rise again The Symptoms of this disease are holding down his head staring up of his hair coughing staggering behind trembling after water loathing his meat stiff-going and disability to rise when down but the most remarkable of all signs is his belly will cling up to his back and his back will rise up like a Camels The first thing you are to do in the curing this Malady is to rake his Fundament then give him a Clyster finding the Horses belly emptied then take a quart of Malmsey of Sugar half a quartern half an Ounce of Cinamon of Liquorish and Anniseeds of each two spoonfuls beaten into fine powder which being put into the Malmsey warm them over the fire adding thereto some Honey which being molten give it the Horse luke-warm which done walk him up and down an hour if the weather be tolerably warm then let him fast upon the bit two hours being well cloathed and litter'd and when you give him Hay let it be sprinkled with Water and give him his clean sifted Provender by a little at once his drink must be warm Mashes of Malt and Water upon his recovery draw blood from him in the Neck-Vein and moderately exercise him often Feaver I have in a Chapter foregoing treated of several sorts of Feavers however I must not in this place omit speaking something more thereof An Horse that is Feaverish may be known by his suddainly falling ill his heaviness and gauntness of his Belly when it first seizeth him he will quake exceedingly The Cure Take half an Ounce of Diapente one Ounce of Bay-berries half an Ounce of long Pepper beat these together then take half an Ounce of Diascordium and put all these into a Pint and half of strong Beer and making it luke-warm give him it any time of the day to drink but take no blood from him in any case it is death if you do only cloath and litter him warm the Diascordium will cause him to sleep Now after the Drink hath done working and the Horse left off sweating then give him half a Pint of White-Wine and two Ounces of Honey mixt together and made luke-warm then air him and four hours after give him a Cordial made of three pints of stale Beer and a quarter of a Pint of Honey and a quarter of a pound of Butter and a good piece of Houshold bread boyl them a little together and give it him luke-warm and so set him up for that night Next morning fasting give him the Cordial again and at ten of the Clock give him warm Water and Bran at three of the Clock White-Wine and Honey and at night warm Water and Bran. Thus do with airing him sometimes and as you see him mend you may air him oftner at which time take some blood from his Spur-Veins and never question his cure Flux in Horses A Flux proceedeth from cold or from drinking too much after eating too plentifully of Provender for the Water coming thereunto causeth it to swell whereby crudities are bred in the Stomach and so carried down to the Guts and this occasioneth the Flux It proceeds sometimes from too soon travelling after Provender it being not well digested before or from drinking cold Water when he is too hot or from eating Hens-Dung or a Spider Be not over hasty in stopping this Flux unless you perceive he purgeth too much and over violently for then undoubtedly Nature is highly offended and then give him a laxative Clyster which I prescribed before in the Chapters of Clysters and that will carry away from him whatever within offends him a day after give him this Drink made of Bean Flower and Bole-Armoniack Powder of each three Ounces mix them with a quart of Red-Wine give it him Blood-warm and afterwards keep him warm in the Stable giving him Hay and Oats a little at a time Another way Take of wood-Ashes finely searced and of Bole Armoniack made into a fine powder of each a like quantity put them into the water that he is to drink and let him drink thereof morning and evening and this will stay his Flux Glaunders I shall wave what the Ancients have said of the Glanders imagining that it comes from the Latin word Glandulae and say that it is a running Impostume engendred either by cold over much fasting or long thirst or by eating foul meat or else by infection of other Horses It is a Flux or Rheum which sometimes runneth at one Nostril sometimes at both now he that would perfectly cure this disease must consider the matter which issueth from the Horses Nose If the humour be clear and transparent then it is not very dangerous if white it is worse yet with no great difficulty cured If it be yellow it is infectious yet curable and therefore separate him from your sound Horses If that yellow be mixed with red or if the colour of the matter be like Saffron the Horse is in a manner incurable He ought to consider whether the matter hath an evil smell if so it is the sign of an Ulcer if it stink not at all it is a certain sign of death To facilitate his cure you must give him warm Mashes of Malt and Water with purging his head by sneezing you may then give him any of these several drinks First you may take a pottle of Urine an handful of Bay Salt and a good quantity of brown Sugar-Candy then boyl it to a quart after this adde Anniseeds and Liquorish beaten to fine powder and give it him blood-warm to drink Secondly you may take Swines Grease and boyl it in Water then take the fat from the water and mingle it with a little Oyl Olive and a good quantity of Urine and half as much White-Wine when it is luke-warm give him a quart thereof to drink Thirdly take a quart of Ale an Ounce and half of grated bread the Yolks of two Egges of Ginger Saffron Cloves Cinamon Nutmegs Cardamomum Lavender Galingal and Honey of these an indifferent quantity mix these together strain it and give it him to drink But if the Glaunders be of the worser sort which will be known by the aforesaid Symptoms then take half a pound of Swines Blood adde to it a pound of the juice of Beets with three Ounces of Euphorbium finely beaten and when it hath boyled some time take it off from the fire and put thereto another Ounce of Euphorbium keep this Oyntment and anoint therewith his Nostrils by dipping two very long feathers or little rods therein and so rub them to and fro his Nostrils then walk him abroad and do thus four days together and this by experience hath been found an excellent cure Gargel Murrain Plague and Pestilence Blood-letting is very dangerous in these Pestilential diseases The signs when to know an Horse afflicted with this distemper are Gumming thick at the eyes hanging down of the head staggering as he goeth swelling of his head falling away of his flesh notwithstanding a good appetite
four It proceeds from colds and heats occasioned several ways and the distemper is very troublesome and loathsome however not very difficult to be cured if you will observe this Method First let him blood in the Neck-veins but before you do it keep him fasting most part of the night before having let him bleed freely give him a drink made thus Take of Aristilochia one ounce of Turmerick one ounce of Anniseeds dry one ounce beat the Anniseeds and Turmerick small and grate the roots of Aristolochia put these together with one handful of Rew and one handful of Wormwood and one handful of red Sage one handful of green Fennel or two ounces of the seeds thereof then let all these steep together in three pints of water all night Now before you give him hereof ride him out a mile or two to warm him a little and then give him this water as it stood cold all night then ride him a mile more and after this let him stand six hours on the bit then give him a little Hay and after that warm water and Bran he must not drink but once a day riding him two or three miles after it At the expiration of three days give him the same drink using him as you did before in every circumstance observing so to do every third day till you have exsiccated or dried up those humours which are so offensive to him Staling free If an Horse be troubled with any obstruction whereby he cannot stale free I know no better remedy than this Take half a pint of white Wine and infuse therein all night an handful of Nettle-seeds with one ounce of Ivy-berries beaten to powder the next morning fasting give it him cold then ride him for an hour moderately and after that tie him to the rack three or four hours do this constantly every morning till you perceive him stale freely which will be in a little time for it wonderfully cleanseth the Kidneys of Sand and filth dissolveth the Stone and purgeth Gravel Squinzie or Strangling The Squinzie is a disease both troublesome and dangerous to Horses for it commonly breeds the Canker in the mouth and at the roots of the tongue afflicteth the Stomach with a great deal of tough Phlegm which he is not able with all his endeavours so to cast forth but that he is forced to swallow it down again His breath will be exceeding hot and his mouth fiery red the Canker if he have any you will find by the stench of his breath and these are the usual signs and symptoms of this noisome and destructive Malady The speediest cure is to take one ounce of Anniseeds an ounce of Turmerick beaten to powder half a quartern of Brandy a quarter of a pint of white Wine a pint and an half of Beer put these into a Posnet and only heat them blood-warm and give it him fasting and immediately after he hath taken it run the point of the Cornel-horn into the third Furrow of the roof of his mouth and so bleed him then walk him a mile and set him up be sure you litter him well and keep him warm for he will sweat excessively give him only warm water with Wheat-bran therein the next morning the like and then suddenly after give him half a pint of white Wine and two ounces and an half of Honey then walk him as before The third day in the morning after he hath swallowed his aforesaid Drink give him this Cordial which you may make thus Take three pints of strong Beer somewhat stale a good piece of Houshold-bread and crum it therein four ounces of Butter put these into a skillet together heat them not too much taking them off put in four ounces of Honey stir them together well and give it him fasting luke warm then ride him a mile afterwards set him up and let him be well littered In the time of his Cure ride him twice or thrice a day moderately and it will add very much to the restitution of his former health Star in the Forehead how to make one artificially I have heard of many a cunning Jockey that hath used this trick either to add to the value of his Horse or else suspecting his Horse stoln he used this project of making this artificial Star so to disguize the Horse that the right owner should not know his own goods thus I have been informed they make this Star with a pair of Cissers they cut away first the hair from that place where they would have their artificial Star to appear then they take a piece of red Brick and rub it on the bare place rubbing it till it come to the roots of the hair then wiping it clean with a linnen rag they make a Plaister of Burgundy-pitch and spread it on a linnen cloth so long and so wide as they intend the Star laying on an hot Iron on the Pitch to soften it ere they lay the plaister to the place intended having laid on the first they apply a second larger than the former letting them stick on till they fall off of their own accord which may be five weeks first now the craft lieth in making the hair grow white in the place of the former hair to effect which they take some Butter but more Honey and having mingled them together they anoint the Star once in three days and for that distance five or six times having so done in somewhat more than a quarter of a year the Star desired will be visibly perspicuous This some averr they have tried and have found it effectual not only as to the forehead of the Horse but they pretend also hereby to make such a mark on any other part of his body Tyring of Horses on the Road what to be done therein It is no novelty for Horses to tyre upon the Road nay good Horses too by reason of some new indisposition of body his Master was not acquainted with But let the causes of your Horse's tyring be what they will thus you ought to do in such a case if you will behave your self like a prudent Traveller Do not force your Horse beyond his ability when you perceive him begin to tyre but make what convenient speed you may to the next Inn where let the Hostler rub him well down cloath him and litter him up to the Belly and in his rubbing him with fresh Straw let him observe to do it against the hair then take a pint of sweet Sack or white Wine and put thereto of Cinnamon Ginger Nutmegs Grains Cloves Anniseeds and Fennel seeds of each one ounce all made into fine powder then take red Sage Rosemary-tops Mints Camomile and wild Thyme of each a like quantity amounting in all to half an handful chop the Herbs very small and put them with the Spices into the Wine boil these together a pretty while then take it from the fire strain it and unbitting your Horse give it him blood-warm to drink then bit him again and
the liquor three hours standing over the hot embers then add thereto half a pint of Sallet-Oyl give your Horse this blood-warm four days before the full and change of the Moon Clyster for any desperate sickness Take of Oyls of Dill and Camomile of Violets and of Cassia half an ounce of each and of brown Sugar-candy powdered three ounces of Mallow leaves half an handful boil the Mallows first to a Decoction in fair water then strain it and put therein all the aforesaid ingredients This Clyster is a sovereign help against all Feavers the Pestilence all languishing Distempers or Surfeits and will corroborate and strengthen in a very short time Clyster for the Plague or Pestilence Take half an Ounce of the pulp of Coloquintida the seeds and skins exempted three quarters of an ounce of Dragantium of Centaury and Wormwood of each half an handful a quarter of an ounce of Castoreum boil all these in three quarts of water to a quart then strain it and dissolve into it three ounces of the broth of Gerologundinum and of white Salt three drachms of Sallet-oil half a pint and so administer it being blood-warm Clyster lenitive against Convulsions Cramps Costiveness Surfeit or Foundring Take four ounces of Butter or half a pint of Sallet-oil and put it to the Decoction of Mallows and give it him Clyster-wise blood-warm it is a great Cooler of the body and doth infinitely asswage pain Clyster for the Cholick Take salt water or new made brine a quart dissolve therein a pretty quantity of Soap and so blood-warm administer This Clyster is not only good against the Cholick Griping of the Guts but any other distemper Dropsie This disease is known by an universal swelling of all the body in general but especially the legs through the abundance of water lying between the skin and the flesh the Belly will swell like to a Mares with Foal a swelling also betwixt the great Bag and the Kell this disease is farther known by shortness of breath loss of natural colour want of appetite and a continual christ This disease which is an evil habit of the body is engendered by surfeits and unreasonable labour and is cured by taking two handfuls of Wormwood and boil it in Ale or Beer a quart or better and give it the Horse to drink luke-warm morning and evening at noon let him drink his own water But the best and most approved remedy is to take a Gallon of strong Ale and settling it over the fire scum off the froth which ariseth then take a handful of Wormwood with the stalks and put them therein and let it boil to a quart then take it off and strain it well then dissolve into it three ounces of the best Treacle and put in also an ounce and a half of long Pepper and Grains beaten to a fine powder then brew them together till it be luke-warm and so give it him to drink the next day let him blood in the Neck-vein and anoint his Fore-legs with Traine Oil then turn him into good grass and do not doubt his recovery Drenches general for all Diseases in Horses If for colds take half an ounce of the powder called Diapente the way how to make it I have already discovered in a Chapter foregoing and brew it with a pint of Sack if for sickness at heart brew it in Muskadine and give it the Horse fasting in the morning give him this to drink as soon as ever you see him begin to droop and so continue doing for three or four mornings Another Drench you may make by taking two handfuls of Celandine root and leaves chop them and bruise them then take of Rue red Sage and Mint as much of Aloes half an ounce boil these in a pottle of Ale to a quart and give it the Horse luke-warm Or take four ounces of Diapente and mix it with four ounces of Honey clarified and keep it close in a Glass then take a pint of sweet Wine and put half an ounce thereof into it and it is an excellent Drench Take of Liquorish an ounce of Anniseeds Cumminseeds and Elecampane roots of each half an ounce of Turmerick and Bays of each a quarter of an ounce of long Pepper and Fenugreek of each two drachms beat these small and sierce them and put five spoonfuls into a quart of Ale warmed with a little Butter or Oyl The powder of Brimstone mixt with sweet Wine is a very good Drench The root of the Sea-onion the roots of Poplar mingled with common Salt given in water preserveth health a long time Garlick and Housleek beaten together in a Mortar and then boiled in Ale from a pottle to a quart and mixt with Liquorish Anniseeds and Sugar-candy with a pretty quantity of Sallet oil is an incomparable Drench for any internal maladies proceeding from hot causes Of Drenches and their uses let this suffice Diseases commonly infesting the Spleen The Spleen is the receptacle of Melancholy and the dregs of blood there is no part of the body more subject to diseases than this is for through its Sponginess it is inclined to suck in all manner of filth and communicate it to the whole body The diseases of the Spleen usually afflict Horses in the Summer most proceeding from the greedy eating of green food The signs of these Maladies are Heaviness Dulness pain on the left side hard swellings short breath much groaning The speediest way to cure him is to make him sweat then take the leaves of Tamarisk bruised a good quantity of Cumminseed beaten to powder and boil them in a quart of white wine and so give it him luke-warm This last is not the least nor a despicable remedy Take Cumminseed and Honey of each six ounces of Lacerpitium as much as a Bean of Vinegar a pint and put all these in three quarts of water and let it stand so all night in the morning give him a quart to drink having fasted all the night Diseases of the Gall. If the Liver be troubled with many diseases so is the Gall which is a long slender little greenish Bladder fixed underneath the Liver which receiveth all the Cholerick bitter moisture which would otherwise not only be offensive to the Liver but likewise the whole body Now if the passage of this necessary Vessel be stopped there will certainly follow many diseases as the Lax Bloody-flux Yellows and the like Or if the way whereby such Choler should issue forth of the Bladder of the Gall down into the Guts and Excrements is closed up and so aboundeth with too much Choler hence proceedeth Suffocation heat thirst and a disposition to rage and fury and for certain in any beast there is not a more dangerous disease than the overflowing of the Gall. The Symptoms of these Maladies are yellowness of the skin yellow Jaundice with costiveness of body The Cure is to boil good store of Saffron in Milk or Ale Saffron and Anniseeds mixt together But I am of the opinion
and Phlegmatick matter ingendred by foul feeding The signs are the Horse will refuse his meat will be much addicted to lying down rowling on his belly beating it sometimes with his feet if troubled with the Red Worms his pain will be intollerable so that he will beat his head against the ground Some approve of this as an excellent remedy take the warm guts of a new killed Hen and mixing them with Salt thrust them down the Horses throat this must be done three mornings fasting withholding him from water four hours after or else give him to drink a spoonful of Soap in a Pint of Milk or lastly take of Gentian Aloes and Savin of each half an Ounce and brew them together with Honey and strong Ale But if it be a Mare with foal give nothing internally for fear of killing her Colt only let her blood in the roof of her mouth and make her swallow her own blood which will not only kill the Worms but help most internal Maladies Blood-staling An Horse many times instead of Urine will void pure blood which is occasioned often times by labouring over much and by that means breaking a Vein then will there issue from his Yard pure blood without any other commixture but if the Blood be mingled with Urine then it proceeds from the Kidneys wounded with a ragged Stone therein but Mr. Markham is clearly of the opinion that there is no greater cause of Blood-staling than the taking up of an Horse in the dead of Winter from Grass and without a days respite riding him a long journey The signs are so apparent that we will pass them and fall upon the Cure and in the first place it will be proper to phlebotomize him in the Palate of the mouth or in the Neck and let the blood be sodden with Wheat and with the powder of dryed Pomegranat pills having strained it give him hereof four or five mornings together and in the space of time let him not labour by any means Or take a quart of strong Ale and a red Herring cut it into small peices and let it lye steeping in the Ale then give it the Horse with an Horn and it will stop the inward bleeding of the Horse Otherwise you may take a spoonful of Taragon and steep it in White-Wine and as much Poppy seed beaten as will lye on a Shilling give this fasting in the White-Wine and it is an infallible cure Blowing and Pursiveness in an Horse Many Horses are naturally thick winded by reason of their being Cock-throppled and narrow chawled but most frequently it is so by accident as when he is fat and over-laden with flesh by rankness of blood or by too much foulness in the body and by these means will upon any exercise sweat pant blow and heave at the Flanks To the intent wherefore you may prevent his being broken winded in time apply your self to the cure and let it be in this manner Let him feed moderately on Hay for Horses so diseased are greedy Feeders and let the Hay be always sprinkled with water which will asswage his thirst and very much cool his inflamed blood then give him two Egges steeped twenty four hours in the strongest White-Wine-Vinegar five or six mornings following and let him swallow the Vinegar afterwards then ride him gently an hour after then set him up warm and three hours after give him Hay sprinkled with Water and at night give him Oats wetted in good strong Ale do this ten days keeping him the while to spare diet and let his drink be white Water This Medicine will both purge and scowre from him much flegm and filth at Nose and mouth and if moderately exercised will be both sounder and better in health a long time after Belly-ach This Belly-Ach or Fretting in the Belly proceedeth from eating green Pulse or raw undryed Pease Beans or Oats or when gross humours Inflammations or any sharp matter is gotten between the Pamile and the great Gut The signs are great groaning wallowing striking at his Belly and gnawing on the Rack or Manger The Cure is first to anoint your hand with Sallet Oyl or Butter and then thrusting it into the Horses Fundament pull out as much Dung as you can reach which is called Raking an Horse then give him a Clyster of Water and Salt or a Suppository of Honey and Salt and then let him drink the Powder of Centaury and Worm-wood brewed with a quart of Malmesey But the best remedy in most mens opinion is a Suppository of New Castle-Soap Broken-Windedness This disease may happen by over hasty running a fat Horse presently after his Water or without exercise standing too long in the Stable or foul feeding whereby so many gross humours may be drawn down into the body of an Horse that cleaving to the hollow parts of his Lungs and stopping the Wind-pipes his Wind may have its recourse backwards and not upwards filling the Guts and diminishing his strength The signs of this disease are violent beating of his Flanks drawing his Belly upward great opening of his Nostrils with a swift going to and fro of his Tuel all which are accompanied with a dry Cough This is the worst of all the Distempers of the Lungs and therefore the Cure is the more difficult however take this method having been found an excellent remedy by frequent experience and hath done its work when all others failed Take of Pances Long-Wort Maiden-Hair the Crops of Nettles Carduus Benedictus the Herb Flueâ—in Dragon roots bruised Elicampane roots bruised of Water Hemp Peniroyal Light-Wort and Angelica of each of these a good handful bruise them and lay them all night in two Gallons of Water let it boyl in the morning and when it is luke-warm give the Horse hereof as much as he will drink after this drink give him a good quantity of sodden Wheat use him to this Diet for ten days and then if the season be convenient turn him out to grass Others apply this Medicine they will take his Water for nine days and boyl Liquorish therein mixt with Wine and so give it him to drink I do not deny but this may be a safe and good Medicine but the first for my money Broken Lungs frettized and rotten The Lungs are inclosed by a very thin film and therefore are the more subject to break and being broken if the cure be neglected they will soon impostumate and inflame The signs are when the Horse cougheth his Flanks will beat but the flower they beat the disease is the more dangerous by how much it is of the longer standing or continuance besides he will draw his Wind short groan much and when he coughs he will bring up something which he will champ in his mouth To cure him you must give him two or three Ounces of Hogs grease and three spoonfuls of Diapente brewed in a quart of Barley-Water wherein Currans have been boyled Or you may take of Fenugreek and Linseed of
it easeth all griefs strains and stiffness of the Limbs but particularly the taking up of the Plat-Veins easeth all pains in the breast and griefs in the chest the taking up of the Fore-thigh Veins helpeth Farcies and swellings of the Legs the taking up of the Shackle-Veins before easeth Gourding Quitter-bones swelling of the joints scabs and scratches the taking up of the hinder hough Veins helpeth Spavens of both kinds especially any Farcy in those parts and generally all swellings and Imposthumes the taking up of the Pastern-Veins behind helpeth swellings about the Cronet or neather joynts pains Mules and all manner of Kibed heels Let thus much suffice for a prefatatory discourse or introduction I shall now follow my intended method in giving you an Alphabetical account of those outward Maladies which afflict Horses with their cures and first of the Disease called the Anbury The Anbury is a spungy over-grown Wart full of blood having a root like a Cocks stone it may grow upon any part of the Horses body but principally it is discovered above the Eye-brows Nostrils or Privy parts If it be high take an Horses hair and tye about it very hard making it fast and in eight or nine days it will so eat through it as that it will drop off but if it be flat you must burn it off with an hot Iron leaving none of the root behind and dry it up with the powder of Verdigrease with this proviso it lye not too near any sinew if so eat out the Core with Mercury then stop the hole with Flax dipt in the white of an Egge and dry it up with unslaked Lime and Honey Accloy Accloying is no more than what we commonly call pricking with a Nail in the shooing and hereupon will halt if you find the cause thereof to be a prick then take out the sole and cut the hoof round about the place pricked and having removed the corruption take Hurds steeped in the whites of Egges and fill up the hole do thus four days and after that heal up the sore with Salt made into fine powder mingled with Vinegar and anoint the out-side of the hoof with black Aegyptiacum or this is as good a remedy as the former take Sallet-Oyl Turpentine and Rosin-pitch all molten together put it very hot into the hole where he is pricked and then stop the hole with hurds Avives Avives is a Distemper otherwise called Vives or Fives they are certain flat Kernels in likeness to a bunch of Grapes growing in a cluster they creep down from the Ears towards the Throat which when they are inflamed will swell which swelling as it is very painful so it will prove mortal if not timely prevented for by stopping his wind it will soon suffocate him The common causes of this Distemper are over-heatings or extraordinary rankness of blood In the Cure you must cautiously observe not to touch the Kernels with your fingers but having cut the skin long-ways so that the Kernels lye open take an instrument like a pair of Plyers and pinch forth the Kernels and so apply thereunto hurds steeped in the whites of Egges well beaten and bound thereon renew this dayly seven or eight times and it will cure it This is Mr. Greys way of curing the Avives The common way of curing it is to draw down the sore with an hot Iron just in the midst so far as the swelling goeth and then under the Ear draw two other stroaks of the fashion of an Arrows head then open the skin and with a small pair of Plyers pull out the Kernels and cut them off but have a care you injure not the Veins that done fill the place with Bay-salt made into fine powder and after that heal up the sore with a green Ointment The cure of latest practice is to let him blood on both sides of the Neck then clap a pair of Barnacles on his nose and take a red hot Iron with the Edge as thick as the back of a Knife and with it make a strike from the root of the Ears upon the middle of the swelling downwards to the lowest part of the swelling then burn it till the skin be yellow being thus seared anoint the swelling with a little butter or Hogs-grease according as the searing is less or more deep anoint him seldomer or oftner but four or five times is sufficient But the most approved Medicine for this Malady which will cure it without burning or any such violent means is take a penny worth of Pepper beaten to fine powder Swines grease a spoonful the juice of an handful of Rue and of Vinegar two spoonfuls mix these well together and convey it equally into both the Ears of the Horse then shake the Ears that the Medicine may sink downwards and after that tye them up when you have done this let him blood in the Neck-Vein and Temple-Vein Arraists or Rat-tails This Distemper proceedeth from too much rest or from being not well rubbed about the heels for by this over much ease and pampering the blood corrupting in his body falleth down into his hinder legs and is much more venemous and malignant than the Scratches The Cure must be wrought by taking half a pound of green Vitriol and boyl it in a pottle of running Water with Allom Mustard Sage and Hysop of each an handful The night before you apply this anoint the sores with strong Mustard after they are made raw then the next day wash them with the Water aforesaid made of Vitriol c. and you need not doubt the Cure But the most approved remedy I can find for this Malady is to let the Horse be ridden till he be warm whereby the Veins will be more apparent then let him blood in the Fetlock-Veins on both sides suffering him to bleed a good quantity then the next day wash the sores with warm Water clipping away all the hair about the sores and after this anoint them with an Oyntment made after this manner take green Coperas and Verdigrease of each two Ounces and of common Honey four Ounces beat the Coperas and Verdigrease very small and work them up with your Honey to a perfect Unguent and herewith dayly anoint the sores till they be well Attaint upper and neather and in the heel The upper Attaint is a painful swelling of the Back-sinew of the Shank-bone occasioned by over-reaching and striking that Sinew with the Toe of his hinder-foot making him halt downright The signs are apparent and the cure not very difficult to the perfecting whereof take a Plaister made of Wine-lees and Wheat-flower laid hot thereon or else take of Black Soap and Boars-grease of each a like quantity scalding hot and make thereof a Plaister of Sear-cloth and clap it over the sore place Others will only take a live Pigeon and cut him in two and clap it to the sore which they affirm will speedily abate the swelling Others again take of Frankincense of Rozin of Tar of Euphorbium
all The Remedy is to take a Plaister of Pitch Rozin and Mastich and lay all over the Temples of the Horses head then with a sharp knife or Lancet make a slit under each of his eyes about four fingers beneath and let each slit be an inch long then with a Cornet loosen the skin about the breadth of a groat and thrust therein a round piece of Leather with an hole in the midst see that the matter run at least eight days looking to it every day after this remove the Leather and heal up the wound with flax dipt in this Ointment made of Honey Wax and Turpentine of each a like quantity dissolved together but let it be only warm when you dip your flax therein let the Plaisters on his Temples fall off of their own accord being fallen off make a Star in the midst of each Temple-vein with your hot drawing Iron Malender Low-worm or Shingles being much alike This Malender or Low-worm is so like St. Anthonie's-fire or the Shingles that I hardly think it distinguishable from either It is caused according to the opinion of the most judicious by a Worm that breedeth in the Back-bone betwixt the bone and skin which extendeth it self along the breast to the Brain but as soon as it comes to touch the pannicle thereof the Horse will immediately fall into extreme madness and frenzie and hardly reducible The Symptoms of this Disease are first he will bend down his back and make many proffers to stale but cannot and when he doth piss it will be but very little at a time and that in his sheath too a little after this he will fall distracted not only gnawing the Manger or what is next him but will also bite and strike at all that comes near him This disease is called by the French Ver-Coquin by the Italians Vermiform who absolutely hold that this worm which is the cause of this distemper can be no ways destroyed but by fire but our English Farriers know to the contrary as for example this ensuing Receipt is an infallible remedy Take of Acrement a quarter of a pound six heads of Garlick clean pilled of Rue and Tormentile bearing a yellow flower of each one pound stamp these in a stone Mortar and put thereto as much White-Wine as will with the juice make a pottle before you give your Horse any of this liquor let him bleed very well from his Tail having stancht the blood give a sixth part of the aforesaid liquor and so continue doing every morning till all the liquor be spent This is an approved cure The French cure is by taking an Iron with a Button at one end and making it red hot they burn the Horse on the fore-head under his fore-top and on the fore-top and four other in the Neck clean though upon the Crest two of the holes must be on the one side of the Crest and two on the other putting into every hole to extinguish the fire Vnguentum Rosarum after this they let him blood in the Neck-Vein and this they say is an infallible remedy Maunginess in the Main Main Maunginess with shedding of the hair happens either by Lice rankness of Blood or else sometimes by scrubbing against that Post some other maungy Horse hath rubbed The best and speediest way of curing this Maunge is to take two pound of fresh grease one Ounce of Quick-silver and the like of Brimstone of Rape Oyl half a pint mingle these together stirring them so with a stick or slice till the Quick-silver is undiscoverable then take an old Curry-comb and scratch away the scurf so that the part become both raw and bloody then anoint the places herewith holding a broad hot Iron against them to make the Ointment to sink in this in four or five days will cure him This disease is called by the French the Elephantick Malady because they say the Elephants are much troubled herewith You are to understand that the Maunge is infectious and therefore as soon as ever you perceive it in one Horse remove him from all other to the intent you may prevent the infecting of others Our late Farriers have this Receipt in great esteem Take of Orpin one pound Brimstone and Euphorbium of each one Ounce Cantharides twenty five make all these into fine powder and with Hogs grease make it into an Ointment apply this to all the maungy places rubbing it well in after this anointing six days after anoint him with Hogs grease only when you find the scurf to fall off wash the Neck and other parts with Buck Lye made blood warm For Maunginess in general take a Gallon of strong Ale and a pound of Tobacco stalks half a pound of Allom a pint of Salt one penny worth of Mercury boil these together till one half be consumed then first let him blood and afterwards wash him here with Now if it be a dry inward Maunge you will know it by his hair coming off in plats scaling off sometimes from head to tail leaving a dry scurfie Maunge this Malady proceedeth from an extraordinary heat of the blood now in this case his body being inwardly afflicted with this Maunge give him this drink take one Ounce of the flower of Brimstone two Ounces of Rozen beaten small one Ounce of Turmerick powdred one Ounce of Anniseeds pounded in a Mortar put all these into a quart of strong Beer made blood warm and so give it him in a horn fasting after this tye him up to the rack five hours then give him warm water and bran and at night bursten Oats the next day strow two spoonfuls of Rozen powdred among his Provender the like the next night and the same quantity the next day and you need not doubt of a cure Mouth-sore If the mouth of your Horse be sore and that it proceedeth from corruption of blood or cold causing the palate of the Mouth to be inflamed and look red falling from the palate into the chaps in such a manner as when he hath opened them he will be unable to shut them again in this case I advise you first to let forth the corrupt blood then take Verjuice and Bay salt quantum sufficit and warm it on the fire then with Flax dipt therein wash his mouth and tongue three or four times a day But if it be fallen into his chaps which you shall know by his yawning and gaping then take only Verjuice of the Crab and make it luke warm then tye a rag to a stick and wash his mouth therewith very well helping him to close up his mouth with your hand Mellet A Mellet is a dry scab that groweth on the heel sometimes proceeding from corruption of blood but more commonly for want of Elbow-grease in rubbing him clean and dressing him after he is set up wet this Malady frequently appears like a dry chap. The usual cure is to take a pint of Honey and of Sope three Ounces and of White-Wine-Vinegar four or five
spoonfuls as much Allom as an Egge of Bean or Rye flower two spoonfuls mix all these together and apply it to the Mellet as far as it goeth letting it lye on five or six days after you have taken it away wash his leg and foot with salt Beef broth then rope his leg with wet Hay ropes two or three days after and he will be very sound and well Morfounded Morfounding is no other than foundring in the body by molten grease of which I have already treated in that section which discourseth only upon the internal diseases which afflict the bodies of Horses however give me leave to give you one excellent Receipt more inferiour to none of the former and that is this as followeth Take an handful of Salt and put it into a pint of fair water give him this to drink then ride him with that moderation that you cause him not to sweat this done as soon as you suspect him foundred will work the cure but if it be of five or six days standing then take a spoonful of the powder of Hellebore and of Saffron one penny worth of Assa foetida and of Soap of Venice of each two dramchs with a small quantity of the seeds of Bays mix these and pound them well together adding thereto a pint of Vinegar give him this to drink blood warm then cloath him well so that he sweat for an hour then cool him by degrees and after that rub him well down and he will be as well as ever Probatum Mules or Kibe heels This Sorrance is a certain dry scab or chap breeding behind on the heels of an Horse and so a little inward even to the Fetlock in long chaps or chinks The causes of these Kibed heels are either corrupted blood negligent keeping or by being bred in wet and marshy grounds The signs are swelling in his legs most especially in the Winter and Spring time going stifly and halting much As to the Cure you must first take away the scabs and make the Kybe raw then with strong Mustard made with Wine-vinegar anoint them all over and do this every night The next morning take half a pound of green Copperas and boil it in a pottle of running water with an handful of Sage and the like quantity of Hysop a quarter of a pound of Alom and as much strong Mustard and with this bathe the sore twice every day Or first wash his Sorrance clean then dry it after that take Linseed Oyl and black Soap of each a like quantity boil them together till they become a Salve and herewith anoint the Mules or Kibes If these Kibes are not of long standing take a little Sope and anoint them daily for three or four days and after that wash them with strong stale Urine and they would be whole But if it be of longer continuance then calcinate Tartar and dissolve it into water then congeal it like Salt and mingle it with Soap like an Ointment with this dress the sore by so doing in two days and two nights you shall perfectly cure the Kibes Pains or Scratches whatsoever Mallender I have before discours'd concerning the Mallender but it was more properly a disease called the Low-worm wherefore I shall particularly in this place insist upon the Mallender This Malady is a kind of a dry Scab growing overthwart the inward bent of the Knee and hath growing thereon stubborn hairs like Swines-bristles which will corrupt and canker the flesh causing him to go stiff till he is warmed by travel or exercise If you intend a Cure you must first pull out these bristly hairs then rub it dry with a cloth after this anoint it with Crown Sope and red Mercury precipitate mixed together dress him herewith five several times intermitting one day betwixt every dressing then anoint it with Sallet-oil and you need do no more Others think this way better First wash the sore clean with warm water then shave off the hair and pick away the scabs after this take a spoonful of Soap and as much Lime mingle them together that it may be like Paste then spread on a clout as much as will cover the Sore and bind it fast on with a List renewing it every day once the space of 4 days at the expiration of which time take away the Plaister and take Oil of Roses warmed and anoint the sore therewith and that will fetch off clearly all the scurf crusty eschar having removed this skurf wash once a day the place with man's Urine strowing the powder of burnt Oister-shells thereon continue thus doing till it be perfectly well The latest way of curing a Mallender is this first with your Scissers clip away the hair that either grows upon or about it then take an hair-cloth or the back of an old Knife and rub the scabs off which will cause a yellow matter to run from it then take a linnen cloth and therewith wipe the part very clean then take a groats-worth of the Oil of Riggrum and mingle it with Stercus humanum then lay on this with a flat stick upon a piece of cloth not woolen and bind it to the sore letting it lie on six days then cleanse it and dress it once more and there needs nothing else to perfect the Cure Lastly some only wash and shave the Mallender and then rub it with Piss and Soap till it be raw then lay to it Nerve-oil Honey and strong Mustard until it be whole Where note that some Horses will have two Mallenders upon one Leg one above the other and sometimes one a little above the bending of the Knee and another a little below the inward bending of the Knee but as to the Cure it is all alike what being good for the one may be applied also to the other Mourning of the Chine This disease called the Mourning of the Chine is also called the moist Malady it is supposed by most expert Farriers that this disease is a foul consumption of the Liver and this consumption proceeds from a cold which afterwards turns to a Poze then to the Glanders and lastly to the Mourning of the Chine The sign is that corrupt matter which runneth from his Nostrils will be darkish colour thin and reddish with little streaks of blood in it The Remedy is thus Take of Auripigmentum two drachms of Tussilage as much made into powder then mix them with Turpentine till they be as thick almost as Dow then make thereof little Cakes and dry them before the fire then take a Chafing-dish of Coals and lay a couple of the Cakes thereon covering them with a Tunnel when the smoke ariseth clap the end of the Tunnel into the Horses Nostril so that the smoke may ascend into his head after you have so done ride him till he sweat do this every morning before watering and he will quickly be cured Or else you may use this Remedy Take clear water and a quart of Hydromel adding thereto three ounces of Sallet-oyl
French for its cure it is thus effected There is an Herb which goeth by three or four names viz. Emanuel All-good Bonus Henricus or good King Henry take of the roots hereof and boil them in water and give him a Drench hereof blood warm in an horn this will remove the Red water and then you may cure the old Ulcer as you are prescribed in the Section of Fistulas Repercussive Medicaments Repercussive Medicines are such as repel or drive back evil and malignant humours Farriers call them Plaisters Defensative these are to be used in great wounds or Ulcers the best Repercussives are Vinegar Salt and Bole Armoniack beaten together and spread round about the Sore or else white Lead and Sallet Oyl beaten together or Red Lead and Sallet Oyl or else Vnguentum Album Camphoratum with a many more your own experience will indagate and discover Ring bone A Ring bone is at first a certain slimy humour and viscous which resorting to the bones of their own nature cold and dry cleave thereunto and become hard gristly nay absolutely bony its scituation is ever upon the Cronet of the hoof The causes hereof are twofold either natural or accidental naturally when either the Mare or Stallion have it from whom the Colt proceedeth and though I never saw a Colt bring a Ring-bone into the World with it yet Mr. Markham avoucheth he hath seen many Foals foaled with Ring bones on the feet wherefore I shall advise you not to breed upon any such Stallion or Mare that either have had or have this Malady Accidentally this happens several ways first by some blow or stroak on the foot or else from some evil humour descending and setling upon the Cronet The Symptoms hereof are apparent to the eye the Cronet of the hoof will be much swoln especially that part which is next adjoining unto the lower part of the Pastern the hair thereabout will grow bristly and stare and the Horse will go lame The Cures are several but I shall prescribe you none here but what have been many times experimented with welcome success First scarifie the skin above the Ring bone with a Lancet then take a great Onion and pick out the Core then take Verdigrease and unfleckt Lime and put them therein then cover up the hole and in hot embers roast it till it be soft then take it and bruise it well and being very hot lay it to the sorrance do thus five days together you will not miss of a cure Another way to cure it First cast your Horse or tye up his contrary leg with a strong rope till you strike five or six holes in the Ring bone at the very edge of it let the holes be equally distant from each other then take Arsnick and upon the top of your Fleim put some thereof into every hole then bind up his foot for a night and a day But that which Esq Grey prescribeth as infallible is this take unfleckt Lime newly taken from the Kill well burned which you may know by its lightness pulverize this Lime and lay it thick upon the place swelled with a linnen cloth bound about it to keep it on then let him stand in cold water an indifferent while then taking him forth unbind the foot and he is certainly cured for the burning of the Lime doth kill the Ring bone even to the very root thereof this is a truth throughly experimented Rats tails how to cure Take green Vitriol half a pound and boil it in a pint of running water with Alom Mustard Sage and Hysop the night before you apply this anoint the sores made raw with strong Mustard the next day wash them with the water afore specified and it is a cure Rowels how to put them in whether French or English If you are to place a Rowel in the breast make it lean to that part of the shoulder which is grieved then take a Lancet and only cut the skin through not cross but down right then put in your finger between the skin and the flesh raising the skin from the flesh round about the Orifice the breadth of a Tester then take a piece of the upper leather of a shooe and cut it round with an hole in the middle then put a Needle and Thread through it then take a quill and put one end into the Orifice of his breast upwards and so blow in the Wind having blown it three or four times run the Needle and Thread once through the Rowel and once through the skin and draw the Rowel into the cut when you have thus placed the Rowel in the cut with the hole of the Rowel right against the hole in the skin of the breast so that it may not move then with your Needle and thread run a stitch or two overthwart the cut to keep in the Rowel when you have thus done anoint it with Butter and so let it stand five or six days this is the best method can be prescribed Saddle bruised or Swellings on the Back You must first take some wet Hay but rotten Litter is better and lay it on the swelling this will make it soft very quickly then with a Lancet let out the putrefied matter and let the cavity be filled with the powder of Rozen then lay on a Plaister of Shoomakers Wax and it is a Cure Swift cut Take a pint of White-Wine and put to it three spoonfuls of Honey stir these and boil them to a Salve then take it from the fire and put to it half so much Turpentine as there was Honey stir these all together with this Salve anoint the Sorrance twice a day and it will heal it quickly Stanching of blood Some ignorant Farriers have let an Horse blood when the sign hath been in that place from whence he hath taken blood by which means there hath followed so great an efflux of blood that by reason it could not be stopped it hath indangered the Horses life Wherefore if any such thing should happen by this ignorance aforesaid or by wounds or any other accident take presently some new Horse dung and temper it with Chalk and Vinegar and lay it to the wound letting it remain there three days or else lay thereunto wild Tansie bruised Sage bruised bruised Hysop or hot Hogs dung but if these fail this will not take of the soft Down of Hare or Conies skin and stop the bleeding place therewith holding it to with your hand first a pretty while if it be to a great wound then spread over it a Plaister of Vinegar and Bole Armoniack incorporated together Slaves very good for the healing all sorts of Sores and Wounds I shall here of some hundred sorts of Salves only insert three or four which I have found the best of any I have tried in above 45 years practice 1. Take of the buds or tenderest tops of Elder-leaves one handful first shred then pound them in a Stone-mortar very well till you bring them to a
keeping the nether part of the Boot close about his Leg but letting the upper part be open and wide then take your Composition as hot as the Horse can suffer it into the Boot fastening the Boot so about the Mane that the Mixture may be about the shoulder before and behind thus do every day till you have expelled the grief which will be in a short time Shoulder splat I have already discoursed of the Shoulder-wrench and Shoulder pight it now falls in my way to treat of the Shoulder-splat but first give me lieve to give you the difference between them The Shoulder-wrench commonly is occasioned by some slip or by making the Horse to make too sudden a stop upon false ground or by some fall or by too short turning Shoulder-pight cometh by some brush strain or fall which the Horse received by a leap stroke or bruise against some hard thing whereby the member is dislocated Now the shoulder-splat is when by some dangerous slip or slide upon some slippery or yielding ground the horse hath his shoulder parted from the breast tearing the flesh from the Brisket leaving an open cleft in the flesh not in the skin which causeth a balk to be underneath the body which will afterwards swell hereupon the Horse will not only halt but draw his leg after him that is a sufficient Symptom to know the Shoulder-splat by Now as to the Cure first put a strait pair of Pasterns on his forefeet then take of Dialthea one pound of Sallet-oil one pint of Oil de Bay half a pound and of fresh Butter half a pound melt all these ingredients together in an earthen pot and anoint the Sorrance therewith and also round about the inside of the shoulder about three days after at farthest both the Sorrance and all the shoulder will swell then with a Lancet prick all those swoln places you may use a sharp hot Iron and having so done anoint it again with the Ointment aforesaid but if you see the swelling will not be asswaged but that it cometh to suppuration then lay it open in that place where is the greatest swelling and is softest having so done tent it with Flax dipt in Turpentine and Hogs-grease melted together you must renew the tent twice a day if you will have a speedy Cure Shoulder pinched This Sorrance in the shoulder differs from the former for this commonly cometh when the horse is two young and at that age laboured and strained very much or forced to carry too great a burthen The Signs are his breast will be very narrow and by reason of the consumption of the flesh the sore part of the Shoulder-bone will stick out and be much higher than the flesh Several men several opinions as to the Cure of this Malady as for my own part I shall only make mention of what I have a long time experienced and that is first Rowel your Horse then lay this Charge or Plaister all over his Breast Shoulders and Withers it is thus made Take of Pitch and Rozin of each a pound of Tar half a pint boil these together in a pot then take it off and when it is indifferently cooled take a stick and bind thereto some Flax and dip it into the Charge and daub all the shoulder over therewith after that take Flax as near as you can of the same colour of the Horse and lay them on the Charge observing every other day to take out the Rowels and having cleansed them place them as before thus you must do for at least sixteen days at the expiration of which time take away your Rowels quite and heal up the wounds with tents dipt in Turpentine and Hogs grease molten together Sinew-sprung Sinew-sprung is when the Sinew is broken and severed from the flesh The Cure Take of the leaves and roots of Solomons-seal and of great Cumfry an equal quantity pound them small and infuse them in white Wine a day and a night then boil it and when it is indifferent warm bathe the place grieved therewith and after that bind thereunto the herbs and roots also do this once a day till the grief be remedied Sinew-grieved If the Horse complain only of the Sinew by being grieved some way or other without laceration or cutting then take a good quantity of Mallows and boil them in water till they grow tender then drain the water from them and so stamp them very well and apply them to the member thus grieved let the application be hot and if you do thus over night he will be well the next day however give him five or six days rest afterwards Sinew strained If you would corroborate a sinew strained by an over-reach or otherwise then take tried Hogs-grease Horse-grease May-butter and Sallet-oil five ounces of each of new Wax two ounces and of Comphire a third part to all the rest melt and mix them together and so make an Ointment thereof and so therewith anoint the part grieved You may double the quantity of your ingredients or treble them so that you preserve your composition in a Gally-pot it will keep a twelvemonth Sinew-spong Take a pint of Linseed-oil and boil it then add thereto a quartern of Aqua vitae and stir them together anointing your Horses leg therewith he will be perfectly cured If you would cure a Sinew-strain in the fore or hinder-leg growing above the foot-lock-joint upon the back part of the fore-leg and much about the Ankle-bone upon the back part of the hind-leg this over-straining will cause a great swelling and knotting For the Cure Take Nerve-oil and Turpentine of each a penniworth mix these together and you need use it but four several times and it will be well let there be an intermitting day for his dressing Sinew strain new or old a most excellent and speedy Remedy approved of by most Farriers The Shackle-veins in the Pastern you must first take blood from then take a very fat Puppy-dog of two months old or less kill him and with all expedition fley him then bruise his flesh and bones together and lay them upon a cloth and bind it close to the Sinew strain as warm as you can but be mindful to take out all the Guts before you bruise the flesh and be sure that after blood-letting you bathe the sinew-strain with Aqua Vitae bathing it in with your hand and then lay the aforesaid flesh thereunto wind a cloth two or three times about the leg to keep it on Some are of opinion that a fat Cat thus killed and bruised is much better because it draws more and knits better I shall leave it to your discretion to make choice of which you please Scratches The Scratches may be as well called by other names as this viz. Mules Kibes Rats tails Crepanches Pains c. they being almost all of one and the same nature and disposition of all which I have particularly discourst however I would not have you judge me either tautological
hill drive your Horse before you lest you run the hazard of losing the reputation of a prudent Horseman If your Horse be fiery and full of metal do not fret or be angry with him but win him by patience and fair means but if you find him dull and sluggish quicken him with your Spur with this proviso that having spur'd him much you will when you find conveniency rub his Spur-galls with water and salt Now as as to Horses several Countries produce Horses of different natures as for example as Mr. Markham observeth the Greek or Turkish Horse is of an excellent constitution being swift bold well-headed tall and strong The Arabian Horse is as swift as the wind and very beautiful to the eye The African or Barbary is full of courage swift and nimble and will not with the Turkey Horse either deserve or endure much beating The Friezland Horse is fiery yet not well conditioned but as for your Flemish Horse he is the worst of any I cannot but approve of the Spanish Jennet being very good swift and light of foot but the Neapolitan for all uses is most excellent and beautiful now for great burthens constant labour and long travel the English Horse exceedeth all that have been named hitherto Your Irish Horse is generally well breasted but I never saw any but what had thin and very uncomely buttocks being evil-natured very sullen weak and unfit for much labour those that are tolerably good are very scarce through the whole Country The most experienced Horsemens observations Your Horse being in health feed him with such dry meats as shall not swell his body as Straw which is excellent good to take up the belly of a running Horse Hay Oats sometimes a little Wheat Beans Barley bread made of Beans or Pease neither are Fitches to be despised and in the giving them observe this order first give him some hay then water and lastly his grain or provender When you are upon a journey look first to your Horse before you look to your self seeing that he be well rub'd down well littered with fresh straw and be sure that you feed your Horse betimes for all night that it may the better concoct and that he may the sooner take his rest I would not advise you to give him of Provender a greater quantity than three pints at a time there is nothing that feeds better and fattens more speedily than bread made either of Beans Pease or Fitches well cleansed If you would have your Horse to feed with an extraordinary appetite take Wine and Salt and rub his mouth therewith In a journey whether at baiting or at night coming to your Inn let not your Horse either eat or drink whilst he is hot but first let him be reduced to his proper temperament In the extremity of heat and cold the labour of your Horse must be always moderate Take not after travel the Saddle off your Horses back too suddenly What-ever you do let no Poultry come within your Stable for should your Horse lick up a feather or swallow any of their dung which casually fell into the Hay or Provender it is of a dangerous consequence Make it frequently your business to ride your Horse on stony ground for by so doing you will reap the benefit of hardening his Hoofs which will the better enable him to travel Have a care of letting your Horse stand near any Mud-wall for I have known Horses not a few which have coveted to eat thereof to their very great prejudice and let his bed be made not of Barley-straw for some Horses love to eat thereof which is unwholsome but let it be of Wheat or rather of Oaten Straw for that is soft and if eaten very wholsom It is the opinion of all that to sprinkle water upon the Hay you give your Horse is wholsom and most sovereign to mingle Fenugreek with his Provender the first is good for the wind and the latter for the worms If your Horse happen to be brought very low and much impoverished by too much labour or some great surfeit get Mares-milk and give it him eight days together and you will perceive a very sensible recovery The best hours for watering are between seven and eight in the morning and four and five in the evening You are to take notice that an Horse takes much delight in rubbing and combing and therein he seems to be sensible what is good for himself for it preserves his health and keeps the strength of body and legs In the Canicular or Dog-days you must have a special care that you do not ride your Horse frequently into the water to qualifie or allay his natural or any other contracted heat Be mindful of often picking and cleansing the bottoms of your Horses feet and stuff them well with Oxe or Cow-dung and now and then anoint his hoofs with fresh Grease and Turpentine When you ride forget not to look often to your Saddle and see that it wring or pinch him not and that his shooes be fast on and that there be no Gravel Stub or Nail got into his foot Lastly according to Northern observation use no other walking than your self upon your Horses back that is to say you must ride him gently to his Inn so cooling him by degrees when in the Stable shake Litter under him and see that every part of his body be rubbed till it be drie not omitting his head then unbridle him and give him Hay but slack no girt in two or three hours and when he drinks let it be but little for fear of too hasty cooling his Stomach Some general Observations on a Smithfield-Jockey The Smithfield Jockeys as some sort of Horses are much the better either for the breed or Country from whence they came There are several Jockeys in every Country of England but none so expert as such as were spawned in York shire who have generally such a natural love for their Horses that their inclinations lead them to ride before they can well go this makes them generally more knowing in Horses than others not only as to riding but as to the several humours and constitutions It is proverbially said that Shake a Bridle over a Yorkshire-Tike's grave and he will rise again I dare not justifie the truth hereof but this I may That many of them will not long be without an Horse if they have but money enough to purchase a Bridle as for a Saddle they can make that themselves so little and yet so commodious that they can carry it in their breeches without discovery Further to prove them Horsemen even from their Cradles look into the Inns especially of London and for one Hostler of any other Country you shall find ten either of York-shire or Lancashire and they are naturally very subtle and crafty To give you a particular account of the humours and practices of these Jockeys and their Hostlers would be a task which would take up too much time and would