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EVERY MAN 
 
 ms OWN 
 
 iiorse Doctor; 
 
 OB 
 
 THE TRUE WAT 
 
 OF 
 
 HANDLING HORSES. 
 
 BY 
 
 F. B^AJ^TOTV. 
 
 miCE 75 CEIXTS. 
 
 ROilEO: 
 B. A. TBALL & CO., BOOK A5D JOB PBI^^TEBS. 
 
 isas. 
 

 
 30/3/^'' 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by 
 F. BARTOW, 
 
 In tlie District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of 
 
 Michiizan 
 
 J ;^, ^ ^f 2. 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 ^HE Author of this book was born in the town of Lyons, Ionia 
 County, Micliigan, in the year of our Lord 1841, and when at the age of 
 twelve years he lived neighbor to a man who had a span of very ugly 
 colts : in fact, they were so bad there was scarcely any one in the town 
 who would go into the yard where they were. Boy as he was. lie made 
 up his mind to break these colts; and he used to go some half a mile 
 back in the field to an old barn where the colts ran, and, all alone by 
 himself, he would get them into the barn and train them. After he had 
 trained them about a month, one day he was standing by when the owner 
 of the colts remarked to one of his neighbors that '-he would give twen- 
 ty-five dollars if he could get some one to break his colts, and would 
 board them wliile they were doing it." The boy spoke up and said "what 
 will you give me to break your colts for you V The man laughed at 
 him, and told him that he would '-give him a .silver dollar if he would 
 just go into the old barn and drive them out." '-Done !" said the boy. 
 They started for the barn, and when they got there the boy got over 
 into the yard and spoke to the colts; they both came up to him and he 
 took one of them by the foretop, led him into the barn and the other 
 followed immediately after. On entering the barn he raised a board 
 from the floor, took out his father's old plough-harness and put it upon 
 the colts and drove them all around the yard and Irom there to the 
 house. He then hitched them to a sleigh and invited the owner to have 
 a ride. "No." said he, "they will run away and break my neck and 
 yours too. "I will risk that," said the boy. "I have driven them every 
 day all winter, up in the back lot; and I have drawn six and seven rails 
 at a time with them, around in the edge of the woods where you could 
 not see me." "Well," said the man, "if that is the case, I will get in 
 and see how they go." The man rode one mile and back, and^then 
 he told the boy that "he would give him the twentj'-five dollars and 
 ten dollars beside, if he would drive them two weeks." He did so, 
 and before that time had expired the women could drive them as well 
 as any one. From that day on, he was always training and handling 
 horses and studying the nature of that noble animal, thehorse, and try'^ 
 ing to find out what was the most natural for him. Ugly horses were 
 1 lis favorites ; but within the past few years he has given up traveling or 
 training horses, and has deemed it best to v/rite a small pamphlet"for 
 the use of bor.se dealers and the public in general. B. 
 
TO THE READEE 
 
 I am well aware that many persons have formed the erroneous 
 idea that a small book cannot be worth as much as a large one. They 
 seem to have overlooked the simple, but very important fact, that 
 genuine value consists in merit and not in bulk. In these pages, brief- 
 ness has been kept strictly in view, in order to give as much information 
 as possible in a small compass. 
 
 Probably no particular class will be as much interested or benefit- 
 ed by this work, as farmers and owners of horses. The system of horse- 
 trainin?, as taught in this work, will supersede all others, inasmuch as 
 it is the best and only true system. Never before, has there been such 
 a vast amount of valuable information, in reference to this noble ani- 
 mal, concentrated and published in any one volume for the benefit of 
 the community at large. The Author. 
 
EVEKY MAN HIS OWN HOESE DOCTOK. 
 
 This Book contains a full and complete Essnj on the proper 
 treatment of that noble animal, the horse. How to train and educate, 
 how to keep him in the best condition, also how to prevent and cure 
 the numerous diseases to which he is liable. And now I present this 
 book to the community at large, with the most earnest wish and hops, 
 that its great hnportance and true value will be fully appreciated. 
 
 The True Way to Break Horses. 
 
 The first, and most important thing to be accomplished, is to win 
 the horse's confidence ; which may be done by uniform actions of a 
 kindly disposition in his management. He takes man for what he 
 proves himself by actions. By kind treatment, he learns to associate 
 with man's feelings of protection and security, and he can have no fear 
 or doubt, because never taught to doubt by deception. The child has 
 confidence in his parents in proportion to the fidelity of the parents, in 
 inculcating and practicing those principles of truth in his early train- 
 ing. But once findini them unmindful of their promises, confidence 
 in th?m is corresp-^ndingly impaired. If you are faithful in fulfilling 
 your promises to the child, he will expect exactly what you promise. — 
 Here proof becomes faith ; because he has never been deceived by the 
 want of performance. J]ven among men, the principle is the same — that 
 that man who is always found truthful, and who performs exactly as 
 he promises, becomes a standard of public confidence and trust — but 
 he who disregards truth and principles of honor, becomes an object of 
 suspicion to all knowing iiim. As the child, then, is the reflex of the 
 love and truth of the parents in confidence and the public in him of un- 
 doubted integrity, so we are forced to believe, the horse becomes in 
 the character of his habits, what he is, in exact proportion to the teach- 
 ing and example to which he may have been subject. 
 
 Sow to Feed^ Water ^ and Drive Horses. 
 
 Do not feed or water heavy just before driving, filling the stomach 
 with water and food. Water destroys the juices of the stomach, 
 weakening digestion ; the grain becomes swollen and generates a gas, 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 fillinw the stomach with wind; the storaacli becoming diseased the hot 
 will work his head into the coating of the stomach. All grain will di- 
 gest best while the horse is standing still, and all food tliat passes off 
 without digestion, weakens the action of the stomach and bowels, and 
 in man)' cases will scour the horse. The less you feed just before dri- 
 ving the better. Then again, yon sliould water very little on the road, 
 and feed most]\' at night ; the food will then digest and make fiesh and 
 blood. T should advise not more than two quarts in the morning and 
 the same at noon. I do not feed in the morning, neither do I water. — 
 If I was going to make a long and fast drive, I should feed twelve 
 quarts the niglit before, then my horse would feel strong, light and ac- 
 tive, and do his work easy. By giving him a little water, the horse 
 will fully digest what he has eaten ; if you weaken the juices, of course 
 you weaken digestion. A horse should only be fed what he can easily 
 digest. I think by so doing you will save one third of the grain form- 
 erly given. Diseases are caused by too much food and water. AVater 
 destroys the juices and disables digestion. By feeding most of the grain 
 while the horse is at rest, it will digest and leave the horse strong and 
 able to do his work ; giving a great amount of water diseases the blood 
 and diseases the haii-, the water having to pass in some way: it cannot ail 
 jjass in the urine, and therefore passes off through the pores of the skin 
 and causes the hair to become gummed and makes the horse very hard 
 to clean. So much water passing off through the pores of the flesh, de- 
 stroys the roots of the hair and causes it to look dull and ftided. Then 
 again, you should be cautious not to drive your horse into cold water 
 or throw water on him when warm ; so doing chills the blood and sep- 
 arates it from the watery substance that the blood forms from, and 
 causes diseases. The skin will become full of small tumors and the hair 
 fall off. By avoiding too much water on the road, and too much food 
 before driving, and by keeping the horse warm after driving, you avoid 
 disease, 
 
 Special Advice in Reference to Feeding Horses. 
 
 Never give a horse whole grain. By bruising and Avetting it, you 
 save thirty per cent, of its nutritious effect. Steam it in preference to 
 wetting if you have the facilities for so doing. Feed your horse two 
 hours before he begins his day's work; give him the largest feed at 
 night. Never tie him to a rack; it is cruel to thus prevent a horse 
 from lying down when he is tired. The best way, is to take away your 
 rack altogether, and arrange your stable so as to make it unnecessary 
 to tie him at all. The stable should always be dry and well littered. 
 Neve'- give your horse hard water if soft water can be obtained ; if you 
 cannot get soft water, draw the hard water from the well two hours be- 
 fore you let him drink it. Beans should be full a year old before they 
 are fit to feed to horses, and they should be bruised the same as grain, 
 not grouod. 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 Morse-Feed Mixture. 
 
 Youatt recommends the following mixture for horse feed : Of cut 
 hay two parts, cut sti-aw three parts, add to this a quantity of bruised 
 beans, oats or other grain ; wet the whole with soft water and mix it 
 well. Do not feed your horse too much hay, as it is not only a waste of 
 provender, but when he is. put to work with an overloaded stomach it 
 endangers his wind. If left to pull hay out of a rack at pleasure, a 
 horse will eat, or waste some thirty pounds a day, whereas by cutting 
 the hay and mixing it with other feed as above described, ten pounds 
 is an abundance for twenty-four hours. Horses when worked should 
 be fed three times a day, with a mixture of hay. straw and grain, as 
 above described. Give them their food in the manger, and be careful 
 that it is hweet and clean. By following these rules, horses will then 
 always be in good condition, will not have that swelled belly so pecu- 
 liar to animals who are allowed to fill their stomachs with hay. and 
 will usually enjoy good health. 
 
 B.010 to get a Colt from Pasture. 
 
 Go to the pasture and walk quietly around the whole herd, at 
 such a distance as not to cause them to scare or run, then approach them 
 slowly. If they raise up their heads and seem to be frightened, hold 
 on till the}'- become quiet again, so as not to run them before you are 
 close enough to drive them in the direction you want them to go. When 
 you begin to drive do not begin to flourish your arms nor halloo, but 
 gently follow them oft', leaving the direction clear which you wish them 
 to take, thus taking advantage of their ignorance, you will be able to 
 get them in the pound as easily as the hunter does the quails into his 
 net : for if the}'^ have always run in the pasture, uncared for. as many 
 horses do in prairie countries and on large plantations, there is no rea- 
 son why the3^ should not be as wild as the sportsman's birds, and require 
 the same gentle treatmant if you want to get them without trouble. — 
 The horse in his natural state, is as wild as any of the undomesticated 
 animals, though more easily tamed than most of them. 
 
 Hoio to Stahle a Colt. 
 
 The next step will be to get the horse into a stable or shed. This 
 should be done as quietly as possible, so as not to excite any suspicion 
 in the horse of any danger befalling him. The best way to do this, is 
 to lead a broken horse into the stable first, and hitch him; then quietly 
 walk around the colt and let him go in of his own accord; be deliber- 
 ate and slow in your movements, for one wrong movement may fright- 
 en your horse and make him think it necessary to escape at all hazards, 
 for the safety of his life, and thus make two hour's work of a ten min- 
 
EVERY UAUt filS OWN HORSE DOCTOa 
 
 utes job, which would be all your own fault and entirely unnecessary, 
 for he will not run unless you run after him; nor will trj^ to break away 
 unless you try to force him into measures; if he does not see the way 
 at once, and is a little fretful about going in, do not undertake to drive 
 him, but give him a little less room outside by gently closing in around 
 hiiij. Do not raise your arms, but let them hang at your side, for you 
 might as well raise a club. The horse has never studied anatomy, and 
 does not know but they will unhiniie themselves and fly at him. If he 
 attempts to turn back, walk before him, but do not run; and if he gets 
 past you, encircle him again in the same quiet manner, and lie will soon 
 leaiTi that you are not going to hurt him; then you can walk so close 
 aiound him that he will walk into the stable lor more room, and to get 
 farmer out of your w;iy. As soon as he is in, remove the quiet horse 
 and shut the door. This will ))e his first notion of confinement, not 
 knowing how he got into such a place, nor how to get out of it. that he 
 may take it as (]uietly as possible, see that the shed is entirely free of 
 dogs, chickens or anythins that would have a tendency to annoy him ; 
 then give him a few ears of corn and let him remain alone for about 
 half an hour, until he has examined his apartment and become recon- 
 ciled to his confinement. Now while your horse is eating, see that your 
 halter is all ready, and reflect upon the best mode of operation for in 
 horse-bieaking, it is highly important that you should be governed by 
 some svstem. 
 
 The Ohjcct of Fear — JIoiv to Frevent Fear in a Horse. 
 
 Wljatever the horse imderstands to be hai'mless he does not fear — 
 consequently, great pains should be taken in causing him to examine 
 and smell such things as are likety to frighten him in after life. This 
 should be attended to in his early education, since early impressions 
 ave strong in the horse. A log or stump by the roadside, if regarded 
 with suspicion, should be approached slowly and cautiously. To the 
 imagination of the horse, such things are supposed to be some great 
 beast that may spring upon him, but which he will soon comprehend to 
 be harmless if oldigod to examine its nature in his own way, by ad- 
 vancing to the object quietly and allowing him to undei stand it fully, 
 by smelling and breathing with the nose. The boy frightened by a 
 false lace, will care noihing about it after he takes it in his hands and 
 examines it. The principle is the ^arae in familiarizing horses to ob- 
 jects of tear. If your horse is frightened at an umbrella you can soon 
 "learn him to be used to that. Go into the stable, first let him look at 
 the umbrella before it is opened; let him touch it with his nose; open 
 it a little way and let him see io, and finally open it wide before him. — 
 By ordinary patience, you can soon learn the horse to have the umbrel- 
 la Opened sudenly in his fice, without his being afraid of it. By simi- 
 lar treatment you can break any horse from scaring at almost anything 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR, 
 
 that may look fiightful to him. If you wish to make a trial of this 
 theory, just take a horse into the stable and let him examine the fright- 
 ful objects a few minutes, alter his own mode of examining things and 
 you will be perfectly satisfied. There is a singular fact connected with 
 taming the horse, that I would never have believed it if I had not tried 
 it. If you accustom him to any particular object, by showing it to him 
 on one sigle only, he will not be afraid when he sees it with the eye on 
 that side, but he will be afraid if you approach him with it on the oth- 
 er side. It is therefore necessary to jjacify him on both sides in all ca- 
 ses. After you have accustomed him to the umbrella, or whatever yon 
 may wish to make him familiar with on his right side, repeat the op- 
 eration on the left side in the same manner, as if you had not approach- 
 ed him at all. 
 
 Tlie Kind of Salter to Use, and liow to Use it. 
 Never use a rope halter; the cords of the rope are hard, and ap- 
 pear to aggravate and excite distrust rather than confidence; but by 
 all means [)focure a leathei- halter, made of bridle-leather, so it will 
 feel soft and pliable to the touch, and to fit rather tightly on the head, 
 so as not to feel uncomfortable. Before putting a halter on the colt, he 
 must be rendered familiar with it, by caressing him and permitting 
 him to examine the article with his nose, then place a portion of it over 
 his iiead, occasionally giving it a slight pull, and in a few minutes he 
 will be accustomed to these liberties, and then the halter may be fasten- 
 ed on properly. To teach him to lead, is another difficulty. Stand a lit- 
 tle on one side, rub his nose and forehead, take hold of the strap and 
 pull it gentlj', and the same time touch him lightly with a long whip 
 across his hind legs. This will make him advance a step; repeat the 
 oi)eration several times, and he will soon leain to follow you by simply 
 pulling ihe halter. The mouth of the colt should be frequently han- 
 dled ; alter which, introduce a plain snaffle bit between his teeth and 
 hold it there with one hand, while you caress him with the other. — 
 After a time he will allow the bridle to be placed upon him, when the 
 saddle may be brought in and rubbed against his nose, neck and legs. 
 Next hang the stirrup strap across his back and gradually place the 
 saddle in its proper posiiion upon the horse. The first time the girth 
 is buckled, it should be done so loosely as not to attract his attention — 
 subsequently it can be tightened without inspiring him with fear, which 
 if fastened immediately would most certainly do. In this manner the 
 wildest colt can be effectually subjugated by such imperceptible de- 
 grees, that he gives tacit obedience, before he is aware of his altered 
 condition. 
 
 To Break a Horse to Harness. 
 Take him into a tight stable, take the harness and go through the 
 
10 ETEKT MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR- 
 
 same process as you would witli the saddle, until you get him familiar 
 with it, so you can put it on his back and rattle it around without his 
 caring for them. As soon as he will bear them, put on the lines, caressing 
 him as you draw them over him, and drive him about in the sliible till 
 he will bear them over his hips. The lines are a great asgravaiion to 
 some colts, and often fiighten them as much as if you were to raise a 
 whip over them. As soon as he is familiar with the lines and harness, 
 take him out and put him by the side of a gentle horse and go through the 
 same process that you did with the blinds. When you are breaking a 
 horse to harness, after fixing the lines, hitch the horse to a small log 
 that he can r^raw very easy, with long traces, frequently turning him so 
 that the traces will draw licjhtly a<irii)»st iiis legs, frecjuently stopi)ing 
 and petting him. Then hitch him to something heavier, and get behind 
 him and drive h'm. By thus working with him you will make a strict- 
 ly true horse of him. He also gets so that he is not afraid of the traces 
 or harness, and then you can proceed to hitch him to a wagon. Per- 
 sons should not drive fast at first. In first hitching a colt in harness 
 he should be handled very careful. In handling colts in this way, you 
 will have no trouble with them, but you will have a much better broke 
 hoi'se ; and one that will be much safer for the family. A horse broken 
 in this way, is not half so easily spoiled as one that is broken by any 
 othet process. In breaking horses to ride, they should be handled in 
 very much the same way as I have spoken of. After bitting them suffi- 
 ciently, you may proceed to saddle them ; then ride them two or three 
 miles at a time, very slowly, not far enough to tire them. 
 
 To Breah Uorf^es to Stand the iire of a Gun. 
 
 You commence by administering the three articles first mentioned, 
 in the nostrils ; this will prevent his smelling the powder. Then load 
 your pistol, but very light, so as to make the report as light as possible. 
 Every time you fire give him a small piece of an apple with some pow- 
 der on it at the same time rubbing and Y)attincr him on the head and 
 neck. When you first commence firing stand close to the horse's shoul- 
 ders, and rest your arm on his withers. After you have fired a sufficient 
 number of times, mount the horse and shoot from his back. Keeping 
 up this practice for a short time, the horse will get so that he will not 
 care anything about the firing of a gun at any time or place. 
 
 Necessity of a Thorough Training. 
 
 The horse must be convinced, by reneated proofs of being over- 
 matched, that resistance is useless ; for. since his willingness and rebel- 
 lion are based upon the limited reasoning of his experience, he must be 
 thoroughly coavinced by experience that unconditional siibailssion is 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOll. U 
 
 the only alternative. This you cannot prove to the understanding of 
 the horse without repeating your lessons until he submits uncondition- 
 ally ; but, as nursing and care is to the patient over the force of dis- 
 ease, so is the subjugation of the horse. His submission should be en- 
 couraged and rewarded by kindness and leelins from the hand, with 
 little presents of such things as he likes. That master is supreme in 
 his cont^rol, and submission to his commands becomes a pleasure, who 
 has the power to enforce his will, but who exercises with the sweeten- 
 ing encouragement of love. While force is necessary and you have the 
 means of making your horse almost a plaything in your hands, let the 
 silken chord of love be the cement that fixes and secures this submis- 
 sion, A good natured, clever man. it is admitted, can teach a horse al- 
 most anything; and it has become a proverb, that "kindness will lead 
 an elephant by a hair." Show your horse exactly what you want him 
 to do, and endeavor to use the patience and reason in teaching and con- 
 troling him you would believe necessary for yourself to understand, if 
 placed in like circumstances, ignorant of the language and intentions 
 of such a teacher, who even preserved his patience and refrained from 
 abuse, what progress would you make as a pupil, gifted as you are, 
 with all your intelligence 1 If possible, ennoble and elevate your feei- 
 inos by realizing your responsibility to yourself, to the community, and 
 to the noble animal committed to your charge. Make your horse a 
 friend by kindness and good treatment. Be a kind master, and not a 
 tyrant. Make your horse a willing servant and not a slave. 
 
 JSoio to Proceed with a Colt after Haltering. 
 
 The first time you halter a colt, you should stand on the left side, 
 pretty well back to his shoulder, taking hold of that part of the halter 
 which goes around his neck. Then with your two hands about his 
 neck, you can hold his head to you, and raise the halter on without mak- 
 ing him dodge, as he would by. putting your hands about his nose. You 
 should have a long rope or strap ready, and as soon as you have the 
 halter on attach this to it, so that you can let him walk the length of 
 the stable without letting go the strap, or without making him pull on 
 the halter ; for, if you only let him feel the weight of your hand on the 
 halter, and give him more rope when he runs from you, he will never 
 rear, pull, or throw himself; yet you will be holding him all the time, 
 and doing more towards gentling him, than if you had the power to 
 snub him right up and hold him to one spot; because he knows nothing 
 about his strength, and if you do not do anything to make him pull, he 
 will never know what he can do in that way. In a few minutes you 
 can begin to control him with the halter. Then shorten the distance 
 between yourself and the horse, by taking up the strap in your hand. 
 As soon a she will allow you to hold him by a tolerably short strap, 
 aad to step up to him without flying back, you can begin to give him 
 
12 EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 some idea about leading. But to do this, do not go before and attempt 
 to puil him after you. bat commence by pulling him very quietly to 
 one side. He has nothing to brace either side of his neck, therefore 
 will soon yield to a steady, aradual pull of the halter. As soon as you 
 Ijave ])alled him a step or two to one side, step up and caress him, tlien 
 pull him again; rei)eating this operation until you can pull him in any 
 direction, and walk about the stable with him. This you can do in a 
 few minutes, for he will soon think, when you have made him step to 
 the riiiht or left a few times, that he is com{)eI]ed to follow the pull of 
 the halter, not knowing that he has the power to resist your pulling. — 
 Besides you have handled him so gently that he is not afraid of you, 
 but rather likes you. After you have given him a few lessons of this 
 kind at proper intervals, he will be so tame that if you turn him out to 
 pasture he will come up to you to be caressed every oportunity he has. 
 While training him in the stable you should lead him about some time 
 before you take him out, opening the door so that he can see out, lead- 
 ing him up to1t and back again, and then past it. See that there is 
 nothing on the outside to make him jump when you lead him out, and 
 as you go out wiih him try to make him go very slowly, catching hold 
 of the halter close to the jaw with your left hand, while the right is 
 resting on the top of his neck holding to his mane. Do not allow any 
 one to be present, or in sight, during your operations, either in or out- 
 side the stable. If you are entirely alone, and manage your colt right- 
 ly, you will soon be able to lead and hold him as easily as you could a 
 horse already broken. 
 
 Do not fry to force the colt if excited. When excited, the colt is 
 not in a condition to understand what you require of him, or to be 
 submissive. You should also be careful not to train the colt so long 
 that he will become heated and confused. But little should be required 
 at a time, and hold to that point until you gain it thoroughly, before 
 you undertake to do more. For example, in making a colt follow, if 
 lie submits ever so little, caress and reward him for it; so continue and 
 you will have no trouble. When you resort to force, do it sharply, so 
 as to impress him as much as possible with your power. 
 
 JIoiv to Proceed if a Colt is Stublorn, 
 
 If the animal you are operating upon, seems to be of stubborn or 
 mulish disposition, rather than wild, if he lay back his ears as you ap- 
 proach him, or turn his heels to kick you, he has not that regard or 
 tear of man that he should have to enable you to h?ndle him quickly 
 and easily ; and it might do well to give him a few cuts with the whip 
 about the legs, pretty close to the body. It will crack keen "as it plies 
 about the legs, and crack of the whip will effect him as much as the 
 stroke. Besides one sharp cut about the legs will be of more effect 
 than two or three over the back, the skin on the inner part of the legs 
 
EVERY MAW HIS OWK HOKSE DOCTOR. 13 
 
 or about the flanks being thiner and more lender than on his back.. Do 
 not whip him much, only just enough to scare him. It is not to hurt 
 the horse that we whip him ; we do it to scare a bad disposition out of 
 him. But whatever you do, do quickly, sharply, and with a good deal 
 of fire ; but always without anger. If you scare him at all, you must 
 do it at once. Never go into a pitched battle with your horse, and whip 
 him unti*! he is mad, and will fight you. You had better not touch him 
 at all ; for you will establish, instead of fear and reason, feelings of 
 resentment, hatred and ill will. It will do him no good, but harm, to 
 strike him, unless you frighten him. If you succeed in frightening him, 
 you can whip him without making him mad, for fea'- and anger never 
 exist together in ihe horse, and as soon as one is visible you will find 
 the other has disappeared. As soon as you have frightened him so that 
 he will stand up straight and pay some attention to you, approach him 
 and caress him a good deal more than you whipped him ; thus you will 
 excite the two controling passions of his nature, love and fear. He will 
 love you and fear you too, and as soon as he learns what you require, 
 he will obey quickly. If the colt if is of too mulish a disposition to 
 yield to careful and gentle treatment, you must resort to the several 
 measures recommended for taming vicious horses. 
 
 To Male a Colt Follow Under the Whip. ■ 
 
 After the colt comes around to j-ou readily by pulling a little on 
 the halter, and lollow.s freely, take your whip in the right hand, pull up- 
 on the halter a little saying "come here, sir," and at the same time tap 
 lightly with the whip over the hips; he will come to you mainly be- 
 cause you have taught him to yield to a slight pull upon the head, and 
 will come to you at this signal, because he wishes to get away from the 
 touch of the whip behind. As soon as he comes to you carress hTni 
 and fee;l tVom youi- hand with somet^hing he likes. Repeat this each 
 time pulling upon the halter until he will come to you as readi'ly by 
 tapping with the whip as he did at first to the halter'. Now instead of 
 hitting him with the whip, commence by snapping it behind him ; if he 
 come, caress and encourage him as betoie, and so repeat ; at each time 
 increasing the distance from him, until he will follow or come to you 
 quickly by cracking the whip, A few lessons of the foregoing kind 
 will make him run after you when he sees the motion of the'^whip. In 
 twenty or thirty minutes he will follow you around the stable. After 
 you have given him two or three lessons in the stable, take him in a 
 small lot and tiain him ; and from thence you can take him into the 
 road and make him follow you anvAvhere and run after you like a dog. 
 
 How to Male a JSorse Stand Without Hitching, 
 After yoa have well broken him to follow you, stand him iu the 
 
14 ETErRY THA^ HIS OW^ HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 centre of the stable, begin nt his head to caress liim, and gradually work 
 backwards ; if he moves give him a cut with the whip and put him ))ack 
 to the same spot from where he started. If he stands, caress him as 
 before, and continue gentUno him in this way until you can get around, 
 him without mnkins him move. Keep walking around him, increasing 
 your pace, and only touch him occaj>ionly. Enlarge your cii'cle as you 
 walk around, if he then moves give him another cut of a whip, and put 
 h m back to his place and begin anew. If he stand, go to him fre- 
 quently and caress him, and then walk around him again. Don't keep 
 him in one position too louii at a time, but nuke him come to j'ou occa- 
 siotially and follow you around the stable; th'-n stand him in another 
 place and proceed as before. You should not train your hoise more 
 than an hour at a time. 
 
 Uow to Lead a Colt with a Brohen Horse. 
 
 If you want lo lead y(»u]' colt by the side of another horse, you 
 must first put the horse into the stab.'e wiili the colt. You first attach 
 a second stra]) to the colt's halter, and lead your horse up along side of 
 him ; tiien get on the broken horse and t;ike one strap around his 
 breast, under the maitingales, if he has one on, holdincf it in your left 
 liand. This will i)revent tlie colt from getting back too far, besides you 
 have more power to hold him with the straj) j)u!lin2 aiiainst the horse's 
 breast. The other strap take up in your right hand to prevent him 
 from running ahead, then turn him about in the stable, and if the door 
 is wide enontjh, ride out with him in that position. If not. take the 
 broke ho'se out first, and stand liis breast up against the door; then 
 lead the colt to the same s{)ot, and take the 8tra|)S as before directed, 
 one on each side of his neck, and then let some one start the colt, and 
 as lie comes out turn your horse to the left and you will have them 
 right. You can man ige any kind of a colt in this way without trouble; 
 for if he tries to run ahead, or i)nll back, the two strajjS will bi-ing the 
 two hor.ses facing each other, so that you can very easily follow u}* his 
 movfuients without doinar much holding, and as soon as he stops run- 
 ning backwards you aie right with him and all ready to go ahead. If 
 he gets stubborn and does not waiit to so, you can remove all his stub- 
 bornness by ridins your horse against his neck, thus compelling him to 
 turn to the risht, and as soon as you have turned him about a few 
 tiiues he will be willintr to go along. The next thing, after you are 
 through leading him, will be to take him into a stable and hitch him in 
 such a Wiiy as not to have him j)ull on the halter. 
 
 ^ How to get a Colt into a Stahle, 
 
 You shotild lead a broken horse into the stable first, and get the 
 colt, if you can, lo follow in alt^ar him. If he refuse to go, step up to 
 
EVERT MAN HTS OtV"N HORSE DOCTOR, 16 
 
 him, taking a litlle switch in your right hand; then take hold of 
 the halter close to his head with the left hand, at the same time reach- 
 ing over his back with your right arm so that you can tap him on the 
 oppofite side with your switch. Bring him up facing the door, tap him 
 slightly with your switch, reaching as far back as possible. This tap- 
 ping, by being pretty well back, and on the opposite side, will drive 
 him ahead and keep him close to you. Then by giving him the right 
 direction with your leit hand, you can walk into the stable with him. I 
 have walked colts into the stable in less than a minute, after men had 
 worked at them over half an hour trying to pull them in. If you can 
 not walk him in at once in this way, turn him about and walk him 
 around awhile until you can get him up to the door Avithout pulling at 
 him ; then let him stand a few minutes, keeping his head in the right 
 direction with the halter, and he will soon walk in of his own accord. 
 Never attempt to pull a colt into the stable. That would make him 
 think at once that it Avas a dangerous place : and if lio was not afraid 
 of it before, he would be then ; besides, we do not want him to know 
 anything about pulh'ng on the lialter. It you want to tie up a colt, put 
 him in a tolerabJy wide stall, which should r,ot be too long, and should 
 be connected by a bar or ro{)e to a partition, so that alter the colt is in 
 he cannot go far enough back to pull on the halter; then by tying in 
 the center of the stall, it would be imi)ossible for him to pull on the 
 halter, the pariition behind preventing him f'om pulling back, the hal- 
 ter checking him every time he turns to the right or left. In a stall of 
 this kind you can break any hoi'se to stand tied with a light strap any- 
 where without his ever knowing anything about pulling, for if you have 
 broken your horse to lead and have taught him the use of the halter, 
 which ycu always should do before you hitch him to anything, j^oucan 
 hitch him in any kind of a stall ; and if you give him something to eat, 
 to keep him up to his place for a few minutes at first, there is not one 
 in one hundred that will pull at the halter or ever attempt to do so. — 
 This is an important feature in breaking the colt, for it he is allowed to 
 pull on the halter at ?11, and ])articularly if he finds that he can break 
 the lialter, he will never be safe. The most powerful means of learning 
 a colt to lead is by the use of what is designated as the "Eureka Bri- 
 dle." 
 
 Sow to Malce a Eurelia Bridle. 
 
 Take a cotton cord, or fine yarn, such as is sometimes used for 
 bed cords, or clothes lines, usually about three-eighths of an inch thick. 
 If you cannot get cotton cord, hemp or anything of that kind that is 
 stronof enough, will answer the purpose. 
 
 Lf t it be about fiiteen feet long. Tie one end into a hard knot, just as 
 you would to prevent its raveling. Tie another knot about a foot from 
 the one in the end. But before you draw it tight, put the knot on the 
 
16 EVERY^ MAN HIS OWN HOR8E DOCTOR. 
 
 end throuCTh ; you have now a loop that will not slip, made on the same 
 principle that a rope is tied around the neck of a horse to hitch ^Yith, 
 so as not to tighten upon the neck by pullins on it. This loop should 
 he just larfze enough to slip over the under jaw of the horse you wish 
 to train. Put this loop over the lower jaw ; then while standing on the 
 near side, take the coi'd in the left hand and bring it over the neck by 
 passing the left hand under the neck to the opposite side towards the 
 mane ; bring the right hand over the neck and take the cord trom the 
 left and pass back to the loop and put through from the top side, until 
 the part over the neck is drawn down like a check rein. Now take 
 hold of the end of the rein and you wiil find you have a means of pow- 
 er in it that makes the strongest horse almost a plaything in your 
 hands. The objection to the use of this bridle in the training of the in- 
 nocent colt is, that the ignorant are inconsiderate in its use instead of 
 usn)g it with the utmost kindness, a little resistance on the part of the 
 colt is made an excxise lo use it the most severe manner, until the colt 
 either submits nncomlitionally, or becomes so desperate with pain as to 
 become entirely reckless and regardless of the utmost efforts. When 
 your horse lesists too much, you will always find it to your advantage 
 to iiut him away for a short time until he becomes cool. In fact, the 
 great secret of training is in not training too long, and repeating. If you 
 intend using the Eureka Bridle as a means of subduing your colt, put 
 it on after you hamper him, on three legs with the strap over the back. 
 As soon as he submits cleverly to this step, instead of fastening up the 
 leg as by the method already described, take off your strap ; then put 
 on the bridie gently. Step to one side, and back, and say "come here, 
 sir." pulling a very little upon the bridle, just enough to bring his head 
 towards you a littie. Now step up to him and pat him on the neck, and 
 say, '-you are a fine fellow." then try again in the same way, and so re- 
 peat until he will come to you quite freely. You may increase yoiu- 
 force u[)on the bridle in proportion to his submission, but not if he 
 shows stubboi-nness. You may then step to the other side and repeat 
 the lesson until he will come to you either way cheerfully. If you wish 
 him to follow you. continue your training in this way, gradually pull- 
 ing a little on a line with his body, until he will follow you as well 
 ahead, as he does sidewise. 
 
 Hoiv to Breah a Horse to Ride. 
 If a colt, 3^ou must first supple the muscles of his back, before 
 permitting much weight to be carried. You must keep in mind that he 
 is not accustomed to carry weight and to put one hundred and fifty on, 
 would be entirely wrong. You must make the colt understand that 
 you are his friend. It will require but a few days to supple the mus- 
 cels of the neck and back, then you have a horse that will guide easily. 
 After the first three days tha horse will carry one hundred and twenty 
 fivo pounds easior than at first he would tweaty. You will now fasten 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 the saddle on, but not too far forward. Bnckle the girths tight, and 
 let Iiim remain about ten minutes ; then approach him gently, pat him 
 on the neck, and draw up the reins tight with the left hand to the 
 withers ; then pat him gentl}' on the back and rump, speaking very low 
 during the time; then rise gently, throwing the right leg over the sad- 
 dle and^sit perfectly still for a few moments, then dismount and caress 
 him, patting his head and back. After doing so a few times he Avill be 
 as submissive as a lamb. 
 
 Handling the Feet of a JQ.or8e. 
 
 Should the colt refuse to have his feet handled, he may be made to 
 submit by reproving with the bridle, and putting a small strap on the 
 hind foot ; then pull on this strap and pull the foot up. At the moment 
 he kicks, bring down on the mouth sharply Mith the bridle; in a 
 short time he will submit to your control unconditionally. The same 
 principle applies to this under all circumstances. It is a means of re- 
 proof, and certainly has a powerful effect upon the horse. 
 
 How to teach a Horse to Pace. 
 
 First, take nine or ten pounds of lead, divide into four parts, equal 
 to three and three-quarters by four and a half inches in size; make two 
 holes in each end of these leads, then fasten two together and have 
 them padded. Then fasten them on the horses leg's, one on each hind 
 leg just above the ankle joint. Ride your horse briskly with these 
 weights upon his ankles, at the same time pulling each rein of the bri- 
 dle alternately. By this means you immediately throw him into a pace. 
 After you have in this way trained him, to some extent, change your 
 leaden weights to something lighter; leather paddings or something 
 equal to it will answer the purpose. Let him wear these weights until 
 he is perfectly trained. By adopting this plan you will speedily make 
 a smooth and easy pacer of any horse. 
 
 Management of Wild Horses. 
 
 Cause your horse or colt to be put in a small yard or stable. If in 
 a stable, it ought to be large in order to give him some exercise with 
 the halter. Before you lead him out, if the horse belongs to that class 
 that only appears to fear man, you must introduce yourself gently into 
 the stable or yard where the horse is. He will naturally run from you 
 and frequently turn his head toward j^ou, but you must walk about ex- 
 tremely slow and softly, so that he can see you whenever he turns his 
 head towards you, which he never fails to do. In a short time, in a 
 quarter or halt an hour, (I never knew one to be much longer without 
 turning his head towards me) at the very moment he turns his head, 
 
18 EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 hold out your left hand towards him. and stand yjerfectly still ; keeping 
 your eyes upon ihe horse, watching his motions, if he makes any. If 
 the horse does not stir in the course of fifieen minutes, advance as slow- 
 ly as possible, and without making the least noise, always holding out 
 your left hand. If the horse makes the least motion when you advance 
 towards him, stop, and remain i>eriectly still until he is quiet ; remain 
 a few moments, and then advance again in the same slow and almost 
 impercei)tib]e manner. II the horse then stirs again, stop without chang- 
 ing your position. It is very uncommon for the horse to stir more than 
 once after you begin to advance, yet there are some exceptions. He 
 generally keeps his eyes steadfast upon you until you get near enough 
 to touch him on the forehead. When you are thus near to him, raise 
 your hand slowly, and by degree?', and let it come in contact with that 
 part just above the nostrils, if possible. If the horse flinches, (as many 
 will,) repeat with great rapidity, those light strokes upon the forehead, 
 going a little farther up towards his ears by degrees, and descending 
 with the same rapidity until he will let you handle his forehead all over. 
 Now let the strokes be repeated with more force over all his forehead, 
 descending by lighter strokes to each side of his head, until you can 
 handle that part with equal facility ; then touch in the same light man- 
 ner, making your hand fiiisers play around the lower part of tlie horse's 
 ears, coming down now and then to his forehead, which may be looked 
 upon as the helm that govei'ns all the rest. Having succeeded in hand- 
 ling his eais, advance towards the neck with the same precautions, and 
 in the same manner, observing always to augment the force of the strokes 
 whenever the horse will permit it. Perform the same on both sides of 
 the neck, until he lets you take it in your arms without flinching, Pro- 
 ceed in the same progressive manner to the sides, and then to the back 
 of the horse. Every time the horse shows any nervousness, return 
 immediately to the forehead, as the true standard, patting him with 
 your hands, and thence rapidly to where you had already arrived, al- 
 ways gaining ground a considerable distance farther on, every time this 
 happens. The head, ears, neck, and body, being thus gentled, proceed 
 from the back to the roots of the tail. This must be managed with 
 dexterity, as a horse is never to be depended on that is skittish about 
 the tail. Let your hand fall lightly and rapidly on that part next to the 
 body a minute or two, and then you will begin to give it a slight pull 
 upwards, every third or fourth stroke, at the same time you continue 
 this handling of him, augment the force of the strokes, as well as rais- 
 ing the tail, until you can raise it and handle it with the greatest of 
 ease, which commonly happens in a quarter of an hour with most horses; 
 in others, almost immediately, and in some much longer. It now re- 
 mains to handle all his legs. From the tail come back again to the 
 head, handle it well, as likewise the ears, breast, and neck, speaking 
 now and then to the horse, but very low. Begin by degrees to descend 
 to the legs, always ascending and descending, gaining ground every 
 
EVERY MAIT HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 19 
 
 time you descend, until you get to his feet. Talk to the horse while 
 you are thus taming him. Let him hear the sound of your voice, which 
 at the beginning of the operation will not be so necessary, but which I 
 have always done in handling horse's feet. ''Hold up your foot," you 
 will say, at the same time lifting up his foot with your hand. He soon 
 becomes familiar with the sounds, and will hold up his foot at com- 
 mand. Then proceed to the hind, and go on in the same manner ; and 
 in a short time the horse will let you lilt them and even take them up 
 in your arms. All this operation is no magnetism, nor galvanism. It 
 is merely taking away the fear the horse generally has of the man, and 
 familiarizing the animal with his master. As the horse doubtless ex- 
 periences a certain pleasure from this handling, he will soon become 
 gentle under it, and show a very marked attachment to his keeper. 
 
 The Kind of Bit to Use, and How to Use it. 
 To accustom a colt to the bit, you should use a large smooth snaf- 
 fle, so as not to hurt his mouth, with a bar at each side to prevent it 
 from pulling through either ways. This should be attached to the 
 headstall of your bridle, and put onto your colt, with out any reins to 
 it, and let him run loose in a large stable or shed, some time, until he 
 become a little used to the bit and will bear it without trying to get it 
 out of his mouth. Repeat this several times before you do anything 
 more with colt, and as soon as he will bear the bit, attach a single rein 
 to it without any martingale. You should also have a halter on him, or 
 a bridle made afler the fashion of a halter, with a strap to it, so that 
 you can hold or lead him about without pulling much on the bit. Ig- 
 norant farmers will put a bitting harness on the colt the first thing they 
 do, buckling it on as light as they can draw it., to make him carry his 
 head, and then turn him out into a lot to run half a day at a time. This 
 is one of the very worst punishments they can inflict on a colt, and is 
 very injurious to a young horse that has been used to running in pas- 
 ture, with his head down. I have seen colts so injured in this way, 
 that they never got over it, and the same men could not plead igno- 
 rance for I told them better, but they were of the class of men who 
 always know more than any one else. A horse should be well accus- 
 tomed to the bit before putting on the bitting harness, and when you 
 first bit him you should only rein his head up even with his body, let 
 that point be high enough, and he will soon learn that he cannot lower 
 his head and that raising it a little will loosen the bit in his mouth ; this 
 will give him an idea of raising his head to loosen the bit and then you 
 can draw the bit a little tighter every time that you put it on, and he 
 will raise his head to loosen it. By this means you will gradually get 
 his head and neck in the position you want him to carry it and give him 
 a nice and graceful carriage without hurting him, making him mad or 
 causing his mouth to get sore. Horses that have their head drawn up 
 tightly should not have the bitting on more than fifteen minutes at a 
 time. 
 
20 Every man his own horse doctor. 
 
 How to Make a Bitting Bridhfor an Unruly Horse. 
 
 Take the Euieka Bridle already described, and fix a loop upon the 
 other end jiisL like that already used to put around the jaw, but laro:e 
 enough to ,50 over the head and fit over the neck rather tight where the 
 collar is woiii; now bring 3'our cord forward, put it through the mouth 
 from the off side and bring back on the near side and put through the 
 loop around the neck, pull upon this cord and the head will be drawn 
 back to the breast; you are now prepared to bit; simply pull upon the 
 cord a little tighter and so repeat for five or ten minutes, then stop bit- 
 ting and repeat at some future time until you have the horse entirely 
 under your contiol. 
 
 How to Saddle a Colt. 
 
 Any one man who has this theoiy can i)ut a saddle on the wildest 
 horse that ever gi-ew. without any help and without scaring him. The 
 first thing will be to tie each stirrup sirap into a loose not to make them 
 short and to pievent the stii-iup from playing about and hitting him; 
 then double up the skirts and take the saddle on your right arm so as 
 not to frighten him, rub him gently a few times with your liand, then 
 raise the saddle very slowly until he can see it, smell it and feel it with 
 his nose, then let the skirts loose and rub it very gently against his neck 
 the way the hair lays, letting him hear the rattle of the skirts as he 
 feels them agait st him, each time a little further backward, and finally 
 slip it over onto his back, shake it a little witii your hands, and in less 
 than five minutes you can rattle it about over his back as much as you 
 please, and pull it off and throw it on again without his paying much 
 attention to it. As soon as you have accustomed him to the saddle, 
 fasten the girth. Be carefid how you do this, for it often frightens the 
 colt when he feels the girth binding him and making the saddle fit tight 
 on his back. You should bring up the girth very gently and not draw 
 it too tight at first, just enough to hold the saddle on, move him a lit- 
 tle and girth as tight as you please and he will not mind it. You should 
 see that the pad of your saddle i^ all right before you put it on, and 
 that there is nothing to make it hurt him or feel unpleasant to his back. 
 It should not have any loose straps on the back part of it to flap 
 about and scare him. After you have saddled him in this way, take a 
 switch in your right hand to tap him up with, walk around in the stable 
 a few times with your right hand over the saddle, taking hold of the 
 ring on each side of his neck with your right and left hands, thus march- 
 ing him about the stable until you teach him the use of the bridle and 
 can turn him about in any direction and stop him by a gentle pull on 
 the rein ; always caressing him, and loosening the reins a little every 
 time you stop him. You should always be alone and have your colt in 
 some light stable or shed the first time you ride him. The lolt should 
 be high so that you can sit on his back without endangering your head. 
 
EVERT MAIS' HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. a 
 
 You can teach him more in two hours' time in a stable of this kind than 
 you could in two weeks in the usual way of breaking colts out in an 
 open place. If you follow my course of treatment you need not run 
 any risk or have any trouble in riding the worst kind of a horse. You 
 take him, a step at a time until you get up a mutual confidence and 
 trust between yourself and horse. First teach him to lead and stand 
 hitched ; next acquaint him with the saddle and the use of the bit, and 
 then all that remains is to get on him without scaring him, and you can 
 ride him as well as any horse. 
 
 How to Mount a Colt. 
 
 First gentle him well on both sides about the saddle and all over, 
 until he will stand still without holding and is not afraid to see you 
 anywhere about him. As soon as you have done this get a small block 
 about one foot in height and set it down beside him, about where you 
 want to stand to mount him. Step up on this, raising yourself gently. 
 Horses notice every change of position very closely and if you were to 
 step up suddenly on the block it would be very apt to scare him, but by 
 raising yourself gradually on it he will see you without being frighten- 
 ed, in a position very nearly the same as when you are on his back. As 
 soon as he will bear this without alarm, untie the stirrup strap next to 
 you and put your left foot in the stirrup and s;and square over it, hold- 
 ing your knee against the horse and your toe out so as -to touch him 
 under the fore shoulder with the toe of your boot. Place your right 
 hand on the front of the saddle and on the opposite side of you, taking 
 hold of a portion of the mane and reins, they hang loosely over his neck, 
 wiih your left hand ; then gradually bear your weight on the stirrup and 
 on your right hand until the horse feels your whole weight on the stir- 
 ru]). Repeat this several times, each time raising yourself a little high- 
 er from the block until he will allow you to put your leg over his croop 
 and place yourself in the saddle. Another, and in some cases, a bet- 
 ter way of mounting, is to j)ress the i)alm of your hand on the oflT side 
 of the saddle and as y(m raise lenn j'^ur weight upon it. By this means 
 you can mount with the girths loose or without any girths at all. There 
 are three great advantages in having a block to mount from: first, a 
 sudden change of position is very apt to frighten a young horse that has 
 never been handled. Ho will allow you to walk to him and stand by 
 his side without scaring at you, because you have gentled him in that 
 position; but if you get down on your hands and knees and crawl 
 towards him he will be very much frightened, and upon the same prin- 
 ciple he would frighten at your new position if you had the power to 
 hold yourself over his back without touching him. Then the first great 
 advantage of the block is to gradually gentle him to that new position 
 in which he will see you when you ride him. Secondly, by the process 
 of holding your weight in the stirrup and on your hand you can grad- 
 
iJVETir MAIS" HIS 0\Yl!f HOUSE DOCTOR, 
 
 nail}' accustom him to your wei2;ht so as not to frighten him by feel- 
 ing it all at once. In the third phice, the block elevates you so that 
 you will not have to make a spring in order to get on the horse's buck, 
 but from it you can orradualiy raise yourself into the saddle. When 
 you take iheso precautions, there is no horse so wild but that you 
 can mount him without making him jump. 1 have tried it on the 
 worst horses that I could find in the cmuitry, and have never failed in 
 any case. When mounting, your horse should always stand without 
 beino held. A horse is never well broke when he has to be held with a 
 tioht rein when mounting, and a colt is never so safe to mount ns when 
 you see that assurance of confidence and absence of fear which ca.ise 
 him to stand without holdins. 
 
 JIoiv to Hide a Coif. 
 
 When you want a colt to start do not touch him on the side with 
 your heel or do an\ thing to frighten or make him jump at once. Si)eak 
 to Iiim kindly and if he does not start ])ull him a little to the left until 
 he does so. Then let him walk off slowly wiih the reins loose. Walk 
 him around in the stable a few times until he ^ets used to the bit and 
 you can turn him about in every direction and stop him as you please. 
 It will be well to get off and on a good many times until he is perfectly 
 used to it before you take him out of the stable. After you have train- 
 ed him in this way, which should not lake more than two or three hours, 
 you can ride him anywhere you choose without ever having him jump 
 or make any effort to throw you. When you first lake him out of the 
 stable be very gentle with him as he will feel more at liberty to jump or 
 run and be easier frightened than when he was in the stable, but you 
 will neveriheless find him {)retty well broke and will be able to manage 
 him without nuich trouble or danger. Whn you mount a colt take a 
 little the shortest hold on the left rein so thai if any thing trightens him 
 you can prevent him from jumping by ])ulling his head around to you. 
 This o))eralion of pulling the horse's head around against liis side will 
 pi event him from jiunping ahead, gearing up or miming away. If he is 
 stubborn and will not go, you can make him move by pulling his head 
 around to one^^ide and keeping it there till he does move. When whip- 
 ping would have no effect, turning him around a few times will make 
 liim dizzy and then by letting him have his head straight and giving 
 him a little touch with the wdiip he will go along without any trouble. 
 Never use maitiiigales on a colt. When you first ride him every move- 
 ment of the hand should be right to the b.t in the direction in which 
 it is ai)plied to the leii :s, without a martingale to change the direction 
 of the force apj)lied You can guide the colt much better without it 
 an<l teach him the use of tho bit in much less tinip, besides martingales 
 would prevent you from pulling his head round if he should jump. Af- 
 ter your colt has been ridden until be is gentle and well accustomed to 
 
EVERT MAN HIS O'WN HORSE DOCTOR. 23 
 
 the bit you may find it an advantacre if he carries his head to high or 
 his nose too far out to put martingales on him. You should be careful 
 not 10 ride your colt so far as to heat, worry or tire him ; set off as soon 
 as you see he is a little fatigued, gentle him and let him rest. This will 
 make him kind to you and prevent his getting stubborn or mad. 
 
 Foot Strap, and How to use it. 
 
 Take a common strap or rope about the size of the Eureka Bridle, 
 the bi-idie will do by untying one of the loops, fasten the end untied 
 carefully to the fore foot below the fetterlock, pass the other end over 
 the belly-band of the harness and carry it back to the left side to the 
 sulky, over the holdback strap of the breeching, and hold it as a third rein 
 in your hand. You h?ve in this strap or cord connected with the foot 
 in this way, a means of control, with which you can almost as easil}' as 
 if a plaything, control a horse while moving in the harness, and embod- 
 ies one of the most valuable and effective means of controling a horse 
 in harness yet demonstrated. If the horse attempts to run away, sim- 
 ply pulling upon your strap throws him instantly upon three legs, and 
 he has to stop ; if he attempts to kick, the same remedy stops him ; if 
 he attempts to kick you. attract his attention forward instantly and at 
 the same time make it impossible for him to kick. 
 
 Row to Prevent a Horse from Running Away, 
 
 ■ Pat on the foot strap and when he attempts to run take up his 
 foot, make him run, tripping him every time he will not stop at the word 
 "whoa." Should he be of an extremely willful character he may run 
 on three legs. If you mistrust so, attach another strap to the opposite 
 foot ; then make him run and if he will not run for the taking up of the 
 second, which will destroy his confidence at once, when one stiap will 
 answer just as well. Make your lessons thorough so the horse will 
 stop every time at the word "whoa". Although I have given a power- 
 ful means or coercion and of impressing the horse of his inability to 
 resist the will of man, still, practical and thorough as are these means, 
 they are of but little account if not used with prudence and judgment. 
 
 How to Mal^e a Horse Lie Down. 
 
 Everything we desire to teach a horse must be commenced in such 
 a way as to give him an idea of what we want him to do, and then be 
 repeated until he learns it perfectly. To make a horse lie down bend 
 his left lore leg and slip a loop over it so that he cannot let it down ; 
 then ]nit a surcingle around his body and tasten one end of alojig strap 
 around the other fore leg just above the hoof; place the other end of 
 the strap under the surcingle so aa to keep the strap in the right direc- 
 
24 EVERY MAN HIS OWI^T SORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 tion. Take a short hold of it with your risht hand, stand on the left 
 side of the horse, grasp the bit in your lelt hand, pull steadily on the 
 strap with your right, bear against his shoulder till you cause him to 
 move; as soon as he lifts his weight your pulling will raise the other 
 foot and he will have to come on his knees. Keep the strap tight in 
 your hand so that he cannot straighten his leg; if he raises up hold him 
 in this position and turn his head towards you; bear againt;t his side 
 with your shoulder, not hard, but with a steady, equal pressure, and in 
 about ten minutes he will lie down. As soon as he lies down he will be 
 completely coiuiuered and you can handle him as you please. Take off 
 the straps and straighten out his legs ; rub him slightly about the face 
 and neck the way the hair lies ; handle all his legs and after he has laid 
 ten or twenty minutes let him get up again. After resting liim a short 
 time make him lie down as before. Repeat the operation three or four 
 times which will be sutficient for one lesson. Give him two lessons a 
 day and when you have trained him three days in this way he will lie 
 down by taking hold of one foot. As soon as he is well broken to lie 
 down in this way, tap him on the opposite leg with a stick when you 
 take hold of his foot, and in a few days he will lie down at the mere 
 motion of the stick. 
 
 Kicking in the Stall. 
 
 To cure a horse of this habit, put on the saddle part of a harness 
 and buckle it on tightly ; then take a short strap with a ring attached 
 and buckle it around the forward foot below the fetterlock; to this 
 short straj) attach another strap which bring up and pass through the 
 turret, then return to the foot and run through the ring in the short 
 strap ; then i)ass over the belly-band and tie to the hind leg below the 
 fetterU)ck. With th'S attachment on each side, the moment the horse 
 kicks he pulls his feet from under him and trips himself upon his knees 
 which he will be very careful not to do but a few times. 
 
 Hoiv to Tame a Horse with Vicious Hahits. 
 Having given full instruction relative to a system of dealing with 
 young colis I will now proceed to detail the plan ol ojjeration for tam- 
 ing and subduing wild or vicious horses. The princ![)les of this method 
 are the same as those in the management of colts. — kindness and gen- 
 tleness — but the practice differs. When you desire to subdue a horse 
 that is very wild or has a vicious dis[>osition take up one fore foot and 
 bend his knee till his hoof is bottom upwards and nearly touching his 
 body ; then slip a loop over his knee and shove it up till it comes above 
 the pastern joint to keep it up, being careful to draw the loop together 
 between the hoof an 1 pastern joint with a second strap to pievent the 
 loop slipping down and coming off. This will leave the horse standing 
 on three legs. You can now handle him as you wish for it is utterly 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OVTN HORBE DOCTOR. 
 
 impossible for him to kick in this position. There is soraethinof in this 
 operation of taking up one foot that conquers a horse quicker and bet- 
 ter than auyihino; else that you do to him, and there is no process in the 
 world equal to it in breaking a kicking horse, for in conquering one 
 membej- you conquer to a great extent the whole horse. You can do 
 anything you wish with the horse in this condition, as when he becomes 
 convinced of his incapacity to cope with man he will abandon all an- 
 tagonistic demonstration and become willing to obey and be generally 
 docile. Operate on your horse in this manner as often as the occasion 
 requires and you will soon find him as gentle as his nature will permit 
 him to be. By these means the most vicious, uneasy, unruly or fretful 
 horse may be cured, though it depends upon the age and disposition of 
 the hoise, how long it will take to make him amiable. When you first 
 fasten up a horse's foot he will sometimes get very mad and strike with 
 his knee and try every possible way to get it down, but as he cannot 
 do that he will soon give up. Conquering a horse in this manner is bet- 
 ter than anything else yon could do, and leaves him without any possi- 
 ble danger of hurting himself or you either, for after you have tied up 
 his foot you can sit down and look at him till he gives up. When you 
 find he is conquered go to him, let down his foot, rub his leg with your 
 hand, caress him and let him rest a few minutes ; then put it up again. 
 Repeat this a few times, always putting up the same foot, and he will 
 soon learn to travel on three legs, so that you can drive him some dis- 
 tance. As soon as he gets a little used to this way of traveling, put on 
 your harness and hitch him to a sulky. If he is the worse kicking 
 horse that ever raised a foot, you need not be afraid of his doing any 
 damage while he has one foot up, for he cannot kick, neither can he run 
 fast enough to do any harm ; and if he is the wildest horse that ever 
 had a harness on, and had run away every time he has been harnessed, 
 you can now hiLch him to a sulky and drive him as j'ou please. You 
 can let him have the lines and whip too, with perfect safety, for he can 
 go at but a slow gait on three legs, and will soon be tired and ready to 
 stop. Only hold him enough to guide him in the right direction and he 
 will i?oon be tired and willing to stop at the word. Thus you will effec- 
 tually cure him at once of any further notion of running off". Kicknig 
 horses have always been the dread of everybody. You always hear 
 men say when they speak about a bad hbrse, "I don't care what he 
 does so he don't kick." This new mode is an effectual cure for that 
 worst of all habits. There are plenty of ways by which you can hitch 
 a kicking horse and force him to go, though he kicks all the time, but 
 this does not have any good effect towards breaking him, for we know 
 that horses kick because they are airaid of what is behind them ; and 
 when they kick against it and it hurts them they will kick the harder, 
 and this will hurt them still more and make them remember the scrape 
 much longer, and make it more difficult to persuade them to have any con- 
 fideuoe in anything dragging behind them ever after ; but by this new 
 
26 EVERY MAN HIS 0\^N HOR8E DOCTOR. 
 
 method j^ou can harness them to a rattling sulkj^ plow, wagon or any- 
 thing else in its worst shape ; they may be frightened at first, but can- 
 not kick or do anything to hurt themselves, and will soon find that 
 3'ou do not intend to hurt them, and they will not care anything more 
 about it. You can then let down ihe leg and drive along gently with- 
 out any farther ti-ouble. By this process a bad kicking horse can be 
 learned to go gentle in harness in a few hours' time. 
 
 How to Cure Bad Kiclcers. 
 
 For extremely bad kickers, or horses hard to shoe, the following 
 method will be found the most eft'ectual : Put on a common rope or 
 strap halier with a hitchinij rope or strap about twice as long as the 
 horse's body. Have around the body a common surcingle, then pass the 
 rone or str;ip between the fore legs, over the surcingle, back around the 
 hind feet, below the fetterlocks, and forward over the surcmgle, be- 
 tween the le<[s and tie short into the halter beneath the jaw. Mow make 
 him kick, and you Avill find that he reproves himself in the most severe 
 manner, and in a short time will submit unconditionally. Care should 
 be taken against chafing the foot by the action of the rope or strap 
 around the fetterlocks. If you can attach a little strap around each 
 foot with rings in them, through which run the strap or rope from the 
 head instead of around the feet. Horses extremely bad about kicking 
 when handled about the feet, or in being shod, yield readily to this 
 mode of treatment. Arter a horse has suluniited he should always be 
 caressed and treated in a kind and gentle maimer. For driving in har- 
 ness attach to a comiuon halter headstall a strap about six feet long, 
 over which put a two inch ring, then tie the strap into the halter ; now 
 pass this double strap down between the fore legs so that the ring will 
 extend just back of the belly-band ; then buckle around each hind foot 
 below the feteriock short straps with rings attached ; to these rings at- 
 tach a rope which is passed throush the ring in the halter, just enough 
 to enable the horse to stand naturally. Iri this condition it will be seen 
 that the horse has sufficient freedom to walk and trot, but the moment 
 he attempts to kick he reproves himself by the attachment to the head. 
 
 How to Hitch a Horse to a Sulhj. 
 
 Lead the horse to and around the sulky, let him look at it, touch 
 it with his nose and stand by it until he does not care anything about 
 it, then pull the shafts a little to tiie left and stand the horse in front of 
 the off wheel ; let some one stand on the right side of the horse and 
 hold him by the bit while you stand on the left side facing the sulky. 
 This will keep him straiiiht ; run your hand back and rest it upon his 
 hip and lay hold of the shafts with your right, bringing them up very 
 gently to the left hand, which remains stationary. Do not let anything 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 57. 
 
 but your arm touch his back, and as soon as you have the shafts di- 
 rectly over him Jet the person on the opposite side take hold of one of 
 them and lower them very gently to the shatt bearers. Be very slow 
 and deliberate about hitching; the longer time you take the better, as 
 a general thing. When you have the shatts placed, shake them slightly 
 so that he' will feel them against his sides. As soon as he will bear 
 them without scaring, fasten your traces, etc., and start him slowly ; let 
 one man lead him to keep him quiet while the other gradually works 
 back with the lines until he can get behind and drive him. After you 
 have driven him a short distance in this way you can get into the sulky 
 and all will go right. It is very important to have your horse go gen- 
 tle when you first hitch him up. After you have walked him awhile 
 there is not half so much danger of his scaring- Men do very wrong 
 in jumping up behind a horse to drive him as soon as they have him 
 hitched. There are too many things for him to comprehend at once. 
 The shafts, the lines, the harness, and the rattling of the sulky all tend 
 to scare him, and he must be made familiar with them by degrees. If 
 your horse is very wild I would advise you to put up one foot the first 
 time vou drive him. 
 
 How to train Horses for the Chaise, 
 
 It will not require a very vivid imagination for those that use the 
 chaise much, to know that there is a great difference in the motion of 
 the chaise, and what makes the difference is the gait of the horses, and 
 those who would purchase a good chaise horse must purchase a short 
 gaited one. A long gaited horse gives an unpleasant motion to the 
 chaise. Now any horse of good action will make a good chaise horse, 
 if you shorten his gait. To do this, you must use a net, this being like 
 a breast collar ; it must be two feet and a half long ; it must now be 
 attached to the collar and harness and worn long, reaching the knees. 
 The cords in the fringe to this must be about four inches apart, and on 
 each cord there must be four balls an inch and a half in diameter. — 
 There must be a similar net on the breeching, reaching around the flank 
 and meeting the one in front; this net must hang below the gambril?; 
 then use a string of smaller balls on the fore feet of one inch in diam- 
 eter — they will effectually shorten the gait. You should be careful in 
 the first exercise after the putting on of the net. Drive or lead the 
 horse around after the harness and net are on before putting him in the 
 chaise. After a short time he can be hitched in and driven, but not 
 fast, until his gait is confirmed. After a few days practice you will have 
 a fine chaise horse. Some of the best chaise horses become so from 
 having sore feet which make them step short. If you will attend to 
 the remarks I make on shoeing and take care of the feet otherwise your 
 horse will never have contracted feet. . . . . ... 
 
Ev©RT MAiir ms owa!7 horse ixxjtor. 
 
 To Train a Horse to stand when you are getting mto a Carriage. 
 
 There are many horses that are very gentle after starting, but who 
 Avill not stand to let more tli;in one get in ; they will then rear up and 
 start veiy suddenly, and if stopped th' y become stubborn and refuse 
 to btart when called on. People then usually punish them with the 
 whip or by kicking them, sometimes in the belly, which is very dan- 
 geious, as they have thus been ruptured. Now with such a horse as 
 this you should commence in this way : after he is hitched, caress him 
 about the head, then take hold of the reins and put your foot upon the 
 step and shake the carriage; if he starts, pull gradually on the reins, 
 and at the same time speak low, "whoa, my boy," or something like it; 
 then approach his liead and give him a piece of apple, carress him on 
 the head between the eyes and on the nose and neck. Continue this 
 kind of treatment a few minutes, and when you get in don't allow him 
 to start off in a hurry — walk him off. After after a few repetitions of 
 this exercise he will be perfectly submissive. 
 
 Salter Fulling. 
 
 It is a very easy matter to break up this bad habit. Put on the 
 Eureka Bridle and train the horse until he will come to you readily 
 when you pull upon him a little sideways. Simply repeat this gradu- 
 ally, a little more in a line with his body at each repetition,, until he 
 will yield as readily at being pulled forward as sideways; then put on 
 a surcingle around his body ; now lead the horse to a manger or post ; 
 run the halter strap through the rins or hole and pass it back between 
 the fore less, over the surcingle, and tie to the hind les below the fet-. 
 terlock. If your halter strap is not lonir enough sp'ice a piece to it. 
 Your horse so fastened, step forward to his head and make him pull. 
 Of course he will go 1 aik with a rush, but the moment he attempts go- 
 ing back, the halter strap pulls directly upon the hind leg, which not 
 only disconceils him but makes it impossible for him to pull. The 
 nu)st halter pullers will not pull over two or three times wlieu so hitch- 
 ed, but success in this, as well as all other cases, depends much on the 
 prudence and good judgment used in managing the case. 
 
 How to Manage Balhj Horses. 
 
 Horses know nothing about balking until they are forced into it by 
 bad minaaement. Whrn a horse balks in harness it is generally from 
 some mismanagement, excitement, confusion, or from not knowing how 
 to pull, but seldom from any unwillingness to perform all that he un- 
 derstands. Hi2[h spirited, free going horses are the most subject to 
 balking, and only so because drivers do not properly understand how 
 to maaago lUia kind. A free horae iu a team may be so anxious to go 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 29 
 
 that when he hears the word he will start with a jarap, which will 
 not move the load but give him so severe a jerk on the shoulders that 
 he will fly back and stop the other horse. The teamster will continue 
 his driving without any cessation and by the time he has the slow horse 
 started again he will find tliat the free horse has made another jump 
 and again flown back, and now he has them badly baulked and so con- 
 fused that neither one of them knows what the matter is or how to 
 start the load. Next will come the slashing and cracking of the whip 
 and hallooing of the driver until something is broken or untill he is 
 through with his course of treatment ; but what a mistake the driver 
 commits by whipping his horse for this act. Reason and common sense 
 should teach him that the horse was willing and anxious to go, but did 
 not know how to start the load ; and should he whip him for that 1 if 
 so, he should whip him for not knowing how to talk. A man that wants 
 to act with reason should not fly into a passion, but should always 
 think before he strikes. It takes a steady pressure against the collar to 
 move a load, and you cannot expect him to act with a steady, determ- 
 ined Ipurpose while you are whipping him. There is hardly one balk- 
 ing horse in five hundred that will pull from a whipping ; it only adds 
 fuel to the fire and will make him more liable to balk another time. — 
 You always see horses that have been balked a few times turn their 
 head and look back as soon as they are frustrated a little ; this is be- 
 cause they have been whipped and are afraid of what is behind them. 
 This is an invariable rule with balky horses, just as much as it is for 
 them to look around at their sides when they have the bots. In either 
 /'ase they are deserving of the same sympathy and the same kind of 
 rational treatment. When your horse balks or is a little excited, or if 
 he wants to start quickly, or looks around and don't waut to go, there 
 is something wrong and he needs kind treatment immediately. Caress 
 him kindly and if he don't understand at once what you want him to do 
 he will not be so much excited as to jump and break things, and do 
 everything wrong through fear. As long as j'ou calm and keep down 
 excitement of the horse there are ten chances to have him understand 
 you where there would not be one under harsh treatment ; and then 
 the little flare-up would not carry with it any unfavorable recollections 
 and he would soon forget all about it and learn to pull true. Almost 
 every wrong act the horse commits is from mismanagement, fear, oi"' 
 excitement- One harsh word will so excite a nervous horse as to in- 
 crease his pulse ten beats in a minute. Almost any team, when balked, 
 will start kindly if you let them stand five or ten minutes as though 
 there was nothing wrong and then speak to them with a steady voice 
 and turn them a little to the right and left so as to get them in motion 
 before they feel the pinch of the load. If you want to start a team 
 that you are not driving yourself, that has been balked, fooled, and 
 whipped for some time, go to them and hang the lines on the hames so 
 that they will be perfectly loose, make the driver and spectators, if 
 
30 EVERT MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 there are any, stand at some distance on one side so as not to attract 
 the attention of the horses, unloose the check rein so that they can get 
 their heads down if they choose, let them stand a few minutes in this 
 condition, until you can see that they are a little composed ; while they 
 are standing you should be about their heads gentling them. It makes 
 them a little more kind and the spectators will think you are doing 
 ,3omething that they do not understand, and will not learn the secret. 
 When you have them ready to start stand before them, and as yon sel- 
 dom have but one balky horse in a team get as near in front of him as 
 you can and if he is too fast for the other horse let his nose come 
 against your breast; this will keep him steady, for he will go slow 
 rather than run against you. Turn them gently to the right with the 
 wagon, have it in a favorable position for starting, letting them pull on 
 the traces as far as the tongue will let them go. Stop them with a kind 
 word, gentle them a little and turn them back to the left by the same pro- 
 cess. You will have them under your control by this time; as you turn 
 them to the right steady them in the collar and you can take them where 
 you please. Thei-e is a quicker process that will generally start a balky 
 horse but not so sure : Stand him a little ahead so that his shoulder 
 will be against the collar, then take up one of his fore feet in your hand 
 and let the driver start them and he will go right along. If you want 
 to break a horse fiom balking that has long been in the habit, you ousht 
 to set a day apart for that purpose ; put him by the side of a steady 
 horse, have check lines on them, tie up all the traces and straps so 
 that there will be nothing to excite them ; do not rein them up but let 
 them them have their heads loose ; walk them about together as slowly 
 and lazily as possible; stop them and go up to the balky horse and 
 gentle him, but keep him as quiet as possible. He will soon learn to 
 start off at the word and stop whenever you tell him. As soon as he 
 T>erforms right hitch him to an empty wagon. It would be well to 
 shorten the check chain behind the steady horse, so that if necessary 
 he can take the weight of the wagon. The first time you start them do 
 not drive but a few rods ; watch your balky horse closely, and if you 
 see that he is fjetting excited stop him before he stoj)s of his own ac- 
 cord, caress him a little and start again. As soon as they will go well, 
 drive them over a small hill a few times and then over a iarge one. oc- 
 casionally adding a little load : this process will make any horse true 
 to pull. 
 
 Advice to tJtose ivlio Drive Horses. 
 
 It will be to your interest, reader, to use all precaution to prevent 
 a horse from becoming sick while in your hands. This can be done by 
 adhering to certain rules which I will now note down ; When you leave 
 the stable drive slow for a few miles unless you know how much (he 
 horse has been fed. If he has just finished his meal it is very necessa- 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 31 
 
 r}-- that he should be driven at a moderate pace on the start. If he has 
 eaten a few hours be'fore this, precaution will be unnecessary. When 
 you water your horse never give him more than two quarts and that 
 once in two hours ; look at his mouth and if it is moist with saliva he 
 does not need waterinii, but if it should be dry and if tepid water is at 
 hand wash out the nostrils and mouth with it ; if not, use cold water. 
 Warm water causes the saliva to exude, relieving the horse by keeping 
 the mouJLh moist. If on a journey, stop at 11 A. M., and let your horse 
 stand without any food for half or a whole hour, then give him one 
 gallon of water and let him stand ten minutes, when he may be given 
 three quarts of oats, five ears of good bright corn or three pints of 
 shelled corn. After eating, let him stand two hours if you can, then 
 you may put him into a brisk trot without any danger of causing dis- 
 ease. I should rather have a horse driven eight or nine miles an hour, 
 treated in this way, than four if started off directly after eating. By 
 watering after feeding and then driving off, gases are generated in the 
 stomach and give colic or set the bot at work in the membrane of the 
 stomach. Again, if the horse is warm when you stop, be careful nob 
 to stand him in a current of air, as he might take a disease that would 
 carry him off. If in very warm weather he had better stand in the sun 
 than in a draught of air. If in very cold weather, either stable him 
 or clothe him when jou stop, to keep the cold air from closing the 
 pores of the skin. If you are compelled to stop in the wind always 
 face it ; then the air blows the way the hair lays. If in a northern cli- 
 mate, in the winter, never allow a snow ball to remain in the foot, es- 
 pecially if he has been driven fast and is warm ; the coffin muscle is 
 relaxed by heat and the close proximity of snow would cool off the 
 foot so suddenly that the muscle would shrink to the contraction and 
 make him lame. Always be cautious to keep the feet from cold water 
 when the horse is warm, as any sudden contact of cold with hot blood, 
 either in the body or legs, would be dangerous. These precautions 
 should be taken either in riding or driving. If you drive through water 
 when the horse is warm, give exercise enoush to keep up the circula- 
 tion, not to allow the blood to be chilled in the veins. If you adhere 
 to these rules you will not be likely to have a horse injured by your 
 management. 
 
 On Choking as a means of Subduing a Horse. 
 
 Choking is another method of conquering a skittish, subborn or re- 
 fractory horse. It is to be resorted to in cases where the measures be- 
 fore described LJI to produce the desired effect. The principles on 
 which the plan of chokinof are baserl are that you must make a power- 
 ful appeal to the intelligence of the animal, by physical means, before 
 you can subdue him. Now we must know that most animals in fighting 
 sieze each other by the throat, and that a dog thus held by his antago- 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 nist for a few minutes, on beinsr released is often sp thoroughly cowed 
 that no human artifice can induce him to again resume the unequal 
 contest. It is then reasonable to suppose that choking will have a sim- 
 ilar effect on the horse, when it can be done without injuring the ani- 
 mal. It is an easy mode of subduing him, for hj its operation he be- 
 comes docile and will thereafter receive any instructions which he can 
 be made to understand. Teaching the horse by this means to lie down 
 at our bidding tends to keep him permanently gentle towards man, for 
 it is a perpetual reminder of his subdued condition. It requires a deal 
 of practice to tame a horse successfully by choking, also a nice judg- 
 ment to know when he is choked sufficiently, as there is a bare possi- 
 bility that he might get more than would be good for him. I should 
 advise persons not perfectly familiar with the horse to resort rather to 
 the strapping and throwing down process, unless the animal to be op- 
 erated upon is so vicious and intractable that he cannot be cured by it. 
 
 Sow to maJce a Horse Perfectly Safe for Family Use. 
 For a family horse, we should select one with a full, prominent eye 
 and a broad space between them; full forehead, ears straight and point- 
 ed. When in action the ears should be in motion, working back and 
 forth, thus showing that he knows what is transpiring around him. He 
 should have a long, thin neck and a full trumj)ed nostril, A horse of 
 these points is not apt to tire on the road, for they indicate good blood. 
 By giving the animal to understand that we are his friend and protect- 
 or, he will feel safe and have confidence hi us. To assure him of this, 
 we must caress him on the neck and head and talk softl)^ to him ; then 
 if you have something that he is very fond of, by feeding him with it 
 you gain his sympathy and confidence, and he will remember your kind- 
 ness to him ; to us this seems reasonable. So long as he is treated with 
 kindness he will be kind and gentle himself to every one handling him. 
 If he should frighten at any new object, by speaking gently "whoa my 
 boy," several times over ; it assures him at once that he is safe. When 
 your horses are harnessed to the carriage and they wish to start before 
 you are ready, do not jerk them or speak cross, but go to their heads 
 and caress and soothe them, and when you get in draw the reins care- 
 fully and talk kindly to them and allow them to walk off slowly. In a 
 few days, with such treatment, your horses will be perfectly tractable 
 and gentle. A full horse is as sensitive as a well bred man, and you 
 must not halloo to liim as you might to a hog. This you may not be- 
 lieve but it is so. You must never use the whip except when the horse 
 knows what you want him to do and will not do it, or is lazy and re- 
 quires the lash to increase the speed. Adhere to these principles of 
 kindness and you will not fail to have a well trained family horse. 
 
 On the Reariny of Colts. 
 If a fine colt is desired, we must breed to a fine, thorough-blooded 
 
EVERT MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 horse. The colt should not be allowed to shrink for the first two j^ears; 
 If the dam has not sufficient milk to keep him plump he must be fed 
 on cow's milk. Feed him through the winter on dry oat meal and give 
 cow's milk to drink. If a colt is allowed to shrink during the first two 
 years he will never fill out again as full and plump ; his fine points will 
 be undeveloped. The colt should not be kept close to a stable but al- 
 lowed to run in and out at pleasure. He should not be allowed to stand 
 on a plank floor at all. In the spring, as soon as the grass is good he 
 should b6 turned out to pasture. 
 
 Training Horses for Trotting. 
 
 The horse should be in good condition and driven moderately with 
 walking. Exercise him every morning, about five miles. Before 
 going into quarters give him a brush for one hundred yards at the top 
 of his speed, and one or two miles of moderate driving, suficient to 
 sweat him, then rub dry with rubbing rag. Light rubbing is the best, 
 just enough to dry the hair; hard rubbing on the bones and cords, 
 causes soreness. Rub the flesh and muscles well, to harden them when 
 driving. To sweat, put on two thick woolen blankets and drive at full 
 speed two miles, then turn doun the hood and neck-cover and scrape 
 the head and neck well, and rub dry; then cover dry, and continue the 
 same over the Avhole body, rubbing lightly, and only enough to dry the 
 hair, then put on nice dry covering and let him stand. Sweating often 
 in this way will weaken. It should be done but seldom. Their food 
 and drink should be of the purest kind ; sift their oats free from all 
 dust, and dust the hay. Give about a handfull at a feed, morning and 
 noon, and about twice that at night ; from twelve to sixteen quarts of 
 oats per day would be a great plenty, twelve would be plenty for the 
 majority of horses. Give one gallon of water in the morning, the same 
 at noon. At night two gallons of water and a peck of oats, with treble 
 quantity of hay. You should not exercise any horse on a full stomach, 
 for then fast work hinders digestion. Grain lying undigested in the 
 stomach generates a gas by fermentation, which sets the hots at work 
 and produces colic. Indigestion is the cause of many diseases, and 
 can be avoided by adhering to the directions for feeding, watering and 
 driving, given in the first part of this book. If he is bound up, and 
 you wish to physic, give bran mashes. 
 
 On Horse Blinds or Blirilcers. 
 
 All my experience with, and observation of horses, proves clearly 
 to me that blinkers should never be used, and that the sight of the horse 
 for many reasons should not be interfered with in any way. Horses are 
 only fearful of objects they do not understand or are not familliar with, 
 and the eye is one of the principle mediums by which this understand- 
 
U EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 ing and this familiarity are brought about. The horse, on account of 
 his very amicable nature, can be made, in the course of time, to bear 
 almost anything in any shape ; but there is a quicker process to reach 
 his intelligence than wearing it into him through his skin, and however 
 wild and nervous a horse may be, he can be taught in a verj"- short time 
 to understand and not to iear any object however frightful in appear- 
 ance. Horses can be broken in less time and better without blinkers, 
 but horses that always have worn them will notice the sudden change, 
 and must be treated carefully; the first drive after that they will drive 
 better without the blinkers than with. I have proved it by my own ex- 
 periments that a horse broken without blinkers can be driven past any 
 omnibus, coach or carriage on a parallel line as close as it is possible 
 for him to go without ever wavering or showing any disposition to 
 dodge. I have not, in the last twelve years constantly handling horses, 
 both wild and nervous, ever put blinkers on any of them, and in no 
 case have they ever shied at passing objects. The horse's eye is the 
 life and beauty of the animal as well as the index of his emotions ; it 
 tells the driver in the most impressive characters what the hoj-se's feel- 
 ings are. By it he can tell the first approach of fear in time to meet 
 an}^ diflSculty. He can tell if he is happy or sad, hungry or weary. — 
 The horse, too, when permitted to see, uses his eyes with great judg- 
 ment. He sees with his eyes better than we do ; he can measure dis- 
 tances wilh his eyes better than we can ; and, if allowed free use of 
 them, would often save himself by the quickness of his sight from col- 
 lisions, when the driver would fail to do so by a timely pull of the reins. 
 It would also save many accidents to pedestrians in the streets, as no 
 horse will run over any person that he can see. Blinkers are rapidly 
 going out of use in the United States, and I have not yet found a man 
 who having once left them off", could be ])ersuaded to ijiit them on 
 again. They are an unncessary and injurious incumbrance to the 
 horse, and in years hence M'ill be a thing to be read of as one of the 
 follies happily refoimed in the nineteenth century. 
 
 Advice to those about to Purchase a Horse. 
 
 When about to purchase a horse, examine the eyes well ; thf best 
 judges are sometimes deceived in the eyes ; therefoi'e you cannot be too 
 careful. Clearness of the eyes is a sure indication of their goodness, 
 but this is not all that should be tended to. The eyelids and eyebrows 
 and all other parts must be considered ; for many horses whose eyes 
 appear clear and brilliant, go blind at seven or eight years of age. 
 Therefore be careful to observe whether the parts between the eyelids 
 be full or swelled, for these are indications that the eyes will not last. 
 When the eyes are remarkably flat, or sunk within their orbits, it is a 
 bad sign, also when they look dead and lifeless. The iris or circle that 
 surrounds the sight of the eye should be distinct, and of a pale, varie- 
 
EVERY MAK" HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 gated cinnamon color. This is always a sure sign of a good age, and it 
 adds beauty to the appearance of the animal. Next examine the teeth, 
 as 3^011 would not wish to purchase an old horse, nor a very young horse 
 for service. The feet should next be regarded, for a horse with bad 
 feet is like a house with a weak foundation, and will do little service. 
 The feet should be smooth and tough, of a middle size without wrinkles, 
 and neither too hard and brittle, nor too soft. The heels should be 
 firm, and not spongy and rotten ; the frogs horny and dry ; the soles 
 somewh'at hollow — somewhat like a tea saucer ; such feet will never 
 disappoint your expectations, and such onlj' should be chosen. Par- 
 ticular regard should be had to the shoulders ; they should not be too 
 much loaded, for a horse with heav}^ shoulders can never move well, 
 and on the other hand, one that has very thin shoulders and a narrow 
 chest, though he may move briskly so long as he is sound, yet he is 
 generally weak and easily lamed in the shoulders. A medium should 
 therefore be clfosen. The body or carcass should be neither too small 
 nor too large. The back should be straight, or have only a moderate 
 sinking below the withers, for when the back of a horse is low, or high- 
 er behind than before it is both very ugly and a sign of weakness. The 
 back should also be of proper length. The ribs should be large, the 
 flanks smooth and full, and the hind parts, or uppermost haunches, not 
 higher than the shoulders. When the horse trots before you, observe 
 if his haunches cover his fore knees. A horse with short hind quarters 
 does not look well. The next thing to be regarded in a horse is his 
 wind, which may be judged of by the motion of his flanks. A broken 
 winded horse also pinches in his flanks with a very slow motion and 
 drops them suddenly, which may be easily perceived. Many horses 
 breathe thick that are not broken winded. Indeed, any horse will in 
 foggy weafifcer, or if foul fed without sufficient exercise. But if a horse 
 lias had good keeping and proper exercise, and yet has these symptoms, 
 there is some defect, either natural or accidental, such as a narrow chest 
 or some cold that has affected his lungs. There are other particulars 
 that should be observed in choosing a horse. If his head be long and 
 fleshy, and his neck thin and gross, he will always go heavy on the 
 hand, and therefore such should never be chosen. A horse that has his 
 hocks very wide seldom moves well, and one that has them too near 
 will chafe and cut his legs by crossing them. Fleshy-legged horses 
 are generally subject to th^ grease and other infirmities of that kind, 
 and should not be chosen. The temper of a horse should be particu- 
 larly attended to; avoid a fearful horse, which you may know at first 
 sight by his starting, crouching, or creeping if you approach him. A 
 hot and fretful horse is also to be avoided ; but the buyer should be 
 careful to distinguish between a hot, fretful hoi'se, and one that is eager 
 and craving. The former begins to fret the moment he is out of the 
 stable, and continues in that humor till he has quite fatigued himself; 
 and the latter only endeavors to be foremost in the field and is truly 
 
36 EVERT MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 valuable. He has those qualities that resemble prudence and courage ; 
 the other, those of intemperate heat and rashness. A horse that goes 
 with his fore feet low is very apt to stumble ; and there are some that 
 go so near the ground that they stumble most on even roads ; and the 
 dealers to remedy this, put heavy shoes on their feet, for the heavier 
 the shoes are, the higher he will lift his feet. Care also should be 
 taken that the horse does not cut one leg with the other. A horse that 
 goes near the ground will cut the low side of the fetlock joint ; but 
 one that goes high cuts below the knee, which is called the speedy 
 cut. A horse that lifts his feet high generally trots fast, but is not the 
 easiest for the rider. Some horses cut with the spurn of the foot, and 
 some with the heel, but this you may soon perceive by their standing ; 
 for if a horse points the front of his foot inward, he cuts with the spurn, 
 "and if outward, with the heel. These few instructions may be of use 
 in purchasing horses ; but I would advise one to get some experimental 
 knowledge of them before he trusts to his own judgment,. for the dealers 
 have so many arts to hide the defects of their horses that the best of 
 judges are often very much deceived. 
 
 Sow to tell the Age of a Horse hy Ms Teeth. 
 
 The only sure way of telling a horse's age is by the teeth, and these 
 only for a certain time ; after which time there is nothing to depend on, 
 although you can guess very near by the front teeth on his npper jaw, 
 until he is about twelve or thirteen. This with the face of the horse 
 and some other marks, enables one experienced in horses to guess very 
 closely. There are six teeth above and six below in the fore part of 
 the horse's mouth, from which we may judge of his age. They are call- 
 ed gatherers. When a colt is foaled he has no teeth in th^ front part 
 of his mouth. In a few days two more come in the upper jaw and two 
 below ; again, in a few days, four more appear, but the corner teeth do 
 not come for three or four months. These twelve teeth remain un- 
 changed in the colt's mouth, until he is two or two and a half years 
 old, when he begins to change them for permanent ones. Although the 
 manner in which he has been fed regulates in a measure the time of 
 change. Until he is in his eighth year, you can tell his age by his front 
 teeth in the lower jaw ; so I only speak of these. At first he sheds the 
 two middle teeth of the six ; these are succeeded by two permanent 
 or horse teeth, of a deeper color and stronger, and grooved or fluted 
 fi-om top to bottom, with a black cavity in the centre; he is now about 
 three. In the latter part of the fourth year the teeth on each side of 
 the centre teeth undergo the same process, and he becomes possessed 
 of four horse teeth in the middle with the natural black marks in the 
 centre, and one colt's tooth only on each side. He next sheds his 
 corner teeth ; when he gets their succssors his mouth is full. lie has 
 the black mark in all of the six teeth and is five years old. After the 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 37 
 
 horse is seventeen, the grinders Avear down, and the nippers prevent the 
 ^rfnders from coming together, so he cannot masticate his food as well 
 as a younger horse. 
 
 Weights to he carried in Trotting. 
 
 Weights to be carried by every trotting horse starting for a match, 
 purse ov stake. Eveiy horse shall carry one hundred and forty-six 
 pounds. If in harness, the weight of the sulky and harness not to be 
 considered. Pacing horses liable to the same rule. 
 
 Uace Distances. 
 
 A distance of mile heat, best three in five, shall be one hundred 
 yards ; for one mile heats, eighty yards ; and for every additional heat, 
 an additional eighty yards. The time between heats shall be, for one 
 mile, twenty, and for every additional mile, five minutes. 
 
 To pict Horses in Good Condition. 
 
 They need good care and clean food. Do not use Condition Pow- 
 ders, or such medicines. They are not needed, and are humbugs. If 
 your horse is hide bound and out of condition, give him a good purge 
 of linseed oil, or castor oil, one pint. Then give bran mashes, morning 
 and evening. He will soon regain his appetite, and will be all right. — 
 At any time when your horse loses his appetite check his food, and 
 give him a mash. Give as little medicine as possible. By this treat- 
 ment you will have healthy horses. 
 
 To leep Horses free from Diseases. 
 
 The stable must be clean and well ventilated. There is nothing 
 more conducive to good health than pure air and clean food. The ceil- 
 ing of the stable should be at least ten or twelve feet high, with venti- 
 lating box at the head, four inches square, running out at the roof. — 
 The loft should be perfectly tight, so that the breath of the horse can- 
 not rise and mix with the hay, which may be injured both in taste and 
 wholesomeness. It is a bad plan to put hay in a rack. The horse 
 breathes on it and makes it the less palatable and healthy. Feed from 
 a box in front, and but a little at a time. He will neither waste it or 
 otherwise injure it. The ventilation in the wall of the stable should be 
 as high up as possible, so as not to injure him by draughts of air, from 
 which he should always be kept. Filthy stables cause weak eyes, and 
 a running at the nose. In many instances the decomposition of vegeta- 
 ble matter and the urine give out stimulating and unhealthy vapors, 
 and a strong smell of hartshorn. How can it but cause inflammation of 
 
 10 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 the ej'es, or lungs, or glanders, and farcj^ ? Be careful to have your 
 stables so that the urine will run off; but do not raise the j^lanking 
 much higher at the front, than at the back, for this will cause a strain 
 of the back sinews, and lameness, and thickening up of the same. It 
 is an unnatural wa}' for a horse to stand. The stalls' should have holes 
 in the planking, and they should always be kept open. In summer, the 
 horse should always, (if he stands on a dirt fl'oor,) stand on straw, or 
 litter of some kind ; it relieves the feet in stamping. It is very injuri- 
 ous to keep horses in a dark stable; it is bad for their eyes, and many 
 horses go blind from this cause. You should likewise avoid a glaring 
 light, or white walls. Give a mellow light, with clean stabling, clean 
 food, clean litter, and all will be well with the horse. 
 
 In regard to Horse Shoeing . 
 
 If you examine the horse's foot, while in his natural state, it will be 
 be found almost round, and very elastic at the heel ; the frog broad, 
 plumi), sn^l of a soft, yielding character; the commissaries open and well 
 defined, and the sole concave ; the outside of the crust, from the heel 
 to the toe, increased from a slight level to an angle of about forty-five 
 degrees; consequently as the hoof grows it becomes wider and larger 
 in proportion to the amount of horn secreted, and the narrower and 
 shorter in proportion to the amount of horn cut away from the ground 
 surface. If a shoe were fitted nicely and accurately to the foot, after 
 being dressed down well, it would be found too narrow and short for 
 the same foot, after the lapse of a few weeks. Now if any unyielding 
 shoe of iron is nailed firmly to this naturally enlarged and elastic hoof, 
 it prevents its natural fieedom of expansion almost wholly ; and does 
 not, as the foot grows down, allow it to become wider at the quarters 
 in proportion to the quantity of horn grown, as before being shod; and 
 consequently the foot changes from the continued effect of the restraint 
 from an almost round, and healthy foot, to a contracted and unhealthy 
 condition, as genei'ally seen in horses shod for a few years. The prin- 
 ciples which should govern in shoeing are few and simple ; and it is 
 surprising to me that a matter involving such serious consequences 
 should be conducted with so little consideration. The object of the 
 slioer should be in trimming and preparing the hoof for the shoe, to 
 keep the foot natural ; and this involves the cutting away of any undue 
 accumulation of horn affecting in the least its health and freedom; to 
 carry out in the form of the shoe, that of the foot as nearly as possible; 
 to fit and fasten the shoe to the foot so as to interfere least with its 
 health and elasticity. The object in nreparing the foot for the shoe 
 is to remove any undue accumulation of horn destined to ])revent its 
 natural bearing, and the free, healthy action of its parts; and requires 
 the cutting away of about the ])ro])ortion that contact with the ground 
 would have worn of, or so much as had grown since being shod last. — 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 If the shoes have been on a month, then the proportion of horn secre- 
 ted in the time should be removed ; if on two months, then the propor- 
 tion of two months' growth. No definite rule can be given. The judg- 
 ment must be governed by the cu'cmstances of the case. The stronger 
 and more rapid the growth of the foot, the more mast be cut away ; 
 and the weaker and less horn produced, the less ; to the extreme of 
 simply leveling the crust a little, the better to conform to the shoe. — 
 There is generally a far more rapid growth at the toe than at either the 
 heels or quarters. More, therefore, will require to be taken off the toe, 
 than off the other parts. Therefore shorten the toe and lower the heels, 
 until you succeed in bringing down the bearing surface of the hoof up- 
 on the shoe to almost a level with the live horn of the sole. Be care- 
 ful to make the heel level. Having lowered the crust to the necessary 
 point, Avith the buttress, or knife, smooth it down ; level with the rasp, 
 the sole and frog, detach the old horn by exfoliation, as it becomes su- 
 perabundant ; the sole therefore would not need paring were it not for 
 the restraining effeci of the shoe upon the general functions of the foot, 
 which is liable to prevent such detachment of the horn. When this is 
 the case, the sole should be properly dressed out with an English shave, 
 the end of which is shaped like an iron used at saw mills to mark and 
 measure boards. The buttress is too large and square edged to dress 
 out so concave a surface properly ; and, unless great care is exercised, 
 it will not only penetrate through the sole in some places, but leave 
 others entirely neglected. While a good workman may work well with 
 almost any kind of tools, such have also the faculty of adapting tools 
 to the work. A horse's foot is not to be hacked and cut as if only a 
 block of lifeless wood ; and, if even only a lifeless machine, what care 
 would be found necessary to preserve its harmony of action complete. 
 The buttress does not seem to be at all adapted to dressing out the sole, 
 and should not be used for that purpose. While we are obliged to find 
 fault with the carelessness of blacksmiths in this respect, it is with the 
 spirit of kindness, sensible that we ourselves are only dull pupils in the 
 work of reform. We should be particular also in impressing the neces- 
 sity of not- confounding the bars with the substance of the sole, and 
 cutting them down to the common level with the sole. Any man of 
 common sense can see that the bearing of the bars should be the same 
 as the outside of the crust upon the shoe, and that they offer a decided 
 resistance to the contraction of the heels. The cutting away of the 
 bars, to give the heel an 0})en a[)pearance, is inexcusable; and should 
 never be done in a natural, healthy condition. The frog has a line of 
 bearing with the hoof and by its elastic nature acts as a safeguard to 
 the delicate machinery of the foot immediately over it, and hel|)S to 
 preserve the foot in its natural state. By keeping the heels spread it 
 seems to be wisely intended to cive life and health to the foot, permit- 
 ting the heels to grow down. The addition of high heeled hhoes raises 
 the frog from its natural position, and causes it to shrink and harden, 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN. HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 and bears in consequence an important influnence in setting up a dis- 
 eased action that generally results in the contraction of the foot. If the 
 heels are square and high, and the hoof presents rather a long, narrow 
 appearance, and is hollow on the bottom, there is a state of contraction 
 going on, and you must not hesitate to dress down thoroughly. Do not 
 hesitate, because the foot will appear small. Cut away until you are 
 well down to a level with the live horn of the sole. If the foot is weak, 
 use the same prudence in not cutting away too much. The shoer must 
 always bear in mind that the sole must not rest upon the shoe. The 
 pole, when not clogged with old horn, acts as a spring to the weight of 
 of the horse; and if it rests upon the shoe an inflammation may be caused 
 by the pressure of the coffin bone upon the sensitive laminae, which is 
 liable, in consequence, to be so bruised, as to cause soreness and inflam- 
 mation. The effect of such bruises are the most common at the angle of 
 the inner heel, Avhere the descending heel of the coffin bone, forcibly 
 pressing the soft, sensible sole upon the horny sole, is apt to rupture 
 one or more of the small blood vessels of the delicate fleshj^ substance con- 
 necting the crust of the coffin bone of the part, causing red spots, Avhich 
 are commonly called corns. Let the foot be so dressed down, and the 
 shoe so approximated, that the bearing will come evenly upon the crust 
 all the way round, without the sole touching the shoe. This requires 
 the crust to be dressed level, and not burnt level by the shoe; and al- 
 though W(?ll down to the live horn of the sole, it sould always be kept 
 a little higher. The corners, between the bars and crust, should be 
 well pared out, so that there is no danger of the sole resting upon the 
 shoe. 
 
 The Shoe. 
 The principal object should be to have the shoe so foraied, as to 
 size, weight, fitting and fastening, as to combine the most advantages of 
 protection and preserve the natural tread of the foot best ; in weight it 
 should be proportioned to the work or employment of the horse. If 
 the horse walks principally upon the road, his shoes should be rather 
 heavy. The ground surface of the shoe should correspond with the 
 ground surface of the foot in its natural state, or in other words, it must 
 have a concave surface corresponding with the concave surface of the 
 foot. The nail holes should be punched coarse and in the centre of the 
 web ; if the hind shoe, four on a side and well forward ; if the forward 
 shoe, four on the outside and two or three well forward on the inside 
 toe. As it is found necessary to retain the shoe, the manner of fasten- 
 mg the shoe is what really affects the foot, and which requires the most 
 a^pecial attention in shoeing. 
 
 Interfering Shoes. 
 First, find what part of the foot hits the opposite ankle, which you 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 41 
 
 can do by wrapping the ankle with a rag nicely ; which color with some 
 kind of coloring matter over Avhere the opposite foot hits. You can 
 then tell by driving where the color adheres and what portion of the 
 crust hits the ankle. Remove this portion and have the shoe set well 
 under the foot, but carefully fitted so as to support the foot safely by 
 the bearing of the bar and heel. The hoof should be pared lower on 
 the outside to turn the ankle that the other hoof may pass clear ; yet 
 if the inside sole is not dressed, the rim soon breaks and the inside is 
 found to be actually lower than the outside. Shoes to prevent interfer- 
 ing should be light and of narrow Aveb on the inside, with three nail 
 holes near the toe. They should be straight at the point where they 
 come in contact with the opposite leg. By adhering strictly to this 
 principle of paring the foot and fitting and fastening of the shoe you 
 will prevent a recurrence of the difficulty. Shoes to prevent over i-each- 
 ing should be long, and for the forward feet heavier, especially at the 
 heels, and for the hind feet light with heavy toes. The hoof should be 
 well pared at the toe. 
 
 The Foot and its Diseases. 
 
 The crust or wall is that part which is seen when the foot is placed 
 upon the ground and reaches from the hair to the ground. It is deeper 
 in front, where it is called the toe, shallower at the sides, which are 
 called quarters, and of least depth behind, where it is termed the heel. 
 It is placed flat upon the ground, but ascends obliquely backward and 
 possesses difTerent degrees of obliquity in diflterent feet. In a sound 
 hoof the proper degree of standing is calculated at forty-five degrees, 
 or the fourth part of a semi-circle. This crust is thicker in front, being 
 about half an inch, and at the quarters and heel is very much thinner. 
 It is also thinner at the inner and outer quarters where the most weight 
 is thrown upon. It is under the inner splint bone on which so much 
 weight rests, and being thinner it is able to expand more, its elasticity 
 is called more into play, and concussion and injury are avoided on ac- 
 count of its thinness and the additional weight which it bears. The in- 
 ner heel wears away quicker than the outer, a circumstance which should 
 never be forgotten by the smith ; his object is to give a plain and level 
 bearing to the whole crust. Thus it will be unnecessary to remove but 
 very little, if any, from the inner heel, as it has worn away faster than 
 the outside from the greater weight it bears, which would cause corns 
 and quarter cracks, and even splints ; the concussions being so much 
 greater. This may all be avoided by paying a little attention when 
 shoeing. 
 
 The Frog. 
 
 In the place between the bars, and exactly filling it, is the frog. It 
 11 
 
42 EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 is a triangular piece of horn projecting from the sole almost on a level 
 with the crust, and covering and defending a soft and spongy substance 
 called the sensible frog. It is wide at the heels, and above the shell or 
 crust of the foot, and runs to a point like a wedge. This is to keep the 
 heel ai)art and prevent the horse from slipping. It will adhere to the ice 
 like rubber. There is a cleft commencing at the hock and running 
 nearly two-thirds the length of the frog, which is firmly united to the 
 sole, but of a nature entirely distinct from it, being a soft, spongy sub- 
 stance and very elastic. It never can be bruised until it has been cut, 
 when it becomes a hard, horny substance ; and by treading on anything 
 .solid when going fast, it springs or presses on the sensible part of the 
 foot, and causes corns. Now this frog should never be cut or pared in 
 the least. Let it look ever so ragged it is then healthy. It sheds every 
 three months ; but if the knife is used it is more or less injured. 
 
 The Sole. 
 
 This is the inner surface of the foot, and is both concave and elas- 
 tic, and extends from the crust to the bars and frog. It is not as thick 
 as the crust. Notwithstanding its situation there is not as much weight 
 thrown on it as there is on the crust, because it was intended to expand, 
 in order to prevent concussion when the weight was thrown upon it. 
 It is thicker at the toe, and where it connects with the crust. The prin- 
 ciple weight is thrown upon the toe by the coffin bone wedging in. It 
 is not brittle in health, and it is somewhat hollow, which gives spring to 
 it and lessens the shock of striking the ground when in rapid motion ; 
 for if the sole was flat there would be no spring to it, and it would be 
 bruised by sudden contact with the ground. Thus you see that by cut- 
 ting, the spring of the sole is injured, and the sole itself becomes dry, 
 hard, and brittle ; but if you never touched it, retains the moisture, 
 keeps the foot from shrinking, and keeps it healthy. 
 
 The Coffin Bone. 
 
 Beneath the lower pastern, and entirely enclosed in the hoof, is the 
 proper bone of the foot, the coffin bone. It fills about one-half of the 
 fore part of the hoof, to which it is fitted. It is light and spongy and 
 filled with numerous holes through which pass the blood vessels of the 
 foot. These are necessarily numerous, considering the important and 
 various secretions there going on, and the circulation could not be kept 
 up if these vessels did not run through the substance of the bone. The 
 holes about the coffin bone cany the blood to the little bones, with 
 which it is covered. Those near the lower part go to the sole. As this 
 bone is enclosed in the horny box of the crust no inconvenience can 
 arise from an outward pressure, for the bone allov/s free passage to the 
 blood, and prevents it from every obstruction. The fore part of the 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 43 
 
 coffin bone, besides being thus perforated, is curiously roughened for 
 the attachment of numerous httle leaves on its upper surface, is a con- 
 cavity for the head of the lower pastern. In front is a striking promi- 
 nence into which is inserted the exterior tendon of the foot at the back. 
 It is sloped for articulation with the navicular bone, and more under- 
 neath it a depression for the reception of the flexor tendon. Continued 
 down the leg, passing over the navicular bone, and then inserted into 
 this bone, on either side, are projections called the heels of the coffin 
 bone ; and the bottom is hollowed to match the internal part of the sole. 
 The most particular part of the coffin bone is the production of numer- 
 ous little leaves around its front and sides. They are prolongations of 
 the thick and elastic membrane covering the coffin bone, and consists 
 of cartilaginous fleshy plates, corresponding with, and received be- 
 tween, the horny leaves that line the inside of the crust. The horny 
 leaves are secreted from, or produced by the fleshy ligaments, and be- 
 ing five hundred in number, their union with each other is so strong 
 that they are inseparable. When the animal is at rest the whole weight 
 is supported by these leaves, and not on the sole. It is the contraction 
 of the coffin muscle that causes so much pain when the horse is found- 
 ered. The foot is then feverish, the blood vessels are filled with hot 
 blood, and the foot is very sensitive to the touch of the hammer, or any 
 jar upon the crust. The elasticity of the sole prevents the foot from 
 being bruised when in violent action. Between the coffin bone and horny 
 sole is the sensible sole, which is of a ligamentous, or tendrous nature ; 
 well supplied with blood vessels and with nervous fibres, so that it is 
 very sensitive. A small stone under the shoe will cause great infla- 
 mation, and corns are caused by the same. The smith needs to use 
 great care in setting the shoe. 
 
 Contracted Feet. 
 
 Sometimes only one foot becomes contracted. This may be caused, 
 in a cold climate, by leaving a snow-ball in the bottom of the foot. Af- 
 ter the horse has been driven until he is very warm, the coffin muscle is 
 then released by heat, and the snow-ball cools it so sudden that it con- 
 tracts. In a few days the hoof shrinks to the muscles, thus contracted, 
 leaving a ridge in the hoof. In a warm climate it may be caused by 
 letting a horse stand, even a short time, in cool water, after exercising 
 and heating the blood. If you wish to bathe your horse's legs, do it 
 with warm water always. Then you avoid danger, and leave the limbs 
 soft and pliable. Cutting away too much of the sole of the foot deprives 
 it of the very substance which holds the moisture, and keeps the foot 
 healthy. Cutting the frog makes it hard and horny, and when struck 
 hard upon a stone it is pressed to the quick, causing fever. Both prac- 
 tices will cause contraction. When first discovered bathe the legs, from 
 the knee down, in hot water. Do this twice a day, for two weeks ; every 
 
44 EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 night stuffing the feet with clay. His shoes should merely rest on the 
 rim of the foot. Never use a shoe with a swelled heel. When caused 
 by cutting, stuff the feet with clay, and use the concave shoe. Never 
 use ointments or grease of any description, upon the outside of the 
 hoof, as they close the pores and create fever without remedying the 
 cause of the disease. 
 
 Thrush. 
 
 This is a very disagreeable discharge of offensive matter from the 
 cleft of the frog. It is caused from inflammation of the lower surface^of 
 the sensible frog, by which pus is secreted, together with, or instead of 
 horn. If the frog is sound, the cleft sinks but a little way into it : but 
 by contraction, or other causes, the cleft will penetrate to the sensible 
 sole within. Through this fissure the discharge proceeds. It may be 
 caused by bruises or filth. The sinking in at the quai'ters will cause 
 the horn to press upon the frog, or cutting the frog will cause it to be- 
 come hard and horny. It can readily be distinguished from any other 
 disease by the offensive smell. Run a knife blade in the fissure and the 
 discharge will assure you. To cure it, first poultice with linseed meal, 
 put on hot, and let it remain twelve hours ; then use a paste made of 
 two ounces of blue vitriol, one ounce of white vitriol, powdered as fine 
 as possible, Mix well with one pound of tar, and two pounds of lard. 
 Apply this in the cleft. It may be put on tow and pushed in. Let it 
 remain twelve hours, and then cleanse out with soft water and soap. 
 When dry, make the second application; also renew the poultice at 
 night, until all inflammation disappears. If you wish to dry it up quick, 
 which I do not approve, you can use the spirits of salt, ten or fifteen 
 drops at a time. Cleanse the foot out well, then crowd in fine salt and 
 wash with beef brine. But in all cases of thrush, first use poultices to 
 relieve the inflammation. After this, stuff the foot with clay. In dry 
 weather, this will keep it cool and moist, and will make it less liable to be 
 bruised. The horse should take physic during the time. To cleanse 
 the blood use Barbadoes aloes, pulverized and mixed with linseed oil 
 sufficient to make into balls, — dose one ounce. 
 
 Grease. 
 
 In many cases, swelled legs, although distinct from Grease, degen- 
 erate into it. This disease is inflammation of the skin of the heel, and 
 very seldom comes on the fore legs. The the skin of the heel has a pe- 
 culiar greasy feeling, and when inflamed the secretion of this greasy 
 matter is stopped ; the heel becomes red, dry and scurvy ; and being so 
 much in motion they very soon crack, and sometimes ulceration and fun- 
 gus will extend over the whole heel. The first appearance of Grease is 
 usually a dry scurvy state of the skin of the heel. They should now 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 45 
 
 be washed with castile soap and water, and relieved of all the hard sub- 
 stance that can be by soakintr. Then wipe dry and sprinkle on pulver- 
 ized verdigris. This will dry up ; but when the heels are badly cracked 
 and ulceration has commenced, it will be necessary to poultice them 
 with linseed oil; or if that is not to be had, take carrots, boiled soft, 
 and mashed fine. This is a good poultice for any inflamed part. When 
 the inflammation is gone and there is a healthy discharge of matter, dress 
 with an ointment of one ounce of rosin, tuo ounces of honey in the 
 comb, two ounces of lard, and one ounce of calamine powder. This 
 cools the heels very fast. If the fungus is not entirely gone, wash with 
 two drachms blue vitriol in a pint of water. It is well to give a mild 
 diuretic every third day. of one table spoonfuU of pulverized rosin in a 
 ball of bran mash. Give the horse bran mash while treating for this. 
 Sassafras tea is good for him if the legs swell. After they are healed, 
 bandage every night, and give moderate walking exercise. Give a light 
 purge of linseed oil or Barbadoes aloes. 
 
 Ciire for the Grease from Internal Causes. 
 
 If the horse be full of flesh, the cure must be begun by bleeding, 
 rowels, and repeated purging ; after which two ounces of the following 
 balls should be given every other day for some time, and they will work 
 by urine the day following: Four ounces of yellow rosin, two ounces 
 of salts of prunel, one ounce of oil of juniper, two ounces salts of tar- 
 tar, eight ounces castile soap, one ounce of camphor ; put these into a 
 mortar, with about two ounces of honey, or as much as will make them 
 into balls, and they will carry oflf the offending humors, and free the 
 blood from its noxious qualities ; but at the same time that these in- 
 ternal remedies are taken, outward ones should not be omitted. 
 
 Founders, how Cured. 
 
 The chest founder is produced by violent exercise on a full stom- 
 ach and drinking large quantities of cold crank water, by the use of 
 mouldy bran, corn, or oats, or by eating large quantities of green food, 
 such as oats, wheat, peas, barley, while performing hard labor. The 
 seat of the disease is in the lungs. The heart and liver are also consid- 
 erably enlarged, inasmuch that there is not room for them to perform 
 their office with ease. The liver, lungs, diaphragm, and surrounding 
 parts are all covered with large brown spots, and are much inflamed. 
 There are many persons that hold that a horse can be foundered with 
 grain. This is not so. The argument given is that they have driven 
 horses, or have known cases where the horse was driven under a shed 
 and fed without watering. This may be so, but that is no argument, 
 after all ; for a horse may be driven and stand where there is a cold 
 blast of wind that would chill a horse as bad as water. This would 
 
 12 
 
46 EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 create founder as well as water. Anj^thino: cold would create contrac- 
 tion; where, on the contrary, grain would create heat, instead of cold; 
 and heat would relax. So that argument is worth nothing. I will not 
 pretend to say but that grain would injure a horse when hot. You 
 might give him corn meal and it would bake in the maw, and there 
 would be no passage. This would kill but not founder. You are well 
 aware that to heat a tire, then place it over the felloe it is perfectly 
 loose ; but when you put on cold water it contracts to the felloe and 
 straiohtens the wheel. So you will see at once that it is cold that causes 
 founder. Cold contracts and heat relaxes. Grain would create heat. 
 To cure it, take one and a half gallons of blood from the neck vein, 
 then give as a physic, six drachms of barbadoes aloes, dissolved, or in 
 balls ; cover the horse up with a thick blanket, then commence bathing 
 with as hot water as you can use. Keep this up for an hour at least, 
 then stretch an old ])antaloon leg over each of his fore legs, bind it 
 tight aiound the hoof and fill it with hot boiled oats. Give as a drink, 
 .sassafras tea made from the root, and give bran mashes with a table 
 spoonful of pulverized rosin. He should have a mnsh once a day for 
 four or five days. This will cure him. But in case of founders of long 
 standing, or even if the hoof has shrunk to the contraction of the mus- 
 cle, it will be necessary to treat it somewhat differently. The bleeding 
 .should be omitted, the legs bathed twice a day instead of once, and 
 the feet should he poulticed with flax seed meal at night, or in day 
 time, if not at work. If he could run out to a marshy pasture, it would 
 not be necessary to poultice so ofien; but he must have something to 
 net u|)on the blood. Take of digitalis, four drachms ; emetic tarter, 
 four drachms ; nitre, six drachms ; divide these into two powders and 
 give one in three days. Between the days that this is given, give bran 
 mashes mixed with sassafras tea. This physic should be given once 
 in three weeks. The feet always to be kept moist. It will take from 
 three to four months to effect a cure, when of long standing. The mus- 
 cles of the shoulder sometimes contract, as in sweeney. In this case, a 
 sealon of from ten to fifteen inches long, must be used according to the 
 contraction. 
 
 The Navicular Bone. 
 
 This is placed at the head of the colfin bone, and at the foot of the 
 lower pastern, and is shaped like a wedge. Its office is to protect the 
 coffin jonit at the back j)art. The frog getting dry and feverish, would 
 allow the ligpments to be bruised, and cause lameness ; another reason 
 why the foot needs great care. 
 
 Quarter Oracle. 
 For this, pare with a sharp knife, from the hair down, taking away 
 
EVERY MAN UlS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 47 
 
 the whole back part of the hoof down to the quick. Then pare the 
 other down thin, then set your shoe only so far as the hoof runs. By 
 this means the shoe cannot spring down upon the heel. The hoof will 
 then grow down firm and sound. 
 
 Heaves. 
 
 Reasons, why it is not in the lungs. If the disease was in the lungs, 
 it would create inflammation, and have the same effect as inflammation 
 of the lungs by cold. The horse would be weak and drooping without 
 appetite, and really could not be driven two miles, as any person would 
 naturally drive a horse. But a heavey horse can be driven from ten to 
 twelve miles an hour. This is positive proof that it is not in the lungs. 
 Take a heavey horse and turn him out to pasture for two or three days, 
 and he will breathe clear and easy, showing no siglis of the heaves. — 
 The grass has not reached the lungs, still it has stopped the hard 
 breathing. But if you will give the horse cold water to drink, he will 
 cough. Has the water touched the lungs'? No. But it has touched 
 the disease. This is another reason why it is not in the lungs. I will 
 tell you where the disease is, and what it is caused hj. A dainty horse 
 is not liable to heaves, but a hearty eater is; not from the amount of 
 food that he eats, but from the hoggish way of eating. There are two 
 pipes leading to the stomach and lungs. Where they meet there is a 
 throttle valve. A horse, on eating coarse food scratches his throttle; 
 then by a hard d\ive, and warming the horse, he takes cold in this 
 wound and it becomes a running sore, or canker. By turning the horse 
 to grass, the juice cleanses and washes the wound. The grass being 
 cool takes the inflammation from the disease, the swelling is gone, and 
 the horse breathes as free and easy as ever. This is positive proof that 
 it is not in the lungs. Then by feeding with coaise, dry hay, it irritates 
 and creates inflammation and causes th<? horse to breathe hard again. — 
 To cure it, take balsam of fir and balsam copaiba, equal parts; add 
 calcined magnesia to make into balls ; oive a ball about the size of the 
 yolk of an egg, for fourteen days. This cure I have never known to 
 fail. You should be careful about feeding, for two or three weeks, af- 
 ter oivjng the medicine. Feed cut feed, wet the hay, and mix in a little 
 brown sugar, for a few days. 
 
 Liing Fever. 
 
 This disease always makes its appearance by a chill. The horse 
 will shake and tremble like a i)erson with the ague. Whilst the chill 
 is on, take half a pint of fine salt, put in a bottle of water, and drench 
 the horse. This will release him entirely from the chill, and create pers- 
 piration. He will be quite sick for a tew minutes, but it will drive 
 the cold entirely out, and he will look bright and feel entirely well in a 
 
48 EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 few hours. But if you should not discover him while the chill is on, it 
 will require different treatment. If he has been free from the chill for 
 five or six hours, the symptoms will be eyes inflamed, nostrils distended, 
 breath short and quick, he will stand with his head down, his pulse from 
 fifty to one hundred. You will find it under the jaw, just below where 
 you buckle the throat latch. By putting your ear back of the fore leg 
 3'ou will hear a quick, heavy beating of the lungs. He Avill have no 
 disposition to move, or eat; but will drink. He never lies down. These 
 are sure signs of inflammation of the lungs. The causes of the inflam- 
 mation of the lungs are many. It may be brought on by filthy stables, 
 but is usually by sudden changes from heat to cold, and from cold to 
 heat. The membrane that lines the cells of the lungs is very sensitive. 
 There is also an intimate connection between the lungs and the pores 
 of the skin. By stopping the insensible perspiration, a cold and cough 
 ensue. A hort^e is driven until a sensible prespiration is pouring from 
 him, then he is left in a current of air which closes the pores of the 
 skin, thus arresting the perspiration and driving the inflammation, 
 which it caused, to the lungs. The majority of cases are very sudden. 
 At first, the pulse is not much quicker ; but the artery is plainly to be 
 felt under the finger, and of its usual size. The pulse no longer in- 
 dicates the expansion of the vessel. In some cases it eludes a most 
 delicate touch. The legs are cold, and the nostrils expanded; the 
 flanks begin to heave with a quick and hurried motion, a symptom of 
 pain; the membrane of the nose is very red; he stands with his legs 
 abroad, his countenance indicates suffering, and he looks mournfully 
 towards his flanks. He is unable to move, scarce ever lies down, if he 
 does, it is only for a moment, from actual fatigue. The duration of this 
 disease is very uncertain. It will, in some cases, destro}'- in fourteen to 
 twenty hours, and sometimes they will last for weeks. In sudden at- 
 tacks of this kind, the lungs are entirely destroyed, resembling one solid 
 mass of blood. This disease invariably makes its appearance with a 
 chili. The horse commences trembling and shaking, as if half frozen. 
 At this stage of the disease, you should get up a reaction. Dissolve 
 half a pint of fine salt in warm water, shake it well, and give as a 
 drink ; then blanket him, and in fifteen minutes he will be wet with 
 perspiration. Bathe the legs in warm water. But if the fever has com- 
 menced, it will require difterent treatment. If it has been on six hours, 
 it will be necessary to bleed, and very severely ; so open as large an 
 orifice in the vein as possible. The object is to get control of the blood. 
 The heart is working very hard to force the blood through the lungs. 
 Bleed until the pulse is much lower, or flutters, then bathe the legs with 
 as hot water as he can bear. Bathe frequently to get up a circulation 
 in the extremities. If the attack is a severe one, blister the brisket and 
 the sides as high as the elbows. Use a mustard blister if it will do; if 
 not, a fly blister, made with four ounces lard, one ounce rosin, and ou© 
 ounce flies. It will not do to purge. 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HOKSE DOCTOR. 49 
 
 There is so much sj'mpathy between the bowels and lungs, purg- 
 ing would transfer the inflammation to the bowels. In such a case yon 
 must use clysters. Take eight ounces epsom salts, dissolve in warm 
 gruel, and inject. This will start the bowels, which are somewhat re- 
 laxed. You must now use cooling or sedative medicines. Take of 
 digitalis, one drachm, one and a half of emetic tartar, and three of nitre 
 Give three times a day. This will have an immediate effect on the heait, 
 lessening the number of pulsations, and producing an intermittent state 
 of the pulse. Every six or seven beats, there will be a suspension, 
 while two or three could be counted. From this he will amend. Now 
 reduce the dose to one-half, and in a few days it will not be necessary 
 to give any medicine of any kind. He should now have oat meal gruel, 
 or flax-seed gruel ; they are strengthening. Mashes may be given, or 
 green food, in small quantities, for inhaling, which is one of the most 
 essential thing to be done. Use digitalis, one-half ounce ; nitre, one 
 ounce ; and of balsam fir and copaiba, two ounces each ; mix these to- 
 gether Avith one pint of spirits, and add one pint liot rain water. Cover 
 the horse all over, letting the blankets i each to the ground so that no air 
 can get under them ; then hold the mixture under his nose, and at the 
 same time stick a hot iron in the compound and let him inhale the steam 
 or fumes arising from the mixture. This will relieve the lungs from 
 fever, drive the inflammation to the surface, and the cure is positive. 
 
 Adhesive Plasters. 
 
 These plasters should be used over parts that have been strained or 
 otherwise weakened, and on deep seated inflammation of the loins, or , 
 back sinews. They are always to be applied warm, when they will ad- 
 here for a long time. The following is a good plaster : Take of com- 
 mon pitch, five ounces ; yellow wax, one ounce ; tar, six ounces ; melt 
 together. When cooled to blood heat, add half a drachm of pulverized 
 cantharides, stir well together. When you apply it, warm or melt it 
 over, and rub it well into the hair upon the sprain, then while it is yef 
 warm, for it should be applied as hot as possible, spread over it a lint of 
 tow, well picked ; pat down with the hand. This will make a strong 
 covering, and will remain for months. It will gradually remove deep 
 seated inflammation, and, by its pressure, promotes the absorption of 
 any callous, or thickening beneath ; at the same time, as a bandage, it 
 gives strength to the parts. 
 
 Phjsicing. 
 
 There is more injury done in the practice of this, than in any other 
 medical treatment of the horse. The old practice has been to physic 
 and bleed every spring ; and this is necessary where the horse is really 
 sick. When you change him from the pasture to the warm stable, and 
 dry food, it is also good. The horse must be prepared for it. Give 
 
 13 
 
50 EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 three or four mashes before the physic, and in the majority of cases 
 they will be sufficient without it, especially if the bowels are slightly 
 moved; for really the less medicine given, the better. After the j^hysic 
 is given, the horse should have walking exercise for two hours, but 
 when it begins to operate, he should be kept as still as possible, or the 
 medicine would be likely to gripe, and perhaps irritate the intestinal 
 canal, and cause inflammation. You can give him a small amount of 
 hay, as much mash as he will eat, and as much water, witli the chill off, 
 as he chooses to drink. If he will not drink tepid water, give him 
 about a quart of cold water, every hour. When the purging ceases, 
 give a mash twice a day, until you give more physic, which should be 
 only once a week. Barbadoes aloes is the best purgative, being always 
 sure and safe. The dose with the horse prepared by bran mashes, 
 would vary from five to seven drachms, the latter sufficient for any 
 horse. You can dissolve in warm water, and give as a drench, or make 
 into a ball with linseed oil, and lay upon the roots of the tongue, letting 
 go the tongue at the same time. Linseed oil is uncertain, but safe in 
 doses from a pound to a pound and a half. It leaves the horse in very 
 good condition. 
 
 Poultices. 
 
 Few horsemen are aware of the value of these simple preparations, 
 in abating inflammation, in relieving pain, cleansing wounds, and caus- 
 ing them to heal. They are the best kind of fomentations. They con- 
 tinue longer, and keep the pores open. In all inflammations of the foot 
 they are very beneficial, and in cases of conti-action, a poultice that re- 
 tains the heat and moisture longest, is the best. They will relieve swel- 
 lings, take out the soreness from the pores, and draw out the unnatural 
 substances. Linseed meal makes the best poultice. It will hasten any 
 tumor, that it is necessary to open, and cleanse any old one, causing a 
 healthy discharge when it is oflTensive; but in this case, when the ulcers 
 smell badly, add two ounces of pulverized charcoal, or chloride of lime, 
 half an ounce, to one pound of meal. This is good in grease or cracked 
 heels. A potiltice should never be put on tight. Carrots are very good, 
 mashed fine, after boiling soft. The coal may be used in this, also, 
 where the parts smell offensively. 
 
 Wind Galls. 
 This appears oftener on the hind, than on the fore legs. It is a fill- 
 ing in of a mucous fluid in bags, or sacks. It is caused by tmdue press- 
 ure, from violent action, and by straining the tendon. These bags in- 
 flame, and fill the larger, and harder. They always form about the joint, 
 as many tendons concentrate there. Very few horses are perfectly free 
 from them. At first they may cause lameness, but in the majority of 
 cases they do not. It has been thought that these bags were filled with 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 51 
 
 wind, and in some cases they have been opened ; but this causes inflam- 
 mation, and would lame the horse. The way to treat them is with a 
 powerful blister directly on them, and then bandage. After the blister 
 is formed, you must bathe it in some asstringent. A decoction of oak 
 bark is good. By this treatment the mucous is taken up by the absorb- 
 ents, and you will have a cure. You must be very careful in driving 
 for several days. 
 
 Action of the Kidneys on the Blood, 
 
 The blood contains a great quantity of watery fluid, unnecessary 
 for the nutriment or repair of the frame. There also mingles with it 
 matter which would become noxious if allowed to accumulate too 
 much. The kidneys are actually employed in separating these fluids, 
 and in carrying off a substance, which, as an ingredient in the urine, is 
 called the urea, and consists of what would be poisonous to the animal, 
 if remaining. The kidneys are two large, glandular bodies, placed un- 
 der the loins, very much the shape of a kidney bean. The right kidney 
 is forward under the liver ; the left is back by the stomach and spleen. 
 A large artery I'uns to each, and carries about one-sixth part of the 
 whole blood that circulates through the bone. It divides into number- 
 less little branches, most complicated, and coiled upon each other. — 
 The blood has waste parts, which, if allowed to remain, would be very 
 injurious ; and these must be sepaiated from it. The fluid separated 
 varies in qnantity and composition, even during health; more so in the 
 horse than any other animal; and there is no organ so much under our 
 control as the kidneys. Diuretics are the most useful medicines, and at 
 the same time most injurious if improperly used in fevers and inflam- 
 mation aenerally. For diuretics, use m"tre and digitalis, on account of 
 their sedative effects. They stimulate the kidneys to s^'parate more 
 than the usual quantity of water from the blood, and lessen the quanti- 
 ty of the latter. The object in this is to reduce the circulation, and 
 thus ease the heart in its labor, by cahning the excitement. An over- 
 flow of blood causes the heating you will notice in king fever. Diuret- 
 ics lessen the blood and give more perfect control over the heart. In 
 cases where the legs are swelled, the absorbents set to work and take 
 up aiid pour into circulation the fluid which has been effused into them. 
 The legs of some horses cannot be rendered fine, nor kept so without 
 the use of diuretics ; nor can what is called grease heel, frequently 
 connected with these sweHings, get cured without the use of them. — 
 Always let the horse have plenty of tepid water, the more the better. 
 You must always be careful not to keep him too warm, for if he sweats, 
 the medicine, instead of stimulating the kidneys, passes off in perspiration. 
 
 Antimony. 
 There are several valuable preparations of this. The black sul- 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 phurate of antimony, a compound of sulphur and antimon^^, is a good 
 alterative. It is given with more sulphur, and with nitre, in varying 
 doses, according to the disease, and the slow and rapid eftect to be pro- 
 duced. The dose, if you expect to continue it, should be at the most, 
 four drachms. It should never be bought in powders, whatever may 
 be the trouble to pulverize it ; for it is frequently adulterated with lead, 
 magnesia, forge-dust, and arsenic. 
 
 Sweeny. 
 
 The disease is on the side of the lame shoulder. The horse suffer- 
 ing from it will be quite lame, and will stand with one toot before the 
 other ; or, if it is in both shoulders, he will change from one to the 
 other. The use of the shoulder is sluggish, and in breakijig he will drag 
 the foot, instead of raising it from the ground. It is caused by a strain, 
 or bruise, or by favoring the foot wlien diseased in tsome other part. 
 The membrane or muscle of the shoulder will shrink much, where the 
 horse has not been lame long enough to know how to ease himself by 
 standing. You can easily tell what the trouble is by pressing with the 
 thumb upon the muscle, which may be shrunk but a little ; yet when 
 you press the point effected he will shrink from the touch. The only 
 way this can be cured is by a seaton, or rowel. The object of this is 
 to create inflammation of the membrane. This seaton in these diseases 
 should be from eight to fifteen inches in length. The best article to 
 use for it is tarred rigging rope. This should be turned every day for 
 two or three weeks. To insert this, yon must make an incision on the 
 top through the skin and the membrane under the skin, the same at the 
 bottom. Procure a long, thin, iron needle with a large eye, and thread 
 with strong twine, to which fasten the rowel. Run the needle through 
 the two openings, drawing the rowel throuah and then tie, leaving eight 
 inches slack to tie with. In some cases it will be necessary to wet the 
 rowel with oil of turpentine, or tincture of cantharides ; either will do. 
 Bathe the shoulder every day Avith as warm water as he can bear. If 
 it has the desired effect, it will discharge freely. This will relax and 
 loosen up the membrane, and make the parts fill out smooth. Keep it 
 clean by soft water and soap so that the discharge will not remove the 
 hair. If you apply grease on the hair under the cut it will prevent the 
 hair from comins off". 
 
 Hide Bound. 
 This is not so much a shrinking of the fatt}' substance between the 
 skin and the muscles, as it is an alte'-ation of the skin itself. It is a 
 drying up of the oily moisture of the skin. It thus becomes dry and 
 hard. The scales to the cuticle no longer yield to the skin, but separa- 
 ting in every direction, turns the hair, and gives it a rough look, which 
 is an indication that the horse is out of condition. The vessels of the 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 skin and bowels, as well as the stomach, are deranged. It is a sym- 
 ptom of disease of the digestive organs. At first, give a bran mash ; 
 and, if it can be had, sassafras tea ; but, in severe cases, use levigated 
 antimony, two drachms; nitre, three drachms; sulphur, five drachms. 
 Give every night in a mash. The antimony acts on the skin, the sul- 
 phur on the bowels, and the nitre on the urinary organs. Rub him, and 
 give him warm clothing. The skin will become loose, and the horse be 
 in condition again. 
 
 Cough. 
 Use elecampane roots, hoarhound and smartweed, with six red pep- 
 per pods, to two oz. ginger root. Boil till all the strength is extracted, 
 then strain through flannel. Add two quaits of molasses to every gal- 
 lon of this extract, and boil all together for half an hour. Give one gill 
 twice a day. Use an ox-horn, or a crooked tin horn. Raise the head, 
 and draw the tongue out on the left side, put the small end of the horn 
 on the roots of the tongue and empty the contents, then let go the ton- 
 gue. Swab the throat every night with this mixture, using a whalebone 
 with linen wrapped on the end. This is a su''e cure for coughs among 
 all diseases to which the noble creature is subject. Nothing has given 
 more perplexity to farriers than a settled cough. Indeed, it too often 
 defies all the attempts of art ; and the horse frequently becomes asth- 
 raatical or broken-winded. 
 
 For Restoring Hair to Galled Spots on Horses. 
 Take one lb. red clover blossoms and six quarts of v ater. Simmer 
 to a thick syrup, then add sufficient barbary taUow to make a paste. — 
 ThiS is the best ointment, for th'S purpose. tLat can be made 
 
 For Spavin. 
 Five oz. euphorbium, two oz. Spanish flies, one oz. iodine, dissolve 
 with alcohol ; one-half oz. red precipitate, one oz. corrosive sublimate, 
 one-half oz. quicksilver, six oz. hog's lard, six oz. Avh'te turpeniine, one 
 fourth lb. verdigris ; melt the la''d and turpentine together ; theO; wh'le 
 hot, add all together. Mix well. When cold, fit for use. Rub it in 
 thoroughly on the spavin every day for three days, then wash clean with 
 soap suds. Omit for three days and repeat for three days again, and so 
 on, until a perfect cuie is produced. Should it blister, use it more 
 cautiously. 
 
 For Blood Spavin. 
 
 One half pound blood root, one qt. alcohol, two oz. tannin, and a 
 quarter of a pound of alum. M"x, and let it stand, shaking it several 
 times a day, till the strength is all in the alcohol, and batbe the spavin 
 twice a day, rubbing it in with the hand. 14 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 Cure for the Heaves. 
 Take smartweed, steep it in boiling water till the strength is all out; 
 give one quart every clay, mixed with bran, for ten days ; give green or 
 cut up feed, wet with water during the operation, and it will cure. 
 
 Anii-Sjpasmodics. 
 There are but few of these, and the horse is subject to but few 
 spasmodic diseases. Opium is the best for general effect, and that ex- 
 erted particularly on lock-jaw. The oil of terpentine is good as a spe- 
 cific for spasms of the bowels. 
 
 Worms in the Horse. 
 
 There are several kinds of worms in the intestines, and they are 
 hurtful only when in large quantities. The long white worm resembles 
 the common earth worm, and is from six to ten inches long. They are 
 in the small intestines, and when in large numbers, consume much of the 
 nutritive part of the food, or the mucous of the bowels; ihen the smaller 
 and darker colored worm, called the needle worm, are in the large in- 
 testines, in many cases. They descend into the rectum in large num- 
 bers. They irritate the fundament, and annoy the horse. This is the 
 trouble when they rub their tail very much. The horse shows this dis- 
 ease by falling off of flesh. His hide will be tight, and the hair looks 
 bad, and sets forward ; the eyes has a dull look, and at times he will 
 .scringe and shrink down. He sometimes passes worms, and he cannot 
 be kept in condition. Use one oz. of aloes, dissolved in warm water, 
 and give as an injection. This will succeed in most of cases ; if not, 
 give one pint of neatsfoot oil, as a drench, and one pint as an injection. 
 This will not fail. Give mashes after this for a few days. It is well 
 known that horses, which have many worms, can never thrive ; or carry 
 much flesh. If the breeding of these vermin were prevented, it would 
 add much to the strength of the horse, and it might be done by giving 
 him a decoction of bitter herbs, such as wormwood, in spring. It may 
 be steeped in hot water, and given two or three times a ueek, or a de- 
 coction of wormwood, buck bean, gentian root and chamomile flowers, 
 of each a large handful, boiled in a sufficient quantity of water, and 
 given, will answer the end. 
 
 Anodij7ies. 
 
 Of these there is but one in horse practice. Opium is the only drug 
 that will lull pain. It also acts as an astringent, in doses of one, two 
 nnd three drachms. 
 
 Farcy, and how to Treat it. 
 When the farcy attacks only one part of a horse, and that when 
 
EVERY MAN UlS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 55 
 
 the blood vessels are small, it may be easily cured ; but when the plate 
 vein is affected and turns corded, and especially when the crural veins, 
 within the side of the thigh, are in that condition, thecure is very dif- 
 ficult; and the creature is rarely fit for anything but the lightest work 
 after it. Bathe the legs every night in hot water, into which put a 
 shovel of hot wood ashes, making a weak ley. When he regains his 
 appetite, be very careful in feeding. Give him mashes, at least twice a 
 day, until he gets his strength ; then give green food, if possible. In 
 very severe cases of farcy internal medicines will be necessary. Use of 
 corrosive sublimate ten grains, increased to a scruple, with two drachms 
 of gentian, and one of ginger. Repeat morning and night, until the 
 ulcers disappear. 
 
 Pleurisy, how to he Treated. 
 
 This is an attack of the membrane covering the lungs, and the 
 lining of the chest, called the pleira. The symptoms are nearly the 
 same as in inflammation of the lungs. The horse has no disposition to 
 lie down, or move about. The neck will be the same as in lung fever, 
 the nostrils distended, and the membrane of the nose very red. He 
 breathes very hard, full pulse. The blood however, is not obstructed 
 in its passage through the lungs. By pressing on his side he will give 
 symptoms of pain, in a very decided grunt. Blister both sides of the 
 chest, and bathe the legs with hot water ; or boil bran and put on an 
 old pantaloon leg over his, and fill in around with hot bran. This will 
 get up a circulation in the extremities. Then give one and a half 
 drachms emetic tartar, two drachms digitalis, three drachms nitre ; keep 
 well covered up with warm clothing. Use one ounce cream tartar in 
 two quarts tepid water for a drink. Be sure to keep the legs warm by 
 hot applications, and bandages. Use these medicines until a cure is ef- 
 fected. 
 
 Staggers. 
 
 There is but little of this disease in the Northern States. But it ex- 
 ists to a great extent in the South. The food is the principal cause. — 
 There is a great quantity of diseased corn used, and too much of any 
 kind is generally given, then as much water as he will drink after it, 
 which generates an unhealthy gas in the stomach, and causes disten- 
 tion. The blood is inflnmed and rushes to the head, and the brain is 
 somewhat inflamed. The horse staggers about, or becomes sluggish, 
 and stands with his head down ; the eyes glassy. In some cases he will 
 rear and fall back, or run ; he will not eat but hold the hay in his 
 mouth, and then drop it. He sweats profusely, and in a short time 
 will fall and die. First physic with one oz. of aloes dissolved in warm 
 water, and give as a drink. In one hour, give half an oz. more of al- 
 oes, and continue this until it operates. As soon as the first aloes ar© 
 
56 EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 given, blister the head with a strong? fly blister. Apply this over the 
 brain, from below the ear, nearly down to the eye. Then bathe the legs 
 with as hot water as yon can use, and bandage them with flannel. Keep 
 them as warm as possible. Then give one drachm of digitalis, one and 
 a half of emetic tarter, three of nitre ; If it is to be repeated, use half 
 of the above amount in three hours. Then if he has any disposition to 
 eat, give bran mash with one table spoonful of pulverized resin. Use 
 this for a week, as he recovers, and feed and water lightly until he re- 
 gains his strength. If he is bound up, it may be necessary to use in- 
 jections, which are always beneficial. 
 
 Warlles^ Sitfasts, and Stable Galls. 
 
 These are caused, in mnay cases, by using a blanket under the sad- 
 dle in hot weather, thus scalding the back, and causing those little 
 lumps to appear ; and when they ulcerate they are called sitfasts. The 
 ulcer has a calloused spot in the centre when they first make their ap- 
 pearance. Rest will remove them, but if the horse is to be used, you 
 must remove the stuffing from the pad of the saddle, that the bearing 
 may not come on the ulcer. Bathe in strong salt water, to leraove the 
 enlargement, but if it does not affect this, and it is really a sitfast, apply 
 a blister. This will dissolve it. Then apply the resin and honey oint- 
 ment to heal it. A horse Avith high withers, long back and broad loins, 
 will make the best saddle nag, and carry his rider with ease. In hot 
 weather it is a good practice to bathe the back with salt water when the 
 saddle is removed at noon and night. 
 
 For Inflammation of the Lungs in a Horse. 
 
 First, a thorough bleeding ; then give tincture veratrum viride, 
 half an oz.; laudanum, four oz.; tincture aconite, one-fourth oz. Shake 
 well together, and give a tea spoonful every three or four hours, in some 
 water, well sweetened ; and should it not bring down the pulse, the 
 dose can be gradually increased to a table spoonful ; and as soon as the 
 horse recovers, so as to eat and lie down naturally, keep him on hay 
 alone, perhaps with a few carrots, or potatoes, and daily give a bran 
 mash, with saltpetre, crude antimony, and sulphur, for ten or fifteen 
 days, and you will prevent dropsy of the chest, which is a sequel of the 
 disease. 
 
 For Colic in Morses. 
 
 Sulphur ether, one pint; aromatic spirits ammonia, one pint ; sweet 
 spirits nitre, two pints ; opium, quarter lb.; asafoetida, pure, half lb., 
 put in a large bottle, let it stand fifteen days, with frequent shaking, 
 and it will be fit for use. Dose, two oz., from two to four hours, until 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 67 
 
 the horse is relieved. It should be given in water, well sweetened. — 
 Another remedj', but always safe ; one oz. of laudanum, one oz. swee5 
 spiiits nitre, one oz. tincture asafoetida, one teaspoonful capsicum, three 
 oz. carbonate soda, half pint whisky, half pint water. Mix, and give at 
 one dose. If not better in twenty-five minutes, repeat half a dose. 
 
 Stoppage of Water, — How treated. 
 This disease, in mast cases, is caused by allowing the horse to be- 
 come foul, and what is called a beam, thereby forms in the end of the 
 penis. The horse will stand and weave, or stretch out, then paw and 
 kick his belly with his hind legs. He may drop down in harness, and 
 sometimes break out in a profuse sweat. The only thing to be done in 
 this case is to draw his yard carefully, and run the finger around the 
 head, Avhere you will find two or three hard substances ; withdraw them 
 and wash the sheath clean. Mix in about a tablespoonful of mustard 
 in the water, so as to keep th^ horse from taking cold, and grease it 
 well with lard. In some cases it originates from contraction of the 
 muscles of the loins, or inaction of the kidneys. To cure this, bathe 
 the loins with hot water for half an hour, then bathe with hot vinegar 
 and pepper sauce, then cover the loins with three or four thicknesses of 
 blankets. Then mix of turpentine, one oz.; sweet spirits of nitre, two 
 oz., and give as a drink. Give bran mash, with one tablespoonful of 
 resin in it, every day, for a week, and the cure is complete. 
 
 Coh'e, or Cholera in Mules. 
 This appears to be a prevalent disease on the plantations. It is 
 brought on by giving too much food and water at one time, and then 
 immediately putting them to work. The hard work retards digestion 
 and a gas is generated from the food and water, which fills the stomach 
 and bowels, and sets the bots at work. This gas would kill the bot ; 
 and, to save himself, he bores into the membrane of the stomach, or 
 tries to get out at the meat pipe, or by the passage between the stomachs. 
 They will thus stop up the passages sometimes, and kill the animal. — 
 But if the passages are open, the gas will pass into the bowels, and 
 then the disease is colic. He will be much swollen and distressed, 
 breathe short and hard, and will fall, or lay down and get up, his eara 
 will lop over on one side, and eyes look dull and heavy. When the 
 mule is first taken, take him out of the stable and keep him as still as 
 possible. In the majority of cases he will recover without the use of 
 medicine. If he does not thus get over it, take one oz. laudanum, one 
 oz. ether, two tablespoonfuls of soda, two drachms of peppermint, put 
 into half a pint of hot gin, and give as a drench. Then give injections 
 of one oz. aloes, dissolved in warm water. This is an effectual cure. 
 
 Colts hrought up ly hand. 
 It is a frequent remark that cosset colts are worse to break than 
 15 
 
88 EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 those that have never been handled at to two or three years old. The 
 reason is that they are spoiled by petting them, and allowing them to 
 do as they please. When playing with colts, you should always make 
 them do as you wish ; and then, if they are learned to do as you will in 
 playing, they will not become stubborn, when you wish them to work. 
 The great object in laying the horse down is to make him understand 
 that we can do as we please with them, and then he sees that there is 
 no use resenting, and we have gained our point. After this he obeys 
 without difficulty, and that stubborn, wilful feeling is subdued. You 
 may then teach him anything you please. 
 
 Vegetable Caustic. 
 
 Make a strong lye of hickory or oak ashes, put into an iron kettle, 
 and evaporate to the consistency of thin molasses ; then remove into a 
 .•iand bath, and continue the evaporation to the consistency of honey. — 
 Keep it in a ground stopper glass jar. This caustic is very valuable in 
 fistulas, cancers, scrofulas, and indolent ulcers; particulaily when 
 there are sinuses necrosis, or decay of bone ; and in all cases where 
 there is proud flesh ; and also to excite a healthy action of the parts. 
 It removes fungus flesh, without exciting inflammation, and acts but 
 little except on spongy or soft flesh. 
 
 To Cure JVarts. 
 
 Take corrosive sublimate, and red precipitate powdered, and mix 
 equal parts ; will cure the worst wart in the world, on horses, or cattle. 
 If the wart is large and loose, tie a fine, strong cord around it, close to 
 the skin. In a short time the wart will come off. Then apply the pow- 
 der until the wart is eaten down below the skin ; then wash off", and rub 
 on a little sweet oil, and it will soon heal over. If the wart is dry, 
 scratch it with the point of a knife, until it bleeds : then rub on the 
 powder, it will make a dry scab ; pick off the scab, and put on the pow- 
 der again, until it is all eaten off. 
 
 Hoof Medicine. 
 Take resin, four oz.; beeswax, five oz.; lard, two lbs.; melt together, 
 pour into a pot, add three oz. turpentine, two oz. finely pulverized ver- 
 digris, one lb. taliow ; stir together until it gets cold. This is one of 
 the best medicines for the hoof ever used. It is good for corks, or 
 bruises of the foot. 
 
 To Restore the Appetite. 
 Use of pulverized caraway seeds and bruised raisins, four oz. each; 
 of ginger and palm oil, two oz. each ; give a small ball once a day 
 until the appetite is restored. Use mashes at the same time. 
 
EVERY MAN UlS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 69 
 
 For Stoppage of the Boivels. 
 
 Take two quarts of soft fresh horse manure, add one quart boiling 
 hot water, then strain through a common cloth strainer. Give one pint 
 as a drench. This will not fail, for man or beast. For a man, dose one 
 teaspoonful every hour until it acts. 
 
 Salve for Man or Horse, 
 
 For all kinds of old sores, use honey and resin, melted together ; 
 add lard enough to make a paste. When cool, it is fit for use. There is 
 no better salve than this. Its medicinal qualities are excellent. 
 
 To Soften the Feet, 
 
 Spirits of tar, two oz. ; fish oil, fouroz.; this is very penetrating 
 to use where the feet are hard and brittle. Rub it in with a brush 
 upon the crust and sole every uight. 
 
 Stifle, 
 
 This is a strain of the stifle muscles ; only the stifle joint never 
 gets out ; if it should, the horse would be worthless. The stifle shoe 
 should never be used. Take the whites of six eggs and two ounces of 
 alum, pulverized. Mix well together, and rub on the stifle muscles ; 
 dry with a hot iron. One application will probably be sufficient. Then 
 take one oz. of sugar lead, one pint of alcohol, mix, and apply three 
 times a day, until a cure is eftected. 
 
 Tonics. 
 
 Where it is necessary to use tonics, gentian is the best vegetable, 
 especially in chronic debility. It is best united with chamomile and 
 ginger, one drachm each. Give in balls. 
 
 Mercurial Ointment. 
 Of quicksilver, one oz. ; lard, three oz. Stir until there are no glob- 
 ules to be seen. This is used some times in preparing sprains and 
 spavins for the regular spavin ointment, rubbed on once a day, before 
 the ointment. For all splints, bruises, and swelling of the limbs, use 
 thoroughwort and mullen, steeped and applied as hot as possible with 
 bandages. 
 
 Spavin and Ringhone, 
 Cantharides, four oz.; origanum, two oz. ; sulphate of zinc, one oz.; 
 Venice turpentine, three oz. ; oil vitriol, two oz. ; fresh lard one pound. 
 Shave the hair from the part diseased, and rub the parts with the medi- 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 cine. You must use your own judgment in using this medicine. That 
 is in the length of time necessary to remove the callous. It must be used 
 every other day. This will dissolve the ossified substance, and ooze it 
 out. ' When you see the lump is diminished enough, then use the same 
 astringent as I have directed in the other case; that is white oak bark, 
 and alum, a quarter pound to half a gallon of bark juice, boiled down 
 to a strong decoction. Use morning and evening. The first named dis- 
 ease comes from the lower part of the gambril joint. It is caused by a 
 strain or bruise. Either will cause it. This opens the pores and causes 
 the joint to become stiff and sore. The horse sometimes becomes lame 
 before enlargement is perceptible. In some cases it will continue to 
 grow for two years. It will then become a hard bone. The enlarge- 
 ment at this stage cannot be removed. You may kill the disease, and 
 kill the lameness. The great object with this disease is, to stop the 
 leakage. There has nothing been used as an astringent whereby remov- 
 ing the lump. Without the astringent, it leaves the parts loose and 
 open ; but if used, it stops and closes the pores. Then by letting the 
 horse stand until it heaves, becomes firm. Four oz. green euphorbium, 
 fine; one oz. Spanish flies, pulverized; four oz. corrosive sublimate, 
 four oz. red precipitate, six oz. white pine turpentine, four oz. iodine, 
 six oz. lard. Melt the lard and turpentine together. After it is nearly 
 cold, add the other articles and stir until it is cold : it is then ready for 
 use. Rub the enlargement until it is warm, then rub on the ointment, 
 and let it remain twenty-four hours. Then take lard and rub upon it, 
 until all of the ointment is taken out. Let it remain one day, then ap- 
 ply the medicine again, keep this up until the enlargement is gone. — 
 Then use oak bark as an astringent to bathe it in, and bandage until 
 well, keeping it well saturated with the oak bark water. You may use 
 the same ointment for thoroughpin. After it is blistered sufficiently 
 deep, use the oak bark and bandages, until healed. The same for blood 
 sprain and wind puffs. It will be necessary to use a pad under the ban- 
 dage in thoroughpin to make it bear evenly. Keep the horse quiet 
 while using these medicines, and on a low diet. 
 
 Soto to Clean and Oil Harness. 
 First take the harness apart, having each strap and piece by itself ; 
 then M-ash in warm soap suds. When cleaned, black every part with 
 the following dye : — one oz. extract logwood, twelve grains bi-chromate 
 of potash, both powdered fine, then put into it two quarts of boiling 
 rain water and stir until it is all dissolved. When cool it may be used. 
 You can bottle and keep for future use, if you wish. It may be applied 
 with a shoe brush, or anything else convenient. When the dye has 
 struck in, you may oil each part with neatsfoot oil, applied with a paint 
 brush, or any thing else convenient. For second oiling, use one-third 
 castor oil, and two-thirds neatsfoot oil, mixed ; a few hours after wipe 
 clean with a woolen cloth, which gives the harness aglo.ssy appearance. 
 
EVBRY UAJS HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 This preparation does not injure the leather, or stitching, makes it soft 
 and pliable, and obviates the necessity of oiling as often as is necessary 
 by the ordinarj^ method. 
 
 Strength of Food used for Morses. 
 
 It will, perhaps, be interesting to the horseman and farrier to know 
 how much nutritive matter is contained in the different kinds of food 
 given the horse. The quantity cannot be considered as expressing the 
 actual value of each, because other circumstances, besides the simple 
 quantity of nutriment, seem to influence their effect in supporting the 
 strength and condition of the horse ; yet many a useful hint may be 
 learned, when the farmer looks over the produce of his soil. 
 
 1000 parts of Wheat contains 955 parts of nutritive matter. 
 " " Barley " 9.50 " " 
 
 Oats ' 
 
 744 
 
 Peas ' 
 
 573 
 
 Beans ' 
 
 ' 570 
 
 Potatoes " 
 
 230 
 
 Red Beettt ' 
 
 148 
 
 Parsnips ' 
 
 99 
 
 Carrots ' 
 
 98 
 
 Of the grasses, 1000 parts of the meadow catstail contains, at the time of seed- 
 ing, 98 parts of nutritive matter; narrow leaved meadow gr.as8, in seed, and sweet 
 scented soft grass, in flower, 95 ; narrow leaved and flat stalked meadow grass, in 
 flower, fertile meadow grass in seed, and talefescue in flower, 93; creeping soft 
 grass. In flower, 78 ; common turrips, 42 ; long rooted clover, 39 ; white clover, 32; 
 and lucern, 23. [Tbe above table is from the Agricultural Chemistry.] 
 
 To Cure Crilling. 
 If caused by irritation of the teeth growing too near together, saw 
 between the lower and upper front teeth. It a simple habit, arrange 
 the stall so as to make it impossible for him to crib. This you can do 
 by making the stall plain, with a simple box manger in front, rather low, 
 but extending the whole width of the stall. Immediately over the front 
 edge of this plain box manger, hang a roller of about six inches in di- 
 ameter, on pivots, which must be so arranged that it will turn easily. — 
 This roller, extending clear across the manger, offers the only means 
 within reach, on which to crib. The horse, in cribbing, will press the 
 front teeth firmly upon the roller, pulling it down and towards him, 
 which causes the roller to turn from under his mouth, and he is defeat- 
 ed in his efforts. There is no trouble in breaking a young horse of this 
 habit by this means. A very good way is to feed a horse from a basket, 
 hung loosely by a cord to something over head. The roller properly 
 adjusted is, however, much the best means. 
 
 To Prevent Horses from Jumping. 
 Have a good firm strap halter made, that will fit tbe horse nicely, 
 16 
 
M EV1EKT Man his own HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 with a wide strap stitched to each side so as to come over the eyes. — 
 Cut holes in these straps over each 03'e ; over these eye holes put fins 
 wire cloth, sui)ported nicely by wires, so that it will not possibly touch 
 the eye. Before a horse attempts jumping over a fence he will put his 
 head over to calculate upon the heio])t and distance he is about to jump; 
 but by lookino; throuah this wire cloth everything is so magnified in ap- 
 pearance, that he is disconcerted in his efforts to do so and is afraid to 
 
 jump. 
 
 Bots, or Griibs. 
 
 There are a great many horses lost Avith this disease. It is impos- 
 sible to put. nnything down a horse to kill a bot that would not kill the 
 horse. I will take what the most of farriers will prescribe, and kill any 
 horse in three or four days ; and I will give you the reasons for it. First, 
 the bot never woiks when the stomach is in order. As soon as the gas- 
 ses of the stomach become deranged, the bot goes to work; and j'ou 
 can derange the stomach by giving strong medicine. The bot works in 
 the maw. After he gets woiked in a short distance, you can put noth- 
 ing there that he can taste, without letting loose from the Tnaw ; and by 
 giving strong medicine, anything that has a tendency to burn, or hurt 
 the bot, he would work into the maw to get rid of the medicine ; and if 
 you put any sweets down, the bot could not eat it, because his head is, 
 in. Now I will give you a sure and a positive cure for this disease. — 
 Take a pail half full of hot water, set a quart bottle down in the hot 
 water, then bleed the horse in the neck vein, and let the blood run into 
 the bottle. When full drench the horse with this hot blood. The blood 
 goes to the maw so much hotter than the natural stomach, that the bot 
 becomes released and lets loose. He then sucks his fill of this sweet 
 blood and passes off from the horse. 
 
 Quinsy. 
 
 The symptoms of this disease are something like inflammation of 
 the lungs;* difficulty of breathing, eyes inflamed, nostrils distended, 
 breath quick and short. He stands with his head down, and has no 
 disposition to move about ; and you will hear a rattling in the throat, 
 caused by an accumulation of mucus matter in the glottis or throttle, 
 which becomes swollen so as to be perceivable on the outside of the 
 throat. A horse with this disease sometimes has an inclination to eat, 
 but with the lung fever, never. Q.iinsy is entirely an affection of the 
 glands of the head and throat, distinct from the lungs. Take one oz. 
 pulverized aloes, to one-half oz. oil of sassafras, mix with a little flour 
 to make it stick, and then make into balls the size of a black walnut. 
 This quantity is for a dose. Open the mouth, pull out the tongue, put 
 the bail on the roots of the tongue. This is the easiest way to give 
 medicine. A thick heavy blister" should be drawn on the throat, and a 
 mustard or fly poultice to draw the inflammation to the surface. Bathe 
 
EVEKY MAN HIS OWJT HORSE IX>CTOR. 
 
 the limbs with hot water, and bandage from the hoof to the knee. — 
 Batlie three times a day. When he has a disposition to eat, give a 
 mash of scalded wheal bran, two quarts, twice a day. Give no hay or 
 grain for three or four days. Then, if he breathes easy, you can in- 
 crease the feed. Keep the horse from the wind and well blanketed. 
 
 Distemper. 
 
 This is a disease that all colts are liable to, and if taken in time, 
 there will be no danger of swelling in the throat. This frequently 
 causes thick wind, by distempers breaking in the throat. It becomes a 
 callous where the opening in the throat Avas ; then bj'' checking the 
 horse up, there is not room for the wind, and he wheezes ; but as soon 
 as he stops he breathes easy again. When this disease first makes its 
 appearance, bleed freely from the neck vein, then give from half to one 
 pint of linseed oil, with three drachms of sassafras oil. This thins and 
 
 purifies the blood. 
 
 Niching. 
 
 There are two different modes of nicking. I will give the best and 
 easiest. To make a horse carry an elegant tail, is attended with some 
 uncertainty. It much depends upon the spirit, disposition, form, and 
 vigor of the bone of the tail. A horse of good spirit, tolerable shape, 
 and a small bone in the tail, can be made to carry an elegant tail with 
 the greatest ease ; particularly if he carries a tolerable natural tail ; but 
 a dull, leather-headed, flop-eared horse, with a remarkably large bone 
 in the tail, will set you a task, although you may break the bone in two 
 or three places. Indeed, there is so much difference in horses, that 
 some judgment must be exercised about the best mode to be adopted 
 for the accomplishment of the object in view. Nothing can more dis- 
 figure the appearance of a horse than to be half nicked. The form of 
 the tail, when this unfortunately happens, departs from the simplicity 
 of nature, and never attains the elegance of art. I shall now proceed 
 to the best method of nicking every description of horse ; and which, 
 if attended to, will seldom or never fail to succeed. The horse should 
 be confined in stocks, fitted for that purpose. The tail then should be 
 platted up and clubbed at the end, turned over a small stick, and secure- 
 ly tied with a string. Being prepared with a knife, made for that pur- 
 pose, turn the tail up in a direct line with the back. Commence the 
 operation by making an incision about one inch from the rump, close to 
 the hair ; cut the cords in one place, on each side, leaving an incision 
 only about the size of the knife blade. Be very careful not to touch the 
 bone with the knife, for if so, it would create inflammation, and the hair 
 would come out. Great pains should be taken to have the weights 
 equal, in order to keep the tail in a perpendicular direction, and pre- 
 vent it from turning to either side during the time of healing ; as a 
 horse that carries his tail to one side, instead of being elegantly nicked. 
 
Qi EVMIY MAK HIS OWN HOU8E DOCTOR. 
 
 is ruined. The horse many times carries a crooked tail before he has 
 been nicked. To straighten the tail, cut the top cord. The under cord 
 depresses the tail, and the top one raises it. When standing the tail is 
 straight. You will see at once that it is the top cord. In cutting the 
 cord, to straighten, cut the long cord, and the short cord will pass by 
 on a lap, and gi-ow together, leaving the tail as strong as ever. Pulling 
 is not required in straightening the tail. 
 
 Scours. 
 
 This is a disease which requires no description. You will know it 
 when it comes. It is the same as cholera in a man. but is very easy to 
 manage. In a warm climate it is very dangerous, as two-thirds of the 
 horses taken with it die in less than four days. Boil red or Avhite oak 
 baik to a strong ooze ; put two tablespoonfuls of cream of tartar to 
 one quart of this decoction. Give to diink, or as a drench. Then use 
 the bark water for injection. Keep this up until the purging is stopped. 
 Then give a mash of scalded wheat bi-an twice a day. Give no hay or 
 grain, or you will cause a relapse. He will have a good appetite, but 
 be very careful for several days^ and when you commence feeding, feed 
 very light. A positive cure. 
 
 Blind Staggers. 
 
 The cause of this disease is too much food and water. In giving 
 as much as a horse can eat, then give as much water as he will drink in 
 driving. The grain becomes swollen and the stomach distressed by un- 
 digested food. The distention of the stomach prevents the passage of 
 the blood, which causes it to flow to the head, and makes him crazy 
 and blind. Sometimes he will fall back, at other times run, and is apt 
 to run off from a bluff, or against any object that may be in his way. — 
 If the disease is in its worst stages, split the skin of the forehead and 
 fill with salt and black pepper. Then, if you can get sassafras roots, 
 boil them to a tea and give one gallon twice a day. Bleed one gallon 
 from the neck vein. Feed light with bran mash. Do not use any very 
 hearty food for two weeks. This is a safe cure. 
 
 For Weakness across the Loins. 
 
 This originates, many times, from a stoppage of water. It is not 
 always what would be called gravel. It may be from contraction of 
 the muscles across the loins. The more the horse strains the more con- 
 traction it would cause. He becomes stiff and it is difficult for him to 
 •move his hind parts. Give one oz. pulverized aloes, one oz. sweet spirits 
 of nitre, one oz. oil sassafras ; give this at one dose, made into small 
 balls. Then bathe the loins with hot pepper sauce. Blanket the horse 
 well, putting several thicknesses over the Joina. As soon as he can 
 
EVERY MA]Sr Hie OWJjJ" fiORBE DOCTOR. 66 
 
 stand give two quarts of bran mash, with one table spoonful of pow- 
 dered resin. Give this for three days, and keep the loins as warm as 
 possible. Also use this liniment ; two oz. origanum, two oz. oil of sas- 
 safras, two oz. spirits turpentine ; mix well together, bathe twice a day. 
 
 ' Stocked or Swollen Legs. 
 
 This is caused by sudden heats and colds. Bathe the legs from the 
 hoof to the knee in as hot water as he will bear, and then bandage them. 
 The hot water opens the pores and thins the blood that has become 
 thick and will not circulate well. Make a strong tea of sassafras roots 
 and give it to drink. If this is not to be bad, give as a purge one pint 
 of linseed oil, half an oz. of oil sassafras. Feed light. Give bran mash 
 with one tablespoonful of cream tartar for a few nights. 
 
 How to Ease Horse Distemper. 
 
 If the glands of the neck are not swollen much, give half of a small 
 paper of chewing tobacco, morning and evening, in a warm bran mash, 
 and give no hay, but a little cut straw, wet with bran mixed in. If the 
 glands of the neck are swollen, then apply a warm poultice, made of 
 wheat bran and hot vinegar, changing as often as it gets dry, and be 
 sure to get down him all the flaxseed tea you can, or slippery elm tea 
 will answer, and let this be his constant drink. Be cautious to keep the 
 horse from taking cold in any way, and keep on a blanket. Thus you 
 will save many a noble animal. Be cautious never to bleed your horse 
 during the horse distemper, or physic him any more than you are able 
 to do with the bran mash. 
 
 Bemedy for Bots, 
 
 Which will cure them in a few days. Eight oz. oil of turpentine, one 
 qt. alcohol ; mix and bottle for use. Dose, five oz. in the feed, once a 
 day, for eight days. This will effectually remove them. 
 
 For Inflamed Swellings^ or Lame Shoulder. 
 Equal parts oil of amber, oil of spike, camphor gum, and ether. 
 
 To Cure Heaves. 
 
 Oil tar, one oz. ; oil amber, one oz. ; mix, and give twenty drops in 
 feed, daily. 
 
 Physic Ball. 
 Barbadoes aloes, one lb. ; syrup buckthorn, three oz. ; codliver oil, 
 three oz. ; melt the whole and stir till cold. In winter, add a little wa- 
 ter. Make into eighteen pills, and give one every four hours, or as 
 much as will move the bowels. 17 
 
06 EVERY MAW HIS OWW HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 Diuretic Drops, 
 
 That are reliable for stoppage of water, foul water, or inflammation of 
 tlie kidneys, in all cases. Take of sweet spirits of nitre, four oz. ; 
 balsam copaiba, two oz. ; oil juniper, two oz. ; spirits turpentine, two 
 oz. ; gum camphor, pulverized, one oz. ; mix all together, and shake 
 well. Buttle, and it is for use, for man or beast, under all circumstan- 
 ces where a diuretic is required. Dose for a horse, one ounce in half a 
 pint of milk, once in six hours. For a man, one tea spoonful in a table 
 spoonful of milk, once in six hours. Be sure to shake the ingredients 
 up well before turning out for use. 
 
 Colic. 
 This is caused by giving too much feed and water, or by Avatering 
 often on the road. The water reduces the juices of the stomach, disa- 
 bling digestion, and causing the grain to swell, generates a gas in the 
 stomach which, passing into the bowels, causes the acute pain and colic. 
 He becomes restive, lies down, rolls about, and gives many signs of 
 pain. Many times the horse has bots and colic at the same time. The 
 only difference in the symptoms being that in colic the ears are cold, 
 aiid in hols they are warm. Take one and a half oz. of laudanum, one 
 07. ether, two tablespoonfuls soda, in half pint warm water. Give as 
 a drench. Do not exei'cise the horse with this disease, as exercise 
 causes the gases to move from one part of the bowels to another, each 
 time causing pain ; therefore keep him as quiet as possible. 
 
 Fistula and Pole Evil. 
 
 These diseases are both of the same nature, caused b}^ a bruise, 
 and tlie other part becomes swollen, and a mattery substance forms in 
 the flesh ; and, as the disease becomes seated, it fills in with pips, and 
 roots, and mcreases the inflammation. When this disease first makes 
 its ajjpearance it can be driven away by bliste.-ing, and drawing the in- 
 flammation to one point; but after it foj-ms in roots, or pips, the only way 
 of getting rid of it is to eat out or kill the roois of ihe disease. The 
 most eftectual way of doing this is to take one oz. of pulverized euphor- 
 bium. one-hilf oz. i)ulv. Spanish flies, one-half oz. tinct. cantharides, one 
 oz. iodine, one oz. corrosive sublimate, one oz. red precijMtate, one and 
 half oz. wiiite pine turpentine, one and a half oz. lard ; melt the lard and 
 turpentine toaether. and when it becomes blood warm, as it is cooling 
 o(f, add the other articles. Use a large dish to mix them in, for when 
 you put them together the mixture will foam. Stir until cool. It is 
 then ready for use. If the sore has not broken, use it on the outside 
 until you draw the disease to the surface. If it has broken put the 
 salve in the wound. It will eat out all of the diseased flesh. When you 
 wish to heal the wound, wash clean with soap, then use as a salve, pow- 
 dered resin and honey, — the best healing salve for horseflesh ever used. 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWW HORSE DOCTOR. 67 
 
 Scratches. 
 This is a disease that effects great injury to the horse, if not check- 
 ed in time. In many cases the legs become swollen to the gambrel, and 
 finally calloused, so that it would be impossible ever to remove it ; but 
 if taken in time it will be easily managed. First, wash clean with soap 
 and soft Xv-ater, then take pulverized verdigris and sprinkle on the out- 
 side. T/j IS will kill the bad flesh. Repeat, for several days until it has 
 a heaiQj"} ai|eit.-irance. Then wash and i^ will heal. There is another 
 disease springK^'iVom the same, called gr-r.^se heel, which will require 
 something more po'^\ ^^rfnj . .-T?hT.iL a" week, t potash. This will take 
 off the bad flesh very'ictWill be all you can do. '^.iseased flesh is taken 
 off, then wash clean. Use the resm and honey salve. The horse should 
 be thoroughly bled, and a pint of linseed oil, as a purge, should be 
 given to cleanse the blood. 
 
 Cure for Wind Galh, 
 Olive oil, three oz.; nitric acid, one oz.; rubbed in as much daily, 
 or every second or third day, as it will bear, without starting the hair. 
 
 Corns^ — IIoiv to Cure them. 
 
 Corns are generally caused by the shoe being worn too long. They 
 appear in the angle of the hoof, near the heel. Cut the corn well down, 
 but not to the quick ; fit the shoe so that it does not press upon that 
 part, then saturate well with pine sap, or gum, which is found exuding 
 from pine tree«. When cut, fill the parts nicely wiih tow, and put on 
 the shoe ; remembering that the shoe must be so fitted as not to oblige 
 the part to support but very slightly, if any, the weight of the horse. — 
 Horses with corns must be oftener and more carefully shod than those 
 
 free from them. 
 
 For KicJcs, Bruises, Cuts, or Swollen Legs. 
 
 Bathe the swollen parts with hot water, three times a day. As 
 soon as you are through bathing, bandage the leg, but not tight. Take 
 off the bandase every time you bathe. By using hot water, it opens 
 the pores, and leaves everything soft and pliable, entirely removes the 
 swelling, and prevents it from becoming calloused. If the cut is large, 
 and a bad sore, use the resin and honey salve, which is the most healing 
 of anything that can be used. Horses that cut themselves by interfer- 
 ing, and the pastern becomes swollen and sore, bathe with hot water. It 
 will keep it from enlarging, and will heal it up and leave the leg smooth. 
 Liniments are very bad usually, they thicken the skin and leave the 
 parts affected enlarged, but by bathing and bandaging it will leave the 
 leg as smooth as before the cut. 
 
 Weak Eyes. 
 There is no such disease as Hocks. It is only caused by inflararaa- 
 
ETERY MAN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR. 
 
 tion, which causes the washer of the eye to become swollen and pro- 
 trude out, and some say this is Hocks. They never should be cut. By 
 rowelling aL the side of the eye, it will draw the inflammation from the 
 eye to the surface, and cure the disease. Sometimes the eye becomes 
 weak from wolf teeth. These should be knocked off. They will be 
 found on the upper jaw. I would not advise the use of medicine in the 
 eye. It will increa^ -. the inflammation. 
 
 Spruna Knees and Springhalt i,aQ> 
 These diseases are S ^^^^"^ ^^^^ '■'^^' ^ is contraction of the 
 
 muscles, caused b\ a, ^ , ^ _ .ong standing. Springhalt 
 
 comes from these •- auses. Sprung knee is invariably caused by a strain, 
 wliich contracts the muscle of the arm. By the contraction of the 
 muscle, it draws the cord, and causes the knee to get weak and crooked. 
 The cords are swollen, which causes persons to doctor the cords. This 
 Avill do no good, for it is impossible to relax a cord. In fact, the cord 
 itself is not contracted, it is ihe contraction of the muscle which draws 
 the cord. So by relaxing the muscle, it would drop the cords to their 
 proper places, and give relief. Springhalt is the same. It is the con- 
 traction of the inside muscle of the thighs. By relaxing the muscle 
 you cure the disease. Take the common land turtle and try them down, 
 and use ihe oil by rubbing on the muscle. This will relax and cure the 
 
 disease. 
 
 Blistering. 
 
 The most effectual blister is to make a blister ointment, as follows : 
 One drachm of flies, one drachm of resin, four oz. lard ; melt the resin 
 and lard together, then add the flies. Bub the parts with the hand 
 imtil you create a heat, then apply the blister. This is good for strain 
 in the pastern. The best liquid blister is cantharides and turpentine, 
 equal parts. 
 
 Thumps in the Sorse. 
 
 This disease is caused by too much food and water, and fast driv- 
 ing. By filling the stomach with food and water, then driving fast, 
 the stomach becomes distressed with undigested food, which prevents 
 the inflating of the lur.gs. The muscles of the lungs become sore and 
 weak, and cause them to thump. If this disease is of long standing, it 
 will be incurable ; but by a moderate quantity of water, and a reason- 
 able quantity of grain, you will prevent this disease. It is brought on 
 entirely by heavy feeding and waterin;?, with fast driving. 
 
 Big Head and Big Jaw. 
 These diseases are something the same as sprain. The bony sub- 
 
EVERY MAN HIS OWJJT HORSE DOOTOE. CQ 
 
 stances form a deposit and become ossified. Whilst this disease is m a 
 gristly substance,- it can be cured ; but after it becomes ossified, it will 
 be incurable. Two oz. gum euphorbium, fine ; one oz. Spanish fiies, 
 fine; 'two oz. corrosive sublimate, two oz. iodine, three oz. white pine 
 turpentine, three oz. lard. Melt the lard and turpentine together, then 
 add the others. This, if a cure is possible, will effect it. The horse 
 should be kept dry, and not fed very hearty. Use bran mashes with 
 one tablespoonful of saltpeter, twice a week. Give one pint of linseed 
 oil the first week. This will be all you can do. 
 
 Crihling. 
 
 This disease originates from a sour stomach, first caused by habit 
 in biting the crib whilst eating ; and in so doing, the ho)se swallows 
 wind which causes the stomach to become sour. Over-eating and drink- 
 ing would aid in this disease. A horse with this disease is the same as 
 a person that belches, and in the end, the same as a dyspeptic. Take 
 one tablespoonful pulv. charcoal, and one tablespoonful sal soda, every 
 other day until a cure is effected. The horse should be fastened in 
 some place where he cannot get hold of anything to bite. Fasten in 
 the middle of the floor, and feed him from a basket fastened on the 
 head. By this means he will forget the habit of biiing his trough. 
 
 To Recruit a Horse that is Hidehoimd^ or otherwise out of order. 
 
 Saltpeter, four oz.; crude antimony, one oz.; sulphur, three oz. — 
 The saltpeter and antimony .should be finely pulverized, then add the 
 sulphurand mix the whole well together. i)ose, one tablespoonf.M in 
 a bran mash, dailv. 
 
 How Horses can he taught to iwrform trichs. 
 
 Many of the readers of this book may desire to learn something of 
 the mode of teaching horses such tricks as they may be able to accom- 
 plish. It will gratify me, therefore, if I afford them such informa- 
 tion on this head as will prove interesting and useful, recommending to 
 them that no horse should have more than two lessons per diem, of not 
 less than half, not to exceed three-quarters of an hour in length. 
 
 To make him Low. — Take a pin in your right hand, between the 
 thumb and fore finger, and stand before, but a little to the left of your 
 horse; then prick on the breast very lightly, as if a fly was biting; 
 which, to relieve, he will bring down his head, which you will accept as 
 yes, and for which you will reward in the usual manner by caressing 
 and feeding. Then repeat, and so continue until he brings down the 
 head the moment he sees the least motion of your hand towards his 
 breast ; or subsiitute some signal which he will understand readilv. 
 
 18 
 
70 £rv®RY MAN Hie OWJS HOR9E DOC^R. 
 
 To mahe him say^ ^^Koy — Stand by your house near the shoulder, 
 holding the pin in your hand, with which ])nck-him liorhtly on the 
 withers. To drive it away, he will shake his head. You then caress as 
 before, and so repeatin^j until he will shake his head at the least indica- 
 tion of your touchiufT him with a pin. You can train your hoi se so 
 niceiv in this w\ay, in a short time, as to cause him to shake his head, or 
 bow, by merely turninn; the hand a little, or moving it towards him. 
 
 To teach him to kiss you. — Teach him first to take an apple out of 
 your hand; wlien gradually raise the hand nearer the mouth, at each 
 repetition, until you require him to take it from your mouth ; holdinor 
 it with the hand, telling him at the same time to kiss you. H«; will soon 
 leai-n to reach his nose up to your mouth ; first, to get his apple, but 
 finally, because commanded to do so. Simply repeat until perfect. 
 
 To shrike hands. — Tip a short strap to the forward foot, below the 
 fetlock. Stand directly behind the horse, holding the end of the sti-ap 
 in your hand. Then say, "shake hands, sir ;" and immediately after 
 connnanding him to do so, pull upon the strap, which will bring his foot 
 lip, and which you are to accept as shaking hands; thanking him for it 
 by caressing and feeding. By a little practice, a horse may be easily 
 trained to approach, make a bow, shake hands, lie down, sit up, follow 
 like a dog, etc. 
 
 To make him sit tip. — When your horse will lie down readily, you 
 can then teach him to sit up like a dog, easily. If young, not very 
 lieavy, or strong, you can easily prevent his getting up without tying 
 him down. First, cause him to lie down, having on him a common bri- 
 dle with the reins over his neck. Then step behind him and place the 
 right foot firmly upon the tail, the reins in your hand. Then say, "Get 
 up, sir." Your standing on his tail will prevent his raising any further 
 than on his fore feet. Repeat a few times. Use good judgment, caress, 
 reward, and j'ou will soon have the trick taught perfectly. 
 
 To make a Foundered and Spavined Horse cjo off limber. — Take one oz. 
 tinct. cayenne, two oz. laudanum, one pint alcohol. Rub the shoulders 
 well with warm water, then rub the above on his shoulders and back- 
 bone. Give him one oz. of laudanum and one pint of gin. Put it down 
 his throat with a pint bottle. Put his feet in warm water as hot as he 
 can bear. Take a little spirits of turpentine, rub it on the bottom part 
 of his feet with a sponge, after taking them out of the water. Drive 
 him about half a mile, or a mile, until he comes out as limber as a rag. 
 If he does not surrender to his pain, tie a thin cord around the end of 
 his tongue. 
 
 To make old Horses appiear young. — Take one oz. tinct. of asafoetida, 
 one oz. tinct. cantharides, one oz. oil of cloves, one oz. oil of cinnamon, 
 two oz. antimony, one oz. fenugreek, and one gallon of fourth-proof 
 brandy ; let it stand tfen days. "Dos^q, ten drops in one gallon of water. 
 
EV^RT ^f AN HIS OWN HORSE DOCTOR 
 
 To make a Horse appear as if founder eel. — Take a fine wire and fasten 
 it around the pastern joint at niglit. Smootli tlie hair down over it 
 nicely, and by morning he will walk as stiff as if foundered. 
 
 To mahe a Horse ftcsliy in a short time. — Feed with buckwheat bran, 
 to which add a little of the shorts. Keep him in a dark stable. Haifa 
 day's drive will make a horse fatted in this poor way. 
 
 I'o maJce a Horse stand by his feed and ?iot eat it. — Grease the front 
 teeth and roof of the mouth with common tallow, and he will not eat 
 until you wash it out. 
 
 To malce a irue-pulling Horse haulh. — Take one oz. tinct. of canthar- 
 ides, and one drachm of corrosive sublimate. Mix together and bathe 
 the shoulders at night. 
 
 Hoio to distinguish between Distemper and Glanders. — The discharge 
 from the nose, if glanders, will sink in water ; if distemper, it will not. 
 
 iZo«' to make a Horse appear as if he had the Glanders. — Melt fresh 
 butter and pour in his ears. 
 
 THE END 
 
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