or with some sword hatchet Bill or other edge-toole or that you should enforce him to doe more than what nature or strength were well able to compasse or leading him upon plaine ground he might wrinch any member or sway his back or breake his leg either by the stroke or stripe of some other horse or otherwise accidentally or should by misfortune fall downe some steepe precipice whereby he may breake or dislocate some limb or member all these disasters we usually doe call Accidentall and all such things of this nature Hippiat Which be the elements which doe give life and nutriment unto man and all other living creatures Hippos They are foure in number that is to say Fire Ayre Water and Earth whose natures if you shall please I will discusse elsewhere Hippiat No I pray let us have them both now and elsewhere their natures conditions and qualities Hippos The nature of Fire is to be hot and dry Ayre to be hot and moyst Water to be cold and moyst and Earth to be cold and dry Hippiat Doe you know the twelve Signes of the Zodiacke and how they doe govern the body of man and of all creatures Hippos Yes I doe know them all perfectly and thus are they called Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo Vrgo Libra Scorpio Sagittarius Capricornus Aquarius Pisces These doe all governe the twelve Months of the yeare and are placed above the Zodiack Hippiat Doe you know the names of the Planets and their numbers Hippos That I doe very well and they bee seven in number to wit Saturne Iupiter Mars Sol Venus Mercury and Luna Hippiat What parts doe the twelve Signes before mentioned governe Hâ—ppos Aries governeth the Head Taurus the Neck Gemini the Shoulders and Armes Cancer the Stomack and Breast Leo the Heart Virgo the Belly anâ— Guts Libra the Reines and Buttocks Scorpio the Privy parts Sagittarius the Thighs Capricornus the Knees Aquarius the Legs and Pisces the Feete Hippiat In what dayes is it best for a horse to be let bloud Hippos If there be no extraordinary cause as in case of desperate sicknes or so then Ianuary the third and the fifteene Februâ—ry the fourth and nineth March the seventeene and eighteene Aprill the tenth and sixteene May the first thirteene Iune fifteene and twenty But for Iuly and August by reason that the Canicular-dayes be then predominate bloud-letting is not so good but only in urgent case of necessity In September the eleventh and twenty eight October the eight and twenty three November the fift and sixteene December the fourteene and twenty six And these daies doe wee hold to be the very best unlesse dangerous or sudaine sicknesse doe cause us to alter the same for in cases of necessity no daies are to be regarded or observed For Qui retinente vita et non sit mortis imago Si semper fuerit vivens morietur et infra Hippiat What medicine would you apply to a Horse who may have any of the foure Maladyes Hippos I would give him of the foure Cordiall waters which I would make of Buglas Savin Succary Aquavitae Endife and the like Hippiat How would you make a comfortable drinke Hippos I would make it of certaine Cordialls to wit of Sugar Cinamon Cloves Nutmegs Saffron Licoris Annyseeds all these in fine powder adding thereto white wine and all these infused in a cleane earthen pot and hereof would I make a drinke Hippiat Whereof would you make an operative drinke Hippos I would take white Wine Sallet-oyle Aloes Rubarb Agarick Duke or Duck-powder Hony Cordial-powder and of all these things would I put such a quantity as I should thinke requisite and according to the strength and corpulency of the Horse Hippiat Whereof would you make a laxative Clister Hippos Into a laxative Clister I will put either of Pellitory Melelote or Cammamile but Pellitory is the best and of this would I make a Decoction and to this Decoction would I put Sallet Oyle Hony Aloes and Verjuice of the Crab. Hippiat What be the natures of your principall Drugs Hippiat Agarick purgeth the Braine Allos the Breast and body Rubarb purgeth the evill water and it openeth the Liver and helpeth obstructions and oppilations Aristolochia-Rotunda mollifieth the Breast Liver and Lungs and Bacchalauri or Bay-berries doe mortifie the peccant Humours which doe ingender in the Breast or Entrayles nere about the Heart and Saffron if it be discreetly given doth marveylously comfort and enlighten the Heart CHAP. II. Of the causes of Sicknesse in generall and the causes of Health and long Life Hippiat NOw that we have proceeded thus farre in a discussion of the Office of the Ferrier Let us approach yet nearer to intreate of the Cures and that we may goe on Pedetentim and Gradatim Let us first discusse the causes of Maladies and therefore I demand of you What are the true Causes of the sicknesse of the Horse Hippos Sir that man which hath a desire to become an Expert Ferrier must apply himselfe to understand the true nature of two things viz. of Generation and of Corruption in which I could never find the least discord in the Primary nature of Horses albeit compounded of the contrary nature of the foure Elements But I will proceed in Anatomizing unto you the verity hereof more particularly whereby you may the better understand my meaning Hippophyl But friend Hipposerus in my judgement you begin to assume too high a pitch for ordinary Feâ—riers who are in a manner all or the greater number un-lettered persons and therefore will never be able to understand what Generation and Corruption meaneth for these are termes taken from the grounds of Philosophy and therefore above their Genius or Sphere Hippos Sir there be many things necessary to bee duly knowne and as diligently to be observed in him that desireth to be a perfect and able Ferrier which whosoever shall be defective in he may well be an Empyreticall-Hors-Leach but skilfull Ferrier or Marshall he shall never be And for that you please to say that I sore too high because I began my discourse with the termes of Generation and Corruption if you had not interrupted me I should have explicated my selfe so cleerely as that a very reasonable judgement might easily have apprehended me for I hold it not a thing fitting to pussell mens Braines either with Chimeras which they are not able to understand or with over-long and tedious discourses of things meerly impertinent but if you shall be pleased to heare me with patience I will touch upon this subject to wit What are the causes of Sicknesse in generall as also of Health and long Life and that Laconica brevitate and so leave the rest to your judgement and practise especially considering what other Authours my Masters have so learnedly and no lesse sufficiently intreated in this very Art To begin therefore and but to say what I said before with the causes of sicknesse and death of Horses in generall in
grasse he guest This comely Iennet gently first he winnes And then to backe him actively begins Stedy and straight he sits turning his sight Still 'twixt the eares of his Palfrey light The chafed horse such thrall ill suffering Begins to snuffe to snort to leap to fling And flying swift his fearefull Rider makes Like some unskilfull Lad that undertakes To hold some Ships Helm whilst the headlong tyde Carries away its vessell and her guide Who neere to drowned in the jawes of death Pale fearefull shivering faint and out of breath A thousand times to heaven erected eyes Repents him of so bold an enterprize But sitting fast lesse hurt then fear'd Cain Boldens himselfe and his brave horse againe Brings him to pace from pacing to his trot From trot to gallop after runs him out In full career and at his courage smiles In sitting still he runs so many miles His pace is faire and free his trot is light As Tigers course or Swallowes nimble flight And his brave gallop seemes as swift to goe As Biscaine Dart or shafts from Russian Bow But roaring Canon from his smoking throat Never more speedy spewes the thundring shot That in an Army mowes whole squadrons downe And batters bulwarks of a summon'd towne As this light-Horse sends if he doe but feele His Bridle slacke and in his side the heele Shunning himselfe his sinewy strength he stretcheth Flying the earth and flying ayre he catcheth Born whirle-wind like he makes the trampling ground Shrinke under him and shake with doubling sound And when the sight no more pursue he may In fieldy clouds he vanisheth away The wise-wax't Rider not esteeming best To take too much now of his lusty beast Restraines his fury then with learned wand The triple-corvet makes him understand With skilfull voyce he gently cheares his pride And on his necke his flattring palme doth glide He stops him steady still new breath to take And in the same path brings him softly backe But th' angry Steed rising and rearing proudly Striking the stones stamping and neighing lowdly Cals for the combate plunges leaps and prances Beâ—omes the path with sparkling eyes he glancâ—s Champs on his burnisht Bit and gloriously His nimble Fet-locks lifteth belly-high All side-long jaunts on either side he justles And 's waving crest couragiously he bristles Making the gazers glad on every side To give more roome unto his portly pride Cain gently strokes him and now sure in seate Ambitiously seekes still some fresher feat To be more famous one while trots the Ring Another while he doth him backward bring Then of all fâ—â—re he makes him lightly bound And to each hand to menage rightly round To stop to turn to caper and to swim To dance to leap to hold up any limme And all so done with time grace ordred skill As both had but one body and one will T 'one for his art no little glory gaines T'other through practise by degrees attaines Grace in his gallop in his pace agility Lightnesse of head and in his stop facility Strength in his leap and stedfast menagings Aptnesse in all and in his course new wings c A famous Ferrier of Paris delivereth these colours of a good horse which because they are in French verse I have englished them verbatim thus If you desire a horse thee long to serve Take a browne-bay and him with care preserve The gray's not ill but he is prized farre That is cole-blacke and blazed with a starre If for thy selfe or friend thou wilt procure A horse let him white-Lyard be he 'l long endure And the same French-man sheweth what be also the properties and markâ—s which a good horse ought to have Of the colours of a Horse whereof three are to be of an Oxe three of a Foxe three of a Hart and three of a Woman Those three of an Oxe are to have a faire and full eye a large necke and to be strong and short joynted Those three of a Foxe are to have a comely and short trot small and long eares and a bushy tayle Those three of a Hart are to have leane and dry legges to be well risen before and a leane head Those three of a Woman are to be large and faire breasted to have a beautifull and full haire and gentle to his Rider and Keeper The same Author delivereth yet further what ought to be the colour and shape of a good horse Those horses saith he that are of a chest-nut colour with Mane and Tayle blacke are commonly good The Sorrell if his Mane Tayle Knees Fet-lockes and list along his backe be blacke and are for the most part good if they be otherwise free from evill conditions as not at any time to lye downe in the water restife and such like bad qualities The Browne-bay Dunne Dâ—pple-grey iron-grey if their extremities be black are many times very good if they be well chosen All horses saith he must have good Legges Of the shape of a Horse good Feet and their Fetlocks must not be overcharged with hayre they must have also good eyes obedient mouthed and well metled they must not have fat or fleshy legs but to have a great belly well risen before straight backt not charged with over-great shoulders he must have a thin bended neck like a Carps backe a good Crouper large Thighes round well spread Buttockes and a traine well set on a leane dry and thin Head a full sparkling Eye a wide Nostrill a wide thin leane Iaw a loose Thropell a well-trussed-together Body and Legs not too long being thus accooterd and shaped it is probable he will be very serviceable He also sheweth signes whereby to know the good or evill sight of a horse How to know the good light from the bad of a horse Every horse saith he hath a feather in his Face betwixt his eyes if the said feather be high above the eyes then hath he assuredly a good and perfect sight but if the feather be below his eyes the horse then hath oft times a bad sight Observe this rule well and you shall finde it to be a thing most certaine He also giveth other marks touching the Legges of a horse which briefly are that a horse must have his fore-legs above the knees to be strong flat and large albeit the lower part of the Legges be small provided he have a good foot which supposing he may prove a horse of long continuance Another Author speaking of the colours of Horses Which be the best colours of a Horse doth denominate them after this manner viz. A Brown-Bay a Black-Roan or Black full of silver hayres Cole-black Chest nut Dark-Bay Fly-bitten or White-Lyard The Browne-Bay is so highly esteemed with all Nations as that they doe with one assent alwaies ranke him in the very first place of colours the Italians and French doe so much prize the Brown-Bay as that they evermore call that colour Bayary Loyall the Loyall Bayard or more properly according
for him to fill his belly nor the season warme enough and let the day wherein you turne him forth be a warme Sunshine day and about the houre of ten for Horses pampered in warme stables and kept close will be subject to take cold if a discreet order and course be not taken with them Secondly let him be taken up from grasse about the feast of Saint Bartholomew which is upon the 24. day of August or soon after for then the season doth begin to let fall cold dewes which betideth no good but much harme to your horse and then beginneth the heart of grasse to faile so as the grasse which then he seedeth upon breedeth no good nutriment but grosse flegmaticke and cold humours which putrifieth and corrupteth the bloud Let your horse I say be taken up about the day before mentioned but with all the quietnes may be for feare of heating him by reason his grease he gat at grasse is tender so as every little motion will dissolve the same whereby the bloud may be inflamed and so the Horse be brought into eminent perill at least of sicknesse if not of death A day or two after you have him in the Stable or sooner let him be shod and let bloud and drencht as before is shewed you for this preventeth Yellowes Stavers and such like diseases which the Gaule and Spleen occasioneth which the heart and strength of grasse through the ranknes of the bloud doth ingender in his body Then purg and cleanse him both outwardly and inwardly like as you are taught in lib. 2. chapter 2. Thirdly search your Horses mouth both then and at other times often for feare of Barbes Bigs Blisters and Cankers and such like maladies which are very incident to breed in the mouths of Horses which by the colour of the spots of his Gums Tongue and Mouth you may perceive and so the better and more easily both prevent and cure all such diseases as are inherent to those parts Fourthly rub and wash sometimes your Horses mouth and tongue with vineger or Verjuce mingled with bay salt but Verjuce is the better and let some passe downe his throat for it is both wholesome and good Fiftly observe your Horses Eyes and Countenance which if you doe find them to be heavy drowsie and dull then be you confident all is not well within him Then take bloud from him and give him the drinke of Diapente or Diatesseron and hee shall doe well againe Sixtly observe well his standing and his going if you doe perceive him to felter with any of his feet be it never so little or else which foote soever he doth favour let the Groome presently take up that foot and examine it if he can feele any place warmer than other let him now assure himself something is amisse there take off the Shoo and search the foot carefully to see whether gravell or naile be any cause thereof but if you doe find all well there search the heele and frush if you find not any thing there search higher for some swelling that may be in the pastern-joynt in the legge or backe sinew and when he hath found the fault and cause of his complaint let him presently informe the Ferrier who is to apply his remedies and by this meanes he shall discharge his duty as well becometh him Seaventhly observe also if he put forth his foote more than usually hee was wont to doe then assure your selfe the griefe lyeth either in the knee or shoulder if it be so presently advertise the Ferrier who knoweth what is best to be done with him Eightly when you are to take your journey with him water him in the House and give him his break-fast of good cleane Oates sweet and wel-sifted then bridle him and tie him up to the Rack then curry dresse and saddle him but draw not the girts too streight till you come to take his back then presently cast his cloath over him least he take cold and when you come to take his back draw his girts streight and so on God's name begin your journey but for a mile two or more goe faire and softly for if you heat him too soone he will not digest his meate but crudityes will arise in his stomacke which you shall perceive by his scouring purging as he travaileth whereby you may either founder him in his body or else cause a Calientura burning Fever or some other worse infirmity to seize him and as you doe travell him when you are come some foure or five miles from home a light from him and walke him sometimes standing still to see if you may provoke him to stale for it is very wholesome and good which you may also doe well to attempt when you dismount and walke him down any hill and some three miles before you come to your journies end Ride him into some River or other watering place unto his belly but no deeper in any wise and then let him drinke yet not so much at the first as he desireth but by degrees first taking up his head to cause him to wash his mouth whereby to free it frō filth fome Then let him drinke halfe his draught and lastly so much as in reason he will Then observe upon what pace you brought him to the water with the same pace and neither softlier nor faster Ride him a mile or better by which time he will have warmed the water in his belly without taking cold or harme This watering him thus will very much refresh him cause him to forget his wearisomenesse and when he shall come to eate it will be with very good appetite which otherwise he would not have done A mile at least before you come to your journies end slack your pace and begin to go more softly to the end he may not be too hot when he shal be set up have him without delay into the Stable warme well littered up to the belly but take heed you suffer him not to be either walked or washed for these two things are very pernitious and most dangerous for him and the cause of more sicknesse sorances and death to Horses then of all other things besides So soone as you have brought him into the Stable the first thing you doe off with your Coate and tie him up to the empty Rack then litter him up to the belly ungird him take off his Saddle rub his back with speed and put his cloath upon him and upon that his Saddle againe and gird him with his Sursingle then make cleane his stirrops stirrop-leathers and Girts and rubbe him downe both Legges Belly Body Breast Head Face and Neck and so stuffe him up with cleane dry straw and let him stand so upon the Bit an houre evermore looking upon him least he sweat a new which if you shall perceive then to alay it take away some of the straw wherewith he is stuffed and hee will coole againe if you finde him in good temper unbridle
never depart where they doe eate small holes quite through the maw by meanes whereof the Horse dyeth The Bots are a kinde of little wormes with great heads and small tayles they breed and live as I said before in the great gut 1 Bots. adjoyning to the fundament and they may be taken away most easily by putting in your hand and by picking them from the gut to which they are fastened Trunchions are in shape short and thick and of a pretty bignesse 2 Trunchâ— and they have blacke and hard heads but they must be sent away by medicine Maw-wormes are long red and slender 3 Wormeâ— much like unto earth-wormes most of them of the length of a mans finger and some are longer these must also be taken away by medicine All these three sorts doe ingender in the body of the Horse by meanes of evill raw and flegmatique meates which have turned to bad digestion whereby putrified matter hath bred in the maw and from thence these three sorts of evill creatures have engendred You may very easily know when your Horse is troubled with them for he will sweat with paine stampe with his fore-feet and strike at his belly with his hinder-feet he will also turne his head towards his belly to looke upon it and forsake his meat he will also grone tumble and wallow he will also rub his tayle as if it were troubled with the itch Now how to kill these wormes is very difficile for feare of endangering the life of your Horse onely medicines must be given which must cause them to distast the maw and to feed upon such drinkes being sweet wherby he may voyd them with his dung I will here give you many Receits some of which I have very much experimented and the first is this viz. Take of Egremony one handfull chop and stamp it small and put unto it a quart of new milke with brimstone made into very fine powder halfe an ounce give this to your Horse fasting bloud-warm and keep him upon the trench fasting three houres at the least and at night give him white water ✚ Another Take the guts of a well-growne chicken all but the gizard and rowle it up warme in the powder of brimstone and bay-salt and put it downe his throat and trot him up and downe halfe an houre doing as before ✚ Another Take new milke and the powder of brimstone this doth the like ✚ Another Take Saven and Worme-wood chopped and stamped small put to it a pinte of Muskadine and give it him warme ✚ Take also a quart of brine newly made and give it him to drink ✚ Another Take as much Precipitate alias Red-Mercury calcined as will lye upon a two-penny piece of silver and convey it into a piece of sweet butter the bignesse of an egge in manner of a pill give him this in a morning fasting the Horse having stood all night in his Mussell at the empty racke unlesse extremity doe compell you for in such a case you may administer it at any other time When you are to give it him take forth his tongue and make him swallow the whole pill then ride him a while up and downe and after set him up warme causing him to fast three houres after and with this medicine you may kill all manner of Bots Trunchions and wormes of what kinde soever yet at the giving you must be wondrous circumspect and carefull for this Precipitate is a very strong poyson wherefore you must be very observant of your proportion wherein you ought not to exceed except with good caution Againe if you mixe your Precipitate before hand with a little sweet butter the quantity of a hasell-nut and then afterwards lap it up in the greater lump of butter it may be received by the Horse to his lesse danger and it will besides very much allay its evill quality But this I leave to your own discretion assuring you that there is hardly any thing comparable to this for this disease ✚ This Receit I have administred unto three Horses onely whereof the first and last I cured but the second dyed under my hands but I doe assure you not for any want of care ✚ Another Take Sublimatum so much as can be taken upon a two penny piece of silver and made up in butter will kill the Bots Bots. in a Horse if it be administred as was the former Receit This I did never try Another Take a quart of good Ale of Rue and Saven of each a quarter of a pound of Stone-Crop halfe a pound bray all these in a morter and put them to the Ale and boyle it well then straine it and give it him bloud-warme and he will voyd them Another Take of new milke a quart and a penny weight of brimstone in fine powder and twenty of the long haires of his tayle cut them very short and put it all together into the milk and give it him to drink and then throw a handfull of bay salt into his mouth and he is cured ✚ Another Take a quart of strong Wort and give it him to drinke bloud-warme and let him fast eight houres after Another Tâ—ke the first day a quart of new milke and put to it halfe a pinte of honey and give it him warme this will cause them to give over from gnawing and feeding upon the maw for a season by reason they will drinke and sucke the milke and honey for a time the next day give him this drinke Take a quart of sweet Wort or of your strongest Ale specially if it be new then take a quarter of a pound of Ferne roots of Saven halfe a pound of Stone-Crop halfe a pound stampe them all together and put to it of brimstone and of soot of each two spoonfuls both well powdred and let all these be well steeped in Wort or Ale two hours then strain it give him of this two good horn-fuls then bridle him and let him stand upon the trench sixe houres but this will not kill them the third day give him these purging pils Take of Lard one pound let it be laid in water two houres then take nothing but the pure fat thereof onely beat it well in a stone morter and put thereto of Anniseeds Licoris and Fennugrick all made into fine powder of each halfe an ounce Aloes powdred two drams and of Agaricke one ounce make all these well mixed into one body and divide them equally into sixe Pils or Bals then the Horse having fasted over night give him in the morning three of these Pils annointed first with honey then cloath him up and litter him well and keep the Stable warme and at night give him a sweet Mash and for three dayes after let him have none other drinke then white water These Bals will so purge the bad humours that breed and nourish these vermine that the Horse will be perfectly cleane and free from them of what kind soever they are and you
it selfe universally over the whole body leaving no member free and confoundeth every faculty and member thereof Fourthly and lastly dangerous sicknesse comes also by accident as when a Horse v. g receiveth some deep or perilous wound or hurt either in his body or elsewhere in some vitall or dangerous part by meanes whereof nature is so farre offended as that incontinently a general sicknes seazeth upō the Horse which not in opportune time prevented death suddenly ensueth and these infirmities are called by the more expert Ferriers Accidentall feavers for if you be pleased to observe well you shall finde the Horse sometimes trembling sometimes sweating sometimes cold sometimes burning but never in good temper And thus much briefly of these foure points or grounds which be the occasion of most dangerous sicknesse Accidentall Hippoph What meanes hath a man to know the signes whereby to distinguish these severall sicknesse the one from the other Hippos Very easily Sir for if sicknesse doth proceed from the first of these foure principles to wit from heats then are the signes these viz. The heavinesse of his countenance swelling of his limbs especially of his hinder legges scowring and loosenesse of his body in the beginning of sicknesse short and hot breath a loathing and forsaking of meat c. If from the second viz. cold then the signes are a dejected countenance dulnesse or sleepinesse of the eyes Dangerous sicknesse how to know Pustils or hard knots under the Chaule yea and many times inflamed kernels and swellings so high as to the very roots of the eares a rotten or moyst inward hollow cough he many times chewing betwivt his teeth some loose filthy and flegmaticke matter immediately after his coughing which in some cases is not an evill signe by reason that thereby the cold rotteth and goeth away whereas on the contrary side for a Horse to cough cleare and dry doth demonstrate a dry cough which hath long time lurked in his body sorely festring and tormenting him inwardly which is very difficile to cure but at length discovers it selfe by reason the creatures languishing and generall falling away of his flesh for his belly will be shrunke up and when he drinketh much of the same water will issue forth of his nose his eyes will be either watry or materative and runne continually through paine which he hath in his head procured by meanes of this cold and his hayre will be rough and staring c. From the third to wit from surfet by meate either naturall or unnaturall the signes be these a dulnesse of the head eyes and countenance yea and that in such a violent manner so as the Horse will be hardly able to lift up his head from the manger a dull and dead eye and sunk into his head his eares prickt upright and the tops of them cold as also his upper lips and sheath his pace reeling and staggering and if the disease be farre gone he will be of a frenetike and mad comportment as by biting and gnawing the Racke and Manger or whomsoever shall come within his reach and sometimes by biting of himselfe and by beating his head against the wall and floore and other such franticke postures and passions but if the malady be not yet gotten into the braine or doe not occupy that place but that it hath settled it selfe more intrinsecally in the body or heart then you shall perceive by the whites of the eyes the lips and tongue this disease to be the plaine yellowes and if the disease be farre gone then will the Yellowes be dispersed all over the whole skinne and the Horse sweat in the morning when first you come to him as if he had beene sorely ridden or had an Arcticke feaver and have a desire rather to be lying then to stand and when he standeth it will be with his fore-legs straddling the one from the other and he will also have a loosenesse or scowring especially if the Horse hath taken his surfet by eating too many Oates or other provender and by drinking sudden-after which you shall the better know because the Horse will in his ordure voyd some of his Oates or other graine whole as not being disgested by reason that the cold water so suddenly taken upon his over-hasty eating not being all chewed will coole his stomacke and make him to swell besides the Horse will have a generall loathing and forsaking of his meat which is likewise the common symptome of every kinde of surfet and almost every degree of sicknesse The fourth and last ground or principle is that if his infirmity and sicknesse doe proceed from accidentall meanes then are the signes a perplexed and troubled body sometimes sweating at the roots of his eares in the flankes and behinde the shoulders against the heart sometimes he will be taken with a trembling all his body over and sometimes with a glowing and burning in his vitall parts as in the temples of his head against his heart on the inside of his fore-legs next to the body and on the inside of the hinder-legs also his mouth will be dry and hot his tongue will be subject to be enflamed and furred in fine he will have a loathing and aversion from meat but onely that he must eate and a great draught and thirst and a great longing to drink cold water and when he hath drunke what him liketh yet will he neverthelesse desire to keep his mouth continually in the water Many other signes there be whereby a man who is any thing at all skilfull and cautelous may by observing discover when his Horse falleth into any infirmity and sicknesse as when you doe perceive that his countenance and postures do alter from their usuall customes then be you well assured your Horse doth alter and decay in his health Also you must observe his feeding and how he doth eate as whether with a good appetite or with a weake stomacke the first being good the second unkindely and unhealthy as also how he doth discharge or empty himselfe and how his urine and the colour of his doung or ordure doe alter which if his doung or excrements be pale and full of graines then is it good but if blacklsh and dusky according as I have before in its due place handled then be you confident he hath much heate and drynesse in his body by which meanes probably ensueth great and dangerous sicknesse very many other signs of sicknesse there are as the not casting or shedding of his hayre in its due and proper season hide bound costivenesse laxativenesse the clinging up of his belly to the flankes continuall dislike drowsinesse dulnesse and heavinesse when he hath wanted due ordering and feeding c. all which symptomes are so well known to every man as that they need not be handled further in this place Hippoph But now Hipposerus sithence you have thus farre discoursed what are the causes and signes of dangerous sicknesse I would gladly you would shew me how I may
which descending from the stomacke goe down into the guts and there torment him and sometimes it commeth by reason of Wormes Bots or Truncheons which doe engender in the stomacke or guts of the Horse which do feed and gnaw upon the paunch and guts putting him to mickle pain and perplexity The signes are he will forsake his meat lye down oft and tumble and when he standeth he will eft soones strike at his belly with his hinder legs he will also stampe with his fore-feet and turn his head towards his belly and looke upon it and he will many times sweat at the flankes and seldome any where else and if the malady be of winde then shall you perceive his belly to swell especially towards the flanks the cure is Fret Take of good Ale two quarts of Fenugrick foure ounces of Bay-berries seven ounces of long Pepper foure ounces of Ginger one one ounce Water-Cresses two handfuls Sage and Nettles of each one handfull beat to powder the Spices and chop the hearbs small and boyle them in the Ale till one moyity be consumed then straine it and so give it him bloud warme and then cover and litter him warme and let him stand upon the Trench sixe houres after But yet so soone as he hath his drinke rope up all his legges to the body not suffering him to lye down and cover him so as that he may sweat for one houre onely and then coole him by degrees and let his drink be either sweet Mashes or white water and he being thus ordered two or three dayes he will be well ✚ This I have often used Another Take the entrals of a great Chicken casting away the gizzard rowle them up in bay-Salt and the powder of Brimstone and so give it him down his throat then presently let him be gently ridden or walked till he doth dung and at night give him a Mash or white water and he is cured This is also very good But if you have cause to suspect that he hath the Bots then rake him and in his raking search for Bots which if you doe finde any sticking upon the great gut pluck them all or so many as you can finde away whereby you may be confident that the Bots is cause of his griefe wherefore apply such remedies and medicines which I have formerly prescribed you for Bots Truncheons and Wormes in lib. 2. cap. 5. § 15. where you shall finde such receits as will cure him ✚ But if you doe perceive this griefe of his commeth of winde then make use of such receits which you shall finde by me before inculcated for the Collicke in lib. 2. cap. 6. § 11. lit C. where be very good remedies for this Malady CHAP. 10. §. 1. G. Hippophylus WHat is best to be done to cure a galled backe Hippos There be so many wayes which doth occasion it as that it would be an endlesse labour to deliver every particular thereof But because you doe motion the galled backe onely I will first speake something thereof A galled backe commeth commonly either with the Saddle the Pannell Pack-Saddle or Male-pillion which through evill stopping or defect of stopping may very easily gall the Horse so also may the fault be in the tree which may be so badly made so as that let the Saddler be never so sufficient skilfull or carefull yet shall it both gall and hurt him so also may the tree of the Saddle be either broken or crackt if it at any time happen be you then confident that it can never be so amended or repaired but that doe what you can it shall hurt the back of the Horse and these be the most frequent and ordinary wayes whereby to gall the back of your horse howbeit I passe over Male-pillions Cloake-bags Port-mantues Trusses and the like The signes to know a galled back are easie for either the backe will be apparantly swelled or the hayre fretted off the skinne either broken or raw or the backe either inflamed or impostumated every of which is easily to be determined by the eye or if his backe be wrung with the Saddle and yet not come to be visible to the eye yet may you come to the knowledge therof if taking off the Saddle stroking your hand all along the back you shall perceive him either to shake his head or to winch with his tayle to rouze or shake to stamp or strike with his feet to offer to bite or the like whereby you may come to know it and very easily to finde out the place grieved Now if the back be swelled and before it be impostumated so soon as you shall take off the Saddle and finde the same clap upon the swelling a little of his wet litter and so set on the Saddle againe and let him remain with his Saddle on all night and in the morning the swelling will be abated and the place it selfe become whole and sound again Now if the hayre be but galled off so that it doth not impostumate annoynt the place but with a little Butter and Salt melted together and in twice dressing the place will be whole but if the backe be so galled as that it is become raw then the cure is thus viz. Take three parts of sheepes-dunge newly made Gaelled 〈◊〉 and one part of Rie or Wheate flower and dry the flower and then mixe it well with the sheepes-dung kneading it as into paste and making it into the fashion of a Cake and after bake it a little and apply the powder thereof warme unto the place ✚ This will heale him very well But I may very well spare the labour in reciting any more receipts for this matter considering I have sufficiently already handled them in lib. 2. chap. 5. § 1. letter B. §. 2. G. Hippoph VVHat say you to a Galde that commeth by the Shackell Hippos Tâ—aâ— kind of Gallings being so frequent as to be knowne to every one both in the manner how it commeth and in the signes how to know them needeth not much disscussion neverthelesse I will give you an experiment or two of mine owne and so leave it to its more proper place Take new milke three quarts Plantane one handfull Galled wiâ— the Shackâ— boyle these together till one part of the milke be consumed then take of Allum six ounces and of white sugar-Candy one ounce beat them both to fine powder and so put it to the milke and adde also unto it of white Wine-Vineger six spoonfuls then boyle it a little till there do come upon the top a tough curd then strayne it and keep the whay A whay casting away the curd and with this whay first made warme bathe and wash the sore the hayre being first clipped close away and having thus washed the sorance and wiped it dry then apply your greene oyntment mentioned in the fourth § of this Chapter but in case where the Galde is not yet broken yet likely to breake there you shall