physicians of Montpelier affirm that Gabian has all the Vertues of Petroleum which are very numerous and I can assure the Reader that it is of admirable efficacy in all cases that require the application of a Remedy endu'd with a dissolving and penetrating quality The Curious may find an Account of its Vertues in a Printed Bill which is given with the Oil at Montpelier Oil de Merveille Take of Oil of Turpentine and of St. John's-wort of each four Ounces true Oil of Peter two Ounces mix 'em in
you think fit but whether you purge or not you must begin with Bleeding Then Take Sarsaparilla and China-Roots cut small of each three Ounces Roots of Avens two Ounces Leaves of Agrimony two large handfuls Scordium a handful and a half boil 'em gently in four Quarts of Water to a Quart and a half in a cover'd Vessel then strain and adding a Pint of White-Wine make a Decoction for five Doses to be given five Mornings together adding to every Dose an ordinary Glass-full of Urine Substance in the Top and in the Neck of the Vial. Thus you have a sweet Sublimate which if it be rightly prepar'd will not discover the least Acrimony when you touch it with your Tongue for all the sharp and biting Salts that made the first Sublimate corrosive are evaporated thro' the Neck of the Vial which must be always kept open during the Sublimation and even part of the first Corrosive Sublimate is carry'd off with the Salts so that there remains only the sweet Sublimate or Mercury which may be kept for several Uses 'T is to be observ'd that all the Preparations of Mercury may be reviv'd and restor'd to their natural Form and Fluidity with Filings of Steel or unslak'd Lime which by the Assistance of the Fire attract and retain all the Spirits that kept the Mercury in a manner imprison'd in so many various Forms according to the Diversity of the Preparations for several Uses Thus Cinnabar which is only Mercury sublim'd with Sulphur may be reduc'd to fluid Quick-silver with Filings of Steel and the same may be said of all the other Preparations of Mercury such as the Precipitates Turbith Mineral c. CHAP. CXLIV Remedies for the Farcin that resembles a Hen's Fundament THE Humour that foments this Kind of Farcin partakes so much of Melancholy that the Knots are seldom or never brought to Suppuration sending forth a sort of foul and proud Flesh that can hardly be curb'd or extirpated by Remedies The Difficulty of the Cure ought to heighten our Diligence and convince us of the Necessity of using the most potent Remedies to expel the Cause of the Distemper such as these that follow Since black Hellebore is one of the principal and most effectual Remedies for the Cure of this Disease great Care shou'd be taken to correct its ill Qualities by an exact Preparation Take a sufficient quantity of the Roots of true black Hellebore wash'd and dry'd infuse 'em twenty four Hours in Vinegar of Roses and throwing away the Vinegar dry the Roots at a very gentle Fire Pills for the Farcin Take Sena Leaves and Salt of Tartar of each an Ounce Turbith Aloes and Mercurius dulcis of each half an Ounce black Hellebore prepar'd three Drams Rhubarb two Drams Ginger and Nutmegs of each a Dram and a half Anniseed and Fennelseed of each half a Dram Beat all the Ingredients to a gross Powder and with a Pound of fresh Butter make 'em up into Pills keep your Horse bridl'd six Hours before and as long after and assoon as he has taken the Pills walk him gently for the space of half an Hour well cover'd Note That you must bleed your Horse the day before you give him the Pills You may purge a Horse for the Farcin with two Ounces of the Catholic or Imperial Pills of Fernelius mix'd with half an Ounce of Mercurius dulcis made up into one or two Pills and exhibited in a Pint of White-Wine As soon as you perceive that your Horse has recover'd a good Appetite and that the Operation of the Purgative is over give him the following Ptisan CHAP. CXLV The German Ptisan for the Cure of the Farcin TAke the dry Roots of Angelica Gentian Valerian Avens round Birthwort and Marsh-Mallows of each an Ounce and a half or a double quantity of the green Roots Leaves of Agrimony two Handfuls Beat the Roots grossly boil all the Ingredients in a close-cover'd Pot in three Quarts of Water to the Consumption of one half Then press out the Liquor thro' a Linnen-Cloth and add to the Straining before it grow cold half an Ounce of Juice of Liquorice and White Wine an equal quantity to the whole Decoction and afterwards add two Pugils of Oriental Saffron in Powder Three Days after the Purgation when the Evacuation is over and the Horse's Appetite restor'd let him stand bridl'd from Five a Clock in the Morning to Eight then give him the fifth Part of the Decoction keeping him bridl'd three Hours after Repeat the Decoction after the same Manner for five Days together If his Appetite be not fully restor'd in the limited time after the Purgation you must wait four five or six Days till you are convinc'd that he feeds as heartily as he did before you gave him the purging Medicine During the time of his taking the Decoction if the Weather be not too hot walk him gently half an Hour every Day after Dinner These five Doses of the Decoction are usually sufficient for perfecting the Cure without any other Remedy and the Cords Knots and Tumours are heal'd and dry'd up Moderate Exercise is convenient in the beginning but afterwards you may travel him as if he were perfectly sound If you perceive new Knots to arise at the first New Moon you may conclude that the Disease is not perfectly extirpated and therefore you must prepare and exhibit the Ptisan as before but without Bleeding or Purging If the Tumours break forth again the Case is altogether desperate for it has been frequently observ'd that when the Farcin is inveterate and has long resisted the Efficacy of the best Remedies especially when corrupt Flesh breaks out of the Tumours instead of Matter that the Malignity of the burnt and corrupted Blood has so heated the Substance of the Lungs that there are Ulcers generated in several parts of 'em And therefore since 't is impossible to restore a consum'd Part those Ulcers that waste the Lungs are the infallible Messengers of Death The Truth of this Observation is confirm'd beyond Contradiction by the Diffections of those Horses that die of the Farcin for their Lungs are almost always found to be corrupted and putrefy'd and sometimes the Liver is over-spread with Ulcers and part of it wasted and turn'd to Putrefaction Now I wou'd willingly know of those confident Pretenders to infallible Secrets for the Farcin whether their Remedies are able to restore a rotten and wasted Liver If not 't is in vain to expect the Horse's Recovery for the putrefy'd Liver will still continue to vitiate the Blood and hinder the Cure of the Farcin which is occasion'd by the Corruption of the Blood How ridiculously do those Boasters betray their Ignorance for want of Experience Since all that the most skilful and expert Farrier can promise in this Case is That he will cure the Farcin if it be curable for sometimes the Liver is ulcerated at the first Appearance of the Distemper and is the very Cause of the Disease in
or Gristle So that Nature endeavouring to expel what offends her bursts the Hoof in the middle of the Quarter and the Matter finds a Passage thro' the Cleft near the hairy part of the Foot This Disease is cur'd by the Method I prescrib'd for the Quitter-Bone for the corrupted Tendon must be separated since 't is no more to be reckon'd as a part of the Foot I do not say that these Clefts in the Foot are always accompany'd with Crepances but only that these Distempers are sometimes united in which Case you may reckon your Horse to be in a very dangerous if not desperate Condition CHAP. CLXXXIX Of the Numness of the Hoof. THE Name of a Distemper usually gives us a confus'd Idea of the Nature of it but the Word introduc'd by Custom to express the Disease treated off in this Chapter seems not to have the least Relation to what it signifies However I will not quarrel about Words but rather proceed to a brief Explication of the Distemper commonly known by this Name to which I shall subjoin an Account of its Signs Causes and surest Remedies after I have told you that the Cure is extremely difficult or at least very tedious In the first place you must know that there is a Bone in the Middle of the Coffin-Bone which is almost of the same Figure with the Foot but much smaller since 't is contain'd within it This is that which we usually call the Bone of the Foot Now a Horse is said to be troubl'd with this Distemper when the Bone of the Foot by reason of a Relaxation at the End opposite to the Toe leaves its Place and natural Situation and the Flesh that surrounded it and united it to the Hoof growing dry there remains a hollow or empty Space Besides the Bone of the Foot being loosen'd at one end falls down and pressing against the Sole that covers it appears in Form of a Crescent as if there were another Bone fasten'd to the Outside of the Bone of the Foot whereas it is only that Bone it self fall'n down out of its natural Place and appearing in the Figure of a Crescent which is greater or smaller as the Bone is more or less loosen'd This Bone is seldom loosen'd towards the Heel to which 't is fasten'd by two great Sinews that pass thro' it in two several Places and bind it so fast to the Foot that unless it be loosen'd by some violent Accident it never descends but towards the Toe in which Case there remains a void space that was formerly fill'd with the Flesh that surrounded the Bone before it was loosen'd so that the Coffin-Bone and the Bone of the Foot were in a manner one continu'd Body so closely were they united whereas in this Case there is a hollow Space along the Hoof towards the Toe and the Extent of that Hollowness is proportionable to the Relaxation of the Bone This Distemper may be known by these Signs The Horse halts right down he trots and even walks upon his Heels and brings down his Toes softly to the Ground without laying any stress upon 'em The Fore-part of the Foot sounds hollow when you knock upon it with your Shooing-Hammer at last it shrinks in the Middle and the Foot loses its natural Shape This Disease has some Affinity with Foundering in the Feet but is less malignant and more easily cur'd The Effects are almost the same in both Cases for when a Horse is founder'd in the Feet the Bone of the Foot is loosen'd before and forms Crescents like those describ'd in this Chapter only they are greater and appear usually on both Feet whereas this Distemper rarely attacks more than one These Crescents in either Case are only the Bone of the Foot relax'd descending from its natural Place and appearing like a Crescent without the Flesh that formerly us'd to cover it So that you must not give Credit to the Opinion of certain Farriers who imagine it to be a Bone or bony Excrescency growing upon the Bone of the Foot This Bone thus relax'd and appearing in the above-mention'd Form is at last depriv'd of Nourishment and grows as it were one extraneous or preternatural Body and consequently must either fall away or be cut out These things were necessary to be premis'd in order to a clearer understanding of the Distemper but since I have hitherto only explain'd the Effect of the Cause I shall in the next place consider the Cause it self When a Horse by reason of vehement labour is over-heated the Humours are put in Motion by this Impression of Heat and the Agitation is encreas'd by other more subtil Humours which being out of their natural Place and besides thin sharp and spirituous ferment the grosser Humours with which they are mix'd This Ebullition occasions the rising of very sharp Vapours full of a volatile and corrosive Salt which insinuating into the Parts where they find least Resistance and in their way passing thro' some places where the natural Heat is moderate being no longer agitated nor supported by the Fermentation that rais'd 'em they are condens'd into Water which is carry'd by its own Weight to the Foot where they find an easie Admittance into the spongy Flesh between the Hoof and the Bone Now this Water or Liquor retaining the sharp and corrosive Nature of its primitive Vapours and in many Respects resembling Aqua-Fortis it consumes all the Flesh that united the Hoof and the Bone and at the same time dries up and separates a vast Number of little Nerves that proceed from the Bone of the Foot and fasten it to the Hoof So that the Bone being no longer sustain'd or kept in it places by the Flesh or those little Nerves falls down towards the sore-part of the Foot forms a Crescent under the Sole and leaves the fore-part of the Hoof empty and hollow Having already explain'd the Nature of Fermentation and illustrated that Explication with clear and proper Examples I know no reasonable Objection that can be made against the Account I have given of this Distemper Only methinks I hear some confident Wou'd-be-Wits enquire who told me all these fine Stories and whether I or my Informers were ever Witnesses of those Transactions in the Body But a very moderate stock of Sense wou'd enable 'em to conceive that tho' neither I nor any Man else can pretend to have seen those internal Motions and Revolutions 't is not at all impossible that a studious Enquirer into Nature may discover the Causes by their Effects And withal I assure 'em that if they can produce a more probable Hypothesis and confirm it with more or better Experiments I will receive it in such a Manner that they themselves shall acknowledge that I am neither of a very obstinate Nature nor over-fond of my own Notions 'T will not be improper in the next place to examine the Difference between the Humour that causes this Distemper and that which causes Foundering The latter of
Conestable I have been describing which will yet raise more than the other two because all its other proportions being exactly observed it is also hardy at the Sevll Hole the matter of 8 Lines it may be made to raise yet a great deal more by kneeing or advancing the Ham the double of the distance wherewith it is made hardy at the Sevill Hole the very same may be done with the preceeding Branch 7 Another Branche à la Gigotte but which brings in a Horse's Head more than the preceeding See Plat. 3. Fig. 7. BEcause Horses have different ways of carrying their Heads and Necks therefore to rectify these imperfections there must be made use of Branches whose Tours and Bents are also different this à la Gigotte is hardy the matter of eight Lines at the Sevill Hole and hath a false Ham that is the Branch at that part is bruised or set forwards so that the most advanced part of this Branch is about an Inch and nine Lines The principal effect of this Branch is to bring in it being hardy to the very lower part or Sevill-hole the half Ham augments its strength and the lower part of the Branch which stands inclined towards the horse's Neck maketh it to Raise a little so that it will be good for a horse which Carrieth his Neck streight out and hath therefore difficulty to bring in his head to such a becoming posture as it ought This Branch brings in a great deal and raises but little which is just what we should make use of for such streight streached Necks because by bringing their Heads very much in we oblige them to turn and bend their streight Necks after the form of an Arch but because it would be dangerous to bring them too much in and thereby bring their Heads betwixt their legs therefore the lower part of the Branch is made to incline Backwards towards the horse's Neck which raises and places their Heads in the most beautiful posture such Necks are capable of However it is not but that the same kind of Branch may be made use of for horses which only thrusts out their Noses as I shall hereafter explain 8 Another Branch à la Françoise but which is more Hardy than the preceeding See plat 3. Fig. 8. WE have gone through a part of the different kinds of Necks and Branches which should be made use of to prevent the Actions these Necks cause to be performed by horses Heads it now remains that we consider the effects of this Branche Françoise or Branch after the French fashion It is hardy about an Inch and two lines which is 14. lines its principal operation is to Bring in being almost equally hardy both at the Ham and sevill-hole so that it will be proper for horses which carry their Heads high enough but yet Thrust out their Noses because as there is nothing required but to bring such Heads in this Branch will have therefore strength enough to perform it If a man make good use of his legs as he is pulling in hard a horse's Head there are very few horses but what he will oblige to bring down their Noses It is not but that the preceeding Branch à la Gigotte may be proper for producing the same effect for although the lower part of that Branch incline backwards towards the horse's Neck so that it cannot be called purely hardy because it also thereby Raises a little yet that doth not hinder its effect of bringing in Therefore all that can be said of it is only that it is weaker and not so capable to restrain and bring in a horse's Head as this last Here are explained all the different wayes which horses carry their Necks so that The First Branch is generally proper for the Necks of all Horses which are but begining to be Rid It may be also very good in particular for such horses as have slender Necks or which have difficulty to endure the Pressure of the Bit. The Second is for horses which Naturally carry well The Third for such as have a beautiful Carriage but which incline either for lack of strength or out of a bad custom to carry low The Fourth for horses which Arm themselves against their Counter The Fifth for horses which carry low The Sixt for such as carry yet lower than the preceeding The Seventh for Necks which stand Streached out streight forwards and The Eight for Horses which carry their Necks high enough but yet Thrust out their Noses like to the Cravats These are all the different wayes that horses commonly carry either their Heads or Necks together with the Branches which are proper for them It remains that I discourse of such Necks as are too slender and whose Mouths will not endure the pressure of the Bit upon their Barrs nor consequently any thing of a firm hand I told you that the first Branch à Pistolet was proper for such horses but as people have no fancy for giveing such Branches to Journey-pads they may therefore in that case take the sixt Branch à Conestable and render it more Flaque or gentle at the Sevill-hole by half an inch which will make it proper for such horses because being made after this fashion it will have no kind of hardyness or strength which is what we desire as for the length it must as I have already said be proportioned to the length of the horse's Neck and to the design you have of restraining much or little And for their turns or bents at the Ham you are also to alter them according to the intention you have of making them hardy or gentle Note that the further the Sevill-hole is without the line of the Banquet the hardyer and stronger the Branch is and the more it approacheth or even cometh on this side the line of the Banquet it is so much the more Flaque or gentle CHAP. LXXXIII How to chuse a proper Bit for any Horse THe knowledge of the effects of the Bit-mouths and Branches I have described CHAP. LXXXIII How to fit a Horse with a proper Bit. being supposed it is easie enough to Chuse or appoint a proper Bit for any horse whatsoever You are then to put a Bit into the horse's Mouth you are about to Bit for without doeing this it is impossible to judge which kind of Bit will be most convenient for him but however you are to give him that at first which you shall think most proper If you have not many of a different kind by you then you are rather to give him a gentle one than a Rude and you are also to take care that it be right lodged in his Mouth that is that it be neither placed too high which would make him Frumple up his Lips nor too low which would make it rest upon his Tushes This done cause one Mount him and after he hath adjusted the Bridle Reins in his hand let him try to pull the horse two or three steps back you
will know as he is going back if his Head be firm and if he performeth it franckly or only obeyes with Reluctancy that so you may give him another Bit which may help to gain his consent without either troubling or hurting his Mouth If in going back he bring in his Head to a right posture that is if having formerly thrust out his Nose he now bring it in so as that it stands perpendicular to the ground then it is certainly the fault of the Person that formerly Rode him that he hath not already placed his Head in that posture for his once doing it is a sign that he can and therefore there is nothing but to let him acquire a Habit of it Afterwards cause him to go at a step or walk and let the Rider feel him on his Hand that so he may oblige him to place his Head in the most beautiful posture he is capable of with that Bit and do you at the same time endeavour to know if he have either too large or too small a Bit in his Mouth too large in that it maketh him frumple his Lips and that at the same time the hooks which fasten the Curb do also pinch him and too little in that he swallows his Bit-mouth as we Term it Consider next the length of the Branches which may with a little experience be easily understood As whither too long or too short which a little reasoning will discover to you because if the horse be such as you know there is a necessity to restrain much then they are to be shortned but if but gently and little then they must be lengthed and especially if he either beat on the hand or have a too slender Neck for in those cases the Branches are to be made very long because their operation coming slowly and at a distance it will surprise the Horses Beard as well as his Shoulders and Legs a great deal less than if they were shorter and that their Effects came from a short distance that is which were nearer to the Hand of the Rider Again cause the horse to go at a step or Gallop to Part and Stop suddenly and by seeing him perform these Actions you may judge whether he have a good or but an indifferent mouth if you judge by his easie stopping that he hath a very fine mouth then give him only a Simple Canon-mouth for when a Man can make good use of a horse with a Canon-simple he should never seek after another After this open your Horse's Mouth suffering the Bit mouth to remain in its place and by this you will know whether his tongue be so big as that he will need either a Bit with a like Liberty or one that is larger than that he hath already and which you may also come to know more easily if you observed him to have his Appuy or feeling of the Bit somewhat Dull because in this Case there is a necessity to disengage his tongue and the like if he Arm his Barrs with his Lips but if he should have a dull Appuy because of his Arming himself with his Lips against the pressure of the Bit and yet have high and sharp ridged Barrs then his Barrs are only to be discharged of his Lips and that only by accident as I have before told you If the Horse incline to carry low you are not to give him a liberty for the tongue which will rise too high for that by tickling his palate would bring his head down between his Legs You shall next feel his Barrs to observe how they are shap't for it is partly they that make a mouth either good or bad if they are sharp ridged then you are to give your Horse a gentle Bit mouth and you are not so much as to mention a Pignatelle which is only proper for round Barrs If the Horse have them very fleshy and low then you must have recourse to such mouths as will reach them but if his Barrs be high and altogether insensible which is what we call a False mouth then in that case you may give him a mouth with the Liberty after Mr Pignatell's fashion or after the form of an Asses tread because for such Bit mouths as are beneath the line of the Barrs they produce in False mouth'd Horses but an ugly grimace and a yet worse effect Having observed all I have been telling you you are yet to cause ride your Horse to cause him Part and Stop go back Part again and then go at a Walk that so you may judge if he have strong Reins sound Legs and good Feet or if his hind quarters be stronger than his fore For your Horse may have contracted these imperfections by reason of his performing bad Stops through ignorance a bad Habit or by any impatient ardour occasion'd many times by his want of Reins or for having painful and weak Hams therefore it is not a rude bridle will rectifie such imperfections but good lessons well practised for a rude Bit will produce more disorder and confusion than good effects and that because the ground or lower parts of a Horse's mouth are generally good but rude Bits perfectly spoyl them It may happen that the horse you intend to Bit hath been disorderly with the Bit he carries because it is too rude for him it is in that case easie to give him one more Gentle If your Horse beat on the hand you are to endeavour to discover the motive obliged him to it the universal remedy for such horses is the Canon à Trompe provided the fault proceed not from the Horseman who may have either too hard a hand or otherwise cleave too much to the Bridle When you are about to Bit a Horse you have only seen a little and therefore cannot know so exactly all his imperfections you are to inform your self of them to wit if he be heavy on the hand or if he Heat in the mouth if he retain his strength for if he be hot and Fiery to the end you may take your measures accordingly If your Horse have a weak Fore hand you are to give him a Bridle which will subject him more than otherwayes you would and if his Hind-hand be weak by reason of some infirmities as Jardons Spavins c. Then you must give him a Bridle which restrains less than one you would give him had he not these infirmities Now by all that hath been immediatly said and from the knowledge of the effects of the Bit mouths heretofore described you may easily form your project for prescribing a Bit-mouth for any Horse whatsoever Let us next proceed to the Branch I suppose you have also a sufficient knowledge of its different effects as I have explained them because according to them you are to consider after what manner a Horse carrieth his head that so you may fix upon the Branch you intend to give him You are to observe that the Bit-mouth that is that kind which you are