JOHNA.SEAVERNS 
 
3 9090 013 413 386 
 
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 Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine 
 Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at 
 Tufts University 
 200 VVestboro Road 
 
 Mfti+hRraftnn MAfllWR 
 
HTFIS TO llORSE-KEEPEES, 
 
 A COMPLETE 
 
 MANUAL FOR HORSEMEN; 
 
 EMBRACIN^G 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE. 
 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. (Allopathy aud Homoeopathy.) 
 
 HOW TO BREAK A HORSE. HOW TO GROOM A HORSE. 
 
 HOW TO USE A HORSE. HOW TO DRIVE A HORSE. 
 
 HOW TO FEED A HORSE. HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 
 
 ANT3 CHAPTERS 
 
 ON MULES AND PONIES 
 
 BY THE LATE 
 
 HENRY WILLIAM HERBERT. 
 
 (feank forester.) 
 
 WITH ADDITIONS, INCLUDING '" RAREY'S METHOD OF HORSE - TAMING," 
 
 AND "BAUCHER'S SYSTEM OF HORSEilANSHIP ;" ALSO, GIYINQ 
 
 DIRECTIONS FOR THE SELECTION AND CARE OF CARRIAGES 
 
 AND HARNESS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, ANT) A 
 
 MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 i^imttifunM MllnHtutti, 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 A. O. MOORE & COMPANY, 
 
 No. 14i) FULTOX STREET. 
 
 - 1859. 
 

 Entered according to Act of (Congress, in the year 1859, by 
 
 A. 0. MOORE & CO 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York, 
 
 EDWARD O. JENKINS, 
 
 i^rintft & ^terrotgptr, 
 No. 26 Frankfort Strkbt. 
 
THESE 
 
 HINTS TO HORSE-KEEPERS 
 
 %xt rtspectfitllg irtbitatib to bis ^xitnli 
 
 CHARLES A. DANA, 
 
 A.T WHOSB SUGGESTION THEY WERE COMPOSED BY 
 
 THE AUTHOR, 
 
 HENRY W.HERBERT, 
 
 The Cedars 
 
PUBLISHERS' PREFACE. 
 
 The basis of the present work is the valuable matter 
 written by Mr. Herbert shortly before his death, comprised 
 within the first thirteen chapters. An extension of the 
 work was undertaken by the author, and the outline of 
 the remaining chapters was being filled out by him, when 
 that strange and fatal mood overshadowed his life, and 
 terminated his earthly labors. 
 
 In committing the unfinished task to other hands, we 
 have been particularly fortunate in procuring, for each de- 
 partment, competent and experienced aid ; and if the style 
 of a favorite author is not to be recognized by our readers 
 in all parts of the work, they may derive some compensa- 
 tion from the fact, that by combining the experience of a 
 number of contributors we present a completness and 
 variety not to be expected in the production of any one 
 mind. 
 
 These Hints to Horse-Keepers are intended to in- 
 clude every subject of interest to those who, for pleasure or 
 business, own or use a horse. From their comprehensiveness 
 they are necessarily brief and condensed. More elaborate 
 works on each speciality have previously been in the 
 hands of the public, and this volume is not adapted, nor 
 intended, to supplant them; but by presenting in one 
 volume a com pen d of our valuable standard works, with 
 the latest discoveries and improvements, it is believed we 
 have answered a demand till now unsupplied. 
 
 16] 
 
8 HERBERT. 
 
 America, where he soon expended His little remaining 
 money. It is now that his life, as a man, commenced ; and 
 the many difficulties and misfortunes which beset his way, 
 are thus alluded to in his last letter to the press : — '' I bear 
 an honorable name ; I have striven hard, in great trial, in 
 great temptation, in a foreign country, in a false position, 
 among men who did not, perhaps could not, sympathize 
 with me, to keep it honorable." Again — " Eemember 
 also, when you judge me, that of all lives, mine has been 
 almost the most unhappy. No counsellor, no friend, no 
 country have been mine, for six-and-twenty weary years. 
 Every hope has broken down under my foot as soon as it 
 has touched it. Every spark of happiness has been 
 quenched as soon as it has been kindled." 
 
 For eight years Herbert was a teacher in a school 
 in New York, where he gave the most perfect satis- 
 faction: He was a frequent contributor to the best jour- 
 nals of the day, and an editor of the '^ American Monthly 
 Magazine." In " The Captains of the Old World," ^" The 
 Eoman Eepublic," ** The Brothers, a tale of the French," 
 " Kingwood the Rover," '^Warwick Woodlands," *' Crom- 
 well," &c., he has given pleasure and instruction to many 
 readers. These facts concern Herbert's literary reputa- 
 tion, which was good among distinguished literary men ; 
 but that which binds him to the hearts of true sportsmen, 
 and lovers of nature, he has won under the nom de plume 
 of "Frank Forester," in the '^ Field Sports," " Fish and 
 Fishing," "The Deer Stalkers," "The Complete Manual 
 for Young Sportsmen," etc. More recently, he wrote a 
 very large work on " The Horse of America," and, last of 
 all, these "Hints to Horse-Keepers." 
 
 Herbert was twice married ; — first, in 1839, to a Mis9 
 Barker, of Bangor, whither he had accompanied a gentle- 
 
HERBERT. » 
 
 man of New York, a literary friend, for ihe purpost of 
 acting as groomsman at tlie marriage of his friend and the 
 lady in question. With the variableness of a woman, 
 Miss Barker made a bridegroom of the groomsman, and 
 cast an enduring shadow over the life of her former suitor. 
 The only child by this wife was a son, now living in 
 England, at the age of eighteen. Mrs. Herbert died in 
 1846. 
 
 In February of 1858, Herbert married a lady from Prov- 
 idence, E. I., after a brief and romantic acquaintance. 
 His affection for her seems to have been unbounded ; but 
 — whether on account of habits long ago contracted, or in 
 consequence of the slanders of meddlesome neighbors, the 
 world does not know, and has no right to inquire — she left 
 him ; and he, broken down by this last great sorrow of a 
 life of sorrows, committed suicide at the Stevens House 
 in New York, on the 17th day of April, 1858. He was 
 buried in the cemetery adjoining his place, " the Cedars," 
 near Newark, N. J. 
 
 The character of Herbert is a difficult one to criticize ; 
 but it is very certain that his intellectual attainments, his 
 great love for everything in nature, and his power of com- 
 municating that love to his readers, by far outweigh in 
 importance his faults, which were those of the head and 
 not of the heart. In no line that he ever wrote is there 
 an improper tendency, or the expression of an impure 
 thought. Judged by his works, he appears preeminently 
 a good man. Judged by what is known of his life, he 
 appears to have been prevented only by faults which were 
 the inheritance of a misspent youth, from becoming a 
 bright example of combined greatness and goodness. 
 
 1* 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HORSE— CHOICE OP STALLION. 
 
 National Yalue of the Horse — The best class of Horses the cheapest for all 
 purposes — "What constitutes excellence — Blood : what it gives ; should 
 be on the side of the Sire — Breed up, not down — Diseases and Defects 
 Hereditary — General Rules - - - - - - -IT 
 
 CHAPTER H. 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HORSE— CHOICE OF THE MARE. 
 
 Size, Symmetry and Soundness more important than Blood— Points of the 
 Brood Mare — Diseases Hereditary — Condition of the Mare — Should 
 have moderate work when with Foal — Food and care during gestation 
 —Health and temper — General Rules 25 
 
 CHAPTER in. 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HORSE — MUTUAL ADAPTATION OF SIRE AND DAM. 
 
 First consideration in Improvement of "cold '' Blood — Relative size of Sire 
 and Dam — Defects in either Parent — How Remedied in Progeny — 
 Bloods which " hit"— General Rules - - . - - - - 35 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HORSE — CANADIAN BLOOD. 
 
 The Canadian originally the FrenchNorman— Characteristics— Hardihood — 
 Speed — Mode of Improvement — Crossing with Thorough-brede - 45 
 
 [11] 
 
12 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HORSE— NORMAN BLOOD. 
 
 Origin and History of the Percheron Norman — A pure race— Characteristics 
 and Points — Importation into this country - - - - 51 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HORSE— MODERN ARAB BLOOD. 
 
 Enghsh and American Thorough-breds derived from Oriental Blood — are 
 now superior to the Modern Arabs— Nolan Arab - - - 58 
 
 CHAPTER YII. 
 
 PONIES— THEIR DIFFERENT BREEDS, CHARACTERISTICS AND UTILITY. 
 
 Unknown to the Ancients— Origin — Different Breeds— Shetlands and Scots 
 — Galloways and Narragansetts — Mustangs and Indians — Profit of rais- 
 ing Ponies .63 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 HOW TO BREED MULES. 
 
 Yalue of Mules— Their History and Natural History — The Mule and Hinney 
 — Thorough -blood wasted in the Dam for Mules— The Mule in the 
 United States — Large Size not Desirable — Varieties of fhe Ass — The 
 kind of Mares to be selected 81 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 Of whom to Buy it — Extraordinary Cheapness and Extraordinary Excel- 
 lence not consistent with each other — Points to be Regarded— How to 
 examine the Eye— Broken "Wind— Roaring — Whistling — Broken Knees 
 — ^^To examine the Legs— Splents— Damaged Back Sinews— Spavins — 
 Ringbones — Curbs —Thorough-pin — How to tell the Age of a Horse 94 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 
 
 Consequences of Improper Feeding — Different Food for different conditions 
 — Food for the Brood Mare— for the Foal— For Working Horses — 
 Green Food — Carrots — Corn— Feeding Horses in Training — While 
 Travelling— Summering Horses — The Best Method — Management of 
 Omnibus Horsos iu New York 121 
 
OONTEKTS. 13 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 HOW TO STABLE AND GROOM A HORSE. 
 
 Requisites for a good Stable— The economy of Proper Arrangements— Venti- 
 lation— Grooming ; its necessity for all descriptions of Horses — How- 
 Performed — Clothing— Treatment of the Horse when brought in from 
 Work - 139 
 
 •CHAPTER XH. 
 
 HOW TO BREAK, AND USE A HORSE. 
 
 What is required in a well-broken Horse— His education should commence 
 when a Colt — Biting— Putting in Harness— How to Use a Horse — 
 TraveUing— Working— Pleasure Horses— Punishment - - 151 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE— SIMPLE REMEDIES FOR SIMPLE AILMENTS. 
 
 Causes of A Uments— Medicines to be given only by the order of the Master 
 — Depletion and Purging— Spasmodic Colic— Inflammation of the 
 Bowels —Inflammation of the Lungs — How to Bleed — Balls and Purga- 
 tives — Costiveness — Cough — Bronchitis —Distemper — Worms — Dis- 
 eases of the Feet — Scratches — Thrush — Broken Knees - - 162 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 FAtlRIERY, ETC. 
 
 Castration — Docking and Nicking — Blood-letting— Treatment of Strains and 
 Wounds — Galls of the Skin— Cracked Heels — Clipping and Singeing— 
 Administering Medicines — Diseases of the Feet - - - - 187 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 HOW TO SHOE A HORSE. 
 
 Unskilful Shoers— Anatomy of the Foot Illustrated — The Foot of a Colt — - 
 Preparation of the Foot — Removing the Old Shoe — Paring the Foot — 
 The Shoe — Fitting the Shoe — Nailing — Number of Nails — Diseases of 
 the Foot 218 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 BAUCHER'S METHOD OF TRAINING HORSES. 
 
 What Constitutes a Well-trained Horse — To make him come at your call — 
 The Philosophy of Training— Flexions of the Jaw— Flexions of the 
 Neck — Flexions of the Croup — Backing — The Paces— Leaping • 241 
 
14 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XVn. 
 
 HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 
 
 The Saddle— The Girths— The Stirrups— Saddle-Cloths— The Crupper— The 
 Martingale— The Bridle — Spurs — Mounting and Dismounting — The Seat 
 — The Hands— The Legs— The Paces— Hints for Special Cases— The 
 Art of Falling — Ridmg with Ladies 261 
 
 CHAPTER XVin. 
 
 ladies' riding — WRITTEN BY A LADY. 
 
 Learning to Ride— The Side-saddle— The Girths— The Stirrup— The Bridle— 
 The Martingale— The Bit — The Dress — Mountuig and Dismounting — 
 The Position— The Hands— The Leg and Whip^-Accidents - 288 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 HOW TO DRIVE A HORSE. 
 
 The Art of Driving— Pleasure Driving — How to Hold the Reins— Driving a 
 Pair — Four-in-hand Driving — Driving "Working Horses — Plowing — 
 Three-a-breast 304 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 RAREY'S system OF HORSE-TAMING. 
 
 Rarey's System a New Discovery — Previous System — Principles of this Sys- 
 tem—Instructions for practicing Rarey's Method — To Stable the Horse 
 — To Approach the Horse — Tying up the Leg — Laying the Horse Down 
 — Finale — Vices and Bad Habits— Rearing— Kicking — Baulking — Pull- 
 ing on the Halter— Shying 317 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 RACING. 
 
 Training the Racer — Training Stables — Feeding Horses in Training— Laws 
 of Racing — Table of Weights for different Ages— Handicapping 333 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 VETERINARY HOMOEOPATHY. 
 
 Principles of the System — Table of Remedies— General Directions— Treat- 
 ment of a Sick Animal— Diet— Remedies for Specific Cases— Glossary 
 of Disease* - - 344 
 
CONTENTS. 15 
 
 CHAPTER XXin. 
 
 CARRIAGES. 
 
 General Remarks— Different Varieties of Vehicles— The Wheel, Hub, and 
 Axle— The Springs— The Shafts and Pole— The Body and Top— Paint- 
 ing and Varnishing— Trimming and Plating— Harmony of Colors- 
 How to Keep Carriages in Good Condition .... 374 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 The Quality of Leather— Stitching— The Collar—The Traces— The Saddle 
 and Breeching — The Bridle and Reins — Minor Details — How to Keep 
 Harness in Good Condition 402 
 
HINTS TO HORSE-KEEPERS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HORSE CHOICE OF STALLION. 
 
 NATIONAL VALUE OB' THE HORSE— THE BETTER CLASS OF HORSES THE 
 CHEAPEST FOR ALL PURPOSES— WHAT CONSTITUTES EXCELLENCE?— 
 *' BLOOD ;" WHAT IT GIVES — SHOULD BE ON THE SIDE OF THE SIRE — 
 BREED UP, NOT DOWN —DISEASES AND DEFECTS HEREDITARY — GENERAL 
 RULES, 
 
 To enter into an argument at this day of the nineteenth 
 century, to show that the horse stock of any country is a 
 material item in the account of the national wealth, 
 strength and greatness, would be to admit the arguer him- 
 self an ass, or at least to show that he believed himself to 
 be addressing an audience of asses. In no country in the 
 world, perhaps, is such an argument less needed than in 
 our own, where, certainly, the keeping of horses for the 
 purposes of pleasure as well as of utility is more largely 
 disseminated among persons of all classes than in any other, 
 and where the desire and ability both to keep and breed 
 horses of a high grade is - daily gaining ground, both in 
 town and country. Among farmers the desire to raise val- 
 uable stock is, at least, increasing proportionally to the 
 increase of the profit to be derived from them, which is 
 
 (1') 
 
18 HOW TO BREED A HOBSE. 
 
 advancing every day not in consequence of any casual or 
 temporary caprice, but is attributable to the growing percep- 
 tion of the fact, among all horse-keepers, that it is not only 
 as cheap, if one keeps a horse at all, to keep a good as to 
 keep a bad one, but in reality much cheaper. The prime 
 cost is the only difference to be considered : the price of 
 stable-room, keep and care is identical ; the wear and tear 
 is infinitely less in the sound, able, useful animal than in 
 the broken-down jade ; the work which can be done and 
 the value earned by the one is in no possible relation to 
 those by the other ; while, to conclude, the cash value of the 
 superior animal, judiciously worked, — and by judiciously 
 is meant profitably to the owner, as well as moderately and 
 mercifully to the beast, — and properly tended, is actually 
 increasing annually at a greater rate than that at which the 
 inferior animal is deteriorating. 
 
 In other words, a four-year-old horse, well bought at a 
 price of two or three hundred dollars or upward, will, when 
 he has attained the age of seven or eight years, after hav- 
 ing earned his meat and paid the interest of his prime cost 
 by his services, be worth twice the money, either for work- 
 ing purposes or for sale, if the owner see fit to dispose of 
 him ; while an animal bought for half or a third of that 
 price, at the same age, will probably, at the same increased 
 age, be wholly worn out, valueless and useless; and the 
 greater the excellence of the animal in the first instance, 
 the greater and more rapid will be the increase in value ; 
 the lower his qualities, to begin, the speedier and more 
 complete the deterioration. 
 
 Now, as to what constitutes value or excellence in all 
 horses. — It is indisputably quickness of working ; power 
 to move or carry weight, and ability to endure for a length 
 of time ; to travel for a distance with the least decrease 
 
CHOICE OF STALLION. 19 
 
 of pace ; to come again to work day after day, week after 
 week, and year after year, with undiminished vigor. And 
 it is scarcely needful to say that, under all ordinary circum- 
 stances these conditions are only compatible with the 
 highest form and highest physical health of the anim al. Mal- 
 formation must necessarily detract from speed and power ; 
 hereditar}^ disease or constitutional derangement must nec- 
 essarily detract from all powers whatsoever. Under usual 
 circumstances it would hardly be necessary to undertake to 
 show that quickness of working, or, in other words, speed, 
 is necessary to a high degree of excellence in a horse of 
 any stamp or style, and not one iota less for the animal 
 which draws the load or breaks the glebe, than for the 
 riding horse or the pleasure traveller before light vehicles. 
 But it has of late become the fashion with some parties to 
 undervalue the advantages of speed, and to deny its utility 
 for other purposes than for those of mere amusement; and, 
 as a corollary from this assumption, to disparage the effect 
 and deny the advantage of bloody by which is meant 
 descent, through the American or English race-horse, 
 from the oriental blood of the desert, whether Arabian, 
 Barb, Turk, Persian or Syrian, or a combination of two 
 or more, or all of the five. 
 
 The horse which can plough an acre while another is 
 ploughing half an acre, or that which can carry a load 
 of passengers ten miles while another is going five, indepen- 
 dent of all considerations of amusement, taste, or what is 
 generally called fancy, is absolutely worth twice as much 
 to his owner as the other. 
 
 Now the question for the breeder is simply this : By 
 what means is this result to be obtained ? The reply is, 
 by getting the greatest possible amount of pure blood com- 
 patible with size, weight and power, according to the pur- 
 
20 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 pose for which he intends to raise stock, into the animal 
 bred. For not only is it not true that speed alone is the 
 only good thing derivable from blood, but something very 
 nearly the reverse is true. It is very nearly the least good 
 thing. That which the blood-horse does possess is a de- 
 gree of strength in his bones, sinews, and frame at large, 
 utterly out of proportion to the size or apparent strength 
 of that frame. The texture, the form and the symmetry 
 of the bones, — all, in the same bulk and volume, — possess 
 double, or nearer four-fold, the elements of resistance and 
 endui-ance in the blood-horse that they do in the cold- 
 blooded cart-horse. The difference in the form and text- 
 ure pi the sinews and muscles, and in the inferior tendency 
 to form flabby, useless flesh, is still more in favor of the 
 blood-horse. Beyond this, the internal anatomical con- 
 struction of his respiratory organs, of his arterial and 
 venous system, of his nervous system, in a word, of his 
 constitution generally, — is calculated to give him what 
 he possesses, greater vital power, greater recuperatory 
 power, greater physical power, in proportion to his bulk and 
 weight, than an}'- other known animal — added to greater 
 quickness of movement, and to gTeater courage, greater 
 endurance of labor, hardship, suffering — in a word, greater 
 (what is called vulgarly) game or pluck than will be 
 found in any other of the horse family. 
 
 But it is not to be said, or supposed, that all blood-horses 
 will give these qualities in an equal degree ; for there is as 
 much or more choice in the blood-horse than in any other 
 of the family. Since, as in the blood of the thorough-bred 
 horse, all faults, all vices, all diseases are directly hereditary, 
 as well as all virtues, all soundness, all good qualities, it 
 is more necessary to look, in the blood-horse, to his ante- 
 cedents, his liistory, his performances, and, above all, to his 
 
CHOICE OF STALLION. 21 
 
 shape, temper, soundness and constitution, than it is in any 
 other of the horse family. 
 
 To breed from a small horse with, the hope of getting a 
 large colt; from a long-backed, leggy horse, with the hope 
 of getting a short, compact, powerful one ; from a broken- 
 winded, or blind, or flat-footed, or spavined, or ringboned, 
 or navicular-joint-diseased horse, with the hope of getting 
 a sound one ; from a vicious horse, a cowardly horse, — 
 what is technically called a dunghill, — with the hope of 
 getting a kind-tempered and brave one ; all or any of these 
 would be the height of folly. The blood sire (and 
 the blood should always be on the sire's side) should be, 
 for the farmer-breeder's purposes, of medium height, say 
 16 2 hands high, short-backed, well -ribbed up, short in 
 the saddle-place, long below. He should have high with- 
 ers, broad loins, broad chest, a straight rump, — the converse 
 of what is often seen in trotters, and known as the goose 
 rump ; a high and muscular, but not beefy crest ; a lean, 
 bony, well-set-on head ; a clear, bright, smallish, well- 
 placed eye ; broad nostrils and small ears. His fore legs 
 should be as long and as muscular as possible above the 
 knee, and his hind legs above the hock, and as lean, short 
 and bony as possible below those joints. The bones can- 
 not by any means be too flat, too clear of excrescences, or 
 too large. The sinews should be clear, straight, firm, and 
 hard to the touch. From such a horse, where the breeder 
 can find one, and from a well-chosen mare (she may be a 
 little larger, more bony, more roomy, and in every way 
 coarser than the horse, to the advantage of the stock), 
 sound, healthy and well-limbed, he may be certain, acci- 
 dents and contingencies set aside, of raising an animal that 
 will be creditable to him as a scientific stock breeder, and 
 profitable to him in a pecuniary sense. 
 
22 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 The great point then to be aimed at is, the combining in 
 the same animal the maximum of speed compatible with 
 sufficient size, bone, strength, and solid power to carry 
 heavy weights or draw large loads, and at the same time 
 to secure the stock from the probability, if not certainty, 
 of inheriting structural deformity or constitutional disease 
 from either of the parents. The first point is only to be 
 attained, first, by breeding as much as possible to pure 
 blood of the right kind ; and, second, by breeding what is 
 technically called among sportsmen and breeders, up^ not 
 dotvn : that is to say, by breeding the mare to a male of 
 superior (not inferior) blood to herself, — except where it is 
 desired to breed like to like, as Canadian to Canadian, or 
 Norman to Norman, for the purpose of perpetuating a pure 
 strain of any particular variety, which may be useful for 
 the production of brood mares. 
 
 By superior bloOd we mean that which approaches 
 nearer to thorough blood. Thus, a half-bred mare should 
 never be put to a half-bred stallion, as in that case the pro- 
 duce will, in nine cases out of ten, degenerate below the 
 dam ; whereas, if she be bred to a thorough-bred the pro- 
 duce will be superior, and will continually improve ad in- 
 finitum^ by adhering to the same process of breeding up. 
 In the second place, a reasonable probability of raising 
 sound and healthy stock can only be attained by carefully 
 selecting parents free from disease, which is either heredi- 
 tary, or apt to become so. 
 
 It is idle for persons at this time of .the world, to sneer 
 at the idea of disease or other qualities being hereditary, 
 or transmissible in the blood : it is known, both medically 
 and physiologically, that they are so. All diseases of the 
 lungs and windpipe, known as the heaves, as broken wind, 
 as roaring, whistling, thick wind, and the like, are, incon- 
 
CHOICE OF STALLION. 23 
 
 testably, transmissible. Blindness is, if possible, yet more 
 so ; and even when one eye is destroyed by accident, if 
 the other eye, through a sympathetic affection, follow it, 
 we should consider it by no means safe to breed from 
 a horse so injured. Lameness, arising from pure acci- 
 dent, is of course not transmissible ; but where a race- 
 horse has broken down, as it is termed, in running, — that 
 is to say, where the sinews, or smaller metacarpal bones, 
 commonly known as the splint bones, have given way 
 from want of strength sufficient to endure the strain 
 laid upon them, — it will be well to observe whether there 
 be not some visible defect of the conformation of those 
 parts, tending to undue weakness : such as disproportion- 
 ate length of the lower or cannon bone of the fore leg, 
 which can scarcely be too short ; or the defect which is 
 generally called tying t7i, consisting of an improper con- 
 traction of the volume of the leg, immediately below the 
 fore knee, and indicating an insufficiency of the splint 
 bone. These malformations are distinctly hereditary. If 
 a horse, therefore, break down in his forelegs, having such 
 a malformation, the breaking down itself may be said to 
 have been hereditary ; and one would, therefore, eschew 
 breeding from such a horse. Now, to give two cases in 
 point : there is probably not a horse in America Avhich a 
 good judge would sooner select, m regard to size, strength, 
 power, and all other qualifications, to which to put coun- 
 try mares, than Boston. He is in every respect the beau- 
 ideal of what, in England, would be considered a hunter 
 getter. And the English hunter is precisely the stamp 
 and style of horse which is the most profitable for the 
 farmer to raise, for all general purposes. No one in Eng- 
 land would drive before his carriage, or ride on the 
 road, anything but English hunters, if he could afford 
 
24: HOW TO BREED A H0K3E. 
 
 the price ; and, as to their powers for draught or burden, 
 it is only necessary to say that men weighing twenty 
 horseman's stone, or 280 pounds, find no difficulty, being 
 willing to pay the price, in getting hunters nearly tho- 
 rough-bred — none others than such could do it — capable 
 of carrying them across country, over hedges, brooks and 
 timber, as fost as fox-hounds can run. But — ^for there is a 
 hit — Boston went blind, and his best son, Lexington, has 
 gone blind also, first of one eye, and then completely ; and 
 this fatal fact sets Boston aside forever as a country 
 breeder's horse. 
 
 From the foregoing, then, may be deduced the following 
 General Rqles: 
 
 First. The more valuable horses are the most econom- 
 ical for all purposes. 
 
 Second. The more "blood" compatible with the size 
 required, the better, — the high-bred animal having greater 
 quickness^ strength^ bottom^ health and vigor of constitution, 
 as well as courage and pluck. 
 
 Third. The "blood" should be on the side of the sire ; 
 that is, the stallion should be thorough-bred, or at least of 
 purer blood than the mare. 
 
 Fourth. Choose a stallion in every respect sound, short 
 backed, well ribbed up, short in the saddle-place and long- 
 below, with high withers, broad loins, broad chest, straight 
 rump, a high and muscular but not heefy crest, a lean, 
 bony, well-set-on head, a bright, clear, smallish, well- 
 placed eye, broad nostrils and small "ears. His fore legs 
 above the knee, and the hind legs above the hock, should 
 be long and muscular, and below these joints short and 
 bony. The bones of the legs should be large, flat, and 
 free from excrescences — the sinews clear, straight, and 
 hard to the touch. 
 
CHAPTER IL 
 
 HOW ro BREED A HORSE. — CHOICE OF THE MARE. 
 
 SIZE, SYMiSlTRY AND SOU]ST)XESS MORE IMPORTANT THAN BLOOD — POINTS 
 OF THE BROOD MARE— DISEASES HEREDITARY— CONDITION OF THE 
 MARE— SHOULD HAVE MODERATE WORK "WHEN WITH FOAL — FOOD AND 
 CAHE DURINa GESTATION — HEALTH AND TEMPER — GENERAL RULES. 
 
 We now come to another and by no means secondary 
 part of the business ; that is to say, to the choice of the 
 mares. And here we say that the first thing to be looked 
 for is, not blood nor performances, but size and symmetry, 
 accompanied, as a matter of course, by constitutional and 
 structural soundness. Blood from the sire, beauty from 
 the dam, is the golden rule of the breeder. We know it 
 is commonly said by farmers, concerning some miserable, 
 undersized, ewe-necked, cat-hammed wretch of a mare, 
 broken- winded, ring-boned and spavined, " Oh, she will do 
 to raise a colt out of !" So she will ! But what will the 
 colt be ? The breeder had better, for all purposes, espe- 
 cially for his own pecuniary benefit, have shot her at once ; 
 for the colt will not be worth the mare's grass, let alone 
 the price of the stallion's services. When we say that 
 blood is not to be looked for, we mean not as a primary 
 necessity. Of course, it is to be looked for, thus, — that a 
 _fine mare, having the breeding points finely developed, 
 got by a prime thorough-bred horse, is a preferable animal 
 for a dam, to an equally fine mare who has no thorough 
 2 [25] 
 
26 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 blood at all. But, on the contrary, a mare with all the 
 best bloods in the world in her veins, if she has not good 
 shapes, good size, and good points, is not fit for a stud 
 mare. We do not merely mean as to the absence of ac- 
 tual deformities, or constitutional disease, such as spavin, 
 ringbone or navicular disease, but as to lack of structural 
 excellence and beauty. We go so far as to say that a 
 farmer had far better let alone breeding from a niare which 
 he knows to be herself a good and tru3 one, if she be cross 
 made, unsightly, and deficient in points of strength or in 
 action ; for excellence will sometimes be found, acciden- 
 tally and exceptionally, in all shapes, even the most 
 unlikely. But it will be found, in ninety-nine cases out of 
 a hundred, that the ill shapes will be transmitted, while 
 the excellence will not. Therefore, say we, when a good 
 old mare, however good she may have been, if she want 
 size, bone, muscular development and form, has done her 
 work, it is better to let her go, her duties done, than to 
 seek to turn her to farther profit by breeding from her, 
 since the profit is extremely likely to prove a loss. An 
 unproved mare, of fine form and good temper, with plenty 
 of bone, good constitution, and free from unsoundness or 
 vice, is a better animal from which to raise stock than the 
 toughest bit of mare's flesh that ever stood on iron, if she 
 materially lack any one of those conditions. 
 
 " In choosing the brood mare," says an excellent modern 
 writer on the horse, though he is speaking of thorough- 
 breds, " four things must be considered : First, her blood ; 
 secondly, her frame ; thirdly, her state of health ; and 
 fourthly, her temper. 
 
 "In frame, the mare should be so formed as to be 
 capable of carrying and well nourishing her off-spring ; 
 that is, she should be what is called ' roomy.' There is 
 a formation of the hips which is particularly unfit for 
 
CHOICE OF THE MARE. 27 
 
 breeding purposes, and yet wbicli is sometimes carefully 
 selected, because it is considered elegant ; this is tbe level 
 and straight hip, in which the tail is set on very high, and 
 the end of the haunch bone is nearly on a level with the 
 projection of the hip bone. Nearly the opposite form is 
 the more desirable, where, on examining the pelvis, it will 
 be seen that the haunch bone forms a considerable angle 
 with the sacrum, and that there is, as a consequence, plenty 
 of room, not only for carrying the foal, but for allowing it 
 to pass into the world. Both of these points are important, 
 the former evidently so, and the latter no less so on consid- 
 eration; because, if the foal is injured in the birth, either 
 of necessity or from ignorance, it will often fail to recover 
 its powers, and will remain permanently injured. The 
 pelvis, then, should be Vvdde and deep, — that is to say, large 
 and roomy ; and there should also be a little more than the 
 average length, from hip to the shoulder, so as to give 
 plenty of bed for the foal, as well as a good depth of back 
 ribs, which are necessary to give the strength to support 
 this increased length. This gives to the whole frame-work 
 of the trunk a larger proportion than is always desira- 
 ble in the race-horse, which is easily overtopped in race- 
 horses," — that is to say, they may easily have more body 
 than their legs can properly carry, — " and hence many 
 good runners have failed as brood mares, while a great 
 number of bad runners have been dams of good horses. 
 Beyond this roomy frame, necessary as the egg-shell of the 
 foal, the mare only requires such a shape and make as is 
 well adapted for the purpose she is intended for," that is 
 to say, for producing colts of the style and form she is in- 
 tended to produce. We will add, that she must have four 
 good legs under her, and those legs standing as a foun- 
 dation on four good, well-shaped, large feet, open-heeled, 
 and by no means flat-soled. That she should have a good, 
 
28 now TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 lean, bony head, small-eared, broad-fronted, well set on, 
 upon, a higb, well-carried neck, tliin at its junction with 
 the head ; high withers, thin, and, above all, long, sloping 
 shoulders. A straight shoulder is an abomination ; it ren- 
 ders speed impossible, and gives a rigid, inflexible motion, 
 often producing the bad fault of stumbling. She should 
 be wide-chested, and deep in the heart-place. Her quarters 
 should be strong, well let down, long and sickle-shaped 
 above the hocks. It is better that she go with her hocks 
 somewhat too wide apart than too near together — the 
 former point indicating power, the latter, weakness of a 
 bad kind. It has been shown that a brood mare may, 
 nay, should^ be considerably longer in the back than one 
 would choose a working horse to be ; but if she be partic- 
 ularly so, it is desirable to put her to a short-backed and 
 close-coupled horse. 
 
 "In health," says the same writer who has been quoted 
 above, "the brood mare should be as near perfection as 
 the artificial state of the animal will allow ; at all events, 
 it is the most important point of all ; and in every case the 
 mare should be ver}^ carefully examined with a view to 
 discover what deviations from a natural state have been 
 entailed upon her by her own labors, and what she has 
 inherited from her ancestors. Independently of the con- 
 sequence of accidents, all deviations from a state of health 
 in the mare may be considered as more or less transmitted 
 to her, because, in a thoroughly sound constitution, no or- 
 dinary treatment, such as training consists of, will produce 
 disease; and it is only hereditary predisposition which, 
 u.nder this [)roce3S, entails its appearance. Still there are 
 positive, comparative and superlative degrees of objec- 
 tionable diseases incidental to the brood-mare, which should 
 be accepted or refused accordingly. All accidental de- 
 fects, such as broken knees, dislocated hips, or even 
 
CHOICE OF THE MARE. 29 
 
 ' breaks-down,' may be passed over ; the latter, however, 
 only when the stock from which the mare is descended 
 are famous for standing their work without this frailty of 
 sinew and ligament. Spavins, ringbones, large splents, 
 side-bones, and, in fact, all bony enlargements, are consti- 
 tutional defects, and will be almost sure to be perpetuated, 
 more or less, according to the degree in which they exist 
 in the particular case. Curby hocks are also hereditary, 
 and should be avoided ; though many a one, much bent 
 at the junction of the os calcis and astragalus^ is not at all 
 liable to curbs. It is the defective condition of the liga- 
 ments there, not the angular junction, which leads to 
 curbs ; and the breeder should carefully investigate the 
 individual case before accepting or rejecting a mare with 
 suspicious hocks. Bad feet, whether from contraction or 
 from too flat and thin a sole, should be avoided ; but when 
 they have obviously arisen from bad shoeing, the defect 
 may be passed over. Such are the general considerations 
 bearing upon soundness of limb. 
 
 " Broken- winded mares seldom breed, and they are 
 therefore out of the question, if for no other reason; 
 but no one would risk the recurrence, even if he could 
 get such a mare stinted. Eoaring is a much-vexed ques- 
 tion, which is by no means theoretically settled among 
 our chief veterinary authorities, nor practically by our 
 breeders. Every year, however, it becomes more and 
 more frequent and important, and the risk of reproduction 
 is too great for any person wilfully to run, by breeding 
 from a roarei-. As far as I can learn, it appears to be 
 much more hereditary on the side of the mare than on that 
 of the horse ; and not even the offer of a " Yirago" should 
 tempt me to use her as a brood-mare. There are so many 
 conditions of what is termed "roaring," that it is difficult 
 to form any opinion that shall apply to all cases. In some 
 
80 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 instances, where it lias arisen from neglected strangles, — 
 generally known in the United States as colt distemper, — 
 or from a simple inflammation of the larynx, the result of 
 a cold, it will probably never reappear ; but when the gen- 
 uine ideopathic roaring has made its appearance, appar- 
 ently depending upon a diseas3 of the nerves of the larynx, 
 it is ten to one that the offspring will suffer in the same 
 way. 
 
 " Blindness, again, may or may not be hereditary ; but in 
 all cases it should be viewed with suspicion as gTeat as that 
 due to roaring. Simple cataract, without inflammation, un- 
 doubtedly runs in families ; and when a horse or mare has 
 both eyes suffering with this disease without any other de- 
 rangement of the eye, I should eschew them carefully. 
 When blindness is the result of violent inflammation brought 
 on by mismanagement, or by influenza, or by any similar 
 cause, the eye itself is more or less disorganized ; and 
 though this is of itself objectionable, as showing a weak- 
 ness of the organ, it is not so bad as the regular cataract." 
 
 The writer quoted is one of much and standard author- 
 ity, yet it is questionable whether, in his desire to put the 
 question fairly in all its lights, he has not laid too little 
 rather than too much stress on both these perilous affections. 
 We should say, under no possible circumstances breed from 
 a stallion which has any affection of any kind, of the res- 
 piratory organs, whether seated in the lungs or in the 
 windpipe, or from one which has any affection of the eyes, 
 unless it be the direct result of an accident, such as a blow 
 or a puncture, — nor even then if the accident having oc- 
 curred to one eye, the other has sympathetically followed 
 suit ; and, on the other side, we should say, on no account 
 breed from a mare affected in either way, unless she be 
 possessed of some excellencies so extraordinary and coun- 
 tervailing that fjr the sake of preserving the stock, one 
 
CHOICE OF THE MARE. 31 
 
 would be willing to run some risk of having a worthless 
 anhnal for his own use, in the hope of possibly having one 
 free from the dreaded defect and of superlative excellence. 
 In any event, however, the practice is to be eschewed and 
 the risk to be considered excessive. 
 
 Previous to sendiog the mare to the horse she should 
 be got into the most perfect state of health and condition, 
 by moderate exercise, abundance of good nutritious food, 
 and warm stabling. It is not desirable that she should be 
 ill a pampered state produced by hot stables or extraordi- 
 nary clothing, that she should have the short fine coat, or 
 the blooming and glowing condition of the skin, for which 
 one would look in a race-horse about to contend for a four 
 mile heat — not that she should be in that wiry form of sinew 
 aad steel-like hardness of muscle, which is only the result 
 of training. Still less desirable is it that she should be 
 ovci-louded with fot, especially of that soft fat generated by 
 artificial feeding. 
 
 Yv' hile the mare is carrying her foal, during the first three 
 or four months of her gestation, she Avill be much the better, 
 not the worse, fur doing her ordinary woik, — not of course 
 galloping long distances at her speed, nor trotting matches, 
 nor doing extraordinary distances on the road ; but, if she 
 be a carriage mare or a hackney, doing her regular day's 
 work at her ordinary pace before a carriage or under the 
 saddle ; or, if she be a farm mare, going through the usual 
 routine of light ploughing, harrowing, or road- work, never 
 being put to any sudden or extreme exertion, such as being- 
 made to pull at excessive loads, or to any eflbrts likely to 
 produce sudden jerks or strains, which are, of all things, 
 the most likely to cause a mare to slip her foal. At a later 
 period hei- \\ork should be lighter and slower, but none 
 the less regular, nor should her exercise ever be wholly 
 intermitted. If she be let to run at gi-ass, she should be 
 
82 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 in a small inclosure, in which she may trot indeed, and 
 even canter, or gallop at half speed, but in which she can- 
 not well get to her racing speed, or she will be likely to 
 overdo herself, besides running the chance of getting falls 
 and other accidents, which may produce consequences the 
 most disastrous. Such enclosures should be divided by 
 fences sufficiently high and solid that they shall not present 
 to the animals the idea of being easily surmounted or 
 broken through, — for if they seem to be so, even if they be 
 not so in realit}^, the mares will be constantly trying to 
 leap them, or force their way through them, and bad, per- 
 haps fatal, accidents will be occurring. It is a far better 
 plan to have the fences made, at least at the upper pai't, of 
 open work, so that the animals in two adjacent lots may 
 be able to see one another and communicate, without being 
 able to get at each other, — as when so situated they will be 
 constantly gently trotting to and fro in order to find a meth- 
 od of getting together, which will keep them in proper exer- 
 cise, — than to confine two or more mares in the same lot or 
 enclosure, as in that case they will be apt, in play and 
 rivalry, to extend themselves too much in their speed, and 
 over-exert themselves. An acre is ample space for such an 
 enclosure, and it should be provided with a good comfoi t- 
 able hut or porch for shade in summer and warmth in 
 winter, the doorway of which ought not to be less than 
 five feet in width and eight in height, with the angles of 
 the door-posts and lintels rounded off* in order to prevent 
 the hips from being injured as the animal passes rapidly and 
 impetuously^ in and out, or from the poll, being injured by 
 the throwing up the head suddenly and striking the sharp 
 edge of the lintel. 
 
 The food of the mare during her gestation should be 
 liberal, generous and nutritious, without heating ; for it is 
 to be remembered that during this time the female has to 
 
CHOICE OF THE MARE. 33 
 
 generate blood for tlie nonrislirncnt of lier foetus as well as 
 of herself. Green succulent grasses and roots are excellent 
 at this time, as clover, lucerne, green corn sowed broadcast 
 and cut young for the purpose ; ruta baga turnips and, best 
 of all, carrots. Lai"ge quantities of oats or of corn should 
 not be given — if the latter be used at all, it should be old 
 and thoroughly dried — though it is not advisable to cut 
 them off entirely ; from four to eight quarts of oats may 
 be given daily with advantage, and bran mashes, with the 
 oats added to them, steamed or moistened with hot water, 
 will be found the best method of administering them. 
 There is no more certain method of insuring the produc- 
 tion of a poor, under-sized, starveling and weak-constitu- 
 tioned foal, tban to starve the mother, or to feed her on 
 ill-suited or improper food during her gestation, or to keep 
 her cold, or wet, or exposed to violent changes of tempe- 
 rature. Equal care should be taken of both mother and 
 foal, after the birth of the young animal ; and it will be 
 found well to repay the extra expense if both are furnished 
 with a little oats and with nutritious food of the descrip- 
 tions named above, so long as the young animal is suck- 
 ing the dam. 
 
 " Lastly, the temper," says the same authority on whom 
 we have already drawm so largely, "is of the greatest im- 
 portance, by whix^h must be understood, not that gentleness 
 at grass which may lead the breeder's family to pet the 
 mare, but such a temper as will serve the purposes of the 
 rider, and will answer to the stimulus of the voice, whip 
 or spur. A craven or a rogue is not to be thought of as 
 the mother of a family; and if the mare belong to a breed 
 which is remarkable for refusing to answer the call of the 
 rider, she should be consigned to any task rather than the 
 stud farm. ISTeither should a mare be used for this purpose 
 which had been too irritable to train, unless she happen to 
 2^ 
 
84 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 be an exceptional case ; but if of an irritable family, she 
 would be worse tlian even a roarer or a blind one." 
 
 Sulkiness and savageness, and even the liability to start 
 and shy violently, are likewise to some degree hereditary; 
 but as these are capable of being modified and affected in 
 the highest degree, if not absolutely cured, by judicious 
 and humane treatment in young animals, they are not so 
 essential to be guarded against. 
 
 GENERAL RULES. 
 
 First. Size, symmetry and soundness are mostly to be 
 regarded in the mare ; — blood from the sire, beauty from 
 the dam, is the Golden Eule. 
 
 Second. She should have a roomy frame, hips somewhat 
 sloping, a little more than the average length, wide-chested, 
 deep in the girth, quarters strong and well let down, hocks 
 wide apart, wide and deep in the pelvis. 
 
 Third. In temper she should be gentle, courageous, free 
 from all irritability and viciousness. 
 
 Fourth. Previous to putting her to the horse she should 
 be brought into the most perfect state of health, not over- 
 fed, or loaded with fat, or in a pampered state, but by ju- 
 dicious exercise and an abundance of nutritious food and 
 proper grooming she should be in the very best condition. 
 
 Fifth. During gestation she should have generous and 
 nourishing, but not heating diet. For the first three or four 
 months she may be worked moderately, and even to 
 within a few weeks of her foaling she niay do light work 
 with advantage to her system. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HOESE. MUTUAL ADAPTATION OF SIRE AND 
 
 DAil. 
 
 FIRST CONSIDERATION IN IMPROVEMENT OF THE *' COLD " BLOOD — RELATITE 
 SIZE OF SIRE AND DAM — DEFECTS IN EITHER PARENT, HOW REMEDIED IN 
 PROGENY— BLOODS WHICH " HIT" — GENERAL RULE& 
 
 In the jDrececling chapters we have shown a few of the 
 general principles of horse breeding ; the advantages aris- 
 ing from breeding to pure blood on the sire's side, what- 
 ever the quality of the dam ; the points of symmetry and 
 strength most desirable, the necessity for perfect structural 
 and constitutional soundness and health, on both sides, and 
 for the absence of hereditary vice of temper ; and, lastly, 
 the state of health to be aimed at in the dam, as well pre- 
 vious to her being taken to the horse as during the period 
 of her gestation, and the means to be taken to attain and 
 preserve that condition of health, or, as it is usually termed 
 among horsemen, condition^ emphatically. We shall now 
 proceed to show, a little more particularly, what are the im- 
 provements to be obtained in different varieties, and how 
 this improvement is to be produced ; for it is very certain that 
 the same horse will not answer for every kind of mare, but 
 that, on the contrary, for very different styles of dams very 
 different styles of sires will be required to produce equal 
 results in the progeny. Now, it may be stated generally, 
 that the ordinary objects of breeding up are twofold. One, 
 the most common and most feasible, is, from an entirely 
 cold stock, — we will say, for example, the Cleveland Bay, 
 or, the nearest approaches to be found to it in this country, 
 
 [35] 
 
36 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 the Conestoga cart mare, or tlie larger Yermont draught 
 mare — we do not speak in this connection of the Morgan, 
 or the Canadian, or the Norman, some mares of which 
 last stock have been recently imported into this country ; 
 since all of these have some strains, more or less distant, 
 of thorough blood — to raise a progeny improved in spirit, 
 speed, lightness of action, endurance of fatigue and cour- 
 age, by stinting mares of that stock to blood-horses. This 
 is the simplest of all the ends to be attained, and can 
 be almost certainly accomplished, by sending the mare — 
 taking it for granted that she is sound and generally well 
 formed — to any thorough-bred horse, provided he also is 
 sound, well-shaped and free from vice. Any such horse 
 will, more or less, improve the progeny, both in blood and 
 in form, structure and strength of bones, both in frame and 
 spirit, without any especial reference to the particular strain 
 of thorough blood from which he himself comes. 
 
 In the second and third, and yet more in later gene- 
 rations, when blood has been introduced, and the dams as 
 well as the sires have some mixture of a pure lineage, it is 
 more requisite to look to families ; since some families no- 
 toriously cross well with others, and some as notoriously 
 ill. Of course, it is better that the sire, where it is possible, 
 should be of a racing stock that is famous for courage and 
 stoutness, such as any of the stocks which trace remotely 
 to Herod, Cade, Kegulus, Eclipse, or others of known fame ; 
 but thus far it is not essential, or a sine qua non^ since every 
 blood-horse, even if, as Sir John Fenwick said, in ihe 
 reign of Charles II., he be the meanest hack that ever 
 came out of Barbary, is so infinitely superior in courage, 
 stoutness and quality, both of bone and sinew, as well as 
 blood, to the best cold-blooded mare that ever went on 
 a shodden hoof, that he cannot fail to improve her stock, 
 whatever may be liis comparative standing among racers. 
 
GENERAL RULES. 37 
 
 All, therefore, tliat the breeder has to do in this instance is, 
 to satisfy himself that the horse is really tliorough-hred — 
 that is to say, traceable on both sides of his pedigree to 
 English stud-book race-horses — and that he has the virtues 
 and has not the defects of form which have been previously 
 subjects of discussion. Next to this, there must be a har- 
 mony in the size, and, to some extent, in the forms of the 
 animals. The putting small mares to gigantic horses, or 
 colossal mares to ponies, in order to give size to the off- 
 spring, will never answer, but, on the contrary, will result 
 in the production of rickety, mal-formed produce. The 
 mare, as it has been said, may be with advantage some- 
 thing larger, longer, and more roomy than the horse, but 
 not too much so. 
 
 We should say, a mare of sixteen hands, and propor- 
 tionate strength, should never be put to a stallion under 
 fifteen hands, and from thence up to fifteen and two inches ; 
 nor a mare over sixteen hands to one short of fifteen and 
 a half, up to fifteen, three, hands. Still less should little 
 mares be put to tall horses, or low mares to leggy horses, 
 in order to give height. If the brood mare be low, but 
 long and roomy, it is no bad fault ; but the way to give 
 size to the progeny is to select, not a tall or leggy horse 
 for the stallion, but one of singularly perfect symmetry, 
 not much higher than the dam, — though an inch or two 
 inches will do no harm, provided he be not long in the 
 legs especially from the knee downward, — short-backed, 
 close-coupled, and generally strong built — particularly so 
 in those points where the mare is the most defective. 
 
 We stated above that there is no greater blunder than 
 to breed an animal rickety and defective in one point, to 
 another imperfect in that point, or even unduly developed 
 in it, with the expectation of curing both defects in the 
 progeny. One often, however, sees both mares and horses, 
 
88 now TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 with some one or more faults in symmetry, whicli are pos- 
 itive defects, although only in a secondary degree, and 
 which are, at the same time, counterbalanced by so great a 
 number of positive advantages, excellences and beauties, 
 that he is wise to waive the one defect, striving to remedy 
 it, in view of the other good to be hoped for from the 
 strain. The transmission of external shapes is as yet a 
 mystery, and probably ever will continue so. No one can 
 say whether the stallion or the mare has the greater share 
 in giving structural form or constitutional disposition to 
 the young animal. 
 
 Indeed, there seems reason to believe that there is not 
 any invariable rule on the subject ; but that some dams 
 and some sires possess an extraordinary power of impress- 
 ing their own forms and stamping their own images, in 
 the greater degree, on the young. The general I'ulc, 
 however, and that which it is wise to observe is, that like 
 begets like. Therefore the practice should be always, 
 where one decides to breed from a mare slightly defective 
 in one point of symmetry, to select a stallion as excellent 
 as possible in that point ; and if one be resolved for any 
 cause to breed from a stallion of whose blood, or beauty, 
 or performances he is particularly enamored, and that 
 horse be weak in any point or points, to put to him what- 
 ever mare one may have in his stud most excellent where 
 he is weakest ; but in no case, even if it prohibit one from 
 breeding from that horse at all, to put him to a mare 
 which is faulty in the same part. 
 
 The second ordinary object of bree,ding-up is, where 
 mares of some highly valued strain, possessing some degree 
 of pure blood engrafted on an inferior stock, have degen- 
 erated in size, in height, strength and size of bone, to breed 
 them to such horses as shall, without deteriorating their 
 blood, improve them in size and bone. This is a far more 
 
GENERAL liULES. €59 
 
 difficult question in breeding, and, before it can be an- 
 swered, it will be necessary to know of what blood is the 
 impure portion constituted, and in what proportion does it 
 exist. If it be distinctly of cold blood, as of Cleveland 
 bay, Suffolk Punch, Conestoga, or common cart-horse, and 
 if the proportion of thorough blood mixed with it be in- 
 considerable, it may, at once, be pronounced useless to 
 take any pains about it, as the results will not repay the 
 trouble or expense. K the proportion of pure blood be 
 considerable, but remote, and the stock have been long in 
 hred — as, for example, is the case with the Morgans — the 
 only possible way to breed them up is to stint the mares 
 to the very best and most powerfully made, short-coupled, 
 broad-chested, strong-loined, short-legged, thorough-bred 
 stallions that can be found, of a totally distinct recent 
 strain of blood, if the blood of the mares can be ascertained ; 
 although it will not be the worse if, some ten or more gen- 
 erations back, they both run into the same line. In this 
 case, the stallion, in the first cross, should not be taller or 
 larger than the mare, but may exceed her in strength, size 
 of bone, and muscular development. The fillies in the 
 second generation will be larger in all ways than their 
 dams — since improvement of strength, health, symmetry, 
 and development implies improvement in size. These 
 fillies may be again put to horses of exactly the same 
 stamp as that last described, but just so much larger than 
 the filly as the filly is larger than her dam. This will, in 
 all probability, achieve the desired end. This is, in fact, 
 what is known among breeders as breeding iip^ in the true 
 sense of the word. If, on the other hand, the mares, de- 
 generated, have been crossed with pure English blood, but 
 remotely and not recently, on Canadian or imported "N'or- 
 man stock, there will be no objection to crossing them 
 back once to Canadian or Norman stallions ; since in Can- 
 
40 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 adian or Norman blood there is a remote, dormant strain 
 of pure blood, probably Andalusian Arab, which assim- 
 ilates well with modern thorough blood ; and the breeding 
 back will often, in that case, so far reinvigorate the race, 
 that the fillies produced by that union will often reproduce 
 animals of astonishing excellence by a farther cross with 
 well -chosen thorough blood of the present day. 
 
 We have touched slightly on the effect produced by the 
 intermingling, or crossing and re-crossing of various dis- 
 tinct or cognate strains of blood, and the result on the 
 character of the stock. When a cross of this sort is emi- 
 nently successful in any particular line, for a number of 
 years and in a majority of instances, we are accustomed 
 to say that such or such a blood has ''hit" or " nicked" 
 with another ; and this effect is not dependent solely on 
 the intrinsic excellence of either blood, but on some un- 
 known and mysterious influence produced, in one or 
 more generations, by the cross. For instance, Priam, the 
 son of EmiUus, son of Orville, out of Emily, and Cressida, 
 daughter of Whiskey, out of Sorcerer's dam by Diomed, 
 was not only one of the most successful runners, if not 
 the most successful, of his day, but in England was nearly 
 as successful a stallion, having begot, previous to his ex- 
 portation, an unusual number of winners. He was subse- 
 quently purchased and brought to this country, where the 
 most sanguine expectations were formed of the great ad- 
 vantage which would accrue from the infusion of his sin- 
 gularly rich and noble blood. The result, however, was 
 diametrically opposite to that which was expected, 
 i. Scarcely a horse of any repute has been begotten by 
 this stallion in the United States, although his high repu- 
 tation for blood, beauty, and performances, procured for 
 him more than his proportion of the best blooded and 
 otherwise best mares in the country. Many persons — 
 
GENERAL RULES. 41 
 
 some of them excellent judges — entertain the opinion that 
 the Priam cross has done permanent mischief to the horse 
 stock of America, as it is alleged that nearly all, if not all 
 his get, although they have large, flat, bony knees, are 
 tied in, as it is technically termed, immediately below the 
 knee, at the origin of the splint boDC. This malformation 
 is one of the most serious that can exist in a race or family 
 of horses, as it renders them liable, and, in fact, almost 
 certainly so, to break down, when put to any severe stress 
 of work. At all events, it is indisputable that the blood 
 of Priam has not " hit" or " nicked" with the best racing 
 blood of America. 
 
 To take another instance, Glencoe, another distinguished 
 English runner, of equally distinguished blood, though of 
 a distinct strain, being the son of Sultan, son of Selim, 
 and of Trampoline, daughter of Tramp out of Web by 
 Waxy, w\as imported into this country a few years later 
 than Priam, with equally high expectations of success, 
 which have in his instance been fully realized, if not ex- 
 ceeded ; for his stock are of tlie very best now running in 
 the country. Therefore, we say emphaticalty, that the 
 Glencoe stock has " hit" most eminently with the old blood 
 of America, which, it must always, however, bs remem- 
 bered, is, in no respect, so far as it is pure blood, American 
 or of American origin, but (mly descended from the earlier 
 importations of the old English blood of the days of Janus, 
 Eclipse, Highflyer, and the sons of Childers, and the Go- 
 dolphin. Kow, why one blood should " hit" and another 
 "miss," when each strain is equally rich and pure, and 
 when each has produced an equal number of distinguished 
 performers, no one can say positively ; no distinct reasons 
 have ever been assigned, nor, theoreticalh^, can an}^ prin- 
 ciple be laid down on the subject. The blood of Priam, 
 as it has been shown, above, "hit" with the fashionable 
 
42 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 blood of England, and signally '•' missed" with that of 
 America. On the contrary, the blood of Glencoe " hit" 
 with the most fashionable blood of both co^intries ; and 
 although he has got more fine stock in America, owing to 
 his liaving served here during a much longer period, and 
 of course, covered more fine mares, is scarcely more famous 
 as a stock getter in this than in the mother countrj^ In 
 like manner, Leviathan, Sovereign and Sarpedon have all 
 " hit" more or less decidedly, with the older English blood 
 of America ; and Trustee must not be forgotten, both as 
 the sire of the incomparable Fashion, and as a horse who 
 has been extraordinarily fortunate in getting roadsters of 
 high quality out of common mares. 
 
 Now, although there is no possibility of predicting, 
 absolutely, what bloods will and will not hit, there are at 
 least some facts established which will enable us to ven- 
 ture a conjecture on the subject. It is well known to be 
 the habit of gregarious and polygamous animals, such as 
 horses, oxen, and some others, which are not long-lived — 
 but of which the largest and most powerful males enjoy 
 the company of the females of their own troop or band, 
 of which they are the lords and Sultans, and from which 
 they beat off and banish the younger and inferior animals 
 of their own sex — to copulate, for at least two or three 
 generations, with their own female descendants, while in 
 a state of nature. As they decline in strength, vigor and 
 courage with the increase of years, they are in their turn 
 beaten off, and compelled to give way to some more power- 
 ful rival, in the pride and maturity of equine manhood, 
 perhaps from a different horde of animals, and almost 
 certainly from a distinct strain of blood. Hence we come 
 to the conclusion that horses in a wild state are accustomed 
 to breed into the same family and blood; that is to say, 
 with their own daughters and grand-daughters, for about 
 
ADAPTATION OF SIRE AND DAM. 43 
 
 in- 
 
 two generations — this is what is known to horse-men as 
 breeding — and then for many after generations to breed 
 with strangers, or very remote connections. And it is 
 worthy of remark that, although there are two distinct 
 theories, exactly opposite to each other, one in favor of 
 in -breeding, the other of out-crossing, several of the best 
 strains of blood on the English turf are directly traceable 
 to an original incestuous connexion. ^ 
 
 Some of the most distinguished families, for instance, of 
 English racers, trace to Spanker, a very high-bred horse, 
 and very close to Arab stock on both sides, and his own 
 dam : and where no near connexion has existed for many 
 years in the blood of any peculiar family, it is on the 
 whole the most approved method, to breed m, that is, be- 
 tween close blood relations, for two, or perhaps three 
 generations, and then to seek for some strain of blood as 
 remote as possible by which to vary and reinvigorate the 
 strain. This plan of breeding has been of late years very 
 fashionable in England, and the result has been shown 
 very beneficially in several families famous for their quali- 
 ties of speed, endurance, and recuperation, at present on 
 the turf It is certain, on the other hand, that to persist 
 too long in breeding, generation after generation, in and 
 171, is the most prejudicial of all modes; and that animals 
 so unnaturally connected in blood, degenerate in bone, in 
 size, in stature, and ultimately in all qualities. 
 
 Whenever, therefore, it is known, or strongly susj^ected, 
 that in any family too long and persistent an adherence 
 has been had to one and the same blood, and still n-iore, 
 wherever the present generation is seen to have greatly de- 
 generated in size, recourse should be had to a strain of 
 blood as widely different as possible, in order to freshen 
 and strengthen the stock. 
 
4A HOW TO BREED A HOESE. 
 
 "We may deduce, then, the following summary of Gene- 
 ral Rules. 
 
 First. There should be a mutual adaptation in form and 
 size, and indeed, in all important characteristics between 
 the sire and the dam. 
 
 Second. If the mare be defective in any particular, do 
 not breed her to a stallion having a similar, or even an op- 
 posite fault ; but rather choose one perfect in that point. 
 
 Third. Avoid breeding exceedingly small mares with 
 enormously large horses : distortions will generally be the 
 result. For a mare of 16 hands, select a horse of not less 
 than 15 hands ; if she be too low or small, the horse may 
 be an inch or two higher, but not of the tall or leggy 
 kind. 
 
 Fourth. It is frequently the case that without any known 
 cause, the blood of a certain strain of horses will not 
 cross well with that of anotlier. Such instances, when as- 
 certained should be avoided. 
 
 Fifth. If the mare is of a good strain of horses but 
 one which has degenerated in size from '' in-breeding," the 
 only remedy is to breed to the purest stallion that can be 
 found,* but of a different strain from hers, unless some ten 
 or more generations removed. 
 
 Sixth. After breeding for several generations from 
 males and females of one strain, it will generally be found 
 beneficial to change to another entirely different. Degen- 
 eracy in size will generally result from a neglect of this 
 rule. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW TO BEEED A HORSE CANADIAN BLOOD. 
 
 THE CANADIAN ORIGINALLY THE FRENCH NORMAN — CHARACTERISTICS— HARDI- 
 HOOD— SPEED— MODE OF IMPROVING THEM— CROSSING WITH THOROUGH- 
 ' BREDS. 
 
 There is one breed or stock of horses to which, thus flxr, 
 we have but casually alluded. We mean the Canadian. 
 It deserves, probably, a more extended notice, as being in 
 itself, in the first place, a perfectly distinct family, where 
 pure ; and in the second, as being very widely extended, 
 both in its mixed and unmixed form, in the Northern 
 and Eastern States; and, moreover, as being itself an 
 exceedingly valuable animal as a working horse, and a 
 progenitor, or progenitrix. The Canadian horse where he 
 is yet to be found in his pure state, — that is to say, un- 
 crossed with either the English thorough -bred, or the 
 English high-bred stallion of the hunter caste, — is origi- 
 nally, beyond doubt, the French ISTorman horse ; and even 
 where the crosses mentioned still exist, the French Norman 
 blood vastly preponderates. The present characteristics 
 of the Canadian are — a head rather large than otherwise, 
 but lean, bony, and well formed, with an unusually broad 
 forehead, with the ears far apart, carried loftily, a small 
 clear eye, and a courageous aspect ; a bold upstanding, but 
 thick crest ; a broad, full chest and a strong shoulder, a 
 little apt to be too straight, as well as to be low and heavy 
 at the withers ; a stout, strongly -framed barrel, the charac- 
 
 [45] 
 
46 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 teristic fault of whicli is, to be somewhat flatsided, and not 
 •unfrcquentlj too long; excellent loins; a round, fleshy 
 croup; muscular thighs; and, above all, the soundest, 
 most undeniable, flat-boned legs that are to be found in 
 any race of horses not thorough-bred, and the toughest, 
 hardest and most iron-like feet that are to be found in any 
 race whatsoever. In fact, immunity from disease of the 
 legs and feet, under the most unfavorable circumstances, — 
 when ill-groomed, ill-shod, and subject to every trial and 
 hardship, — appeals to be the distinguishing mark of the 
 French Canadian horse. There is no horse, probablj^, in 
 the known world, to which all ordinary diseases of the 
 foot, and especially that which is knowu as foot-founders, 
 are so nearly unknown ; and it has been well stated by 
 an intelligent writer, well versed in the peculiarities of 
 this particular race, that " tliere are numbers of horses in 
 Canada that, under a mass of shaggy hair, never trimmed, 
 and rarely cleaned or dried, possess dry, sinewy legs, on 
 which the severest service never raises a wind-gall." 
 
 In addition to these characteristics, the Canadians arc 
 generally distinguishable by their colors, of which the pre- 
 vailing one is black ; and, probably the second, rich dark 
 brown, often dappled with lighter brown on the shoulders 
 and quarters. After these colors come chestnuts of differ- 
 ent shades, but generally running to the sorrels and duns, 
 with manes, tails and legs of lighter color than the bod}^ ; 
 and lastly, dark iron-greys with black legs. The last, how- 
 ever, which in Normandy is at the present day, with the 
 single exception of black, the commonest color, is, in Cana- 
 da and the United States, the least common. The true 
 Canadians are remarkable for the great volumes of their 
 manes and tails, which are also distinguished by the pecu- 
 liar wavy and almost curly texture of the hairs composing 
 them, and for the shaggy coating of their back sinews 
 
CANADIANS. 47 
 
 nearly to ttie knee, and of their fetlocks. In height the 
 Canadian rarely exceeds fifteen hands, and in fact seldom 
 attains to that standard ; from fourteen to fourteen hands 
 and a half being their usual size. They are not generally 
 speedy, even at ordinary road speed ; still less often are 
 they fleet, or what would be called /as^; though there are 
 exceptions, as for instance the celebrated trotting stallion 
 St. Lawrence, who has gone fast among fast horses, and 
 has been so long on the trotting turf as to show that he 
 possesses in a high degree the hardy endurance of his race. 
 Their best rate of going, for fair, ordinary travellers, — not 
 select specimens, — does not, perhaps, exceed six or seven 
 miles the hour ; but at whatever rate they can go at all, at 
 that rate they can go before or under a heavy load, and 
 for a long, continuous distance. Many Canadians will do 
 fifty miles a day for several successive clays ; and not a 
 few can be found which will accomplish sixty, seventy, 
 eighty, and even ninety, for one day ; and the lesser rates 
 for a proportionate length of time. 
 
 It seems remarkable that such should be the case, but 
 wo are strongly disposed to believe that, even in these 
 days of horse improvement, horse fiiirs and agricultural 
 progress, no systematical attempts have ever been made 
 to improve the Canadians themselves in their pure form ; 
 although many have been made, with great success, to 
 create improved crosses by the intermixture of them with 
 other races. No race, probably, is more susceptible of 
 direct improvement than this ; and, as their excellence is 
 universally acknowledged, both as the small poor farmer's 
 working and draught horse, for which they are adapted 
 above all American breeds, and as brood mares, from 
 which to raise a highly improved and useful general 
 working roadster, by breeding them to thorough-breds, 
 
48 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 according to the rules heretofore laid down, it is evident 
 that this is an end most devoutly to be wished. 
 
 It would seem that, after the first importation of the 
 ISTorman horse by the early French settlers, there were 
 few importations of fresh strains of Norman blood from 
 the mother country, in which continual systematic im- 
 provements have been made ; and that, certainl}-, from 
 the date of the English conquest of Canada, no efforts 
 whatever have been made to procure the breed in its 
 purity, or to raise its standard in height, to lighten its 
 heavier and worse points, or to increase its speed and 
 beauty, all of which might unquestionably be effected by 
 judicious management. The effect of this continued breed- 
 ing into the same exact strain, generation ofter generation, 
 has been the same as it was with the Virginia race-horse 
 prior to the recommencement of the importation of tho- 
 rough blood, subsequent to the American Revolution. 
 The strength, the courage, the hlood^ in a word, was there, 
 but the size had deteriorated. 
 
 The first and simplest mode of improving the Canadians 
 as Canadians — that is to say, without endeavoring to raise 
 them to a higher degree ^of blood — is, to select the largest 
 and most shapely mares of that breed, and more particu- 
 larly such as are the most free from the characteristic 
 faults of the Canadians, viz., the thick neck, low, heavy 
 withers, straight shoulder and flat side ; then to select the 
 best stallions of that breed, having regard to the very 
 same points named above, — and to see that the mare is in 
 fine breeding condition when put to the horse. Care be- 
 ing had to follow up this plan judiciously, and to keep the 
 mare during her pregnancy and the nourishment of her foal 
 liberally and comfortably fed and sheltered, though not to 
 force either mother or offspring, as is done with thorough- 
 breds, by hot lodging and over stimulating provender, 
 
GENERAL RULES. 49 
 
 there cannot be a doubt but that, in course of two or three 
 generations, at farthest, an inch, or perhaps even a couple 
 of inches, might be added to the stature of the Canadians, 
 without deteriorating. — we should rather say while im- 
 proving upon — their original merits of bone and sinew, 
 and amending the more defective points of their shape. 
 Apart from their natural good qualities as farming horses, 
 teamsters and animals of moderately quick draft, the Cana- 
 dians, with the single exception of the Percheron Nor- 
 mans, which are, — after all is -said, nothing but Canadians 
 in their best form, — are the only horses of cold blood from 
 which we believe it advisable to breed on both sides ; that 
 is, both from the stallions and mares ; either each to each, 
 for the maintenance of their own blood, or each to others, 
 for the improvement of various foreign strains* By care- 
 fully breeding Canadian mares to Canadian stallions ac- 
 cording to the directions above stated, or still more to im- 
 ported Normans, an improved Canadian can be produced, 
 taller, more shapely, and perhaps lighter in the neck and 
 shoulders, and speedier. This will be, of course, a better 
 animal both for work and for breeding than the present 
 race. By breeding the present Canadian mare, or still 
 better, improved progeny, to well-selected thorough-bred 
 horses, a very good roadster and highly improved light 
 carriage-horse will be the result ; and by breeding the 
 female offspring of this cross again to the thorough-bred, of 
 sufficient bone and size, we do not doubt that the finest 
 saddle-horses, phaeton horses or light carriage horses in 
 the world can be produced, nearly of the same style as 
 the Morgans, but superior to what the Morgans ever were, 
 in their best day. 
 
 The male offspring of all crosses or half-breeds — we do 
 not include imported Norman into Canadian in the cate- 
 
50 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 gorj of crosses — should invariably be castrated. For our 
 own part, we should consider it a most desirable thing, if 
 possible, that there should not be such a thing as a half-bred 
 stallion in the world ; but that all the distinct breeds, as 
 Canadians, Yermonters, quasi identical with Cleveland 
 bays, and Conestogas, quasi identical with the English im- 
 proved dray-horses, should be preserved distinct by breed- 
 ing the mares to stallions of their own families, unless 
 when it is desirable to lighten the stock ; and then to 
 lighten it by breeding to thorough-breds. Canadian or 
 Norman stallions are the only male horses which we would 
 ever put to any lighter mares of American blood ; but we 
 are strongly of opinion that both the Morgan mares and 
 the ordinary better class American farming mares, which 
 have some indefinably remote cross of better blood than 
 the cart-horse, can be made to produce a progeny highly 
 improved, hardened in bone, bettered in legs, feet, and con- 
 stitution, and more" adapted for being the mothers of fine, 
 large carriage-horses, by breeding them to Normans, 
 whether native or imported. It is a remarkable quality 
 of the Normans, that though small themselves, when 
 crossed, — either males to other races, or females to tho- 
 rough-breds, — they almost invaribly breed larger instead 
 of breeding smaller than themselves. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HORSE NORMAN BLOOD. 
 
 ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE PERCHEROX NORMAN — A PURE RACE—CHA- 
 RACTERISTICS AND POINTS— IMPORTATION INTO THIS COUNTRY. 
 
 In the preceding chapters on this subject, we have had 
 occasion to speak of the Percheron Norman horse, some of 
 which breed have been within a few years, comparatively 
 speaking, introduced into this country ; and, believing that 
 the knowledge of this race at all, and still more of its ex- 
 istence in the United States, is confined to a small number 
 of persons, and for the most part to a single locality, we 
 have thought it would be not uninteresting to our agricul- 
 tural readers to give a brief account of the animal, its 
 derivation, its importation into this country, and of the 
 benefits which are, we fully believe, to be derived from its 
 employment. In the first place, then, Le Perche is a dis- 
 trict of that portion of France which was formerly known 
 as Kormandy, in which the breed of the Norman horses 
 has been most highly cultivated, and exists in its most 
 perfect form and improved condition. Indeed, by some 
 means somewhat anomalous, and at variance with the gen- 
 eral experience and principles of breeding, this breed, 
 which must in its origin have been a cross, has, in the 
 process of many ages, become a family perfect in itself, 
 capable of transmitting its qualities and reproducing itself, 
 like to like, without any loss of energies or characteristics 
 by breeding mares and stallions of the same race together. 
 The remarkable purity of the race is attested by the cer- 
 
 [51] 
 
52 now TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 tainty witli wliicli the stallions transmit to their progeny, 
 begotten on mares of a different race, their own character- 
 istics, and the high degree in which the offspring of the 
 mares, bred to horses of superior class, retain the better 
 qualities of their dams. For it appears to be a certain rule 
 in breeding, that the purer the blood, and the higher the 
 vital energy and vigor of either parent, in the greater 
 degree does that parent transmit its properties to the 
 young — although, as before insisted upon, the certain trans- 
 missions of the larger portion of those energies is always 
 on the stallion's side, and it is only in the longer retention 
 of an inferior proportion of her qualities by the progeny 
 that the better blood of the dam can be traced when bred 
 to an inferior sire. When bred to a purer blooded stallion 
 than herself, the more pure blood the mare herself has the 
 more strongly will her own marks descend to her progeny, 
 and the less will they be altered or modified by those of 
 the sire. 
 
 Now, the Percheron ISTormans are clearly a pure race 
 perse; we do not mean by the words, a thorough-bred 
 race, but a race capable of producing and reproducing 
 themselves ad infinitum,, unaltered, and without deterio- 
 ration of qualities, by breeding like sires to like dams, 
 without infusion of any other blood, just as is done by 
 Durham, Ayrshire, or Alderney cattle, by setters, pointers, 
 greyhounds, and, in a word, by any and all animals of 
 distinct and perfect varieties of the same species. The 
 only remarkable thing in this case is, that such should be 
 the facts, under the circumstances, of the Percheron Nor- 
 mans, being originally — as they are beyond a doubt — the 
 produce of a cross, although a most remote cross in point 
 of time. The original Norman horse now nearly extinct, 
 which was the war-horse of the iron-clad chivalry of the 
 earliest ages — of William the Conqueror, and Eichard 
 
NOKMANS. 53 
 
 Coeur de Lion, is thus accurately described by the im- 
 porter of the Percherons into New Jersey: "They ave- 
 rage," he says, and we are personally cognizant of hiff 
 accuracy, "full sixteen hands in height, with head short, 
 thick; wide and hollow between the eyes; jaws heavy; 
 ears short, and pointed well forward ; neck very short and 
 thick; mane heavy; shoulder well inclined backward; 
 back extremely short ; rump steep ; quarters very broad ; 
 chest wide and deej) ; tendons large ; muscles excessively 
 developed ; legs short, particularly from the knee and hock 
 to the fetlock, and thence to the coronet, which is covered 
 with long hair, covering half the hoof; much hair on the 
 legs." It was soon found even while complete armor was 
 in use, that these enormous, bony Normans, which are stil] 
 though deteriorated the ordinary, heavy draught horses 
 of France, had not sufficient speed to render the cavalry 
 charge effective, or sufficient blood to give spirit adequate 
 to the endurance of long-continued toil. The Andalusian 
 horse, which in its highest form, was a pure barb of Mo- 
 rocco, imported into Spain by the Saracen Moors under 
 Tarik, who has left his name to the ro3k of Gibraltar, and 
 in its secondary form, a half-bred horse, between the 
 African barbs and the old Spanish horse, which had long 
 before received a large tincture of Oriental blood from the 
 ISTumidian chargers of the Carthagenians, who so long oc- 
 cupied that country, proved, in its unmixed state, too light 
 for the enormous weight of a caparisoned man-at-arms, or, 
 if occasionally equal to that weight, too costly to be within 
 the means of any but crowned heads. " The bone and 
 muscle," observes the same writer we have before quoted, 
 *' and much of the form of the Percheron, come from this 
 horse" — that is, from the old Norman war-horse previously 
 described ; " and he gets his spirit and action from the 
 Andalusian. Docility comes from both sides. On the 
 
54 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 expulsion of the Spaniards from tlie Northern Provinces, 
 the supply of Arabian stallions was cut off, and, since that 
 time, in the Perche district of Normandy, their progeny 
 has, doubtless, been bred in and in ; hence the remarkable 
 uniformity of the breed, and the disposition to impart their 
 form to their progeny beyond any breed of domestic an- 
 imals within my knowledge. Another circumstance 
 which, I think, has tended to perpetuate the good qualities 
 of these horses, is the fact of their males being kept entire ; 
 a gelding is, I believe, unknown among the rural horses 
 of France. You may be startled at this notion of mine, 
 but, if you reflect a moment, you must perceive that in 
 such a state of things — so contrary to our practice and that 
 of the English — the farmer will always breed from the best 
 horse, and he will have an opportunity of judging, because 
 the horse has been broken to harness, and his qualities 
 known, before he could command business as a stallion." 
 There can be no possible question that the writer is correct 
 in this view of the advantage, so far as breeding is con- 
 cerned, of preserving all horses entire and ungelded ; as it 
 must naturally and necessarily follow, where a great 
 majority of the males of any breed are gelded when young 
 colts, and a few only are selected to some extent by chance 
 to serve as stallions, that many of the very best, and per- 
 haps actually the best, of every year, are deprived of the 
 means of perpetuating their excellence. This, undoubtedlj^, 
 is one of the causes of the constant preservation, if not im- 
 provement, of the race-horse ; that, inasmuch as thorough- 
 bred colts are never, unless from some peculiar cause, such 
 as indomitable vice, deprived of their virility, the breeder 
 has all the males of the race from which to select a stallion 
 at his pleasure, instead of having only a small number 
 from wliich to select. Yet even in the thorough-breds 
 the breeder sometimes has cause to regret the caprice or 
 
NORMANS. 65 
 
 error of an owner, which has allowed a colt to be deprived 
 of his sex, whose after qualities j)roved him to be emi- 
 nently worthy and preeminently adapted to become the 
 father of a noble line. Who, for instance, but must regret 
 that St. Nicholas, that noble specimen of a race -horse, 
 perhaps the best now running on American soil, should be 
 a gelding, and incapable of transmitting his blood and his 
 honors to posterity ? 
 
 Now, the points of the peculiar breed known as the 
 Percheron Normans are these : First, they are considerably 
 taller than the Canadian horses, among which, it is be- 
 lieved, the Percheron blood is still to be found, though 
 degenerated in stature, from cold, exposure, and ill-usage. 
 Their standard is j)robably from fourteen and a half to 
 fifteen and a half hands, the latter height, however, being 
 as much above the average, perhaps, as sixteen hands is 
 above that of ordinary horses. Secondly, they are very 
 short in the saddle-place, and comparatively long below ; 
 they are well ribbed-up and round-barreled, instead of 
 having the flat sides and sway backs which are the most 
 defective points of many of the Canadians ; they have not 
 the heavy head and extremely short, thick neck of the old 
 Norman horse, and many of his descendants on this side 
 of the ocean; but, on the contrary, have the head short, 
 with the genuine Arabian breadth of brow and hollow of 
 the profile between the eyes and nostrils, which is often 
 called the basin face ; nor are their heads thicker, espec- 
 ially at the setting-on place, nor the necks, which are 
 v.'ell arched and sufficiently long, heavier or more massive 
 than corresponds well with the general stoutness of their 
 frame. Their legs are particularly short from the knees 
 and hocks downward; nor, though heavily haired, have 
 they. such shaggy fetlocks and feet as the larger Normans 
 or Canadians, while they have the unyielding, iron-like 
 
66 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 sinews and feet, apparently unconscious of disease, for 
 which the latter race are famous. 
 
 . An English writer in The British Quarterly Journal of 
 Agriculture^ speaking of the general working-horse of Nor- 
 mandy, says : " The horses of Normandy are a capital race 
 for hard work and scanty fare. I have never seen such 
 horses at the collar, under the diligence, the post-carriage, 
 the cumbrous and heavy voiture or cabriolet for one or 
 two horses, or the farm cart. They are enduring and en- 
 ergetic beyond description; with their necks cut to the 
 bone, they flinch not ; they put forth all their efforts at the 
 voice of the brutal driver or at the dreaded sound of his 
 never-ceasing whip ; they keep their condition when other 
 horses would die of neglect and hard treatment. A better 
 cross for some of our horses cannot be imagined than those 
 of Normandy, provided they have not the ordinary failing 
 of two much length from the hock downward, and a heavy 
 head." The two points last named are precisely those 
 which are entirely got rid of in the best style of Percbe- 
 ron Normans, which are, as we have stated, those of the 
 Normans most deeply and thoroughly imbued with the 
 Arabian, or, to speak more correctly. Barb blood of Anda- 
 lusia. It is not easy to procure the best and fastest stallions 
 of this breed, as they are bought up by the French Gov- 
 ernment for the diligence and mail service, for which they 
 are highly prized, and in which they are constantly kept 
 at a pace varying from five to nine miles an hour, over 
 roads and behind loads which would speedily kill an Eng- 
 lish or American horse, without loss of health or condition. 
 But there is no difficulty in obtaining the choicest mares 
 at comparatively low rates — mares being little valued ybr 
 luorh in France. Mr. Edward Harris, of Moorestown, N. 
 J., who has been at much pains to import fme horses and 
 mares of this breed, asserts of his horse "DiHgence," that 
 
NOEMANS. 57 
 
 lie lias produced above four hundred foals — that lie has 
 never heard of one fetching less than one hundred dollars, 
 and many much higher prices, and that he has never heard 
 of his having produced one worthless colt, or one that 
 is spavined, curbed, ringboned, or has any of those defects 
 which render utterly useless so large a number of fine-bred 
 colts of the present day. 
 
 We cannot close this chapter without stating our belief 
 that, in the present state of American breeding, more good 
 can be attained, though the process is slower, by importing 
 the best Norman and Cleveland-bay mares, and breeding 
 them and their progeny — gelding all the males — for two or 
 more generations to select thorough -bred horses, than by 
 importing stallions of these very breeds in an endeavor to 
 work a regeneration on our weedy country mares, or to 
 raise valuable stock out of thorough-bred mares, which is 
 hopeless. "We fully believe that a breeding farm started 
 with a dozen such mares, six of each breed, well chosen, 
 and bred year after year to the best and best selected thor- 
 ough-breds, would in a very few years realize a large fortune 
 to the breeder. 
 
 3* 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HOW TO BREED A HORSE — MODERN ARAB BLOOD. 
 
 ENGLISH AND AMERICAN THOROUGH-BREDS DERIVED FROM ORIENTAL BLOOD 
 — ARE NOW SUPERIOR TO THE MODERN ARABS — NOLAN ARAB. 
 
 It is an indisputable fact, tliat all tlie excellence of the Eng, 
 lish and American thorough -bred horse is derived from 
 Oriental blood of the desert, and originates, it is believed, 
 in the admixture of the various breeds of the several coun- 
 tries to which the horse in its purest and highest form, 
 lias from remote ages been indigenous. These countries 
 are Arabia, Syria, Persia, Turkistan, the Barbary States, 
 Nubia and Abyssinia, all of which have races nearly con- 
 nected with each other, but all possessing distinct charac- 
 teristics. There would appear, of these races, to be in the 
 English thorough-bred horse — with which the American is 
 identical — a larger proportion of Barb than of pure Arabi- 
 an blood. The celebrated Godolphin is generally considered 
 by the most competent judges to have been a Barb. Fair- 
 fax's celebrated horse was a Barb ; the royal mares imported 
 by King Charles II., to which nine-terjths of our modern 
 thorough-bred horses trace, were Tunisian or Tangier Barbs. 
 The other most famous progenitors have been Turks, as 
 the Byerly Turk, the Lyster, or straddling Turk, the 
 D' Arcy yellow Turk, Plaice's white Turk, and many others. 
 The most noted of the pure Arabians was the Parley Ara- 
 
MODEEN ARAB BLOOD. 69 
 
 bian. And it is, perhaps, the most considerable opinion 
 that the great and unrivalled excellence of the English 
 horse arises from the fact that he is the offspring of a ju- 
 dicious cross of all the best oriental races, and not the 
 produce of a system of close in -breeding. 
 
 It is worthy of remark, however, that although the flict 
 is universally admitted that the whole original excellence 
 of the English thorough blood is attributable to the blood 
 of the desert, and although no horse is to be held as thor- 
 ough-bred unless he can trace in both lines, paternal and 
 maternal, to that blood, and although many horses of va- 
 rious Eastern and African breeds have been constantl}^ im- 
 ported both into England and America during the last two 
 hundred years, no one of them has improved the breed of 
 race-horses within the last century, or perhaps two centu- 
 ries. So low at present does modern Arabian blood stand 
 in the estimate of English turfmen, that a horse begotten 
 by a Turkish, Arab, Barb or Persian stallion, on an Eng- 
 lish thorough-bred mare, receives in the Goodwood Cup 
 and other races in which allowances are given, 24 lbs. from 
 all English bred racers ; and a horse begotten by such a 
 stallion on a mare of any one of the same races, receives 
 an enormous advantage of 48 lbs. The fact that even with 
 this enormous advantage, no horse so bred ever wins any 
 plate or race of consideration, shows that the distaste 
 to the blood is not a prejudice, but is founded on valid 
 reasons. Why this should be so is not so clear. It 
 appears, however, to be a certain and fixed rule of breed- 
 ing, that in order to improve any race the higher and purer 
 blood must be on the sire's side, not on the dam's ; and 
 that he must be the superior animal. It is, we think, now 
 an indisputable and undeniable fact, that the English 
 thorough-bred horse is, in all respects, but especially in 
 size, bone, power and beauty, a superior animal to any 
 
60 HOW TO BEEED A HOESE. 
 
 of the Oriental races, and consequently that his blood 
 cannot be improved by any further admixture of that 
 strain. Why this should be so, cannot clearly be shown ; 
 but it arises probably from two causes : first, that as 
 the Mohammedan race has degenerated in intellectual 
 energy, in civilization and in power, the breed of hor- 
 ses used by that race has suffered a corresponding de- 
 terioration, owing to the want of intelligent breeding, 
 of care, of management, and to the inferiority of their 
 food, stabling and nurture ; and, second, that the English 
 and American descendants of the same horses have, 
 by the vast attention given to breeding them only 
 from the best and most choice parents, to their more gen- 
 erous nutriment, better housing and clothing, and to the 
 enlightened and scientific culture which they have long re- 
 ceived, been improved in proportion to the deterioration of 
 their ancestors. 
 
 ISTo intelligent sportsman doubts that the English or 
 American thorough-bred horse can beat the Oriental horse 
 anywhere and everywhere, and in all respects. InHindos- 
 tan at the European races, the whole-bred and even the 
 half-bred English horses invariably beat the Indian Arabs ; 
 and very recently an Irish mare, named Fair Nell, dis- 
 gracefully beat all the Egyptian Barbs of Ali Pasha, who 
 had challenged the English Jockey Club to a trial match 
 between English and Oriental horses for a prize of £10,000. 
 The Jockey Club declined to take up the match collectively, 
 because, as a body, they do not own race-horses, and indi- 
 vidually, because the risk of running the best horses in a 
 race of eight miles, which was proposed, over the rough 
 and stony or sandy desert, was held rightly to be too 
 great to justify the sending of animals of great value to a 
 distant and barbarous country. The English residents of 
 Alexandria and Cairo, however, excited by national spirit, 
 
MODERN ARAB BLOOD. 61 
 
 and provoked by the triumphant tone of the Oi'ientals, 
 resolved to test the question. The Irish mare "Fair Nell" 
 was selected, which was not a racer of any note or distinc. 
 tion. and about which there is now some dispute, whether 
 she is or is not actually thorough -bred, though she is known 
 to be very highly and verj^ well bred ; and the result was, 
 that vastly to the disgust and disappointment of the Egyp- 
 tians, she defeated all the best Arabs of the Pasha's stud 
 with perfect ease. It has been asserted and is constantly 
 urged by the favorers and defenders of Oriental blood, that 
 no horses of really superior qualities or decided excellen- 
 cies, as Arabs or Barbs, have recently been imported; and 
 that to this, and to no natural or general inferiority of the 
 Arab or Oriental horse, is the want of success in breeding 
 from him to be attributed ; and, as a matter of course, 
 every one who imports an Arab or a Barb, asserts that his 
 horse, and his only, is a real and superior-blooded animal. 
 The plea is not, however, a valid one ; for it is not likely, 
 when a great majority of the horses imported from the 
 East into both England and America have been gifts of 
 Oriental potentates to croAvned heads or presidents, that no 
 one of them should have been a valuable creature. 
 
 It is clearly the sounder opinion that the modern thor- 
 ough-bred horse of Oriental origin is a superior creature to 
 the modern Arab ;. and consequently it is clearly unwise 
 to attempt to breed thorough-bred mares to Oriental stal- 
 lions, or to breed any highly bred mares to such" stallions, 
 in preference to the best thorough-breds. Still it appears 
 not improbable that the general trotting stock and country 
 stock of America might be improved by crossing with 
 good Arabian or Barb blood, where the best thorough-blood, 
 combined with fine form and power, is not to be attained. 
 We are even impressed with, the idea, that with some half- 
 blooded breeds, such as the Canadians and Normans, both 
 
62 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 
 
 of which have a large, although a very remote cross of the 
 African Barbs of Andalusian breed, a recurrence to the 
 original, undiluted Barb or Arabian blood might be pref- 
 erable even to breeding from modern thorough-breds, on 
 the principle, before referred to, of having, after many 
 years or csnturies of out-crossing, recourse to the original 
 strain of blood, which is often found to " AzV," as it is tech- 
 nically termed, when it succeeds highl}^ It is worthy of 
 remark that some distinguished trotting horses trace to 
 Black Bashaw, who was a pure Barb of Tripoli, and who 
 is said to be a horse of great beauty and power. The Ca- 
 nadians and Normans both show far more similitude of 
 structure and form to the Arab and Barb, than do the 
 modern thorough-bred horses ; and that is a strong reason 
 for believing that such a cross might prove successful. 
 
 We should like to hear of the experiment being tried, 
 and although we should not care to predict perfect success 
 we should rather anticipate a good than an evil result ; we 
 would, however, on no account put a thorough-bred mare 
 to any Eastern horse, nor any very highly bred mare, 
 where a thorough-bred stallion is within reach. Of course 
 the boniest, most compact and strongest Arabs should bo 
 selected ; an Arab lueed of inferior strain is a very poor 
 creature for any purpose, and worst of all from which to 
 breed. From what we have heard of the Nolan Arab, 
 and from the consummate knowledge in horse-flesh of his 
 gallant owner, we should augur as well of him as of any 
 recent importation from the East. We should not be sur- 
 prised if in future days material improvement in the 
 horse-flesh of the West, where there has been until very 
 recently a great want of thorough blood, may be traced, 
 hereafter, to that horse. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 PONIES THEIR DIFFERENT BREEDS, CHARACTERISTICS AND 
 
 UTILITY. 
 
 UNKNOWN TO THE ANCIENTS — ORIGIN— DIFFERENT BREEDS — SHETLAND AND 
 SCOTS — GALLOWAYS ANT) NAER AG ANSETTS— MUSTANGS AND INDIANS — 
 PROFIT OF RAISING PONEEIS. 
 
 It is very remarkable tliat these hardy, active, and, in many 
 cases, beautiful little animals appear to have been either 
 absolutely unknown to the ancients, or so much neglected 
 and undervalued by them, as to have obtained not only no 
 special description, but not so much even as a distinctive 
 name in the principal languages of antiquity. In the He- 
 brew this may be accounted for bj^ the fact, that the soil 
 and surface of Judea were so ill adapted for the employ- 
 ment of the horse, that its use was superseded by that of 
 the ass ; which animal, with its strong, hard hoofs and in- 
 flexible pastern joints, was better suited to the rocky nature 
 of the ground and the hill fastnesses of Idumea than the 
 nobler horse. 
 
 This reason, however, in no respect explains why the 
 Greeks and Romans, both of whom most sedulously culti- 
 vated the horse, and who, by their writings still extant on 
 the subject of equestrianism, Avere well informed on all 
 matters connected with that animal, and were good judges 
 of its points according to the received modern ideas, should 
 have no definite word, if indeed any word at all, signifying 
 a pony. In both tongues there is a diminutive of the word 
 horse; in Latin, from equus^ equuleiis ; as also, from 7?2an- 
 
 [63] 
 
64 PONIES — THEIR DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 nus^ a nag or pad, mannulus ; and in Greek, from hippos^ 
 hipparion ; and to all these diminutives, the primary mean- 
 ing of which is, a foal or young, and, because young, 
 small horse, the lexicographers have attached the inter- 
 pretation pony. It is, at least, doubtful whether the dimin- 
 utives mentioned ever bore that sense ; the immature 
 young of the horse and the adult pony, which, properly 
 speaking, cannot even be termed a little or small horse, 
 since it is not in its nature ever to become, or to produce 
 by generation, a large horse, but to produce and repro- 
 duce itself, like to like, as is the case with any other dis- 
 tinct species of the same family. In corroboration of which 
 view, it is well to remark, that there are several races or 
 varieties of ponies, peculiar to various parts of Europe, 
 Asia, and, more recently, of America, in all respects as 
 distinct and peculiar as any of the families of the horse, 
 such as the ISTorman, Flemish, Cleveland Bay, Suffolk 
 Punch or thorough-bred, and which will no more, when 
 bred like dam to like sire, produce a young one of any 
 other family, still less of the full-sized horse, than will any 
 of the horse families named above. The pony, therefore, 
 is by no means to be regarded as a dwarf horse — since full- 
 sized and healthy horses never produce ponies, although 
 they may produce rickety, small-sized and defective colts 
 or fillies; nor do ponies, as .above stated, ever produce 
 full sized horses, which Avould occasionally be the case, es- 
 pecially in the former instance, were they accidental mon- 
 strosities, and not a distinct race. 
 
 In what manner the pony was originally produced, in 
 its primary form, or subsequently established in all, or anj^ 
 one, of its self-reproducing varieties, is impossible to de- 
 cide, and useless to speculate. It is evident and certain 
 that once, at a vastly remote period, they all arose from a 
 single type of each species ; but that, at periods still exceed- 
 
. ORIGIN OF OF PONIES. 65 
 
 inglj remote, though comparatively recent, divei-^ varieties 
 have branched off accidentally from the primary species, 
 which, by accident or design, by circumstances of climate, 
 or by care and cultivation, have been first rendered per- 
 manent. 
 
 It is remarkable and significant that all the most dis- 
 tinct breeds of ponies, with which we are acquainted, are 
 still to be found, and appear to have been originated in 
 extreme latitudes either of heat or cold ; latitudes to which 
 the horse does not seem to be indigenous ; to which he has, 
 according to all natural probabilities, been imported ; and 
 in which one would naturally expect him to degenerate, at 
 least in size. It follows, if this view be correct, that at 
 the time when the Greek and Latin languages prevailed, 
 ponies, which were then possibly in progress of forma- 
 tion in regions beyond the ken of early civilization, in 
 the lands which are laid down on the maps of " the world 
 known to the ancients" as countries uninhabitable on 
 account of heat or of cold, and in which distinct ponies do 
 now exist, had not yet been brought at all to the knowl- 
 edge of the civilized world, or, if at all, so rarely as to be 
 regarded as accidental dwarfs and monstrosities, rather 
 than a distinct breed. 
 
 Now, of European ponies, the most clearly distinct types 
 are those of the Shetland Isles, of Scotland, in the northern 
 parts of Iceland, and of Sweden. There are also ponies, some- 
 what similar to those of Scotland, in Wales, and others in the 
 Kew Forest, on the south-western coast of England, which 
 seem referable to a cross of the same ponj^ with some horse of 
 higher blood. On the whole, it seems likely that the Shet- 
 land, Scottish, Welch, Swedish and Icelandic pony is one 
 and the same animal, as to its origin or original mode of 
 production, slightly influenced perhaps by the original 
 type of the horse of which it is a pattern, diminished in 
 
06 PONIES— THEIR DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 size, but. undeteriorated in spirit by years, nay, centuries, 
 of habituation to cold and scanty fare. In Spain there 
 existed from an early date in the middle ages a peculiar 
 breed of very small, high-bred horses, scarcely to be called 
 ponies, known as the Andalusian jennet, the descendants 
 of which are said still to exist in the Connemara horse, 
 peculiar to Galway in Ireland, and to have existed in the 
 Scottish Galloway, on the shores of the Sol way Frith, in 
 the south of Scotland, and probably in the Narragansett 
 pacer, both of which families arc now unfortunately ex- 
 tinct. These Spanish ponies, or ponies of Spanish descent, 
 are referable to another and entirely different mode of pro- 
 duction, by breeding, and not by deterioration in size, or 
 dwarfing. In Asiatic and European Russia, again, the 
 Cossack horse, which is little more than a large pony 
 Avith good Turkish blood, is evidently the result of modi- 
 lied dwarfing by hardship and severity of climate. It is 
 remarkable, however, of all these European and Asiatic 
 ponies, as also of the American varieties, of which we shall 
 speak hereafter, that, unlike most animals which have de- 
 generated in size, owing to severity of climate and scanty 
 fare, they have lost nothing of their spirit, and — what is 
 yet more singular — have gained rather than lost in their 
 capability to endure toil, hardship, and spare diet, in which 
 particulars the tiny Shetlander and the rugged Cossack will 
 probably surpass any other horses in existence. 
 
 Of the Southern Asiatic races comparatively little is 
 known ; but it is certain that in Ceylon there is a pigmy 
 race of ponies not exceeding twenty-seven inches in height. 
 A little niare was exhibited in London, in 1765, brought 
 from tbf. East Indies, only twenty -seven inches in height, 
 well-fo;:7ned, and between four and five years old. 
 
 In P<'/"jia and among the mountains of Afghanistan, there 
 is foun^J a useful breed of large ponies, called Yauboos, 
 
SHETLAXDS AND SCOTS. 67 
 
 which is probably merely the Turkoman horse stunted by 
 the hard fare and severe winters of the hill country. And 
 lastly, in America we have the Indian Pony of the nortl], 
 of the Canadian type, the Mustang of the south-west, 
 and in South America a very singular-looking breed of 
 horses, of very diminutive size, which is found in the 
 mountains of Venezuela. 
 
 On these various families of ponies we shall touch more 
 at length, and on the qualities for which they are famous 
 and worthy to be more generally cultivated in our own 
 country. 
 
 We admit that we wish we were more a race of horsemen, 
 and less a race of sulky, buggy or wagon-drivers. The 
 saddle is the true use of the horse ; and riding is the man- 
 liest, freest, boldest of exercises. We can hardly fancy a 
 good rider to be a fool or a fribble ; a coward he cannot 
 be by any possibility. It is for this reason that we would 
 gladly see ponies more largely introduced, and even bred 
 in this country ; nor would it be amiss to introduce premi- 
 ums for the encouragement of this breed at agricultural 
 fairs. 
 
 SHETLAXDS AND SCOTS. 
 
 Unquestionably, the most remarkable of all the Euro- 
 pean pony races, and the best adapted for one of the 
 principal uses to which ponies are applicable, are, the little 
 Shetlanders, which are natives of all the northern Scottish 
 isles, but which are found of the smallest size and of the 
 most perfect form in the extreme northern isles of Yell 
 and Unst. None of the Shetlanders exceed in the average 
 nine or ten hands — that is to say, from three feet to three 
 feet four inches in height ; and none are considered truly 
 bred which exceed eleven hands, or three feet eight inches. 
 Many are found which do not exceed thirty or thirty-two 
 inches, and which are consequently inferior in size to 
 
68 PONIES — ^THEIK DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 some of tlie largest clogs of the Newfoundland and Lab- 
 rador, or Great St. Bernard breeds. Their characteristic 
 form is a round, closely ribbed-up barrel ; a well-laid, slop- 
 ing shoulder, but thick rather than line, and with little 
 elevation of the withers ; a short, thick neck, covered with 
 redundant masses of coarse mane, scarcely inferior to that 
 of the lion ; a well-sh?.ped, lean and bony head, wide in 
 the brow and not seldom showing something of the char- 
 acteristic basin-face of the Arab. The ears are unusu- 
 ally small, erect and well-placed ; the eyes large, clear 
 and intelligent. Their loins are superb so that their 
 breadth bears no small proportion to the entire height of 
 the animal. Sway backs and flat sides are unknown to 
 the race. Their quarters are scarcely large in proportion 
 to their other musculai developments, but their legs and feet, 
 which are not so densely matted with hair as would be ex- 
 pected from their flowing tails and abundant manes, are, 
 like those of the Canadians and Normans, to which they 
 have many strong points of similitude, literally made of iron. 
 Splints, curbs, spavins, winclgalks, thorough-pins, ringbones 
 and navicular disease seem to be things utterly foreign to 
 the Shetlander. Out of many hundreds which we have 
 seen, — sometimes in droves of fifty or sixty at a time trav- 
 elling down from their native moors and mountains, the ■ 
 raggedest, rustiest, most comical-looking little quadrupeds 
 eye ever dwelt upon, driven by a gigantic six-foot High- 
 lander, perched on the back perhaps of the smallest of the 
 number, — we never saw a lame Shetlander. l^heir hardi- 
 hood and spirit is wonderful. In their native isles they 
 run wild on the hills as the ragged, black -faced sheep, Axith 
 which they keep company, never herded, sheltered nor fed, 
 but picking up a hardy livelihood from the tender shdots 
 of the heather, and the coarse, innutritions grass which 
 grows among it. In very severe winters, when in that 
 
SHETLAXDS AND SOOTS. 69 
 
 high northern latitude the mountains are buried deep in 
 frozen snow, they resort to the sea beaches and feed on the 
 kelp and sea ware. Even when taken into domestication 
 their fare is but little improved. Oats is a luxury unknov>m, 
 and a few bundles of wild meadow hay or barley straw 
 furnish a dainty banquet to the wee Shetlander. His 
 speed is of course not great, but he will go along at a sort 
 of waddling run under a weight which it would bother 
 some horses to carry, — that is to say, from 150 to 200 
 pounds, — at the rate of four or five miles an hour ; and 
 will accomplish his fifty miles betwesn sunrise amd sunset 
 with a gTeat hulking Highlander on his back, who seems 
 fitter to carry the pony than the pony to carry him. 
 
 For little boys and girls learning to ride, the Shetlander 
 is perfection ; for though he has sometimes a will of his 
 own, and has always a very sufficient share of spirit, which 
 sometimes leads him to play queer, grotesque tricks and to 
 make uncouth gambols more resembling those of a big 
 dog than of a small horse, he is very docile, intelligent, af- 
 fectionate and gentle. He readily becomes extremely 
 fond of his small rider ; and if, as will sometimes happen, 
 he kicks him over his head for fun, he will generally stop 
 by his side until he gets up again, and will suffer himself to 
 be remounted without opposition ; and then, which is a 
 great consideration, it is not far to fall from his back to 
 the ground. The colors of the Shetlanders are generally 
 black, dark brown, and a sort of rust-colored sorrel. 
 Whites and greys are exceedingly rare, and blacks are 
 considered the best of the race. There is a race of very 
 small ponies, analagous to the Shetlanders, in Terie, one of 
 the Hebrides or Western isles, belonging to the Duke of 
 Argyle. 
 
 Next in size to the Shetlanders is a small white race of 
 ponies, generally supposed to be of Hanoverian origin, 
 
70 PO]SriES — THEIR DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 which were some years ago much the fashion for ladies' 
 pony carriages. They ran from ten to eleven hands high 
 with softer and finer coats than the Shetlanders, and with 
 manes and tails which, though full and flowing, were not 
 so abundant and massive as those of their little congeners. 
 They were not unfrequently albinoes, having blood-red pu- 
 pils to their eyes, which tends to confirm suspicion of their 
 Hanoverian origin. Persons who remember the drive in 
 Hj^de Park and the corner of Eotten Kow in the days 
 when George lY. was King, will not easily forget the 
 beautiful turn-out of the beautiful Lady Foley, a four-in- 
 hand of snow-white ponies, scarcely bigger than the rats 
 which furnished Cinderella's carriage-horses, and two little 
 ten-year-old outriders mounted on two others of the same 
 stamp, in full uniform of top boots, leather breeches, and 
 miniature hunting whips. These pretty Hanoverians are, 
 however, only pretty playthings for pretty women, for 
 they have none of the stamina of the Shetlanders. Shetland 
 ponies of the true breed are not often imported into Amer- 
 ica, although of late years a good many of the larger 
 Scottish and Welsh ponies are being introduced, and, if 
 black, are often erroneously called Shetlanders. At the 
 State Fair of New Jersey, held at Newark, in 1857, w^e 
 noticed a very neat, very small dark grey pony, not above 
 ten hands high, but finer coated and less shaggy than the 
 ordinary run of Shetlanders. He was in the care of a very 
 large, very green Hibernian, between whom and ourselves 
 passed the following colloquy. 
 
 " That's a very nice pony, my man ; who owns him ?'* 
 " He is. Gin'ral Moore, of Belleville." " Is he a native 
 pony, or imported ?" " He ts." " He is what f ' " He is 
 thcttr "Yes, I see — where did he come from?" "He 
 come from New York ; the Gin'ral got him there !" "Ah, 
 I understand. But did he come from across the sea, or 
 
SHETLANDS AND SCOTS. 71 
 
 how ?" " Across the say ! Is it foolin' me yez is? Arrali, 
 don't I tell yiz tie cum from New York, and then ye ax 
 me, is New York across the say? Be off wid yiz I" 
 Before we could obey our irate friend's mandate, how- 
 ever, a long, slab-sided, upland Jersey man came up, and, 
 after eyeing the pony for some time, broke out as fol- 
 lows: "Waal, now, that's about the littlest kind of 
 horse I ever did see. What on airth's the use of that 
 critter, I'd like to know? I reckon you keeps him on 
 account of the milk." Meaning evidently for the purpose 
 of driving a churning machine. If our Hibernian was 
 wroth before, he was now furious. " Milk !" shouted lie. 
 " Is it milk yiz said ? He's a horse — can't you see? lie 
 niver gave no milk, not a drop on't." " Nary !" replied 
 our Jersey compatriot, and we dissolved in laughter. We 
 afterward learned that the little animal is a pure Shet- 
 lander; and we may add, that he is the most beautiful 
 specimen of the breed, though by no means the most char- 
 acteristic, we have ever seen. He had, though very 
 small, more of the horse than of the pony in his shape 
 and movement ; was slenderer and finer limbed, and had 
 not the heavy tail and shaggy mane. 
 
 The larger Scottish pony is little more than an enlarged 
 pattern of the Shetlander. He 'preserves the general form, 
 the close barrel, strong loins and general stocky air and 
 build, but he has a somewhat longer neck, higher withers, 
 and finer hair in the mane and tail. His ordinary height 
 is from eleven to thirteen hands, above the latter of which 
 standards the animal is rated in England as a horse, no 
 longer as a pony. These larger Scottish ponies, which 
 are usually the second step by which a boy ascends toward 
 the top of the noble art of horsemanship, have often a fair 
 turn of speed, can leap cleverly enough, and have all the 
 
72 PONIES—THEIR DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 endurance, with greater strength, greater quickness, and 
 more showy action, of their smaller countrymen. 
 
 GALLOWAYS AND NARKAGANSETTS. 
 
 After tTie various descriptions of ponies whicli have been 
 enumerated and described, there is none more worthy of 
 notice than the peculiar race of small horses, rather than 
 what can be exactly classed as ponies, which formerly 
 existed, nearly identical in all their characteristics, in two 
 small districts of Great Britain, wholly unconnected the one 
 with the other, yet, singularly enough, with names so similar 
 as to justify a first idea of their being in some sort similar 
 or identical. . The one of these is the small district of Gallo- 
 way^ on the shores of the Sol way Frith, in the south-west 
 of Scotland. The otlier is a portion of the county of 
 Oalway, in the west of Ireland. The whole width of the 
 Irish Sea and of the island itself lies between the two 
 districts, which have, in spite of their similar names, no 
 connection, whether of origin or of population; yet, 
 strange to say, in each locality there is, or rather was — 
 for they have recently become nearly extinct — a peculiar 
 breed of horses Avholly different and distinct from the 
 native stock, whether of Scotland or Ireland, yet so 
 similar in all their characteristics and qualifications that 
 their identity of origin cannot be doubted. These are the 
 animals which, from the Scottish district on the border of 
 the counties of Wigton and Kirkcudbright, received the 
 name of Galloways, a word which afterward came to be 
 misapplied to small horses of all descriptions. 
 
 In that district they were long famous for their endur- 
 ance, speed, docility and easiness of gait, as well as for 
 their high and courageous spirit; and so long as the 
 country roads and, indeed, the great national thorough- 
 fares of Endand and Scotland were such as to render the 
 
 o 
 
GALLOWAYS AND KAERAGANSETTS. 73 
 
 saddle tlie only rapid and agreeable, and by far the most 
 certain mode of travel, these beautiful and excellent little 
 animals were preserved in their purity, were carefully 
 propagated from the best mares and stallions of their own 
 race, and commanded large prices for the use both of 
 gentlemen and ladies, as road hackneys. Their power of 
 carrying weight, and of travelling at an easy and moderate 
 gait for an almost unlimited number of consecutive hours, 
 was really wonderful. But when the progress of improve- 
 ment covered England and her provinces with a network 
 of excellent roads, it became unnecessary to keep up a 
 particular breed of horses, too small for agricultural use, too 
 light for draft, without sufficient speed or length for hunters, 
 and from which no class of horses for general utility could be 
 raised by any sj^stem of cross-breeding. Consequently the 
 beautiful and enduring little Galloways fell gradually into 
 disrepute,and were either not bred at all, or merely bred for 
 fancy purposes. In Galloway, the breed is now entirely 
 extinct ; although of late years attempts have been made to 
 produce its counterpart by breeding large-sized pony mares 
 of the Scotch and Shetland breeds to small, low-built, close- 
 coupled, bony, thorough-bred stallions, for the purpose of 
 becoming children's riding horses and boys' hunters. 
 
 In Galway, the existence of the animal was not known 
 until a comparatively recent period ; and, as in that wild, 
 remote and semi-civilized district, the same reasons still 
 exist which original^ caused them to be prized so highly 
 in the sister kingdom, — the want of good roads for wheeled 
 carriages, — they are believed still to exist there in their 
 purity ; although the rudeness of the district an the extremed 
 poverty of the farmers have led to their deterioration. 
 It is not, however, to be doubted, that if an intelligent 
 system were adopted, the Galway-Galloways might be 
 bred up to their original high standard. 
 4 
 
/4 PONIES— THEIR DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 It is claimed that thej are descended from horses cast 
 on the shores of the two districts from the ship-wrecked 
 galleons of the Spanish Armada. In both districts it is a 
 matter of historical notoriety that Spanish war-ships were 
 wrecked at the period in question ; and as they doubtless 
 had cavalry on board, there is no cause for disputing the 
 tradition, the rather that the Galloways of both districts 
 have many of the peculiarities of the Andalusian jennets, 
 and show a large tincture of Moorish blood. 
 
 "The pure Galloway," says Youatt, "was said to be 
 nearly fourteen hands high and sometimes more, of a 
 bright bay or brown, with black legs, and small head and 
 neck, and peculiarly deep, clean legs. Its qualities were 
 speed, stoutness and sure-footedness over a very rugged 
 and mountainous country." From other authorities, better 
 acquainted, perhaps, than Mr. Youatt, with the race in 
 question, we find that they more often exceeded fourteen 
 hands by half a hand than fell short of that height ; that 
 they were quite as often or oftener of a rich, deep, glossy 
 chestnut — a peculiarly Andalusian color — as either brown 
 or bay ; that they were conspicuous for their breadth be- 
 tween the eyes, for their basin faces, for their thin, silky 
 manes and tails, and for the total absence of hair on their 
 fetlocks. They were, also, many of them, natural pacers, 
 or amblers, as that pace is called in England, and were all 
 of them easily trained to take and hold it for many hours 
 together. A distingui'shed Scottish divine thus describes 
 the animal in question : " There was once a breed of small, 
 elegant horses in Scotland, similar to those of Iceland and 
 Sweden, which were known by the name of Galloways, 
 the best of which sometimes reached the height of fourteen 
 hands and a half One of this description I possessed, it 
 having been bought for my use when I was a boy. In 
 point of elegance of shape it was a perfect picture, and in 
 
NARRAGANSET PACER. '75 
 
 disposition it was gentle and compliant. It moved almost 
 to a wish, and never tired. I rode this little creature for 
 25 years, and twice in that time I rode 150 miles at a 
 stretch without stopping, except to bait, and that not for 
 above an hour at a time. It came in at the last stage with 
 as much ease and alacrity as it travelled the first. I could 
 have undertaken to have performed on this beast, when it 
 was in its prime, 60 miles a day for a twelvemonth run- 
 ning, without any extraordinary exertion." 
 
 It is a matter of real regret that so excellent a breed of 
 creatures should have been allowed to become extinct in 
 both hemispheres, if it be not preserved by chance in the 
 degenerated race of Gal way. AYe say in both hemispheres 
 — for although it is not generally known, it is yet certain 
 that we once possessed in the far-famed Narraganset pacer 
 the actual Spanish pacing jennet of Andalusia, and the 
 exact counterpart of the Scottish Galloway. The color, 
 pace, docility, size, endurance, all the characteristics, 
 indeed, ^v•ould almost establish this fact without direct 
 evidence. But direct evidence is not wanting, as will be 
 discovered by reference to "Updyke's History of the Epis- 
 copal Church in ISTarraganset," where will be found a cu- 
 lious letter from a Mr. Hazard, who was intimately acquaint- 
 ed with the race while it was at its highest perfection and 
 held at its highest value ; and who distinctly states it to be 
 of Spanish origin, the ancestors having been brought from 
 Cuba, where the breed was in such demand for ladies' 
 saddle-horses that he attributes the extinction of the race 
 in Khode Island to the exportation of them in undue 
 numbers to the Havana. We suspect, however, that the 
 cause was rather the same which led to its extirpation in 
 England — the improvement of roads and the introduction 
 of wheeled carriages as the means of private conveyance, 
 which rendered a larger and stronger horse necessary, and 
 
76 Poxii;5— THEIR different breeds. 
 
 for which trotters are preferable to jDacers. To whatever 
 cause it is due, the decline of the breed must be regretted. 
 It is doubtful whether it can ever be renewed or replaced, 
 and it was undoubtedly a pure race of rare powers. 
 
 THE MEXICAN MUSTANG AND NORTHERN INDIAN PONY. 
 
 We have treated of the principal races of ponies peculiar 
 to the Old World, and to those more particularly which 
 are remarkable for good qualities and are worthy of culti- 
 vation. We now come to the ponies of our own continent. 
 For although it is not to be denied that the horses of 
 America are all, in the beginning, traceable to a foreign 
 origin, and although avc have no distinct breed or family 
 of the full-sized horse which is not distinctly to be traced 
 back to some one particular European family, of which it 
 still preserves the principal characteristics, we have cer- 
 tainly two families of ponies which, thoughthey are pi'ob- 
 ably to be discovered originally in two European breeds 
 of larger size, differ from the original type so widely that 
 they may now be set down as distinct. These are the 
 Mexican Mustang and the Indian pony of the north^ 
 which are in themselves distinct breeds, although there is 
 undoubtedly growing up a hybrid race between the two. 
 
 The Mustang of the ^fexican and Texan prairies, where 
 it has spread over much of the western country beyond 
 the Mississippi, is clearly of Spanish origin, and both has 
 and shows a considerable share of ^loorish blood. It is 
 under-sized, very slight-limbed, and often ill and dispro- 
 portionately made, with the neck or the back, or both, far 
 too long for either symmetry or strength. Their hoofs are 
 often very badly formed, and their posteriors are generally 
 weak, long and slender. On the other hand, they show 
 blood in the shape and setting on of their lean, long heads, 
 
MUSTAXGS. 77 
 
 in tlieir wide nostrils and fine manes and tails. They have 
 considerable spirit and fire, and are sometimes vicious at 
 first, but when resolutely combated lack persevering pluck, 
 and easily give up the contest. It is said, also, that 
 although when first mounted they display much life, vigor 
 and showy action, they lack hardihood and endurance. It 
 is well proved that, in a wijd state, they can be ridden 
 down and captured without much difficulty by good 
 trained domestic horses, even carrying the weight of a 
 rider, whenever they can be approached sufficiently close 
 to allow anything approaching to an equality in the start. 
 They are, however, the cavalry horses of the Camanche 
 and Apache Indians ; and although they are confessedly 
 unable to stand the shock of a charge of American troop- 
 horses, it does not appear to us, from the facility with 
 which they evade or frustrate the pursuit of our mounted 
 regiments, and the extreme difficulty of bringing them to 
 engagement, that they can be so deficient in endurance or 
 power of sustaining fatigue as they have been represented. 
 It is clear, however, that they are in all respects so far 
 inferior to the American horse that they can never sustain 
 any comparison with him. Nothing is to be gained by 
 crossing them with our horses, and the only utility which 
 they can ever subserve is as the riding animals of children 
 or very young ladies. They do not generally run, so far 
 as we can judge from the specimens which we have seen 
 in the Northern States, to above 18| or 14 hands ; and, 
 though some of them are certainly pretty, graceful, elegant 
 creatures, and some of them easy and light-going natural 
 pacers, they have not impressed us favorably, as compared 
 either with any of the imported European ponies, or with 
 that of the northern Indians. It is, however, not only 
 probable, but nearly certain, that we have not seen the 
 best specimens of the breed, as they are not in very high 
 
78 PONIES — THEIR DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 repute or in general use in the Korth. They are of all 
 colors, — browns, bays, blacks, sorrels, duns, and, by no 
 means unfrequently, piebalds, which is an extremely ple- 
 beian color, and which most certainly implies a deteriora- 
 tion of blood from the Oriental or desert tj^pe. AVhen it 
 is seen in domestication, it is held to imply a cross of the 
 Hanoverian or Pomeranian horse, both of which run to 
 fancy colors, spots and piebalds. 
 
 The pony of the northern Indians, prevailing from Can- 
 ada downward, west of the lakes, over the Upper Missis- 
 sippi country, is a totally distinct animal. He rarely exceeds 
 thirteen, never fourteen hands, and is a veritable pony — 
 short-barreled, round-ribbed, strong-limbed, short and thick- 
 necked, with legs, fetlocks and feet literally of iron. His 
 legs are covered with thick hair, his mane is almost as 
 voluminous as that of a lion, often falling on both sides of 
 his neck, while the forelock covers his eyes, and his tail is 
 heavy and waved like that of the Canadian. In one word, 
 he is the pare Norman war-horse of the largest, oldest, 
 coarsest and most massive type, razeed into a pony. We 
 are not aware that there is any history or tradition as to his 
 origin, but we cannot doubt that he is nothing more or 
 less than the original Norman horse of the Canadas, de- 
 generated in size but in no other respect, by ages of neglect, 
 misuse, scanty sustenance, want of shelter, and cruel usage, 
 generation after generation. We doubt not they could be 
 bred up in size by judicious treatment. As it is, however, 
 they are in every respect but size and great speed all that 
 can be desired. They are as sure-footed and as easily fed 
 as mules, and, fifty to one, more enduring of cold. At 
 their own pace, from five to seven miles an hour, they will . 
 jog along, perfectly unwearied, for fifty miles a day, week 
 after week, with a load of one hundred and sixty pounds 
 on their saddle, or three hundred in a wagon behind them. 
 
INDIAN PONY. 79 
 
 Thej are very docile, apparently as intelligent as dogs, 
 good-tempered when not stallions, and extraordinarily high- 
 couraged. We once saw, some five-and-twenty years ago, 
 large herds of these ponies running half wild in the great 
 meadows of the Mohawk Eeservation, on the banks of 
 the Grand Kiver, near Brantford, in Upper Canada ; and 
 afterward travelled many daj^s in succession in a light 
 wagon, drawn by a pair of these little shaggy brutes, not 
 much bigger than ^Newfoundland dogs, both thorough stal- 
 lions, hardly able to see out of their little fierce eyes 
 through their thick shag of hair ; and we were singularly 
 impressed with their qualities. Thej were driven with 
 the least possible quantity of harness, and that chiefly 
 made of rope, without breechings, bearing-reins or blinders. 
 The driver had no whip, and said he dared not use one 
 to them if he had, but ruled them perfectly, when he chose 
 to do so, by his voice. Chiefly, however, he left them to 
 themselves, and admirably did they perform. The roads, 
 if they could be called roads, were atrocious ; often axle- 
 deep in mud; often over corduroy tracks, made of un- 
 hewn logs, through deep, shaking morasses, full of holes 
 that would have engulfed a big horse and his rider, and, at 
 times, passing over large, deep, boggy streams and rivers, 
 on a species of bridge which we never saw before or else- 
 where, and trust we may never see again. Whenever they 
 doubted their ground, the ponies lowered their noses, 
 snorted, snuffed at the doubtful place, and seemed to ex- 
 amine it with more than human intelligence, and always 
 in the end scrambled over the difficulty, and brought us 
 through or over it in safety. At the end of the trip we 
 parted with our small equine friends with real regret, and 
 never have forgotten them. This stamp of Canadian pony, 
 we think, by all odds, the best animal of the sort on this 
 continent for teaching boys to ride ; and we should feel 
 
80 PONIES — THEIJi DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 confident that by breeding the largest mares of this race 
 to short, compact, stocky-bred blood stallions, one would 
 obtain a most hardy, serviceable and beautiful small horse, 
 partaking in many of the best qualities of the lost race ot 
 Galloways. The mares could be easily obtained, for a 
 merely nominal sum, from the upper province of Canada ; 
 and we verily believe that it would prove a good specula- 
 tion to an intelligent breeding farmer, to attempt to raise 
 some of this stock, so rapidly and regularly is the demand 
 increasing in our large cities for horses suitable for the 
 young people of the wealtliier classes ; and so desirable is 
 it that the taste itself, and the demand to which it gives rise, 
 should be encouraged. 
 
CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 HOW TO BREED MULES. 
 
 TALUE OF MULES— THEIR HISTORY AXD NATURAL HISTORY — THE MULE AND 
 HINNEY — THOROUGH-BLOOD WASTED IN THE DAM FOR MULES — THE MULE 
 IN THE UNITED STATES — LARGE SIZE NOT DESIR.UJLE — VARIETIES OP THE 
 ASS — THE KIND OF MARES TO BE SELECTED. 
 
 How important this branch of rural economy is becoming 
 in the United States may be seen by the following notice 
 of The Columbus Inquirer, copied into the veterinary de- 
 partment of Porter'' s Spirit, and the comment accompany- 
 ing it: " A few days ago one hundred mules were sold in 
 Scott county, Kentucky, at an average of $177 each. Our 
 Southern planters have here another illustration of the 
 fact, that they can never fully realize the high price for 
 cotton until they raise their own stock and provisions ; for 
 the high price of one is always attended by a correspond- 
 ing rise of the other." In view of this fact, we propose 
 to devote a little space to the examination of the history 
 and natural history of the mule ; the advantages which he 
 possesses, — as he does possess advantages of some kinds 
 and for some purposes over both the horse and the ox ; 
 his qualities, and the host and most profitable mode of 
 raising him for the market, and for producing his best 
 qualities and characteristics. 
 
 To tell persons now-a-days that the mule is the hybrid 
 
 between the horse and the ass vrould appear to be so 
 
 absolute a truism that the recipients of the information 
 
 would be very apt to laugh at the informant, and yet, 
 
 4^ [81] 
 
82 HOW TO BREED MULES 
 
 strange to say, few persons, comparatively speaking, know 
 precisely, if indeed at all, what is or is not a mule — mucli 
 less that there are two distinct animals, both the offspring 
 of the horse and ass, one of which is, and the other is not 
 a mule ; much less, again, what are the distinctions be- 
 tween the two. 
 
 The offspring of the male ass and the female horse — 
 mare — is truly the mule — in Latin, hemionus^ or half ass. 
 The offspring of the male horse — stallion — and the female 
 ass is the hinny — in Latin, hinnus ; a word which con- 
 veys, as does the former word hemionus^ a distinct sense, 
 lost in the corresponding English synonyms, for Mnnus is 
 a derivative of the verb hinnire^ to neigh ; and in fact the 
 hinny neighs, while the mule brays. Nor is this all : for 
 while the mule has the greater external resemblance to 
 the ass, so has the hinny the greater external resemblance 
 to the horse ; and a more minute examination carries us 
 yet farther, and shows us that the mule, not only in out- 
 ward form but in temper and characteristics, has more of 
 the ass in his nature — the hinny more of the horse. It is 
 in a considerable degree by the knowledge of these facts, 
 which are positive, that the breeder is led, when he 
 insists that, in order to produce the greatest advantage on 
 the offspring, the excess of blood and vital energy must 
 be on the side of the sire, and not on that of the dam ; 
 since he finds invariably that from the jackass and the 
 mare, whether the latter be the merest dunghill or as 
 thorough-bred as Spiletta, the mother of Eclipse, springs 
 the mule of the ass type. 
 
 The mule has long ears, slightly modified and shortened 
 by the intermixture of the horse; the, comparatively, 
 hairless tail ; the narrow quarters and thin thighs ; the 
 erect mane, the elongated head, the slender legs and nar- 
 row, erect hoofs, and the voiqe of the ass. The hinny has 
 
MULES AXD HINNIES. 83 
 
 a smaller, better-formed head, the flowing mane. and full 
 tail, the general form, the finer coat, larger legs, broader 
 feet, and the voice of the horse. What would at first 
 appear remarkable is, that the mule, or offspring of the 
 male ass and mare, is a far larger animal than that of the 
 stallion and female ass ; and not only that, but frequently 
 larger than either of his parents. In proof of which may 
 be cited an advertisement from Porier\s Sjnrii of the Times^ 
 of Jan. 8, of this year, offering for sale "a splendid pair 
 of jet-black mules, seventeen hands three inches high^ beau- 
 tifully matched, three years old. They were got," it is 
 added, "by the finest Maltese jack in Kentucky, out of • 
 thorough-bred mares, got by AYagner and Grey Eagle," 
 &c. Now these prodigious animals, fully equal in height 
 to the largest London dray-horse, which would probably 
 w^eigh nearly two thousand pounds, if their height be cor- 
 rectly stated — which one may presume to be the case, 
 since no benefit could 'arise to the advertiser from a 
 deception which must instantly be discovered on exami- 
 nation by a purchaser — are the produce of a sire, the 
 largest specimens of which never exceed the stature of a 
 small horse, and dams which, in the absence of any knowl- 
 edge on thu subject, we may set down as probably not 
 exceeding fifteen hands and two inches, and certainly 
 not exceeding sixteen hands, inasmuch as the latter is, 
 ordinarily speaking, the maximum height of the race- 
 horse. Here, therefore, we have the hybrid offspring 
 overtopping the sire in height by at least three hands, or 
 twelve inches, and the dams by two hands, or eight 
 inches: — a convincing proof, by the way, of the absurdity 
 and hopelessness of expecting to produce an enlarged 
 progeny by breeding small, weak, undersized mares to 
 large, powerful stallions ; and a strong argument in favor 
 
84 HOW TO BREED MULES. 
 
 of -having the size, length and room to contain the foetus 
 on the side of the female parent. 
 
 The mule, again, which is the offspring of the male ass, 
 has the great excess of his qualities, — the incomparable 
 endurance, the patience, the faculty of subsisting and 
 keeping himself in good condition where the horse would 
 starve, and the extraordinary sure-footedness of the ass, 
 and it must be added, in a great degree, his temper, his 
 obstinacy, stubbornness and passive vice; although it is 
 believed that, both in the ass and mule, these bad qualities 
 have been greatly fostered and increased by the ci'uelty 
 and neglect of ages — no such qualities being observed in 
 the beautiful, docile and tractable asses of the East, where 
 they have been from the most remote ages used as the 
 saddle animals of the superior classes — and that they may, 
 by kind and judicious treatment, be greatly modified, if 
 not eradicated. 
 
 The hinny, on the contrarjr,* although hardier, more 
 patient, more enduring of privation and scanty fare than 
 the horse, is infinitely inferior, in all these qualities, both 
 to the ass and the mule; while he is at the same time 
 gentler, more tractable, and nearer to the horse in temper, 
 — strong arguments, it will be observed, for seeking inva- 
 riably to have the qualities of the blood, temper, courage, 
 spirit, on the side of the sire, those of form and size on 
 that of the dam. 
 
 Both the mule and hinny arc clearly modified asses, — 
 that is to say, they have both more in their composition of 
 the ass than of the horse, but the proportion of that??? ore 
 depends on the male, and not on the female parent. It 
 appears that the vital energy and powder of transmitting 
 organization is stronger in the ass than in the horse, prob- 
 ably because he is entirely in-bred, less changed by domes- 
 tication, and nearer to his natural condition than the more 
 
MULES AXD lilXNIES. 85 
 
 cultivated and more liiglily favored animal. Tlie zebra and 
 quagga are yet more potent in this strange power of trans- 
 mitting properties than even the ass ; for it is an established 
 fact, on well authenticated record, that a thorough-bred 
 mare having once produced a striped foal to a quagga, 
 continued for several successive generations, when bred to 
 thorough-bred horses and having no further connection 
 with the quagga, to produce striped offspring, the stripes 
 becoming fainter and fainter in each successive foal ; a 
 fact which has led, in connection with other circumstances, 
 some of the best French Physiologists to the conclusion 
 that a female, which has once borne a hybrid, becomes her- 
 self a hybrid, and can never again bear a perfect 
 animal of her own race ; a fact certainly worthy the con- 
 sideration of persons who, like the breeder of the mules 
 in the advertisement quoted above, stint mares of such blood 
 as Grey Eagle and Wagner to ^laltese jacks. Only imag- 
 ine their faces, should they after this breed the same mares 
 to a Lexington, a Monarch or a Eevenue, and find "the 
 progeny, on its appearance, long-eared, with a stripe along 
 its back and a bar across its shoulders. 
 
 It is clear, then, that while in all hybrids of the horse and 
 ass, the latter gives the greater proportion both of exter- 
 nal and internal characteristics, it is determined by the sire, 
 not b}^ the dam, in what degree that excess shall exist; 
 and this principle will lead to a full understanding of how 
 mules may be bred to the best advantage. 
 
 Thus, if we are breeding mules, on the spirit, courage, 
 temper and characteristics of the male ass, everything will 
 depend in the production of the like qualities in the prog- 
 en v : while so lono^ as the mare is sound, strono- enouo-h, 
 
 ,/ O 7 0/ 
 
 bony enough, and roomy, it will matter very little, so far 
 as the characteristics of the young are concerned, whether 
 she be a Suffolk Punch, or as pure a thorough-bred as 
 
86 now TO BKEKD MULES. 
 
 Spiletra, the mother of Eclipse. But not only is it very 
 certain that the Grey Eagle and Wagner blood is wasted 
 to no purpose by this prostitution to vile uses, in giving 
 the qualities of blood to the moles, but it is even question- 
 able whether two stout, sound, active Canadians, or Xor- 
 mans, would not have thrown better foals to the same jack 
 than thes3 noble mares, thus sadly misapplied. 
 
 On the other hand, if w^e are breeding hinnies, we want 
 the very best stallion we can find, in blood and bone, so 
 that he be not disproportionably large ; while in the female 
 ass, we only require soundness, and sufficient size to render 
 her roomy enough to contain a foetus so much larger than 
 her own natural i^rogeny, as the hinny foal is like to be. 
 But as no one breeds hinnies or is likely to do so, this side 
 of the question is worthy of no farther consideration, and 
 wiih a few words more we quit it altogether. It is gene- 
 rally asserted that the hinny has been tried and found nearly 
 a worthless animal, though admitted to be a beautiful one. 
 rie^ias only Vjeen bred occasionally in Spain, since the 
 great decline in the number and quality of the male asses, 
 and of mules, generally, from the want of male asses, — 
 arising from the frightful consumption of those animals 
 during the Peninsular war, — and the subsequent incessant 
 civil wars w^hich have convulsed that unhappy country, 
 has rendered it necessary to supply their want. We are 
 not inclined to adopt this assertion. We believe that the 
 hinny, so far from being a worthless animal, is as good 
 as he is handsome, and superior to the mule for the 
 uses for which he is fitted, — that is, for a saddle animal. 
 But being inferior to the horse as a saddle animal, and in- 
 ferior to the mule as a beast of draft or burden, in which 
 respect alone the latter can compete wdth the horse, he has 
 no special jDlace of his own ; and, therefore, it having been 
 worth no one's while to cultivate hinnies, they have fallen 
 
THE DAM FOR HINNIES. 87 
 
 into disuse and got a bad name. It may, however, well be 
 doubted whether, in the great demand and inadequate sup- 
 ply of handsome, clever ponies suited for carrying boys, 
 young ladies, and timid, or valetudinarian, or aged persons, 
 who require horse exercise, it might not prove an exceed- 
 ingly paying speculation to import a few of the very finest 
 and largest-sized Maltese or Arabian female asses, — which, 
 by the way, command no price as compared with the jacks, 
 and to breed from them to the best and highest bred, un- 
 dersized thorough-bred stallions. We have seen abroad 
 in past years one or two hinnies, with ears but little larger 
 than those of a coarse pony, with long thin manes, full 
 tails, sleek, shining coats, which were altogether beautiful 
 animals. They have a good deal of spirit, and the patience, 
 without the stubbornness, of the ass. If, however, it has 
 not been a matter of profit heretofore to raise hinnies, it 
 has been far otherwise in the case of mules. So highly were 
 they esteemed by the Eomans, that we are informed by 
 Pliny, that Quintus Axius, a Roman Senator, paid four hun- 
 dred thousand sesterces, equivalent to thirteen thousand dol- 
 lars, for a male ass, peculiarly qualified by size, beauty and 
 spirit for the propagation of mules. 
 
 They are now, probably, more largely bred and more 
 highly prized in the United States than in any other coun- 
 try in the world, unless it be South America. As draught 
 beasts, beasts of burden, and for field labor, thej^ surpass 
 any other animal in the world ; and the use of them allows 
 the noble horse to be applied to his own proper uses, — the 
 saddle or speedy light carriage draught, — and not to field 
 labor or the rude and sordid drudgerv to which he is too 
 often degraded, and to which he is wholl}^ unfitted. It is 
 claimed for the mule, and rightly, that he can do his own 
 work, that is to say, field work, heavy teaming, and car- 
 rying pack -burdens, all, as well as the horse, — tlie last 
 
Ob HOAV TO EEEED MULES. 
 
 item better than the horse, — and twice as much of each one 
 of them as the horse, provided he be not hurried ; keeping 
 himself in perfect condition, where the horse would knock 
 up and starve ; that he can do all this on half the food 
 and with lialf the care that the horse requires, although, 
 the more food and the more care both have the better they 
 will do their work ; and lastly, the mule being an animal 
 of great longevity and great retention, or conservation, of 
 both his vital energies and his physical powers, is able to 
 work to the advantage of his owners, twice, if not thrice 
 as many years as the average of horses. These are the in- 
 ducements to breed the mule, and to apply it strictly to 
 the purposes for which it is best fitted, and for which na- 
 ture seems to have intended it. 
 
 We propose now to treat of the difference between the 
 mule of Europe and that now generally raised in the 
 United States ; the error, as we believe it to be, in the 
 present American system of breeding, and the best plan 
 to be adopted for raising the most valuable mules. 
 
 Inasmuch as asses are not bred to any extent in the 
 United States, it is of the first consequence for breeding to 
 import fine jacks from their native countries, of the breed 
 and description most suitable to the purposes for which 
 they are intended ; and of the second, to cross them with 
 properly-selected mares, so as to raise mules of the best 
 type, size and substance for general work. 
 
 And it will be well here to observe that in the United 
 States generally the work of the mule is and ever will 
 contmue to be, — unless some radical change takes place — 
 which is not to be expected — in the tastes and habits of 
 the people, — field-work, agricultural labor aaid tcan-i -draught 
 on the roads, as opposed to use under the saddle or in 
 pleasure vehicles. In the prairies, plains and mountains 
 of the extreme west, on the Mexican frontier and on the 
 
BEST SIZE FOR A MULE. 89 
 
 California route, they are and will be used as pack animals, 
 and in a minor degree as beasts for the saddle, both for 
 travellers and for the trappers of those wild solitudes ; but 
 this is the exception and not the rule. 
 
 jN'ow, any person who has travelled on the continent of 
 Europe, in those countries where mules are in use, espec- 
 ially Spain and Portugal — for the mules of Italy and 
 Switzerland are of an inferior kind — cannot have failed to 
 observe that it is the medium and even the small-sized 
 mules, which are the most highly esteemed ; that the great 
 majority of the race do not exceed fourteen hands in 
 height, so that one of fifteen is a rarity ; and that those 
 nearest to the standard first named, are most prized for 
 their hardiness, while they consume far less provender, in 
 proportion to the amount of labor which they ''are capable 
 of performing, than the loftier animals of the same breed. 
 In the United States, the ratio of value in the mule is 
 exactly the reverse of the above in general estimation — 
 the largest mules being the most highl}^ prized ; and, as a 
 matter of course, all pains are taken to raise the standard, 
 and to breed them of the greatest possible height. In this 
 aim the breeders in the United States have been eminently 
 successful, — if that can properly be called a success, the 
 effect of which is to produce what one aims at producing, 
 though in fact he had done better to produce something 
 else. And it may be said that the average size of the mule 
 of the United States is not inferior to that of the ordinary 
 working horse, while that of many is vastly superior. 
 
 "We have at present within our own knowledge many 
 teams of working mules, employed in drawing iron from 
 the New Jersey foundries and in carting coal and ore, 
 which vary from sixteen to seventeen hands in height, 
 while some exceed by half a hand the latter standard, 
 which, it may be said, is never attained by any horse, 
 
90 HOW TO BREED MULES. 
 
 unless it be tlie huge London dray-horse, an animal incapa- 
 ble of working faster than at a foot's jvace, and onlj^ bred 
 in fact for show and ostentation, not for utility. How it 
 is that an animal sprung from the cross of two species, the 
 sire of which is always greatly smaller than the dam, 
 should be larger than either parent, is one of the unex- 
 plained mysteries of breeding ; but the mode in which it 
 has been accomplished is no mysterj^ It is by selecting 
 the very largest and loftiest jacks of the breeds used, in 
 Europe generally, for the saddle, and, in Spain, for the 
 draught of public conveyances and private pleasure car- 
 riages, and breeding from them out of the tallest, largest 
 and most roomy mares that can be procured. That such 
 dams should produce hybrids larger than their sires is in 
 the natural <iourse of things, since — as we have pointed out 
 in our previous papers on horse-breeding — it is the mare, 
 furnishing the matrix of the foal, that gives the size and 
 bone to the progeny. But why such marcs should pro- 
 duce a much larger offspring, to a male infinitely smaller 
 than themselves in stature, than they would bear to a stal- 
 lion of their own race, equal or even superior to themselves 
 in height, is not to be accounted for by any known prin- 
 ciples of physiology. The fact is, however, as stated, and 
 the result is not desirable. For the mule of increased size 
 appears to approach somewhat nearer to the horse in 
 organization, whereas it is desirable that he should ap- 
 proach nearer to the aFS. He is a slower aud more slug- 
 gish animal, than the smaller breed, is less enduring of 
 labor, less capable of toiling under extraordinary tempera- 
 tures of heat — which is one of the admitted points of 
 superiority in the mule over the horse — and, being much 
 heavier in proportion, is apt to sink his small, narrow, com- 
 pressed hoofs far deeper into the ground, where the soil is 
 deep and the roads are sticky and tenacious, while he will 
 
VARIETIES OF THE ASS. 91 
 
 consume from one-fifth to one-third more provender. Yet 
 even at this he will consume so much less, while doing 
 more constant, though somewhat slower, work than the 
 horse, that three of the large-sized mules may bo -kept in 
 perfect condition on the same amount of food which is 
 required for the support of a pair of the nobler animals. 
 
 It is evident, therefore, that where mules are not re- 
 quired for show or speed, as saddle or carriage animals, as 
 they are not, and probably never will be, in this country, 
 the smaller-sized animals are the more profitable both to 
 . raise and to keep, for the purposes of labor. 
 
 Now, it should be understood, that there are at least 
 three different varieties of asses — beside the small, common 
 jack, supposed to be of African origin, generally of a light- 
 grey color, with a black stripe along his back and a trans- 
 verse list or bar across his shoulders — all of which, are 
 more or less used for breeding in this country. Although 
 the African jack above mentioned, is rarely used in this 
 country for breeding purposes, the mules bred from him 
 are infinitely the most hardy of all, though the lowest in 
 stature. The other breeds are these : first, the large, coarse, 
 heavy Spanislj jack, with slouching ears and a dull, plod- 
 ding gait, from which the mules for agricultural purposes 
 are ordinarily raised on the Peninsula. It is this breed 
 which has been so much exhausted by the consumption of 
 the Peninsular war, and subsequent internal commotions, 
 that it is in some districts all but extinct. Second, the 
 Andalusian jack, with shorter and more erect ears, more 
 active, spirited, and sprightly than the foregoing species, 
 yet sufficiently strong and well provided with bone. This 
 animal is probably no other than a slightly degenerated 
 descendant of the Arabian species, which has become some- 
 what coarser and larger boned, as well as less spirited, in 
 consequence of his long residence in a colder climate — 
 
92 HOW TO BREED MULES. 
 
 though stiil warm — than his native land, and perhaps of 
 crossing with the species first described. The third is the 
 Arabian jack, which is to the ass what the thorough -bred 
 is to the horse, — taller in height, lighter in limb, slenderer 
 in bone, Avith a high-carried head, shorter and always erect 
 ears, and a higher and more sprightly spirit, than any 
 other of the ass species. It is said by those who have 
 seen and examined this animal in its native land, and who 
 are competent to judge, that it bears so close a resem- 
 blance to the wild ass, Dziggtai, Equus Hemiorms^ of 
 Persia and Mongolia, as described by Pallas, the naturalist, 
 that it is not to be doubted that it is descended from that 
 swift and beautiful creature. AVere the saddle, or harness 
 before pleasure vehicles, the object of mule-raising, this 
 jack or his representative, the Maltese jack, which is evi- 
 dently directly sprung from him, with little or no degen- 
 eracy or deterioration, would, unquestionably, be the best 
 sire. But for draft mules for heavy work, these jacks are 
 too slender in the limbs, and especially too long in the 
 pasterns to make eligible sires. 
 
 In our opinion the Maltese jack should never be chosen 
 as a sire for working mules in this country ; but if he be, 
 he should be bred to close-ribbed, strong-boned, stocky 
 mares ; Canadians we should prefer to onj other form. It 
 is our belief, however, that the Andalusian jack, if it can 
 be procured, is the mr^st eligible sire for the United States; 
 but as it is understood to be difficult to procure this race, 
 it would be perhaps advisable to commence from the com- 
 mencement, and proceed to breed oiir ov;n jacks for the 
 purpose of breeding our own mules, instead of having re- 
 course to the constant importation of male asses. This, in 
 the end, would prove to be not onl}- the surest but the 
 cheapest method; and it is confidently believed that a 
 superior jack to any now existing, f.^r American breeding 
 
VAUIETIES OF THE A^S. 93 
 
 purposes, might thus be produced. In the islands of Ma- 
 jorca and Minorca, to which tlie ravages of foreign and 
 civil war have not so far extended, it is well ascertained 
 that the large, coarse, slouch-eared Spanish breed still exists 
 in perfection: and thence it would be easy to procure jen- 
 nies — as the females of the ass are technically termed — by 
 breeding which to the finest Maltese jacks, there can be no 
 doubt that stallions might bx3 reared superior in the com- 
 bination of bone with beauty and spirit to any breed of 
 original jacks now in existence. The choice of mares from 
 which to breed mules by such jacks is an easy matter. They 
 should on no account be blood mares, or highly-bred mares, 
 or tall mares. Fifteen hands in height is abundant stature, 
 and fifteen two is too large, but they should be rather long- 
 bodied, roomy, and, above all, bon}-. They should have long 
 shoulders, as oblique as possible, since those of the ass are 
 very straight, a peculiarity which it is desirable to correct ; 
 and, for analogous reasons, they should not have the pasterns 
 too stiff and erect ; and they should have the hoofs large, 
 round and well opened. The better their necks, withers 
 and heads, the neater, in all probability, will be the pro- 
 duce. On the whole, we have little doubt that fine, well- 
 selected Canadian or Norman mares will prove to be the 
 best mule mothers — as thorough-breds will prove to be the 
 worst — while Andalusian jacks or half-breeds, between the 
 Maltese and great Majorca race of asses, will prove the 
 best possible sires. It only remnins to be stated that, in 
 order to have mules docile and gentle, they should be 
 handled as young as possible, and invariably gelded before 
 they are six month old. The longer that operation is de- 
 ferred, the more indocile, obstinate, and, perhaps, vicious 
 they will become, which is the greatest defect in the char- 
 acter of the mule, and that against which it behooves the 
 breeder most to be on his guard. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 OF WHOM TO BUY— EXTRAORDINARY CHEAPNESS AND EXTRAORDINARY EX- 
 CELLENCE NOT TO BE EXPECTED — POINTS TO BE REGARDED— HOW TO EXAM- 
 INE THE EYES— BROKEN WIND — ROARING— WHISTLING — BROKEN KNEES — 
 TO EXAMINE THE LEGS — SPLENTS— DAMAGED BACK SINEWS— SPAVINS- 
 RINGBONES— CURBS— THOROUGH-PIN— HOW TO TELL THE AGE OF A HORSE. 
 
 It is not, of course, to be imagined, that any person entirely 
 unacquainted witli horses, the points of their anatomical 
 structure, their constitution and their qualities, can be by 
 the mere perusal of any one or more books on the subject, 
 at once created into a good judge of the anim.al, and a com- 
 petent purchaser beyond the risk of being deceived or of 
 deceiving himself. To become a perfect judge of a horse 
 requires the observation and attention of half a life -time ; 
 nor with every man will these be sufficient ; for a certain 
 degree of natural tact and talent, or adaptability to the 
 study, is clearly indispensable ; and there are some men 
 who, if they were born in a manger and brought up in a 
 stable, would never become horsemen or judges of a horse. 
 Still, there is no doubt that a person desiring to purchase, 
 and desiring to exercise in some degree his own choice in 
 the matter rather than submit wholly to the guidance of a 
 friend, may, by carefully studying what has been written 
 on the subject, qualify himself so far as in a great measure, 
 using proper precautions and profiting by some advice, to 
 secure himself against the probability of being very grossly 
 
 [94] 
 
OF WHOM TO BUY. 95 
 
 deceived, and lo obtain an animal which will please him bet- 
 ter than one selected for him by a person employed as 
 intermediate between himself and the dealer. 
 
 The first rule to be laid down, then, for the buyer who 
 wishes to obtain a superior animal for his own use, and 
 who is neither a first-rate judge of horse-flesh, nor a first- 
 rate horseman himself, is, not to attempt to buy out of the 
 farmer s or breeder's hands ; least of all at a horse fair or 
 agricultural show, — but from some large, "well-known and 
 respectable dealer, one who has a character to lose and who 
 is, therefore, not likely grossly and outrageously to deceive, 
 although he will probably not fail to do what he can in 
 extracting as large a price as the verdancy or eagerness of 
 the purchaser may give him the hope of obtaining. The 
 reasons for this advice are as follows : 
 
 First: Breeders and farmers do not often themselves 
 know what their horses really are as to actual soundness, 
 much less as to speed, — which probably has never been 
 cultivated; or endurance, — \vhich has almost certainly 
 never been tested. So that a farmer or breeder will often 
 honestly guarantee an unsound horse to be sound, from not 
 knowing enough to have discovered the contrary. The 
 writer saw a curious point of this kind, when, in 1837, the 
 authorities of the Canadian government were purchasing- 
 fine Vermont horses for the use of the Eoyal Artillery. 
 The dismay of the formers who came in to sell, in compli- 
 ance with advertisements, was extreme, and their disgust 
 yet greater, at finding that not above one in three animals, 
 which they believed to be perfectly unimpeachable, could 
 pass muster as sound in wind and limb under the scruff ny of 
 experienced veterinary surgeons, who at once detected 
 the germs of incipient diseases which had not even been 
 suspected by the breeder. By buying of the dealer you 
 are tolerably well assured that when he bought he believed 
 
96 HOW TO BUY A PIORSt. 
 
 the horse to be right, and, therefore, you have one intelli- 
 gent opinion in jour favor. 
 
 Secondly: Breeders' and farmers' horses are usually so 
 overloaded Avith flesh and fat, especially at agricultural 
 shows and horse fairs — having been prepared, in order to 
 make the best show, by feeding them on hot mashes, boiled 
 grain, boiled potatoes and the like, and by keeping them 
 in hot stables — that it is difficult, if not impossible, to come 
 to any trae judgment as to the horse's real points ; and 
 that, even if the horse be bought rightly — which means 
 well and wisely — ^for exactly what he is, and about what 
 he is worth, there will be great risk of ruining him utterly 
 if he be put to hard" work in his present condition ; and 
 if he be judiciously prepared by his buyer before putting 
 him to work, much time, much pains, and much expense 
 will have to be laid out on him before he can be of any 
 real utility. 
 
 Lastly: Horses in the hands of the former or breeder 
 are never properly bitted, broken, or trained to going; 
 and unless the buyer be able to break him in these re- 
 spects, to form and finish him himself — which is to pre- 
 suppose him to be a perfect horseman — it will cost him 
 half as much more to have him trained and rendered fit 
 for use, by a horse jockey or trainer, as it did to become 
 his owner in the first instance. Therefore, it is ever the 
 better and wiser way to buy at first, of a reputable dealer, 
 a horse which is in working order, whose faults and excel- 
 lences are both known to the seller, if he choose to let 
 them out, and which can, be both' critically examined, 
 owing to his being in working condition, and tried on the 
 road, under saddle or in harness, if desirable. 
 
 The second great iTile is, not to imagine that perfection 
 can be bought for a song, or that great excellence is com- 
 patible \vith great cheapness. A remarkable bargain in 
 
GREAT BARGAINS. 97 
 
 horse-flesh is always suspicious, and the greater the bar- 
 gain the more suspicious he becomes. If in appearance, 
 , show, beauty, style of going and action, the animal offered 
 for sale be very superior, and the price at which he is 
 offered very inferior, one may be perfectly certain that the 
 horse has some very bad secret fault, whether of temper 
 or constitution, of vice or of unsoundness, which time Avill 
 be sure to discover. It is never safe to take it for granted 
 that the seller of a horse is an ass, or is not aware of the 
 worth of his merchandise. If he err, nine times out of 
 ten it will be in overrating, not underrating its value. To 
 get a good horse, ordinarily, one must expect and be con- 
 tent, to pay a good price — the more, the greater the num- 
 ber of excellencies one may desire to obtain. 
 
 These rules premised, it is necessary for the buyer to 
 make up his mind exactly as to what he wants, Avhich, of 
 course, must be in a measure regulated by what he has 
 got to pay. If he merely wants a stout, serviceable, sound, 
 active, useful brute, without caring about speed, action, 
 beauty, or blood, he will be readily and easily accommo- 
 dated for a moderate sum, say from $75 to $125 ; with 
 each of the other additions the figure advances in arith- 
 metical progression, until, if one require a highly-bred, 
 beautiful, fine-stepping, fast, gentle and perfectly broke 
 horse, the price becomes a fancy one, and, according to 
 the degree of each attribute, ascends higher and higher, 
 and may become anything. 
 
 Of course it is not with animals of this kind that we are 
 dealing ; nor is it to this that we require our purchaser to 
 make up his mind — but as to the use for which he requires 
 his horse ; whether for heavy draft, for a carriage-horse, a 
 light harness horse, an agricultural horse, or a saddle-horse, 
 all of which have different points of excellence and dis- 
 tinct qualifications. The heavy draft-horse and agricul- 
 
98 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 tural horse are the least difficult to select, and the lowest 
 priced ; the carriage-horses next ; then the light harness 
 horse, and, lastly, the saddle-horse, which is the most dif- 
 ficult of all to find nearl}^ perfect, as requiring the greatest 
 union of rare qualities. The heavy draft-horse requires 
 only great power and weight, with a fast-walking action, 
 or a moderate trot, and the power of going easily to him- 
 self. The agricultui-al horse requires strength, quickness, 
 activit}^, hardihood and courage. The carriage-horses are 
 to be estimated very differently; size, fine figure, great 
 show, stylish action and a moderate stroke of speed are 
 all that is needed. With none of these animals is the 
 manner of going, of being bitted, mouthed, or broken, of 
 so great consecjuence. 
 
 For the light h arness horse more is needed — more style, 
 more speed, generally at a slashing trot, which may be as 
 rough and difficult to sit as it ma}^ ; jDlenty of endurance, 
 and^ above all a good mouth and a pleasant style of driv- 
 ing ; since it is our own hands, not John's or Thomas's, 
 which are to be excoriated, and our own shoulders which 
 are to be lugged out of tlic sockets if he be an inveterate 
 bearer. For the saddle-horse most of all is needed. He 
 must be handsome ; he must have safe, showy, stylish 
 action ; he must be sure-footed ; must have a fine mouth, 
 a fine temper, lots of courage, and perfect docility. Above 
 all, he must be an easy mover, both to himself and to his 
 rider, or else grievous will be the loss of temper and the 
 loss of leather to the latter. The best saddle-horses, un- 
 less one prefer to ride gallopers, arc horses with not less 
 than three, and as many more crosses as possible, of thor- 
 ough blood on any good common stock. Three crosses 
 from Canadians, or two from Morgans, make capital road- 
 sters. Thorough-breds are not often great trotters, since 
 
POINTS TO BE KEGARDED. 99 
 
 their action is opt to be too straiglit and near the ground. 
 When, however, they do take to trotting, they make the 
 best trotters in the world ; as thev invariably, and they 
 only, make the best gallopers. 
 
 The points of the physical structure of a horse on which 
 the most, indeed the whole of his utility depends, are his 
 legs. AYithout his locomoters, all the rest, however beau- 
 tiful it may be, is nothing worth. Therefore, to these we 
 look the first. The fore shoulder should be long, obliquely 
 set, with a considerable slope, high in the withers and their 
 above. The upper arm should be very long and muscu- 
 lar ; the knee broad, flat and bony ; the shank or cannon 
 bone, as short as may be, flat, not round, with clean, firm 
 sinews; the pastern joints moderately long and oblique, 
 but not too much so, as the excess produces springyness 
 and weakness ; the hoofs firm, erect, or deep, as opposed 
 to flat ; and the feet generally large and round. In the 
 hind legs, the quarters should be large, powerful, broad, 
 Avhen looked at in profile, and square and solid from be- 
 hind. The hams should be sickle-shaped, not straight, 
 and well let down, so as to bring the houghs well toward 
 the ground. The houghs should be large and bony, 
 straight, not angular or convexly curved in their posterior 
 outlines ; the shanks corresponding to the cannon bones, 
 short and flat ; and the hind feet similar in form, to the 
 front. The back should be short above, from the point 
 of the withers and shoulder-blade, which ought to run 
 well back to the croup. The barrel should be round, and 
 for a horse in which strength and quickness are looked to 
 more than great speed and stride, closely ribbed up. A 
 horse can scarcely be too deep from the top of his shoul- 
 der to the intersection of his fore leg — which is called the 
 heart-place — or too wide in the chest, as room in these 
 parts gives free play to the most important vitals. The 
 
100 HOW TO BUY A HOESE. 
 
 form of the neck and setting on of the head are essential 
 not onlj to the beauty of the animal, but to the facility 
 and pleasure of riding or driving him ; hence, a horse with, 
 an ill-shaped, short, stubborn neck, or an ill-set-on bead, 
 cannot, by any possibility be a pleasant-mouthed horse, or 
 an easy one to manage. The neck should be moderately 
 long, convexly arched above from the shoulders to the 
 crest, thin where it joins the head, and so set on that, 
 when yielding to the pressure of the bit, it forms a semi- 
 circle, like a bended bow, and brings the chin downward 
 and inward until it nearly touches the chest. Horses so 
 made are always manageable to the hand. The converse 
 of this neck, which is concave above and struts out at the 
 windpipe like a cock's thrapple, is the worst possible form ; 
 and horses so made almost invariably throw up their heads 
 at a pull, and are those most exceptionable of brutes, regu- 
 lar star-gazers. The head should be rather small, lean, 
 bony, not beefy, in the jowl ; broad between the eyes ; 
 and rather concave, or what is called basin-faced, than 
 Eoman-nosed between the eyes and nostrils. The ears 
 should be fine, small and pointed ; the eyes large, clear 
 and prominent, and the nostrils wide and well opened. A 
 horse so framed cannot fail, if free from physical defects, 
 constitutional disease and vice, to be a good one for any 
 purpose — degrees of strength, lightness and speed being 
 weighed in accordance with the purpose for which he is 
 desired. 
 
 We shall proceed to point out some of those more 
 prominent defects and ailments to be. found in horses 
 commonly offered for sale, and a few simple plans for de- 
 tecting them, under ordinaiy circumstances, which, where 
 resort is had to no villainous jockeying, will be found, in 
 most cases, sufficient to an ordinarily acute observer. 
 
DEFECTS. 101 
 
 DEFECTS TO BE DETECTED IN THE AGE AND EYES. 
 
 As to the age of horses, we would observe, that the 
 number of years which the animal has lived is indicated, 
 up to his seventh year, by marks in the teeth of both jaws, 
 but principally of the lower jaw, wliich vary every year 
 until the eighth, when they become obliterated ; they are 
 difficult to learn, and impossible to explain without the 
 aid of diagrams, which will be furnished in this chapter, 
 with more minute directions for ascertaining the age. 
 There is a system of jockey rascality by which false marks 
 are forged on the teeth of aged horses, making them to ap- 
 pear to be six or seven years old, which may deceive, and 
 often do deceive, novices, but are thrown away on judges 
 and old hands. This system is called Bishoping^ and is 
 executed by the use of a file and the usual cautery. There 
 are, however, some signs of extreme age in the horse 
 which can easily be recognized by any one, some of which 
 are infallible. One of these is the fact that in a young 
 horse the crown of the tooth is oblong or rather obovate 
 in form, lengthwise^ or in the line of the jaw-bone : but 
 that in very old horses the crowns change their shape and 
 become oblong or obovate across the jaw-bone. When, 
 therefore, the tooth has assumed this form, or has even 
 become much modified from the longitudinal shape, it 
 is certain that the horse is too old to be a desirable acqui- 
 sition. A second sign is the length of the teeth from the 
 root to the crown, and their angular protrusion like those 
 of the hare or rabbit; in both which particulars the in- 
 crease is regular with the increase of age. Indeed, the 
 degree of this protrusion is said to be so certain and in- 
 fallible, that a machine has been invented by the French 
 veterinarians for measuring the angle of protrusion, by 
 which it is alleged that the exact age can be ascertained 
 up to any known period of equine life. Without under- 
 
102 HOW TO BUY A IIOKSE. 
 
 taking to answer for this, we should advise a buyer always 
 to look to the points mentioned; as it is extreme age 
 which one seeks to avoid, with reason, not matuiity, or 
 even the commencement of decline. Except to a racing- 
 man, it matters little whether the horse he buys be fou]-, 
 six, eight or nine years old, provided that he be sound, 
 suitable in other respects, and free from the effects and 
 marks of hard labor and wear and tear; remembering 
 always that if the buyer requires a horse for immediate 
 hard use, he should not purchase one under six; and 
 if the animal be perfectly sound, and fresh and clean 
 in his legs, will be wiser to buy at eight or nine than 
 younger. 
 
 We now come to the eyes, which of all the parts of the 
 horse are, except the legs, of the most vital importance, 
 and in which it is often the most difficult to detect imper- 
 fection. There are some species of blindness, which to a 
 common observer give no sign, and in many instances the 
 writer has known the eye of a horse nearly stone-blind to 
 be looked at casually by a purchaser, and passed as need- 
 ing no further scrutiny. 
 
 '^ There is nothing," says Youatt, "which deserves so 
 much attention from the purchaser of a horse as the per- 
 fect transparency of the cornea (or glassy and transparent 
 portion of the eye), over the whole of its surface. The 
 eye should be examined for this purpose both in front, 
 and with the face of the examiner close to the cheek of 
 the horse, under and behind the eye. . The latter method 
 of looking through the cornea is the most satisfactory^, so 
 far as the t ran spare cv of that part of the eye is con- 
 cerned. During this examination the horse should not be 
 in the open air, but in the stable, standing in the doorway, 
 and a little within the door. If any small, faint, whitish 
 lines appear to cross the cornea, or any part of it, they 
 
THE EYES. 103 
 
 are assured!}^ signs of previous inflammation ; or, although 
 the centre and bulk of the cornea should be perfectly 
 clear, yet if around the edge of it, where it unites with the 
 sclerotica (or hard interior covering of the back of the eye), 
 there should be a narrow ring or circle of haziness, the 
 conclusion is equally true, but the inflammation occurred 
 at a more distant period. AVhetber, however, the inflam- 
 mation has lately existed, or several weeks or months 
 have elapsed since it was subdued, there is every proba- 
 bility that it will return. There is one little caution to be 
 added. The cornea, in its natural state, is not only a 
 beautifully transparent body, but it reflects even in pro- 
 portion to its transparency many of the rays Avhich fall 
 upon it ; and if there be a white object immediately before 
 the eye, as a veiy light waistcoat or much display of a 
 white neckcloth, the reflection may puzzle an experienced 
 observer, and has misled a careless one." It is hardly 
 necessary to observe that the existence of a white filmy 
 spot on any portion of the cornea, or, still worse, an 
 opaque filmy condition of the whole of that beautiful and 
 delicate membrane, is a fatal defect, the latter indicating a 
 total loss of sight, the result either of specific ophthalmia, 
 or of cataract. But it may be well to mention a very 
 practical and simple mode of ascertaining how far the 
 powers of sight in a horse are or are not effected. Hold- 
 ing him gently by the head-stall, let the observer place 
 himself in front of the animal, and, after caressing him 
 and rubbing his nose, so as to avoid giving him sudden 
 alarm, let him move his fingers rapidly toward and across 
 his eyes, carefully noting how far he starts back, or winks 
 his ej^elids. Care must be had, in this experiment, not to 
 move the hand with so much violence as to cause a cur- 
 rent of air ; for that, striking on the delicate surface of the 
 organ, even when it is totally bereft of vision, will some- 
 
104 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 times cause the animal to wink and even to start back, as 
 if he saw the motion which produced it. 
 
 DEFECTS TO BE DETECTED IN THE WIND. 
 
 Next to the eyes, the wind, as it is commonly called, or 
 the condition of the lungs of the animal, is to be exam- 
 ined; and this is liable to so many modifications, and 
 affects the animal so fatally as to his utility, when required 
 for even moderately rapid work, that too much care cannot 
 be had in the examination. It is needless to say that a horse, 
 with the slightest imperfection of his lungs, windpipe, or 
 breathing apparatus, ought at once to be rejected ; as there 
 is no hope of its ever decreasing, being cured, or palliated, 
 either by rest or by work ; but on the contrary, an ab- 
 solute certainty of its growing worse, day by day, and 
 the more so the faster and more regularly the animal is 
 worked, until it becomes absolutely broken-winded and 
 useless. 
 
 In this stage of the disease it needs no examination to 
 detect it : when at work, the loud, sobbing breath, and 
 the laborious heaving and jerking collapse of the flanks, 
 show it too plainly to be mistaken. It is caused by a rup- 
 ture of some of the air-cells of the lungs, and the inspi- 
 ration of the air is readily effected by the animal at a single 
 effort, as usual ; but the expiration of the air, from the 
 ruptured and ragged cavities into which it has been ad- 
 mitted, requires a double effort ; and wdien the disease is 
 in its worst form, even two efforts are insufficient fully to 
 expel it. 
 
 Broken wind is accompanied with a hard, husky 
 cough, which is not easily described, but cannot be mis- 
 taken by any one who is used to horses. Broken-winded 
 horses can never be cured, since it is not in the power of 
 human art to build up and restore a broken-down and dis- 
 5* 
 
THE WIND. 105 
 
 organized structure ; but there are jocky tricks by which 
 they can be so far palliated as to be made to disappear, fur 
 two or three days' time, under any moderate observation. 
 But let the horse be galloped a hundred yards, at his best, 
 up hill ; let his rider spring quickly to the ground, and 
 apply his ear to the chest, and the double expiration will 
 be clearly heard, even if the flanks do not show — as, how- 
 ever, in ninety cases out of a hundred, they will, by their 
 jerking and laborious collapse — the extent of the affection. 
 The minor and secondary modifications of this disease are, 
 thick wdnd, roaring, wheezing, and whistling — all of which, 
 more or less certainly, degenerate into broken wind, and 
 are to be carefully looked for, and when detected, reso- 
 lutely avoided. They all arise from a diseased or ob- 
 structed condition of some of the air passages, whether of 
 the lungs themselves, the windpipe, the bronchial tubes, 
 or the nostrils. 
 
 Thick wind is produced by insufficient space for the 
 play of the lungs, or for the issue of the air through the 
 bronchial tubes, owing to the thickening of their mucous 
 lining consequent on previous inflammation. It produces 
 laborious breathing, only effected by prodigious exertion 
 of the lungs; often extends almost to suffocation, and 
 nearly always leads to broken wind, or total disorganiza- 
 tion of the structure of the lungs — of some portion or ram- 
 ification of which it indicates either an orignally faulty 
 formation, or a diseased condition. 
 
 EoARiNG- is a modification of thick wind, produced by 
 the existence of a ring of coagulated matter, or a thick- 
 ening of a portion of the mucous membrane, within the 
 windpipe, Avhich produces a contraction of that passage, 
 and, preventing the regular issue of the breadth, renders 
 some exertion necessary to expel it, and causes a loud 
 puffing or roaring sound, similar to that of sti'ong and 
 
106 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 hoarse exhalations, the inhalation being noiseless. Eoar- 
 ing occurs on sudden motion. 
 
 Wheezing is a modification of roaring, and is produced, 
 it would seem, bj the lodgment of mucous matter in the 
 bronchial tubes. It differs from roaring, in that it exists 
 even when the animal is wholly at rest, and in his stable. 
 
 Whistling is a second modification of roaring, from 
 which it differs in that the noise produced is shriller, and 
 that it does not occur on sudden, but only after continuous 
 motion. It is supposed to be caused by some contraction 
 of the larynx. 
 
 Animals subject to any of these diseases speedily be- 
 come exhausted by exertion, even while the disease is in 
 its original state, apart from the distressing sound which 
 they produce. All the forms are liable to degenerate into 
 the worst form of broken wind, and all constitute an un- 
 soundness for which a horse warranted sound is returnable. 
 The modes of detecting these diseases are various, but 
 simple and easy of execution. The first is by grasping 
 the horse's throat from the front, and forcibly compressing 
 the mouth of the larynx, so as to compel him to cough. 
 A sound horse will cough 07ice and recover his wind, with 
 a clear, sonorous inhalation and exhalation. The diseased 
 horse will utter a broken, ragged, rattling cough, and re- 
 cover his breath with a long, wheezing and laborious rale. 
 This sign is infallible ; and the degree of labor and diffi- 
 culty will certainly indicate the degree of the affection. A 
 roarer may be detected even in the stable, by approaching 
 him suddenly and hitting him an unexpected slap on the 
 belly, when he will utter a loud grunt, not unfrequently 
 accompanied by a flatulent crepitus. When the affection 
 is confirmed roaring, it will manifest itself when he is put 
 to his speed ; but if he is merel}- a whistler, the noise is 
 often drowned, particularly when the disease is only in its 
 
LEGS AND FEET. 107 
 
 incipient state, by the clatter of the hoofs. It may, how- 
 ever, always be detected b}^ the rider suddenly pulling 
 him up, after a long, sharp gallop, and listening with his 
 ear inclined forward and downward, and brought close to 
 the windpipe ; or, if he be not readily able to accomplish 
 this position while mounted, which he may not be able to 
 do if not a practised rider, by dismounting quickly and 
 listening with his ear applied to the neck, near its junction 
 with the head. If the wdiistling be bad it will be heard 
 even without this precaution, and will continue for some 
 seconds, or even minutes, after the motion of the animal 
 has ceased; but this method of auscultation will detect it 
 in its smallest and most incipient stage. There is no point 
 in which a tyro in horse purchasing is so likely to be de- 
 ceived as in the wind. It requires, therefore, the utmost 
 precaution to detect it ; and the most positive determina- 
 tion when it is detected, even in the slightest modification, 
 to reject the animal, however otherwise irreproachable. 
 
 DEFECTS TO BE DETECTED IX THE LEGS AND FEET.* 
 
 We now come to the diseases and affections, or mal- 
 formations, of the legs and feet, which are, of course, 
 most fatal of all to the horse, for any useful purpose 
 whatever ; inasmuch as an animal, vrhose only utility lies 
 in his powers of locomotion, if deprived or seriously 
 curtailed of those very powers, is nearly valueless ; quite 
 so, unless he be an entire horse or a mare capable of pro- 
 pagating its species, and even then of little worth, since 
 no one with judgment cares to propagate a]:iimals likely to 
 inherit lameness in their blood. 
 
 It is not necessary, of course, to speak of horses which 
 are absolutely lame at the moment when they are offered 
 for sale, since such cripples cannot avoid showing the ail- 
 ment in their gait the moment they are put in motion, 
 
108 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 especially on a hard road, so palpably that no tyro can fail 
 to discover it. For this reason, it is well that the pur- 
 chaser sliould always insist on seeing the animal which is 
 offered for his inspection put through all its paces rapidly, 
 for a short distance, on a hard surface ; since many cripples 
 are able to make a good show enough on a soft ride, laid 
 several inches deep with tan-bark or sawdust, or on a 
 piece of nice turf, which if put in motion on a macadam- 
 ized road will flinch and show the weak point immedi- 
 ately. It is rather, therefore, the points which indicate 
 past lameness, likely to return, or the incipient traces of 
 what will probably produce future lameness, for which 
 the purchaser should be on the look-out, than for actual 
 lameness which displays itself on the spot. 
 
 In the first place, we will observe, that white hairs in 
 small spots on bay, brown, black or chestnut horses, un- 
 less on the face and feet, indicate wounds or abrasures, 
 where the roots of the hair have been injured so far as to 
 weaken the subsequent growth ; bare spots indicate wounds 
 of greater depth, where the roots of the hair have been 
 entirely destroyed. 
 
 Broken Knees. White spots on the knees show that 
 the horse has broken his knees at some time or other, and 
 ninety-nine times out of a hundred by falling — although the 
 owner will always have a good reason for the blemish, that 
 the horse was trying to leap a stone wall out of the pasture 
 and grazed his knees on the coping ; or that he reared up 
 in the stable and barked them against the under side of 
 the manger; or something else equally likely to have 
 happened. Now, a broken knee from a fall, if it be healed, 
 is no defect in itself, and produces no unsoundness ; still, 
 as it is fifty to one that a horse which has once fallen will, 
 under the like circumstances, fall again, a broken-kneed 
 horse is to be eschewed even more than a runaway or a 
 
EXAMINING THE LEGS. 109 
 
 kicker. And as it is fifty to one that every broken-kneed 
 horse is a stumbler, and that every horse with white or 
 bare patches on his knees is both a broken-kneed horse 
 and a stumbler, no one should buy a horse with bare or 
 white patches on his knees. 
 
 In Examining the Legs of a Hoese, the purchaser 
 should first stand with his face to the broadside of the horse 
 as he stands on flat ground, and observe whether he rests 
 perpendicularly on all his legs, having the natural propor- 
 tion of his weight on each leg straightly, squarely and di- 
 rectly ; or whether he stands with all his legs straddled 
 outside of their true aplomb ; or with all drawn together 
 under the centre of his belly, as if he were trying to stick 
 them all into a hat ; or lastly, whether he favors one or 
 more of his legs, either by pointing it forward or by placing 
 it in any position in which no weight at all or a very small 
 stress of weight is thrown upon it. A horse may appar- 
 ently favor one foot accidentally, from a casual impatience 
 or restlessness. He is not, therefore, to be rejected because 
 lie points a toe once or twice. But if he seem to do so, he 
 should be constantly brought back to the original position, 
 in which he must bear equally on each foot ; when, if he be 
 found constantly to favor the same foot in the same man- 
 ner, something serious must be suspected, which gives the 
 horse uneasiness and pain, though not perhaps sufficient in 
 degree to produce present lameness. If the toe of a fore 
 foot be persistently pointed forward, disease of the navicu- 
 lar, commonly known as the coffin bone, is to be suspected, 
 than wdiich no worse or less curable disease exists. If 
 both the fore feet are protruded and the hind feet thrown 
 back, as if the horse were about to stale, he has probably 
 been at some time foundered. If he stand with all his feet 
 drawn together under him, he is generally entirely used up, 
 and what is called groggy. If he stand with one or both 
 
110 now TO BL'Y A HORSE. 
 
 liis knees bent forward and his legs tremidous, or with both 
 his fetlock joints knuckled forward over his pasterns, one 
 may be sure that however good he ma}^ once have been, 
 he has been knocked to pieces or injured by hard diiving 
 and hard ^vork. Supposing the horse now to stand square 
 and true on all his legs, leaning his weight on each and all 
 indifferently, with one glance at the horse in profile the 
 side examination may be held as complete and satisfiictory. 
 That glance will ascertain whether the posterior outline of 
 the hock joint is nearly perpendicular, or whether it is an- 
 gular or has a convex curvilinear protubei-ance immedi- 
 ately above the commencement of the shank bone. This 
 curvilinear protuberance, if large, is a curb which will pro- 
 duce lameness, though not of an incurable sort ; if not large, 
 it is either the trace of a curb which has been cured, but 
 may at any time return, or an indication of tendency to 
 throw out curbs, on being put to hard work, especially in 
 heavy ground. Horses which have been curbed, or which 
 have curbed-shaped hocks, are generally to be avoided ; 
 but, as it is generally colts which throw out curbs, when first 
 put to hard w'ork, an old horse which has done his share of 
 work without having been actually curb:d, is not to be ab- 
 solutely rejected because he has what are commonly called 
 curb}^ hocks; for, that he has not yet thrown them out, 
 under the stress of his early hard work, is, to a certain ex- 
 tent, security that he will not do so now. Had the tendency 
 been strong it would probably have developed itself al- 
 ready. 
 
 The side examination finished, the observer should sta- 
 tion himself opposite to the head of the horse, and see that 
 in this point of view also the horse, standing or moving, 
 stands and moves with all his legs perpendicularly under 
 him. Not to do so does not, it is true, indicate disease, 
 but it indi.^atcs malformation, inducing awkwardness and 
 
DEFECTS OF THE LEGS. Ill 
 
 sometimes weakness. A knock-kneed or bow-kneed horse, 
 before, is like a knock-kneed or bow-kneed man • if the 
 former, weak and shaky on his legs; if the latter, a clumsy 
 mover, and, in the case of the horse, almost sure to inter- 
 fere, or strike one leg with the inner edge of the hoof of 
 the other — a ver}^ bad and, in some cases, very dangerous 
 fault. If, behind, the hocks are drawn in and the shanks 
 diverge outwardly, the horse is said to be cat-hammed or 
 cow-hocked ; and this is a serious malfoi-mation. an un- 
 gainly defect, and a cause and sign of weakness. If, on 
 the contrary, the hocks and legs are unusually wide apart, 
 so that the animal straddles in going, while it is a decided 
 point of strength, and consequently no defect in a mere draft 
 horse, it is jet ungainly and against a high degree of speed, 
 especially in a galloper. Somic trotters of great speed have 
 been straddlers behind ; and when this is the case and the 
 animal is needed for harness only, as it is a sure mark of 
 strength, it is not to be avoided, although ungainly ; for a 
 saddle-horse it is decidedly objectionable, since it produces 
 a style of action which is extremely disagreeable to the 
 rider. 
 
 His examination concluded, the purchaser must examine 
 the several legs, for distinct marks of structural unsound- 
 ness. The chief of these are, in the fore legs, splents, dam- 
 aged hack sinews^ and ringbones or side hoiies — in the hind 
 legs, hone^ bloody or bog spavins ; curbs, which have been de- 
 scribed above ; thorough pins, and, as in the fore legs, ring- 
 bones or side bones. 
 
 Splents are small excrescences of the bone, extruding 
 laterally from the canon bones, or shanks ; they sometimes 
 produce lameness, if so near to the knee as to interfere 
 with the action of the joint, or so far back as to interfere 
 with the play of the back sinews. If on the middle of the 
 bone, and nearly midway between the knee and fetlock, 
 
112 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 they are of little consequence. In fact, if a horse be not 
 lame of them, they are of less importance than is gene- 
 rally considered to be the case. They will generally yield 
 to blistering and acupuncturing. Still, a splenty horse is, 
 coeteris paribus^ to be avoided ; rather, however, in our opin- 
 ion, because it shows a tendency to form bony excres- 
 cences, than from the actual evil that they do. 
 
 Damaged Back Sinews arise from the giving way of 
 those most important motors, in consequence of wrench, 
 or strain, or over-exertion. However momentarily cured, 
 or relieved, a horse whose back sinews have once yielded, 
 is never again to be depended upon. These sinews run 
 down the back of the leg, immediately in the rear of the 
 canon bone, from the hock to the fetlock, and in their 
 proper condition, should be as round, as tense and as firm 
 as a harp-string, and connected to the bone by a sheath 
 of firm yet elastic ligaments. The state of these is ascer- 
 tained by grasping the leg, from before backward, and 
 running the hand downward from the knee to the fetlock, 
 with the nails of the thumb and middle finger in the 
 groove formed by the connection of the canon bone and 
 sinew. If the sheath be even, free from loose cells or 
 flexures, and if the sinew be firm, round, straight and 
 cord-like, all is right. But if it be in places detached par- 
 tially from the bone, flexed inward or outward, or if it 
 feel spongy or knotty, it is certain that something lins 
 gone wrong, and will, or at least may, be wrong again. 
 If pinched at the places where the flexures, detachments, 
 sponginess or knottiness occur, the horse will often evince 
 pain and wince manifestly from the pressure. Damaged 
 back sinews, if they do not produce present lameness, do 
 not constitute unsoundness, but they do constitute a 
 serious blemish, and are, in our judgment, an all-sufficient 
 obstacle to purchasing. 
 
DEFECTS OF THE LEGS. 118 
 
 KiNGBONE is a circular excresence of the bone, as its 
 name indicates, encircling the coronet, or part of the foot 
 immediately above the junction of the hair and hoof. It 
 produces one of the worst and the most incurable of all 
 foot lamenesses. 
 
 Side-hone is the same affection when it is only partial — 
 not forming a complete ring round the foot. It produces 
 the same lameness, and is equally incurable. It is com- 
 mon to both fore and hind feet, although far more frequent 
 before. It can easily be detected by the hand passed care- 
 fully over the part. 
 
 Of navicular disease and other deep-seated lamenesses, 
 there are no exterior signs, and, if the animal do not go 
 lame, they are undiscoverable and beyond suspicion ; it 
 needs not, therefore, to allude to them. 
 
 Glean legs are those free from all splents, bony excres- 
 cences and protuberances, the effect of accident or knock- 
 ing about. 
 
 Fresh legs are those in which there are no windgalls or 
 puffy excrescences of the skin, but in which the bones, 
 sinews, ligaments and cuticle are all in their normal and 
 proper condition. 
 
 In the hind legs the joint most to be looked to is the 
 hock, and the ailment most to be dreaded, the spavin. 
 
 The Spavin is either bone, blood or bog, all equally 
 producing a desperate and dangerous lameness; but the 
 first curable, the last two utterly incurable. The first is 
 a bony excrescence of the inward and lower anterior por- 
 tion of the hock joint. It is discoverable by the eye 
 looking from before backward, or by the hand. It some- 
 times produces total lameness; sometimes severe lame- 
 ness on first starting, which passes entirely away as soon 
 as the animal gets warm to his work ; and sometimes, 
 though rarely, exists without producing any lameness at 
 
o > 
 
 114 now TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 all. It is sometimes curable by firing and blisterin 
 sometimes utterly incurable. It is always an absolute 
 cause for not purchasing any horse; but not alwaj^s an 
 absolute cause for selling an otherwise good horse. We 
 once drove a grey grandson of ^lessenger, for five years, 
 who had a very large bone spavin in the ver\^ worst place. 
 lie invariably took his three first steps from a stationary 
 position, however momentary the duration of the time he 
 had been at rest, like a dead-lame horse, bnt tlien went as 
 sound as any other horse in the world, until he again stood 
 still. No day was too long for him, nor was every day in 
 a month too often. But, after all, he was not the rule, but 
 the exception which proves the rule. 
 
 Bog spavin is the extravasation of the synovial fluid, 
 which lubricates the joint, and its collection in a sac in the 
 inward and lower anterior portion of the hock joint, some- 
 what within and before the point at which the bone spavin 
 occurs. It may be seen partially in profile, but can be felt 
 readily by pressure of the hand, under which it fluctuates. 
 
 Blood spavin is a similar extravasation of artei-ial blood 
 and formation, nearly in the same place, of a sort of 
 aneurismal sac. It is detected as before, and may be dis- 
 tinguished from the bog spavin by the fact that it pulsates. 
 Both these spavins are incurable under any ordinary treat- 
 ment ; the former absolutely so. It is possible that tying 
 the artery might reduce the latter, but we are not aware 
 that the operation has ever been tried. 
 
 Thoroughpin is a similar extravasation of the synovial 
 fluid, and the formation of a sac, runnino- between the 
 bones of the hock joint, not from the front backward, but 
 across the joint, from side to side. It can be easily de- 
 tected by the fingers, under the pressure of which the 
 fluid can be felt to ebb and flow from side to side. 
 Thoroughpin, like the kindred spavins, is incurable. It 
 
THE AGE OF A HORSE. ll;j 
 
 is needless to say that every horse with determined bone, 
 bog or blood spavin, or with thoroughpin, must be sum- 
 maril}^ rejected, but not needless to saj' that everj- one 
 with any tendency to irregular bony enlargement, or to 
 puffiness in the places indicated, should be peremptoiilj^ 
 refused as something more than suspicious. 
 
 These are the points which it is most necessary for the 
 purchaser to look to; still, even if he be a really good 
 amateur judge of a horse, he will be wise not to buy 
 except of a person of whom he knows something — not to 
 buy without a guaranty of soundness; and above all, not 
 without the opinion of a reputable veterinary surgeon, 
 whom he knows to have no interest in the sale, or friend- 
 ship with the seller. Even so, he will never be perfectly 
 sure that he will not himself be sold ; for, as a distin- 
 guished novelist has well observed, although there is no 
 honester beast in the whole range of creation than a horse, 
 no other has so singular a faculty for making men dis- 
 honest. 
 
 How TO Tell the Age of a Hokse. — The age of the 
 horse is usually determined by the appearance of the teeth ; 
 of these there are two sets: first the milk teeth, which 
 come before the age of one year ; second, the " permanent 
 set" which come soon after the falling out of the former ; 
 this change is completed at the age of five years. 
 
 The teeth which are most uniform in their progression 
 are the nippers or incisors, those on the lower jaw being 
 ordinarily referred to. Of these nippers there are six, — 
 those farthest from the centre are called " corner teeth." 
 
 These corner teeth, and, indeed, all of the nippers, are 
 composed of a bony substance which is inclosed in the 
 enamel, which gives hardness to the teeth. Their form is 
 somewhat conical, though irregularly so (fig. 1). The top 
 of the newly-formed tooth, say the corner tooth of a five- 
 
116 
 
 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 years-old horse, is long from side to side, while, a little far- 
 ther down, the form becomes more triangular ; and near 
 the bottom— that pai-t of the tooth which is below the gams 
 
 in early life — it is long from 
 front to rear, and narrow from 
 side to side. This is shown in 
 fig. 2, which represents a tooth 
 cut across at various distances 
 from the top of the crown, 
 and in which the different 
 forms of the different parts of 
 • the tooth are plainly represent- 
 ed. Now sup- 
 pose the tooth 
 to be split down ^ 
 the middle,from 
 one end to the 
 other, on a line 
 passing across the top of the tooth, from the 
 outer side to the inn:er side, as the tooth* 
 stands in the jaw. Tiiis will give a sec- 
 tional appearance, like that in fig. 3, the 
 concave side being tho inner side. The hard 
 enamel which coats the outer portion of the 
 tooth folds inward and passes down, forming a cavity, 
 nearly to the bottom of the tooth, and then returns near 
 the inner edge, until it joins the exterior coating of en- 
 amel on that side. The cavity thus formed is filled with 
 a dark-colored matter, and it is closed, or nearly closed, 
 at the top by a dishing cover of enamel. We are now 
 prepared to understand how the appearance of the teeth 
 becomes changed wi;:h age. The corner tooth, at five 
 years of age, is lon{5 from side to side, and has, at its 
 summit, a deep cavity, called a "mark," which is 
 
 Fig. 1. 
 
 Fig. 2. 
 
 6 
 
THE AGE. 
 
 117 
 
 represented at the 
 tops of figures 2 
 and 3, the six nip- 
 pers, together form- 
 ing nearly a semi- 
 circle ; and their 
 general appearance 
 is similar to that 
 Fig. 4. ^ represented in fig- 
 
 ure 4. 
 
 As the horse becomes older his teeth are worn away by 
 use, and it is to this cause only are due the changes by 
 which we determine his age. The effect of this wearing 
 down is the same as would be that of cutting or sawing 
 off a portion of the teeth. They are supposed to be worn, 
 down about one twelfth of an inch per year, though the 
 precise amount must depend very much on circumstances, 
 such as crib-biting, vigorous feeding, etc. If we look at 
 the mouth of a horse eight or nine years old, we shall see 
 that his corner teeth have been so worn down that the 
 mark, or superficial cav- 
 ity, is entirely destroy- 
 ed, and that the surface 
 has descended to the 
 point marked by the 
 lines a. «., figures 2 and 
 8 ; still later the upper 
 surface of the tooth descends to the point marked by the 
 lines h. h.^ figures 2 and 3. The folding in of the enameh 
 has now almost entirely disappeared, leaving very little dis- 
 coloration on the teeth, while the upper surface of the 
 tooth is almost triangular instead of being long from side 
 to side, as was the original surface. The teeth of the 
 lower faw now present the appearance shown in figure 5. 
 
 Fig. 5. 
 
118 
 
 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 Fig. 6. 
 
 At the age of twenty-one years the teeth of the lower 
 
 jaw become very long 
 
 from front to rear ; this 
 having always been the 
 shape of that part of the 
 tooth which has never 
 until now been made ap- 
 parent. The teeth at this 
 age are represented in figure 6. 
 
 The experience of horsemen has established the follow- 
 ing rules for determining the age from the appearance of 
 the teeth (we adopt the classification of Pessina, a German 
 Veterinary Surgeon) : 
 
 At birth the teeth have not appeared ; six or eight 
 days thereafter the two middle nippers of the set of milk 
 teeth are cut ; the pair next to 
 them are cut at thirty or forty 
 days; and the corner teeth at 
 six to ten months. These teeth 
 have all the mark, or superficial 
 cavity, when first cut ; this how- 
 ever disappears in the teeth of 
 the lower jaw, in the middle nippers, in ten months ; in 
 the next pair at one year ; in the corner teeth at from fif. 
 teen months to two years. 
 
 The milk teet-h give place to the permanent set as fol- 
 lows : the middle nippers at two and a half to three years, 
 the next pair at three and a half to four years, the corner 
 teeth at four and a half to five years,— these periods may 
 by hastened three or four months by pulling or knocking 
 out the milk teeth. 
 
 At five yearSy the corners are up even with the other 
 teeth, the mark is entirely worn out from the middle nip- 
 pers, and partly worn from the next pair (fig. 4). 
 
 Rg. 7. 
 
THE AGE. 119 
 
 At six years, the mark is almost gone from the second 
 pair, and the outer edge of the corner teeth is worn down. 
 
 At seven years, the mark is entirely gone from the second 
 pair, the edges of the corner t jcth are worn somewhat flat? 
 though there is still a slight cavity in the centre. 
 
 At eight years, the teeth of the lower jaw are worn en- 
 tirely flat, the mark having disappeared-from all of them. 
 The form of the surface of the tooth has become oval, and 
 the central enamel is long from side to side, and is near to 
 the front of the tooth. 
 
 At nine years, the middle nippers are rounded on the 
 inner side, the oval of the second pair and of the corner 
 teeth becomes, broader, the central enamel is nearer to the 
 inner side, and the marks have disappeared from the teeth 
 of the upper jaw (fig. 5). 
 
 At ten years, the second pair are rounded on the inner 
 side, and the central enamel is very near to the inner side. 
 
 At eleven years, the corner teeth are rounded, and the 
 central enamel becomes very narrow. 
 
 At twelve years, the nippers are all rounded, and the cen- 
 tral enamel has entirely disappeared from the lower jaw, 
 but it may still be seen in the upper jaw. 
 
 At thirteen years, the middle nippers commence to assume 
 a triangular form in the lower jaw, and the central enamel 
 has entirely disappeared from the corner teeth of the up- 
 per jaw. 
 
 At fourteen years, the middle nippers have become trian- 
 gular, and the second pair are assuming that form. The 
 central enamel has diminished in the middle nippers of the 
 upper jaw. 
 
 At fifteen years, the second pair have become triangular ; 
 the central emamel is still visible in the upper jaw. 
 
 At sixteen years, all of the teeth in the lower jaw have 
 
120 HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
 
 become triangular, and the central enamel is entirel}^ re- 
 moved from the second pair in the upper jaw. 
 
 At seventeen years^ the sides of the triangle of the middle 
 nippers are all of the same length ; the central enamel has 
 entirely disappeared from the upper teeth. 
 
 At eighteen years the sides of the triangle of the middle 
 nippers are longer at the sides of the teeth than in front. 
 
 At nineteen years^ the middle nippers become flattened 
 from side to side, and long from front to rear. 
 
 At twenty years^ the second pair assume the same form. 
 
 At twenty-one years^ all of the teeth of the lower jaw 
 have become flattened from side to side, their greatest 
 diameter being exactly the reverse of what it was in youth. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 
 
 CO^'SEQlJE^TCES OF IMPROPER FEEDING— DIFFERENT FOOD FOR IIFFERENT 
 CONDITIONS— FOOD FOR THE BROOD-MARE— FOR THE FOAL— FOR "^VORKING 
 HORSES — GREEN FOOD — CARROTS— CORN— FEEDING HORSES IN TRAINING- 
 WHILE TRAVELLING— SUMMERING HORSES: THE BEST ilETHOD- MANAGE- 
 MENT OF OMNIBUS HORSES IN NEW YORK. 
 
 To those who are really acquainted with the horse and ac- 
 customed to his use, it is well known that, at the least, one-half 
 of his availability for work, of his fitness for its perform- 
 ance, of his endurance through a period of years, his health, 
 his beauty and his value, depends on the quality and 
 quantity of his food and the manner of his feeding. At 
 least one-half of the diseases to ^vhich he is liable are di- 
 rectly ascribable to bad food, or good food badly adminis- 
 tered ; to insufiicient food or to over-feeding ; to want of 
 judgment in feeding when no food should be given, or in 
 giving what Avould be the best at one time, at another 
 time when it is the worst. Bad stabling, bad grooming 
 and bad clothing are nearly as bad in their results ; but it 
 may be safely said that the bane of most horses and the 
 shame of most stables, is bad feeding;' and that, too, when 
 no expense is spared by the owner in providing for the 
 best and where nothing is wanting but a clear understand- 
 ing of what ought to be done and what left undone, in the 
 way of feeding, joined to a system by which the groom, 
 or whosoever has the duty of attending the animal to per- 
 form, shall be compelled or induced implicitly to obey 
 orders, if he break owners. 
 
 The system of feeding horses is diverse and complex ; 
 it cannot be presented once for all, or laid down on a set 
 6 [121] 
 
122 HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 
 
 formula, for it must constantly vary with the various qual- 
 ities of horses ; the various conditions to which every in- 
 dividual horse is liable; the various kinds of work to 
 which he is applied, and the various circumstances under 
 which he may be required to" do his work. 
 
 Thus, the food of a race-horse or a match-trotter will 
 and should differ essentially from that of a carriage-horse, 
 a road-hackney, or a riding-horse ; while the food of these 
 again, as also their stabling and grooming, will and should 
 differ materially from those of a team-horse, or a slow- 
 working farm-horse. Again, the food of a gentleman's 
 show carriage -horses, or roadsters, which are only called 
 upon to do a few hours light work on four or five days in 
 the week, and which stand idle in their stalls half the time, 
 yet are always required to show well in their coats, and ex- 
 ecute well as regards wind and speed, will and should 
 differ materially from that of horses of the same class, in 
 the hands of another owner who drives or rides his ani- 
 mals over twenty, thirty or forty miles every day, with 
 now and then, only, a day of rest, and who expects to have 
 them looking well, working well, in good heart and in 
 good condition all the time. 
 
 Lastly, the food of all horses must vary and differ from 
 time to time, according to their age, the seasons of the 
 year, their exact state of health at the time, and the nature 
 of the work they are doing or will shortly be called upon 
 to do ; and, still more than all, must vary and differ, as 
 they may be standing in their own comfortable stables, or 
 travelling on the road in the performance of a journey, 
 under unusual hardship and fatigue. 
 
 In the iirst place, however, to begin from the beginning, 
 the system of a horse's feeding, as well as of his grooming 
 and stabling commences, — and if it be intended that he 
 shall be a valuable and superior animal, must needs com- 
 
HOW TO FEED A HOKSE. 123 
 
 mence, before he is born. If his dam, while pregnant of 
 him, be overworked, be under-fed, be neglected, and kept 
 cold or filthy, or allowed to pick up her own subsistance 
 as she may on open fields or commons, the foal must be a 
 a starveling ; and, ten to one, will never attain its full size, 
 or the full possession of its powers. If to neglect be- 
 fore its birth be added neglect of the dam and young crea- 
 ture, both, during its minority ; if they be exposed to cold, 
 to rain, snow, heat, in a word, to the weather and its chan- 
 ges, generally ; if they receive no food, — the dam, but what 
 she can gather from the pasture, and the foal, but the thin 
 and unprofitable milk which the dam can produce from 
 such sustenance, — if they have no comfortable, airy shed 
 to protect them from the scorching suns of summer, no 
 warm stable to shield them from the nipping cold of au- 
 tumnal nights, the foal will be, from the first to the last, 
 but a wretched, stunted, starveling creature ; and will 
 never repay the breeder the expense or pains of rearing 
 him. 
 
 According to the nature, quality and blood of the foal, 
 so should the mare, before and after parturition, and the 
 foal, from the time of its birth, be nurtured, housed and 
 fed. It is not of course to be expected that a cart-mare, 
 in foal to a cart-stallion, a Norman, Canadian, or Cleveland, 
 or Clydesdale, the produce of which expects only to be a 
 cart-horse of improved degree, or, at the best, a heavy 
 carriage-horse, should receive the pains, and have the ex- 
 pense lavished on her which would be expended on a 
 thorough-bred mare, having the blood of twenty genera- 
 tions in her veins, and stinted to a horse inheritor of all 
 the glories of the turf, to the days of its first and noblest 
 champions. Still, it is a truth, that if it be worth the while 
 to breed a beast at all, it is worth the while to breed a 
 good beast, — nay I but the very best beast, if one can, of the 
 
124 HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 
 
 race or family to which he belongs ; and this cannot be done 
 unless both the dam, before parturition, and the dam and 
 foal together, after the birth of the latter, be so supplied 
 with food, warmth, and shelter, as to allow the little animal 
 an ample fund Avhence to draw his bone, his muscles, the 
 development of his size and his blood, and, in a word, suf- 
 ficient nutriment for the production of all those qualities 
 which one would desire him to possess when he shall have 
 attained his 'maturity. 
 
 Mares and foals should, then, always be supplied, in 
 their summer pastures, with a good, cool, airy shed, for 
 shelter against the sun, or rain ; in their winter quarters, 
 with a close, warm, but thoroughly clean and ventilated 
 stable. They should have abundance of good, rich, suc- 
 culent food of the best quality ; especially the dam, before 
 the birth of the foal, and during the time while she is suckling 
 it. It is not necessary, but it is desirable^ that she should have 
 oats or corn : where it is a thorough-bred mare in foal to 
 a thorough-bred, and expected to produce a racer, she 
 should be cared for almost as if she herself were in w^ork, 
 and should have, at least, her two feeds daily, before par- 
 turition ; and, after the birth and in the early days of nurs- 
 ing, two good mashes of steamed oats and bran, given 
 moderately warm, in addition to her pasturage. As the 
 foal gains age, she should have her oats regularly, and the 
 young thing should be encouraged to eat of oats, likewise, 
 as early as possible. He will soon take to it, and a quart 
 or two per diem, increased to a full peck during the first 
 year, and to two pecks, added to his pasturage in summer, 
 and his hay, chopped straw, or feed in winter, in his sec- 
 ond year, will amply repay the owner in the quality of 
 bone and muscle which the animal will form, and in the 
 increased size, beauty and stamina, which wall be his char- 
 acteristics when he is growing toward maturity. It is not 
 
HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 125 
 
 too much to say, that a foal, treated thus, will be, at two 
 years old, the equal of any three year old, allowed to take 
 his chance, without any food but that furnished by his 
 dam from her ordinary commons, or picked up b}^ himself, 
 in his summer pasture or winter straw yard. 
 
 Scarcely inferior should be the pains taken with a good 
 half-bred mare, or Canadian, or Norman, in foal to a thor- 
 ough-bred, and expected to produce an offspring of supe- 
 rior character, as a trotter, a carriage-horse, or a roadster ; 
 and we should clearly and decidedly recommend the giv- 
 ing of oats, in small quantities, to both the parent and the 
 young of this second description. 
 
 Where ordinary horses are concerned it must be a ques- 
 tion, in the main, of dollars and cents ; for it is clear that, if 
 a man be breeding from such parents, and under such cir- 
 cumstances that he only expects to realize a hundred 
 dollars, more or less, for his colt or filly, at three years old, 
 there will not be much margin for superfluous expenditures, 
 in the way of early feed or nurture. Still, it is certain that 
 every dollar laid out on the pregnant mare, and on the 
 nursing mare and her foal, will return tenfold to the breeder, 
 in the real goodness of the animal. 
 
 We do not believe that it is ever worth the while to breed 
 inferior or second-rate animals of any kind ; but that, 
 whatever the kind be, it is the most profitable to breed the 
 best of that kind, and so to keep and care for it, that the 
 creature, when bred, shall attain its perfect standard and 
 full development, and be, in itself, the best attainable speci- 
 men and standard of its kind. 
 
 This cannot be done, whether the animal is to be an 
 Eclipse, a Flora Temple, a clever roadster, a noble express 
 teamster, a showy carriage -horse, an officer's charger, or a 
 first-rate farm animal, unless it be well-fed and well cared 
 for while it is growing. 
 
126 HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 
 
 jS'ow, to come to working-horses, we would say, in the 
 first place, that as a general rule, especiallj for fast-work- 
 ing horses, a great deal too much hay and too little grain, 
 comparatively, and, indeed, too much of both is ordinarily 
 given. For a gentleman's carriage-horses, or roadsters, 
 at ordinary work, in their own stables, eight pounds, and 
 from that up to ten, of the very best, richest and most 
 succulent hay is amply sufficient, with twelve quarts of 
 good heavy oats, as a daily allowance. 
 
 They should be fed with a lock of hay and half a pail 
 of water, the first thing in the morning, on opening the 
 stable ; and when the stables have been aired, cleaned and 
 littered, should have, after being thoroughly gToomed, 
 their other half-pail of water, and — if they be not going 
 out — ^four quarts of oats ; and when they have eaten these 
 they may have about four or five pounds of hay in their 
 racks, and be left dark and quiet. If they be going out 
 early, they should have six quarts of oats at their morning 
 feed, and no hay. 
 
 If they be standing in the stable, and not to be put to 
 work until afternoon, they should be again watered, and 
 have four quarts more at noon ; and when they return at 
 night, should be cleaned, watered, fed with oats, and have 
 the remainder of their hay in their racks at night. This 
 will be found amply sufficient to keep horses in good 
 working condition, when no extraordinary labor — that is to 
 say, not to exceed from ten to twenty miles per diem — is 
 expected of them, and neither extraordinary turns of speed 
 nor feats of endurance. Half a bushel of nicely-washed 
 carrots, given, a few at a time, every week, will be found 
 to improve the coat, to be particularly beneficial to the 
 stomach and wind, and to be very grateful to the animal ; 
 and, in weather and in places where they can be easily 
 provided, a few handfuls of green meat, clover, fine mead- 
 
HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 127 
 
 ow grass, or maize, — long stalks and leaves, sown broad- 
 cast and cut young, will cool tlie blood, give a kindly al- 
 terative to tlie system, keep tlie bowels moderately open, 
 and please the appetite of the animal. They should not, 
 however, be given too freely, when the horse is at hard 
 work, as they will, perhaps, produce laxity and scouring. 
 It is a good plan to give a good mash of stewed bran and 
 oats once a week. Saturday evening — if Sunday be, as it 
 often is, and always, except in cases of emergency, should 
 be, a day of rest — is often and appropriately set apart for 
 this purpose. After an unusually hard day's work, such 
 a mash is always both useful and grateful to the beast ; and 
 where there is much fatigue and exhaustion, a quart of ale 
 may be added to the masli with advantage. Nitre and 
 drugs of all khids should be studiously avoided, and never 
 used except when prescribed as medicine. Kew corn should 
 never be used as horse feed. It is emphatically danger- 
 ous ; is heating, apt to swell and produce obstruction of the 
 bowels, and to cause colic and even acute inflammation. 
 Old corn may be given, but sparingly and cautiously, and 
 never in a greater ratio than two quarts where you would 
 give three of oats. Horses should never be fed within an 
 hour before being put to work, and then should be worked 
 slowly until the bowels are fully evacuated ; nor within 
 two hours, if it can be avoided, should they have to per- 
 form sharp work. More horses have their winds broken 
 by being worked quick and hard, with their bellies dis- 
 tended with hay, grain and water, than from all other 
 causes combined; and more are foundered from being 
 over-fed while hot, exhausted, and in a state of quasi col 
 lapse ; and are exposed to colic and acute inflammation 
 of the bowels, from being freely watered and subjected to 
 drafts of cold air, showers of rain, or being injudiciously 
 bathed or washed, after sharp work, when their stomachs 
 
128 HOW TO FEED A HOESE. 
 
 are empty, and themselves craving a good dressing and a 
 warm masli, tlian one would readily imagine. 
 
 The faster and severer the work which a horse is ex- 
 pected to perform, tlie sounder, more nutritious and more 
 abundant should be bis food. His oats should be increased 
 and his hay diminished. For a fast trotter, in constant 
 work, and expected to perform considerable distances in 
 good time, six pounds of hay will be amply suf&cient — 
 since dry hay, indisputably, is injurious to the wind ; but 
 the oats may be increased to fourteen, or sixteen quarts, 
 or, in fact, to as much as the animal will eat. The same 
 may be said of a hunter, of a gentleman's roadster (when 
 the master is in the habit of calling on liim to do long 
 distances regularly, at a good rate of speed) and, in short, 
 of all horses, which it is more or less necessary to force, 
 to keep in an unnatural state, for tlie performance of un- 
 natural feats. The training of racers and trotters is so 
 distinctly a science, apart and of itself, and is one limited 
 to so small a class of persons, comparatively speaking, and 
 consequently possessed of so little general interest, that it 
 will not be worth the while to speak of it in detail at pres- 
 ent. It consists, of course, in getting the horse for a 
 short time, into the highest possible state of condition; 
 hardness of flesh, excitement of spirits, bloom of coat, 
 speed of foot and depth of wind, which is effected by com- 
 bining the most nutritious and stimulating system of feed- 
 ing with such constant and severe exercise, and such medical 
 treatment as, while exciting and raising every power of 
 the animal to the utmost, prevents surfeit, prevents fever, 
 and, for the time, preserves an equilibrium, which, how- 
 ever, at best, is only temporary, and cannot possibly be 
 prolonged ad infinitum. A horse could no more be kept 
 always in full training than he could always be ridden at 
 full gallop. It is an abnormal condition ; and, while it 
 
HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 129 
 
 develops the utmost powers of the creature, requires tuc 
 greatest skill and the most constant attention on the part 
 of the person who undertakes to produce it. 
 
 Even with horses in full training, or in that half training 
 which is necessarily aimed at by those \\ho keep jjleasure 
 horses for fast, continual and long protracted work, the oc- 
 casional exhibition of carrots and green meat, in small 
 quantities, is of great advantage. It prevents the animals 
 from becoming hide-bound, it keeps their blood cool, and 
 it affords an agreeable change to their over-stimulated ap- 
 petites, often partially fevered from excess of grain feeding. 
 Mashes are also highly valuable ; and it is always desirable 
 to give them, after hard work, and when too hard wo]?k is 
 not likely to ensue on the following day. Moistening the 
 hay and oats is not a bad practice, and is especially bene- 
 ficial to the wind. A small quantity of salt may be occa- 
 sionally given to advantage in the oats ; horses are fond of 
 it, and will often take their feed greedily if a little is inter- 
 mixed with it, when they would otherwise refuse it alto- 
 gether. Nitre should never be given in the food, though 
 bad grooms are extremely fond of using it, as a nostrum 
 for the production of fine coats. It is a severe diuretic, 
 and injuriously drains the stamina and strength of any 
 horse to which it is supplied as an article of food or a con- 
 diment, although it is valuable as a medicine. 
 
 It rests only to say, that water, although it should never 
 be given to a horse in large quantities shortly before being 
 put to work ; or at all, on his coming off work, while hot ; 
 still less, while jaded or exhausted, — should be ordinarily 
 furnished to him often, and in abundance. Not so much 
 in large draughts at a time, which improperly distend the 
 stomach, as in small quantities, at frequently-recurring in- 
 tervals. Many persons advocate the plan of keeping water 
 constantly within reach of the horse, on the ground that he 
 6* 
 
130 HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 
 
 actually drinks less, on the whole, when he has it ever be- 
 fore him ; and that from never becoming intensely thirsty, he 
 is never tempted to drink to excess ; and the argument is 
 certainly good. The difficulty lies in this, that the horse is 
 particularly delicate about what he drinks, and cannot en- 
 dure tepid, stale, or impure water; and that, if water be 
 supplied constantly, in the stable, with ninety-nine grooms 
 out of a hundred, it will be allowed to stand in the 
 vessel, week in and week out, occasionally filled up, but 
 never drawn off or thoroughly cleansed until it is full of 
 impurities of all kinds impregnated with ammonia from 
 the atmosphere, and alike unfit and unwholesome for the 
 animal to drink. 
 
 When metallic mangers can be contrived, having a sup- 
 ply pipe feeding them with constantly running, aerated 
 water, and an escape pipe, which, while they shall be 
 constantly full, shall never allow them to overflow, no 
 plan can be adopted equal to this — as the water, beside 
 supplying the animals with their beverage, will have an 
 admirable effect in purifying, and cooling the heated at- 
 mosphere of the stables ; but, otherwise, it will be hardly 
 practicable, or desirable, to keep water constantly before 
 horses in their stalls or boxes. 
 
 When horses are working on the road, they should be 
 watered, cleaned and fed, very early, at least two hours 
 before it is intended to start them; they should have 
 merely a lock of hay, to play with, while being dressed, 
 and should be then fed with full six quarts of oats. If 
 they be, at all, delicate feeders, it will often succeed to 
 offer them two quarts at a time, and, when that is finished, 
 to refill the mangers. Sometimes, by partially harness- 
 ing a horse, particularly if he be a cunning old stager, he 
 will be inclined to go to work as hard at his feed as he 
 can, for fear of losing what is set before him. For the 
 
HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 131 
 
 first six or eight miles the horse should be driven gently, 
 until he has unloaded his bowels, when his pace may be 
 increased, until he be within a few miles' distance of his 
 mid-day halting and feeding-place, when he should be 
 pulled up, so as to allow him to come in cool. Horses should 
 be watered often, when at work, say once in every eight 
 or ten miles ; but from a few swallows to the extent of 
 half a bucket, at the most, is sufficient. This will not hurt 
 them, even if they be hot, provided they be not exhausted, 
 and provided they be kept standing but a little while, and 
 be instantly put to their work, again, at a moderate pace. 
 It is an excellant plan to accustom them to drink water, 
 with a few handfuls of Indian meal, and a little salt stirred 
 into it, as this not only prevents the possibility of a 
 chill, but affords, in some degree, the support of a solid 
 meal. Some horses will drink ale or porter, freely ; all 
 horses may be taught to do so, by sweetening it with 
 brown sugar. It is a very useful and desirable quality, 
 in a horse. It is astonishing how much an exhausted 
 animal is sometimes reinvigorated, on a hot day, by a 
 draught of ale, and if he will — as we have seen many do — 
 eat a rye loaf cut in pieces and steeped in ale or porter, it 
 will do him more good than six quarts of oats. 
 
 The mid-day halt of a horse should be long enough to 
 allow of his being thoroughly rested and cleaned, before 
 being fed ; he should have, as before, a lock of hay to 
 play with, while cleaning ; be watered sparingly, and then 
 be fed with four quarts, and have the rest of his water 
 shortly before starting. 
 
 In travelling a journey, it is desirable to start as early 
 as possible in the morning, and to accomplish the most of 
 the days' journey before halting to bait. In summer one 
 would start at four o'clock, travel till ten or eleven, halt 
 and bait until five, and drive on until nine or ten; at 
 
132 HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 
 
 this rate one will do his fifty miles for a few days, or his 
 forty, day in and day out, for a month — as the writer has 
 done more than once, without trouble or distress to his 
 team. 
 
 On getting to the journey's end, at night, if very much 
 exhausted, the horses should be plentifully supplied, as 
 quickly as they can have it, with tepid gruel, if they will 
 drink it, — the thicker the better ; they should be walked 
 about until cool, be thoroughly cleaned, having a bit of 
 hay to amuse themselves with, nicely clothed, and their legs 
 bandaged. Then they should have half a pail of water, 
 and six quarts of oats ; and, after giving them the second 
 half pail, their racks should be furnished with six or 
 eight pounds of good hay, and they should be left for the 
 night. Give them good beds, and they will be as fresh as 
 birds, and ready for any work they may be required to 
 perform, to-morrow. Far otherwise, if you feed them 
 lightly, at night and in the morning, and stop them twice, 
 or more during their working hours, to fill their bellies 
 with a mass of hay and oats, and then work them, with 
 their stomachs distended, and their bowels stuffed with 
 crude or undigested food, from which they have derived 
 no real nutriment. 
 
 With regard to mere farm-horses, it is, usually, the habit 
 to feed them entirely on hay, or cut straw, with now and 
 then a mash, giving them little, or no oats, or corn. It is 
 certain, how'ever, that this is a mistake. That the value 
 of the work which the. horse can do, and of the horse 
 himself, arising from his improved condition and increased 
 endurance, will be materially raised, while the actual cost 
 of his keep will not be very materially increased by the 
 diminution of the quantity of the cheaper and less nutri- 
 tious food given to him, and the addition of a smaller or 
 larger portion of the more nutritive grain, which furnished 
 
HOW TO FEED A HOKSE. 183 
 
 stamina and strength, in a degree greatly in excess of its 
 own increased value, may be assumed as facts. 
 
 Slow working horses do not, of course, require so much 
 nutriment of a high quality, as those which are called on 
 to do quick work and perform long distances; but, as a 
 rule, all animals, which have to do hard work, and much 
 of it, must necessarily be so kept as to have hard flesh ; 
 and they cannot be so kept, unless they are fed on hard 
 grain. 
 
 There is, perhaps, under the head of feeding, one more 
 point, which should be considered. It is that of summer- 
 ing horses, which have been kept up at hard work, in hot 
 stables and on highly stimulating food, for a year or more ; 
 and whose feet and legs have become stale, and their whole 
 systems more or less fevered, so that it is desirable to alter 
 their mode of life, for a time ; to give them more air, 
 cooler lodgings, and a more natural and less exciting diet. 
 It was, formerly, usual to prepare such horses for grass, 
 by three regular doses of medicine, and then to turn them 
 out, upon some grass land, to fare as they might best, until 
 the summer time should be over, when they are to be 
 taken up again, physiced, as before, and got gradually 
 into condition, by feeding and exercise — -a process which 
 could not, with the very best grooms, be accomplished 
 under three or four months, perhaps not in double the time. 
 
 The objections to this plan are, first, the length of time, 
 which is required before the horse, which has by this 
 system been thrown wholly out of condition, can be re- 
 cuperated. Secondly, the great probability of his coming 
 up lame from galloping, gambolling and skylarking with 
 his co-mates, on the pastures, which under our American 
 sunshine are usually burned as hard and nearly as brown 
 as a turnpike road in July. Thirdly, the poorness and 
 innutricious quality of the arid, dried up grass at this period. 
 
134 HOW TO fp:ed a horse. 
 
 Fourtlily, the want of shade and shelter on most horse 
 pastures. Fifthly, the plague of flies and mosquitoes, 
 which are almost sufficient to torture a thin-skinned ani- 
 mal out of his life ; and sixthly and lastly, the result of 
 the whole is, nine times out of ten, that the animal comes 
 up poorer th^n he was when he went out, sun-bleached, 
 thm, and dry in his coat; his hair staring; his ribs bare; 
 in all respects a failure, unimproved if not actually deteri- 
 orated by his summer's run at grass. 
 
 For this, it has been lately attempted, we may say now 
 established, with perfect success, to keep the horse par- 
 tially up, in a large, loose box, if possible, adjoining and 
 opening to a soft, moist, well-sheltered paddock ; to take 
 off his shoes, stuff his feet with a cooling paste of tar, 
 tallow, clay, and cow-dung ; to reduce his sj^stem, by ad- 
 ministering two or three mild doses of medicine, not to 
 exceed four drachms each of Barbadoes aloes, the animal 
 having been well prepared for them by assiduous mashing ; 
 and then to feed him regularly and plentifully with rich, 
 moist, succulent, green meat, cut for him fresh every day, 
 not forgetting a dessert of carrots, and a standing dish of 
 at least six quarts of oats jper diem^ administered at two 
 feeds. If the horse have the advantage of a good pad- 
 dock, wherein he can run, he will not so much need 
 other exercise; but, at all events, he will be better for 
 being walked out, or trotted gently, daily, on soft ground. 
 If there be no paddock or natural exercising ground, the 
 walking exercise will be absolutely necessary, and it may 
 be extended advantageously to four hours a day, in two 
 instalments of two hours each, during one of which he 
 should be walked only, and in the other trotted to a little 
 livelier and faster motion. 
 
 The advantage of this method is manifold. The animal 
 is not so wholly depleted and reduced ; he is not exposed 
 
HOW TO FEED A HOKSE. 135 
 
 to hot runs, wet niglits, or extraordinary changes of tem- 
 perature ; he is not tormented by flies ; he has no oppor- 
 tunity of galloping his flesh ofi* his bones, or battering his 
 feet to pieces, on the hard ground. In short, he has all 
 the advantages and none of the drawbacks arising from 
 a run at grass; and, when the time comes when he is 
 agaiu to be brought into condition, it can be done gradu- 
 ally and almost imperceptibly by continually decreasing 
 the supply of green meat, and increasing that of grain, 
 while adding more exercise, putting on more clothing, 
 and keeping the stable warmer, until the animal is brought 
 back into perfect condition. 
 
 THE MANAGEMENT OF OMNIBUS HORSES IN NEW YORK 
 
 CITY. 
 
 There is no place in this country where so many horses 
 are kept at regular work, and under circumstances which 
 will admit of systematic feeding and management, or 
 where so good an opportunity for valuable experimenting 
 is afforded, as in the Omnibus and Eailroad stables of New 
 York city. 
 
 At the request of the Farmers' Club of the American 
 Institute, one of its members made a careful examination 
 of the practice in these stables, the result of which exam- 
 ination is given below.* 
 
 There is no farmer who keeps a horse who will not be 
 well repaid for a close study of this paper, in which he 
 will doubtless find reasons for modifying his own practice, 
 and making it to conform more or less to this system, 
 which, as its result shows (these horses being notoriously 
 in good condition, considering the severe labor which they 
 often perform), is the best for horses performing hard work 
 at a moderate pace. 
 
 * Transactions of the American Institute for 1855, p. 466. 
 
136 HOW 
 
 TO FEED A 
 
 HORSE. 
 
 
 
 
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 117 
 
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 ''It is the object of the stage proprietors to get all the 
 work out of their teams possible, without injury to the 
 animals. Where the routes are shorter, the horses conse- 
 quently make more trips, so that the different amounts 
 and proportions of food consumed are not so apparent when 
 the comparison is made between the different lines, as 
 when it is made also with the railroad and livery horses. 
 The stage horses consume most, and the livery horses least. 
 
 " The stage horses are fed on cut hay and corn meal wet, 
 and mixed in the proportion of about one lb. of hay to two 
 lbs. of meal, a ratio adopted rather for mechanical than phy- 
 siological reasons, as this is all the meal that can be made 
 to adhere to the hay. The animals eat this mixture from 
 a deep manger. The New Yoik Consolidated Stage Com- 
 pany use a very small quantity of salt. They think it 
 causes horses to urinate too freely. They find horses do 
 not eat so much when worked too hard. The large horses 
 eat more than the small ones. Prefer a horse of 1,000 to 
 1,100 pounds weight. If too small, they get poor, and 
 cannot draw a stage ; if too large, they ruin their feet, and 
 their shoulders grow stiff and shrink. The principal 
 
 <> And 6 quarts oats at noon. 
 
HOW TO FEED A HOEv^S. 137 
 
 objection to large liorses is not so mucli the increased 
 amount of food required, as tlie fact that they are soon used 
 np bj wear. They would prefer for feed a mixture of half 
 corn and half oats, if it were not more expensive. Horses 
 do not keep fat so well on oats alone, if at hard labor, as 
 on corn meal, or a mixture" of the two. 
 
 ^" Straw is best for bedding. If salt hay is used, horses 
 eat it, as not more than a bag of 200 pounds of salt is used 
 in three months. Glauber salt is allowed occasionally as 
 a laxative in the spring of the year, and the animals eat it 
 voKiciously. If corn is too new, it is mixed with an equal 
 weight of rye bran, which prevents scouring. Jersey yel- 
 low corn is best, and horses like it best. The hay is all 
 cut, mixed with meal, and fed moist. No difference is 
 made between day and night work. The travel is contin. 
 uous, except in warm weather, when it is sometimes 
 divided, and an interval of rest allowed. In cold weather 
 the horses are watered four times a day in the stable^ and 
 not at all on the road. In warm weather, four times a 
 day in the stables, and are allowed a sip on the middle of 
 the route. 
 
 " The amount that the company exact from each horse is 
 all that he can do. In the worst of the traveling they fed 
 450 bags per week of meal, of 100 pounds each. They now 
 feed 400. The horses are not allowed to drink when warm. 
 If allowed to do so, it founders them. In warm weather a 
 bed of sawd-ust is prepared for them to roll in. Number of 
 horses, 335. . Speed varies, but is about four miles an 
 hour. Horses eat more in cold weather than in warm, 
 but the difference cannot be exactly determined." 
 From this Keport we deduce the following hints : 
 1. It is possible for horses to be kept in good condition, 
 on severe work, when fed on cut hay and corn meal, mth- 
 out oats. 
 
138 HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 
 
 2. An admixture of oats in tlie feed would be advan- 
 tageous, when economy is not very closely studied: pro- 
 bably it is always better to use tliem in the country, where 
 horses are expected to last longer than on hard pavements. 
 
 8. Ten pounds of hay per day is a sufficient allowance 
 even for working-horses. 
 
 4. Eye bran, mixed witli the food, will prevent scouring. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 HOW TO STABLE AND GROOM A HORSE, 
 
 REQUISITES OF A GK)OD STABLE — THE ECONOMY OV PROPER ARRANGEMENTS 
 — VENTILATION— GROOMING— ITS NECESSITY FOR ALL DESCRIPTIONS OF 
 
 HORSES — HOW PERFORMED —CLOTHING TREATMENT OF THE HORSE WHEN 
 
 BROUGHT IN FROM WORK. 
 
 We now propose to give a few brief and comprehensive 
 rules as to the mode of stabling and grooming a horse, 
 premising, always, that both these important branches of 
 horse economy are, for the most part, utterly misunder- 
 stood and neglected in the United States, and that, where 
 they are so, it is utterly impossible that the animals can be 
 in a state of health, and comfort to themselves, or in a con- 
 dition to do good service to their owners. 
 
 In a climate so uncertain, changeful, and in which the 
 extremes of heat and cold lie so far apart as in this coun- 
 try, the question of stabling is one of paramount im- 
 portance. The stable, to be of real utility, must be per- 
 fectly cool, airy, and pervious to the atmosphere in 
 summer ; perfectly close, warm, and free from all drafts 
 of external air, except in so far as shall be needed for ven- 
 tilation, in winter; perfectly ventilated, so as to be pure, 
 and free from ill odors, ammoniacal vapors and the like, 
 arising from the urine and excrement of the animals at all 
 times ; perfectly dry under foot and well drained, since 
 nothing is more injurious to the horse than to stand up to 
 his heels in wet litter, decomposed vegetable matter, his 
 own ordure, and slops of all kinds ; and more than one 
 acute and dangerous disease, — of which we shall only here 
 specify the "scratches," as it is commonly termed in America, 
 
 (139) 
 
140 HOW TO STABLE 
 
 or ''grease," as one oi the most baneful, as it is the most 
 disgraceful to the groom and stable-master, — has its origin. 
 Lastly, it should be perfectly well lighted, as well as thor- 
 oughly aired, since it is not only cruel to animals, which 
 are of a gay, cheerful and sociable nature, to keep them 
 constantly in the dark, and not only depresses their spir- 
 its, and thus injures tneir animal health, but it is a frequent 
 cause of blindness. To keep an animal continually in al- 
 most total darkness, as is the case in many city stables and 
 in most country farming stables, occasionally bringing him 
 out to do his work, with no protection to his eyes, in the 
 full glare and blaze of an American summer or winter, 
 sunlight, must naturally and necessarily tend to produce 
 blindness. 
 
 It is not too much to say that, on nine-tenths of the farm- 
 steads of America, excepting always those of a few model 
 farmSj and what may be called show agricultural establish- 
 ments, the property of wealthy amateurs, the stables are a 
 disgrace to common sense and common humanity ; and 
 for the most part are unfit to be used as pig-styes, much 
 less for the dwelling of so noble, so intelligent, so cleanl}^ 
 an animal, and one so acutely sensitive to all impurities of 
 air, food or water, as the horse. 
 
 In the first place, a stable should never be under ground, 
 wholly or in part ; in the second, it should be, invariably, 
 undcrdrained, with a sufiicient fall to the drains, and with 
 a grating, or perforated slate or flag-stone in the middle of 
 each stall, to which the floor, of whatever substance it is 
 composed, should descend on all sides, with a grade not to 
 exceed an inch to the yard. The expense of this work may 
 seein, to an unthrifty and thoughtless farmer, useless and su- 
 pererogatory ; but, supposing him to work three or more 
 horses of the first cost value of $100 to $150 each, and sup- 
 . posing that these horses last him twice as long, are not half 
 
AND GROOM A HORSE. 141 
 
 SO often ailing, and do bini twice as much good work while 
 they do last, — as it is undoubtedly the case that they will 
 do, in wholesome and well-constructed stables.-he willeasil}^ 
 find, at the end of fifteen or twenty years, that by the first 
 outlay of a couple of hundred dolJars at the outside, in 
 making his stable dry. airj^, warm and light, he will have 
 economized many hundreds, if not man}^ thousands. And 
 this will easily appear from a very slight calculation of 
 the losses which will arise from the deterioration of his 
 farm stock, their falling lame, requiring farrier's advice, 
 doing but half work half the time, ond finally having to 
 be rejected as useless, sold at half price and replaced at 
 full price, after three or four years, by others which will 
 unavoidably follow the same course ; whereas if properly 
 lodged and cared for, the first animals, being sound and 
 hearty at the commencement, might have done good slow 
 farm-work for ten, twelve, or even fifteen years, as well as 
 not ; and if mares, might have brought him half-a-dozen 
 good serviceable colts, or fillies, which would owe mu.ch 
 of their value to the state of their dam's health, arising 
 from her food and stabling, without materially detracting 
 from her service on the farm. The material of the stable 
 floor should not be the natural soil, lor that speedily be- 
 comes saturated with moisture, and degenerates into a 
 slough. It should not, we think, be of wood, for wood 
 absorbs the urine, becomes impregnated with ammonia, 
 and is heating to the feet. Yery hard beaten clay may an- 
 swer, but a pavement of small cobble-stones, neatly laid, 
 with such a fall as is mentioned, in clay and sand, or, Avhat 
 is better, of hard bricks laid in cement, and set edgewise, 
 is the best stable floor with which we are acquainted. 
 
 The stable should never be less than eight or nine, but 
 had better be ten or twelve feet high from the floor to the 
 rafters. The door should be so placed that when open, 
 
142 HOW TO STABLE 
 
 the air shall not blow full on the horses ; and it is well to 
 have it sawn in two halves, horizontally, in order to allow 
 the upper half to stand open in summer, for the admission 
 of fresh air. 
 
 The windows which should be large as in a modern 
 dwelling-house, and as numerous in proportion to the size 
 of the room, should be opposite to one another, so as to 
 allow a free draught of air in summer, but they should 
 never open at the bottom nearer to the ground than at 
 a full distance of six feet, so that the air ma}^ not blow on 
 the horses, but circulate above their backs. The stalls 
 should not be less than five, but had better be six feet wide, 
 and nine feet deep ; and the stable should not be less than 
 fifteen, or better, seventeen feet, from the head of the stall 
 to the back wall. If hay rooms or feed rooms be placed 
 above the stables, the roof should be of solid, permanent 
 plank, well joined and under-ceiled, and with good trap- 
 doors to the apertures by which the hay is thrown into the 
 cribs. Otherwise the ammoniacal vapors will certainly 
 arise, taint the food, and render it unfit for eating. 
 
 Lastly, the stables must be ventilated by a complete and 
 permanent system, which, by the way, is neither difficult 
 nor expensive. This can be done in two ways, — either a 
 single shaft, of a square of two feet on each side, may be 
 carried up through the loft to the roof, made of well -join ted 
 boards, and there fitted with a ventilator of the same size ; 
 or, a central shaft equal in space to the square of two feet, 
 ■jor every horse in the stable, may be carried up in the 
 same manner, and fitted with a grand central ventilator, of 
 large dimensions, through which all the heated air will rise, 
 while by the use either of Janes & Beebe's patent valves, or 
 of some other suitable arrangement, no cold air can possi- 
 bly descend. To this must be added a plan for the regular 
 admission of cold air, at proper places, for the supply of 
 [941 
 
AND GKOOM A HORSE. 143 
 
 the horses with a suitable quantity of fresh oxygenated air 
 for the purposes of respiration. This is easily done and at 
 very small cost, while the stable is in process of erection. 
 The best plan is to ran either a tin tube, or a wooden box 
 pipe, of the capacity of one square foot, through the whole 
 length of the head wall at the height of the horses' nostrils, 
 say four feet from the ground, open to the exterior air at 
 both ends, but protected from the entrance of vermin 
 by a guard of coarse, open wire gauze. From this pipe, 
 there should be bored diagonally upward, through the 
 boarding of the stall, six auger holes, each of one square 
 inch space, into each stall. This will afford to each horse 
 an ample supply of pure, fresh air, which, as it becomes 
 heated and impure, will arise, pass off by the ventilator, and 
 be succeeded by a constant stream of reinvigorating, vital 
 atmosphere, preserving both the temperature and the odor 
 of the stables even, agreeable and healthful, and adding 
 more of life and health to each animal that one could im- 
 agine possible, without an examination of the subject. The 
 whole of this system of ventilation may be added to a new 
 stable, or introduced into an old one remodelled, at a very 
 small price. In fact, the paving, heightening, draining and 
 adapting proper windows, doors and ventilators to an old 
 stable, if so situated as to be capable of improvement, or 
 the introducing all these as additions, into a new one, the 
 site of which can be selected with a view to them, will not. 
 with reasonable economy, by any possibility exceed a couple 
 of hundred dollars for a stable capable of containing from 
 four to six horses ; and undeniably, the owner of horses 
 Avho will try it will find that, at the end of twenty years 
 of horse-keeping, he will be an actual gainer of twenty 
 times two hundred dollars. We will here add, that for 
 country stables there is no better than a good, framed build- 
 ing, rather loosely weather-boarded externally, lined at 
 
144 KOW TO STABLE 
 
 the distance of nine inches, or, better, one foot, with well 
 grooved and tongued inch boards, or inch and a quarter 
 planks, — ^liaving the intermediate space filled with tan bark. 
 This will preserve an equal temperature through the whole 
 year, and the stable will always be cool in summer and 
 warm in winter. If external sliding shutters be appended 
 to the windows, contrived to open and shut by means of a 
 cord and pulley, and if fly-nets of coarse gauze be added in 
 summer, to exclude the winged pest?, which are such tor- 
 ments to horse-flesh, the expense will not be one of many 
 dollars, and will add hundreds of dollars worth to the com- 
 fort of the horses. We will only add that the new construc- 
 tion of con Crete moulded walls is excellently well adapted for 
 country stables, and will, more easil}^ than any other form, 
 admit the introduction of air pipes, as described above. 
 
 And now, the question of stabling disposed of, we pass 
 to that of grooming and clothing, which is the next in im- 
 portance, and scarcely secondary to those of food and sta- 
 bling, as regards the health and comfort of the horse, and, 
 what is the same thing, the true interest of his owner. 
 
 Grooming. " Of this," says Mr. Youatt, " much need 
 not be said to the agriculturist ; since custom, and appar- 
 ently without ill effect, has allotted so little of the comb 
 and brush to the farmer's horse. The animal that is worked 
 all day and turned out at night, requires little more to be 
 done to him than to have the dirt brushed off his limbs. 
 Eegular grooming, by rendering his skin more sensible to 
 the alteration of temperature and the inclemency of the 
 weather, would be prejudicial. The horse that is altogether 
 turned out needs no grooming. The dandruff or scurf 
 wdiich accumulates at the roots of the hair, is a provision 
 of nature to defend him from the wind and the cold. 
 
 This, however, whi(jh may be true, and correct as of 
 til? horse which is turned out every night, during the 
 
AND GROOM A HORSE. 145 
 
 greater part of the 3'ear, and which feeds only on grass, 
 with some slight addition of oats, and mashes, certainly is 
 not applicable to the farm-horses of the United States ; 
 which are, for the most part, if not altogether, stabled for 
 the greater part of the year, or ia winter, at least ; fed on 
 artificial food ; kept warm, to a certain extent ; and which, 
 of course, must be cleaned daily, especially after severe 
 work, or exposure to wet, if they are to be kept in health 
 and working condition. 
 
 "It is to the stabled horse," Youatt continues, "highly 
 fed, and little or irregularly worked, that grooming is of 
 the highest consequence. Good rubbing with the brush, 
 or the currycomb opens the pores of the skin, circulates 
 the blood to the extremities of the body, produces free 
 and healthy perspiration, and stands in the room of exer- 
 cise. No horse will carry a fine coat, without either 
 unnatural heat, or dressing. They both effect the same 
 purpose, but the first does it at the expense of health, and 
 strength ; while the second, at the same time that it pro- 
 duces a glow on the skin, and a determination of the blood 
 to it, rouses all the energies of the frame. It would be 
 well for the proprietor of the horse if he were to insist, 
 and to see that his orders are really obeyed, that the 
 fine coat in which he, and his groom so much delight, is 
 produced by honest rubbing, and not b}^ a heated stable 
 and thick clothing, and, most of all, not by stimulating, 
 or injurious spices. The horse should be regularly 
 dressed every day, in addition to the grooming that is 
 necessary after work." 
 
 It is true, in a measure, that the necessity of regular 
 dressing, wisping, currying, brushing and, hard rubbing is 
 far greater in the case of highly pampered horses, fed in 
 the most stimulating manner, principally on grain, kept in 
 hot stables, always a little above their work, and ready at 
 7 
 
146 HOW TO STABLE 
 
 all times to jump out of their skins from the exuberance 
 of their animal spirit ; yet it is necessary to all housed and 
 stabled horses ; and the farmer, no less than the owner of 
 fast trotters, will find his advantage in having his horse 
 curried and washed, before feeding in the morning, in the 
 • increased play of his spirit, and in the gayety and fitness 
 of the animal for his work; and if, when he brings him 
 in at night, reeking with sweat, drenched with rain or 
 snow, his thighs and belly plastered with thick mud, and 
 his legs covered, as cart-horses' legs mostly are, with thick 
 hair, saturated witli cold water and clogged with particles 
 of mud and sand, he neglects to have him thoroughly 
 cleaned, and made dry and comfortable for the night, he 
 not only commits an act of gross cruelty, but wholly dis- 
 regards his own interest. Unless a horse be cleaned and 
 groomed when in such a condition, he cannot be kept in 
 health ; and if he be fed freely when in such a state, — 
 although the cart-horse is less liable to such ailments from 
 his hardier habits and less impressive constitution, — the 
 chances are that soon he will be attacked by inflammation 
 of the bowels, or lungs, or with spasmodic colic — the race- 
 horse, fast trotter, or highly bred and highly fed roadster 
 would be so attacked, to a certainty — and the failure to 
 dry and cleanse the legs of such a horse, especially if 
 there be a draft of cold wind blowing upon the heels from 
 a crevice under the stable door, as is generally the case in 
 common farm stables, will be almost certainly succeeded 
 by that troublesome, dangerous and foul disease, known 
 as "grease," or more commonly in America as "the 
 scratches." 
 
 It may be well to say here, that the best average heat for 
 a gentleman's stable should be from 60, to not to exceed 65 
 degrees ; that the air should be perfectly dry ; for if there 
 be any moisture about the stables, it will hang about the 
 
AND GKOOM A HORSE. 147 
 
 horses in the shape of a mist, and the animals, when they 
 are brought into the open air, although their skins will be 
 as fine as can be imagined, will shiver as if they had just 
 made their exit from a warm bath. 
 
 In stables such as this, a single good blanket, breast- 
 plate and roller, will be a sufficient clothing, though a 
 holland sheet, under the woollen rug, is very serviceable 
 in keeping the skin smooth and the coat unruffled. A 
 hood and cover should be added when the horse is taken 
 out for slow exercise. It is common, in America, in 
 winter, in unusually cold weather, where horses are ex- 
 'pected to be driven fast, and to have to stand still, alter- 
 nately, at shop doors or in visiting, to see them clothed, 
 under their harness, in hoods and blankets. This plan 
 can, evidently, do no good ; the animal, while working 
 fast, is as much more heated by the covering, as he is 
 afterward more protected by it when standing still ; add 
 to which, if the clothing be, as probably it will, saturated 
 with perspiration while the animals are in motion, it will 
 be frozen, or rendered entirely cold and clammy, so soon 
 as the motion ceases; and will in that state affect the 
 animals injuriously instead of beneficially; just as it would 
 affect a man, to wrap him up, when sweating profusely, 
 in a heavy wet overcoat. If anything of this sort be re- 
 quired, the only rational way is to have the rugs or 
 blankets at hand, dry and warm, in the boot of the car- 
 riage, and to throw them over the backs of the animals, 
 and buckle them across their chests, so soon as they 
 are pulled up, removing them and restoring them to a 
 dry place before again getting under way. Such is the 
 rationale of out-door clothing. There is, however, no ob- 
 jection to the use of a water-proof covering over the loins 
 of a horse, when he is taken out to be used through the 
 whole of a cold, rainy or sleety day, particularly if it be 
 
148 HOW TO STABLE 
 
 at an even, slo\7 pace, as is the case with carmen's horses, 
 in New York, which are often so equipped. Another 
 excellent plan adopted bj these men, in summer, is the 
 affixing an arched bow to the shafts of the cart^ rising 
 eighteen inches over the withers of the animal, from which 
 an awning of duck is extended to a cross-yard, supported 
 by an upright, at the front of the truck, affording a com- 
 plete protection against the scorching sun, to the animal, 
 and promoting a draft of air over his whole body, from 
 the current caused by his mere motion through the at- 
 mosj)here ; which must be in the highest degree refresh- 
 ing and delightful to the creature, during his day-long 
 toil, in the dog days. 
 
 But to return to the article of grooming. " When the 
 weather will permit the horse," continues Mr. Youatt, *'to 
 be taken out, he should never be groomed in the stable, 
 unless he be an animal of peculiar value, or placed for a 
 time under peculiar circumstances. Without dwelling on 
 the want of cleanliness, when the scurf and dust that are 
 washed from the horse lodge in his manger, and mingle 
 with his food, — experience teaches, that if the cold is not too 
 great, the animal is braced and invigorated to a degree 
 that cannot be attained in the stable, by being dressed in 
 the open air. There is no necessity, however, for half the 
 "punishment which many a groom inflicts upon the horse 
 in the act of dressing, and particularly on one whose skin 
 is thin and sensitive. The currycomb should be, at all 
 times, lightly applied. With many horses, its use may be 
 almost dispensed with ; and even the brush need not be so 
 hard, or the points of the bristles so irregular as they often 
 are. A soft brush, with a little more weight of the hand, 
 will be equall}^ effectual, and a great deal more pleasant to 
 the horse. A hair-cloth, while it will seldom irritate or 
 tease, will be almost sufficient with horses which have a 
 thin skin, and which have not been neglected. After all, 
 
AND GROOM A HORSE. 149 
 
 it is no slight task to dress a horse, as it ought to be done. 
 It occupies no little time, and demands considerable 
 patience, as well as dexterity. It will be readily ascer- 
 tained whether a horse has been well dressed, by rubbing 
 him with one of the fingers. A greasy stain will detect 
 the idleness of the groom. When, however, the horse is 
 changing his coats, both the currycomb and the brush 
 should be used as lightly as possible." 
 
 In ordinary cleaning, in the morning, the head should 
 be first dressed. The hair should be lifted, and deranged 
 lightly, not stretched, or torn, with the currycomb, and 
 then rubbed well, in all directions, both against and across 
 the grain of the hair, as well as with it, until it is entirely 
 clear from dust and dandruff. The ears should be gently 
 pulled and stripped with the hand, from the roots to the 
 points; and the whole head should then be washed 
 smoothly and evenly, as the hair oaght to lie. The neck, 
 back, shoulders, loins, croup, and quarters, follow ; the 
 same plan being used, except that, in dressing these parts, 
 while the comb is used lightly and dexterously with one 
 hand, the brush is employed in removing the scurf with 
 the other. The flexures of the skin, at the insertion of 
 the limbs, are parts which require especial care, as the 
 dust is most apt to collect in these places. This done, the 
 horse must be thoroughly wisped, all over, with bunches 
 of dry straw, till his coat is quite clean and glossy, when it 
 may be gone over, for the last time, with a fine, soft brush, 
 or a light duster. His clothes may be then put on, and 
 the legs cleaned in the same manner, and finished off by 
 a careful hand rubbing. Flannel bandages, steeped in cold 
 water, well wrung out, and applied loosely to the legs, and 
 again covered by a tighter drawn linen bandage, are often 
 of great advantage, after severe work, in keeping down 
 and checking inflammation, as well as in fortifjang and 
 strengthening the sinews, when in a sound state, and in 
 
150 HOW TO STABLE AND GROOM A HORSE. 
 
 remedying and alleviatiog any slight slip, or casual strain. 
 The mode of dressing, when the horse is brought in, 
 wet, weary, hot, dirty and exhausted, is nearly identical. 
 The ears should be first stripped and pulled, and the head 
 made comfortable. The dry dirt should be scraped from 
 the legs and belly. The legs should be plunged into tepid 
 water, and have all the dirt washed carefully away ; they 
 should be then carefully dry-rubbed with wisps of clean 
 straw, and tightly swathed in flannel bandages, steeped in 
 water as warm as the hand will bear. The whole neck 
 and body should then — or, if there be sufficient force of 
 hands in the stable — at the same time while the legs are 
 being arranged, be thoroughly rubbed, till perfectly clean, 
 dry, and in a glow of vigorous animal heat, with straw 
 wisps. After this they should be lightly curried, brushed, 
 and arranged; and then, nor until then, the clothes may be 
 put on, the animal fed, his stall well bedded and littered 
 down, and himself left to his repose, which, however hard 
 his day's work may have been, will, if these precautions 
 be taken, be both soft and light. 
 
 This, in brief, is the whole theory of grooming. It re- 
 quires care, dexterity, exactness, and honest application of 
 work. It cannot be procured without some expense ; or 
 relied on, without the active and intelligent supervision of 
 the master ; but without it no stables can be in order, — 
 no horses healthy, happy, or in condition for doing the 
 work for the performance of which they are kept. 
 
 As of feeding and stabling, it may be said of grooming, 
 without fear of contradiction, that, for every dollar ex- 
 pended, the horse-owner will receive in the results the 
 recompense of, at least, a hundred; and that without 
 attending to this essential branch of stable economy, he 
 can never expect to be satisfied with, much less proud of, 
 the performances of his horses, and the state of his stables. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 HOW TO BKEAK AND USE A HORSE. 
 
 "WHAT IS REQUIRED IN A "WELL-BROKEN HORSE — HIS EDUCATION SHOULD 
 COMMENCE WHEN A COLT — BITTING — PU'lTING HIM IN HARNESS — HOW TO 
 USE A HORSE — TRAVELLING— WORKING — PLEASURE HORSES— PUNISHMENTS. 
 
 It is not too much to say, that not one horse in a hun- 
 dred, if one in a thousand, in the United States, is ever 
 properly broken ; or one in fifty, when offered for sale as 
 a finished horse, entered in the merest rudiments of his 
 education. Horses in America, — we cannot say wherefore, 
 but, perhaps, from the general absence of a very high de- 
 gree of blood, from the general absence of extremely high 
 and stimulating feeding and grooming, which not only 
 act directly on the individual horse, but exert an influence, 
 increasing generation after generation, over the progeny 
 of horses long kept up in an unnatural condition, — are 
 very rarely actively, and almost never savagely, vicious. 
 Nothing more than this, as a general thing, is required. 
 If a horse will carry his rider without kicking him over 
 his head, or draw him in his wagon or buggy without 
 kicking it to shivers ; if he >vill go off at a walk, increase 
 his speed to the top of his gait, and stop again when pulled 
 upon, without running away ; if he will hold back going 
 down hill, and if he will not balk going up hill; and 
 more particularly, if he will stand at a door without tying, 
 he is held to be firily broken, and is willingly received, 
 credited, and paid for as such. 
 
 It is needless, however, to say to a real horseman, that 
 such a horse is as far as possible from being broken at all, 
 especially from being well broken. To be really well broken, 
 
 [151] 
 
152 HOW TO BREAK A HORSE. 
 
 a liorse must be so disciplined as to have apparently no 
 will but his rider's. He must have been so educated as to 
 carry his body, his head, all his limbs, in the easiest, the 
 most graceful and the most accurate position. Ilis neck 
 must be like a steel bow, yielding to the pressure of the 
 hand, but returning with the head to its natural position 
 the moment that the pressure ceases. His mouth must be 
 like velvet to the touch ; and if the animal at times pull 
 or resist the pressure of the bit and the command of the 
 rider's finger, it must be from exuberance of animal 
 spirits and force of animal courage, not from hardness of 
 mouth, as it is usuall}^ called, or in truth, from rigidity 
 and intractability of the muscles of the jaw and neck — as 
 has been demonstrated by M. Baucher, the great French 
 equestrian teacher. 
 
 He must change his leg, alter his paces, moderate his 
 paces, all at the will of his rider or driver, and must, in 
 fact, be little or nothing more than a living and spirited 
 automaton in his hands. 
 
 The next question that arises is, how shall this be done ? 
 Clearly, we answer, not by allowing the colt or filly to go 
 wild and run riot, until it shall have attained its full 
 strength, its full energies, and the full sway of its natural 
 temper unconstrained, without making an effort to train, 
 or teach, or even tame it, until> it be two and a half or three 
 years old, and then to take it up, saddle it and bridle it by 
 force, and, putting it into the hands of some fearless, hard- 
 hearted, mutton-fisted, rough-riding fellow, scarce less a 
 brute, in all points of humanity, than that which he pro- 
 fesses to teach, expect it to be turned out, by dint of whip 
 and spurs, a gentle animal, rendered gentle by brute vio- 
 lence, and a well-instructed animal. 
 
 The education of a liorse should commence when he is 
 a colt. He should be handled frequently by different per- 
 
HIS EDUCATION. 153 
 
 sons, and slioaldbe made accustomed to whatever is likely 
 to attract his attention when lie is put in harness. The 
 more he is accustomed to straps tlie less likely will he be 
 to become frightened by accidental breaking of the har- 
 ness, by the falling of a trace about his heels, or by having 
 the reins thrown on his back by a careless driver. 
 
 Young horses, while mere foals nursing by their mothers' 
 sides, should be accustomed to be fearless ; should be ac- 
 customed to feed from the hand, to suffer themselves to 
 be handled, to have their feet lifted, and tapped with the 
 hands or a hammer on the soles, to be led to and fro by 
 the forelock, to endure , the pressure of the hand on the 
 back, to rejoice in being constantly flattered, caressed and 
 spoken to ; nay,^even to understand words of gentle re- 
 proach. They should be very early equipped with a head- 
 stall, having a ring appended to which a halter can be 
 attached, and by these means they can be easily taught to 
 follow at any pace the person leading them, walking, 
 running or stopping as he may desire. Punishment at 
 this period should never be resorted to, but rewards 
 should be continually offered. Bits of bread, or carrots, 
 should be carried in the pocket, and given to the little 
 creature, with a caress, when it has done what is required 
 of it. 
 
 Soon after this a pad may he strapped on the back for a 
 few hours daily ; and, after a time, stirrup-leathers, and then 
 stirrups appended to it, and suffered to flap about, by which 
 means all fear of such things will be removed long enough 
 before it will become necessary to saddle him for any real 
 purpose. When he is about a year old the colt's bits 
 should be occasionally put in his mouth, and he should 
 be reined up gently to his surcingle, and allowed to play 
 with thr^m or mouth them : and, after this, he may stand 
 for an hour or two betwe\^n the pillars, with reins attached 
 
154 HOW TO BREAK A HOESE. 
 
 from tlie colt's bit to rings placed at a proper height in 
 the standards. But here it is necessary to observe, above 
 almost any other thing in the world, that it is fatal to the 
 formation of the animal's mouth to place the rings too high, 
 or to bear np the head above its ordinary and natural ele- 
 vation. This is a thing often done, with a view to giving 
 a lofty carriage to the colt's head, and to produce a proud 
 bearing. It does nothing of the kind. It causes the 
 horse, weary with having its head forced into an unnatural 
 position, to bear, to weigh, to hang upon the bits, — to be- 
 come accustomed to their pressure, and to find pleasure 
 instead of pain from it, so that, at the last, it acquires a 
 mouth perfectly unimpressive, and muscles set and rigid. 
 
 Shortly after this the colt should be longed, or worked 
 in a circle, with a long cord attached to the breaking bits, 
 in a smooth grass field; by which means he is taught his 
 paces, taught to regulate' them, taught to moderate, to in- 
 crease or diminish his speed, to change his leg, to come 
 toward the operator, or to stop dead short at a signal, 
 either of the voice or of the crack of the whip. All this 
 it requires only time, patience and good temper to effect ; 
 and, when effected, half the business is done. The rest 
 must be accomplished when the animal is backed. 
 
 Experience, practice, patience, added to individual apti- 
 tude, natural tact, and acquired skill and habit, are the only 
 things by which a man may become a horse-breaker. 
 
 No attempt should be made to put the colt to work 
 before he is three and a half to four years old. and it would 
 be far better to exact no work, beyond what is necessary 
 for gentle exercise, before he is six years old ; this, although 
 not at first remunerative, is eminently so in the end, for 
 the two years' loss in early life wdll generally add six to 
 eight years to a horse's woiking time. 
 
 If the colt has been treated as previously directed, there 
 
IN HARNESS. 155 
 
 will be little difficulty in breaking him to harness work. 
 It will be only necessary to put him in by the side of an 
 old and steady horse, and light wagon without a load, and 
 to handle him gently, until he is made to understand what 
 is required of him. 
 
 If he is a v/ild colt, whose whole life has been spent at 
 pasture, or in the straw-yard, it becomes a more serious 
 matter. He should be kept in the stable for a few days, 
 visited and handled frequently, and gradually made ac- 
 quainted with the harness, wearing it for a few hours at a 
 time in his stall. He should next be taken into a large 
 stable, or shed, or into a small yard, and made to advance, 
 or turn to the right or to the left, as he is spoken to or 
 guided by the reins. The trainer should use only the most 
 gentle means, and should in no case allow himself to show 
 the least impatience. Whatever he desires to have done 
 should always be within the power of the horse to compre- 
 hend, and then be strictly enforced, but always with perse- 
 vering calmness. If it be necessary to whip the colt, it 
 should be done thoroughly, and under such circumstances 
 as will preclude the possibility of his resisting with any 
 effect: for every compliance with our wishes he should be 
 rewarded with caresses. 
 
 If it is not convenient to put him by the side of a well- 
 broken horse, as before directed, he may be brought out 
 and have the wagon shown to liim, being allowed to 
 examine it with his nose until he has become familiar with 
 every part of it, and until he can be led or backed toward it 
 from any direction without fear. He should then be put 
 into the shafts and securely attached, so that no straps can 
 strike d gainst him ; he should then be made to advance, and 
 the wagon pushed gently from behind, that he may not at 
 first feel its weight. When he has in this way become ac- 
 customed to its presence, the pushing from behind may be 
 
156 HOW TO BREAK A HORSE. 
 
 gradually lessened. It is a verj^- good plan to set tlie wagon 
 on ground which is slightly descending, so that it will 
 nearly run from its own weight ; but the hill should not be 
 steep enough to cause the wagon to run on to him. 
 
 In this way any colt, not absolutely vicious — and very 
 few, if any, are so until they have been badly treated — 
 may be brought, by imperceptible degi'ees, to be a good 
 harness horse, without in any wa}^ ruffling his temper, or 
 giving him any disagreeable recollections which shall inter- 
 fere with his future usefulness. This is properly training a 
 horse, and it differs widely from the old method of breaking^ 
 which was usually a struggle between the man and horse, 
 to see whose will or neck should first be broken ; and which 
 was sure, in nine cases out of ten, to produce a bad and 
 lasting effect on the horse's disposition. The time to be 
 occupied in the exercise of training will be long or short, 
 in proportion to the skill of the trainer and the nature of 
 the animal, but it can never be so long that it will not be 
 a hundred times repaid in the docility and usefulness of 
 the horse. 
 
 Every part of the harness and wagon should be so 
 strong and well made that there can be no possi-bility of 
 breaking. When it is possible to do so, it is always best 
 to put the young colt in double harness, by the side of a 
 strong, steady, well-trained horse, until he is perfectly 
 quiet, and. will bear the whip and the rein wel]. Greater 
 docility, better subjection to the hand, and generally 
 better style and action will be attainable, if the colt 
 be thoroughly trained to the saddle before being put 
 in harness; usually, however, in this country, it is very 
 difficult to iind a proper person to train a colt in this way. 
 •Tlie same course of bitting should be resorted to as will 
 be described for the preliminary training of the saddle 
 horse. 
 
TWO CLASSES OF HORSES. 157 
 
 I10^Y TO USE A HORSE. 
 
 It is not, after all, every one who owns a horse that 
 knows how to use him, whether for his own pleasure or the 
 horse's, which is, in other words, the owner's best advan- 
 tage. Nor is it very easy to lay down rules how a horse 
 should be used, considering the many different purposes 
 for which horses are kept, the different natures and consti- 
 tutions of the animals, and the different circumstances of 
 their owners. 
 
 Horses may, in general, be divided into two classes, — 
 those kept for work, and those kept for pleasure. In the 
 former class may be included fl^rm-horses, stage, coach and 
 omnibus hordes, team-horses, employed in the transporta- 
 tion of goods, and moving heavy and bulky masses, car- 
 men's horses, — and lastly, the road horses of all professional 
 men, who, like lawyers, doctors of medicine, and the like, 
 are compelled to drive or ride many hours per diem, regu- 
 larly, in the performance of their business. 
 
 In the latter class may be included race-horses, match- 
 trotters, private gentlemen's saddle-horses, carriage horses, 
 or roadsters, and many other animals belonging to business 
 men, which being employed during half the time or more 
 in actual service, are used during spare hours on the road 
 for purposes of amusement. 
 
 "With regard to the first class of these horses, the exigen- 
 cies of the business to which they are applied are, for the 
 most part, such as to supersede and override all rules. In 
 some cases the natural hours of the day and night have to 
 be reversed, and the animals are called upon to do their 
 work by night, and to rest and feed by day. Under these 
 circumstances it may be laid down as an immutable law, 
 that at wliatever hour the horses are to be worked, they 
 must have full time, beforehand, to digest their food and 
 water ; they must be carefully cleaned, and made comforta- 
 
158 now TO USE a horse. 
 
 ble; they must have sufficient intervals for halting and 
 baiting, on the road, must be cleaned and well fed during 
 the intervals of work, and must have ample time for undis- 
 turbed repose. The distance which horses in perfect con- 
 dition can go upon the road, varies greatly witli the powers 
 of the animal, the degree of pains bestowed on him, the 
 skill of his driver, and the amount of his load, as well as 
 the state of the roads. But it may be taken as a rule, that 
 strong, able horses, of moderate speed, can travel forty miles 
 a day, with a moderate load, without distress, for many 
 days in succession. It may be observed, that it is the bet- 
 ter way to start at an easy pace when on a journey, to in- 
 crease it slightly in the middle of the day, and again to 
 relax it before coming in at night, in order to allow the 
 animals to enter their stables cool, in good order, and ready, 
 after a short rest, and cleaning, to feed with an appetite. 
 
 It may also be observed, in this point of view, that it is 
 a mistake to fancy that horses are benefited by being 
 driven or ridden very slowly when they have a long dis- 
 tance to perform. If a horse have to get over forty miles 
 in a day, the roads being good, the temperature of the day 
 pleasant, and the load not excessive, he will do it with more 
 ease and less inconvenience to himself, going at the rate 
 of seven or eight miles the hour, and doing the whole dis- 
 tance in five or six hours, — with a single stoppage, in the 
 middle of the day, to feed and rest, — than if he be kept 
 pottering along at the rate of four or five miles, and be 
 kept out of his stable, hungry and thirsty, and leg-weary 
 to-boot, for a longer time. 
 
 Farm-horses, whose work is necessarily slow and con- 
 tinuous, lasting ordinarily from sunrise to sunset, with the 
 exception of a mid-day halt for baiting, are under difterent 
 circumstances. Their work being always slow, and rarely, 
 if ever, severe, at the moment, or toilsome, except from its 
 
PLEASURE HORSES. 159 
 
 long duration, they need not be subject to the same condi- 
 tion as fast- working horses, of being fed long before they 
 are put to work and allowed to evacuate their bowels 
 thoroughly before being harnessed. They may, therefore, be 
 fed and watered at the last moment, and put to slow work 
 immediately, and will rarely take harm from travelling on 
 full stomachs. In the same manner, when they are loosed 
 at nooji-day, being rarely overheated, after a slight rest 
 and a slighter rubbing down — which, by the way, they 
 rarely receive — they may take their mid-day feed without 
 delay, and without fear of evil consequences. In the like 
 manner may be treated carmen's horses, and team-horses, 
 the labor of which is heavy and continuous rather than 
 rapid. All horses, however, whatever the work to which 
 they are applied, should have ample time to rest at night, 
 and should be thoroughly rubbed down, dried, clothed and 
 made comfortable, before feeding them and closing the 
 stables for the night, — and the more so, the more trying 
 the day's work. 
 
 "With regard to pleasure-horses, which are usually in the 
 stables, more or less, twenty hours out of every twenty- 
 four, which are only taken out for the gratification of the 
 owner at such times as it suits his humor or necessity, they 
 should never be taken out or driven fast on full stomachs; 
 which can always be avoided by letting the groom know, 
 in case that they will be required at an unusual hour or 
 for unusual work — when he can adapt his feeding hours to 
 the circumstances of the case. 
 
 When harnessed and ready for a start, the driver should 
 mount his seat quietly, gather his reins, and get his horses 
 under way, slowly and gradually, by speaking or chirruping 
 to them; never starting them with a jerk, or striking them 
 with a whip, — allowing them to increase their pace by de- 
 grees to the speed required, instead of forcing it on a sudden. 
 
160 HOW TO USE A HOESE. 
 
 It is far better for horses, to drive them steadily at a 
 regular pace, even if it be ten or twelve miles an hour, 
 than to send them along by fits and starts — now spinning 
 them over the road at sixteen or eighteen miles, now plod- 
 ding along at six or seven ; and of two pairs of horses, 
 driven the same distance, after the two different methods, 
 that which is driven evenly will, at the end of the day, be 
 comparatively fresh and comfortable, while the oth^r will 
 be jaded and worn out. 
 
 In regard to punishment, the less that is administered 
 the better. A sluggish or lazy horse must, it is true, be 
 kept up to his collar and made to do his share of the work, 
 or the free-goer will be worn out before the day is half 
 done ; and for this the whip must be occasionally used. 
 Even good and free-going horses will occasionally be seized 
 with fits of indolence, at moments, induced perhaps by the 
 weather, and it may be necessary to stimulate them in such 
 cases; again, at times when roads are bad, when time 
 presses, and certain distances must be accomplished within 
 certain times, recourse must be had to punishment ; as it 
 must occasionally, also, in cases where the animals are 
 vicious or refractory, and where the master must show him- 
 self the master. Still, as a general rule, punishment should 
 be the last resort. It should never be attempted with a 
 tired, a jaded, or an exhausted horse ; for to apply it in 
 such cases is utter barbarity ; little or no immediate ad- 
 vantage is gained to the driver, while it may probably 
 result in the loss of an excellent animal. It is common to 
 see horses punished for stumbling, punished for starting; 
 and whenever a new horse, which one may chance to be 
 trying, starts off into a gallop after committing either of 
 these offences, one ma}^ be sure that he is an habitual starter 
 or stumbler, and tliat he has frequently undergone chastise- 
 ment for them, and undergone it in vain. It is altogether 
 
DKIVING. 161 
 
 an error to punish for eitlier starting or stumbling ; the 
 one is the effect of fear, which cannot be cured by the whip, 
 the other, in most cases, of malformation or of tenderness 
 in the foot, which certainly cannot be treated successfully 
 by chastisement, which, in fact, aggravates and confirms 
 instead of alleviatinsr or curins^. 
 
 In speaking of driving at an equal pace, we would not, of 
 course, be understood to mean that horses should be driven 
 at the same gait and speed over all roads, and over grounds 
 of all. natures. Far from it, A good driver will, while 
 going, always, at the rate of ten miles — we wall say — an 
 hour, never, perhaps, have his horses going at exactly the 
 same rate for any two consecutive twenty minutes. Over 
 a dead level, the hardest of all things except a long con* 
 tinuous ascent of miles, he will spare his horses. Over a 
 rolling road, he will hold them hard in hand as he crosses 
 the top and descends the first steep pitch of a descent ; will 
 swing them down the remainder at a pace which will jump 
 them across the intervening flat and carry them half way 
 up the succeeding hill ; and will catch them in hand again 
 and hold them hard over the top, as we have shown before. 
 
 Horses in work should be watered about once, with not 
 to exceed two quarts, after every ten miles, or every hour, 
 if one be travelling fast ; and if travelling far, they should be 
 w^ell fed once in the middle of their journey. This point,- 
 however, has been discussed already under the head of 
 feeding. 
 
 In closing, we would say, always remember, in using a 
 horse, that it cannot be done with too much coolness, too 
 much gentleness, too much discretion, or too much kindness. 
 
 There is no better beast in the world than a horse, nor 
 any one which, though often most cruelly misused by man, 
 so well deserves, and so amply, by his services, repays the 
 best usage. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE SIMPLE REMEDIES FOR SIMPLE 
 
 AILMENTS. 
 
 CAUSES OP AILMENTS — MEDICINES TO BE GIVEN ONLY BY THE ORDER OF 
 THE MASTER— DEPLETION AND PURGING— SPASMODIC COLIC— INFLAMMA- 
 TION OF THE BOWELS — INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS— HOW TO BLEED- 
 BALLS AND PURGATIVES— COSTIVENESS — COUGHS — BRONCHITIS— DISTEM- 
 PER — WORMS— DISEASES OF THE FEET — SCRATCHES— THRUSH— BROKEN 
 KNEES. 
 
 It is not too much, to say that more than one-half the 
 ailments of horses arise, in the first instance, from bad 
 management, — or, to speak more correctly, from absence of 
 all management, — from an improper system of feeding, 
 from ill-constructed, unventilated, filthy stabling, from in- 
 judicious driving, and neglect of cleaning. When disease 
 has arisen, it is immediately aggravated and, perhaps, ren- 
 dered ultimately fatal, either by want of medical aid, or» 
 what is far more frequent' as well as far more prejudicial, 
 ignorant, improper, and often violent treatment, either on 
 a wrong diagnosis of the affection, or on a still more 
 wrong system of relieving it. Over-rnedicining and vul- 
 garly quacking slightly ailing horses is the bane of half 
 the private stables in cities, and of nearly all the farm sta- 
 bles in the country ; and one or the other, or both com- 
 bined, cause the ruin of half the horses which "go to the 
 bad" every year. 
 
 There is no quack on earth equal to an ignorant, opin- 
 
 (162) 
 
MALPRACTICE. 163 
 
 ionated groom ; and every one, now-a-dajs, holds himself a 
 groom, who is trusted with the care of a horse, even if he 
 do not know how to clean him properly, or to feed him so 
 as not to interfere with his working hours. Every one of 
 these wretched fellows, who has no more idea of a horse's 
 structure or of his constitution than he has of the model of 
 a ship or the economy of an empire, is sure to have a thou- 
 sand infallible remedies for every possible disease, the 
 names of which he does not know, nor their causes, origin 
 or operation ; and which, if he did know their names, he 
 is entirely incapable of distinguishing, one from the other. 
 These remedies he applies at haphazard, wholly in the 
 dark as to their effect on the system in general, or on the 
 particular disease, and, of course, nine times out of ten he 
 applies them wrongfully, and aggravates fifty-fold the 
 injury he affects to be able to relieve. 
 
 These are the fellows who are constantly administering 
 purgative balls, diuretic balls, cordial balls, on their own 
 hook, without advice, orders, or possible reason — and such 
 balls, too ! some of them scarcely less fatal than a cannon 
 ball — who are continaally drugging their horses with nitre 
 in their food, under an idea that it is cooling to the system 
 and that it makes the coat sleek and silky ; never suspect- 
 ing that it is a violent diuretic ; that its operation on the 
 kidneys is irritating and exhausting in the extreme , and 
 that the only way in which it cools the animal's system is 
 that it reduces his strength and acts as a serious drain on 
 his constitution. These, lastly, are the fellows who are 
 constantly applying liot oils, fiery irritants, and stimulants, 
 to wounds, strains, bruises, or contusions, which in them- 
 selves produce violent inflammation, and to which, requir- 
 ing as they do the exhibition of mild and soothing remedies, 
 cold lotions, or warm fomentations, the application of these 
 stimulating, volatile essences is much what it would be to 
 
164 HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE. 
 
 administer brandy and cayenne to a man with a brain 
 fever. 
 
 It should, therefore, be a positive rule in every stable, 
 whether for pleasure or farm purposes, that not a drachm of 
 medicine is ever to be administered without the express 
 orders of the master. Even if a horse-keeper be so fortu- 
 nate as to possess a really intelligent, superior servant, who 
 has served his apprenticeship in a good stable, and has 
 learned a good deal about horses, he should still insist on 
 being invariably consulted before medicine is administered. 
 He should acquaint himself with the man's reasons for 
 wishing to administer medicine at all; his idea of the 
 ailment which he supposes to exist ; of the symptoms from 
 which he diagnoses it, anrf of the nature and action of the 
 drug which it is proposed to exhibit. If he see that the 
 symptoms do exist, and learn that the nature of the medi- 
 cine is such as would be expected to counteract such an 
 ailment — which a very small share of common sense will 
 enable him to discover — he will do well to sanction the 
 proceeding. But if there be the least doubt about the 
 s3anptoms, and still more, unless the man have a clear 
 conception why he should give this dose for that disease, 
 and what is its effect on the constitution, he should put an 
 absolute veto on all proceedings until the advice of a 
 regular practitioner can be obtained. Even these — ^^unless 
 they chance to be men of superior ability, and, what is 
 very rare in America, even in the large cities, and almost 
 unknown in the country, men of real education also — will 
 be very likely to overdo the matter. "In the first place, 
 w^hen called in, they judge it necessary to order something 
 in order to show that they know what is the matter and 
 wdiat is wanting. In the second place, they almost always 
 have I'ecourse to violent, drastic, aloetic purges, and to 
 extreme measures generally, when, half the time, no modi- 
 
PUJIGATIVES. 165 
 
 cine at all, or at most a simple alterative, or a diaphoretic, 
 or an enema, is all that is required. 
 
 Of course, any sensible man, if his horse be dangerously 
 and acutelj- affected, whether he do or do not himself know 
 precisely what is the disease, will call in the best medical 
 aid his neighborhood will afford as soon as possible. But, 
 in the mean time, palliations may be always used, innocent 
 in themselves, if not useful ; and, in many acute and sud- 
 den diseases, if immediate relief be not applied, the malady 
 will have gained such headway that when advice arrives 
 it will be too late to check it; whereas, if some simple but 
 active treatment be adopted on the spot, much time will 
 be saved, in the least important view of the matter, and, in 
 the worst, possibly life itself. Again : in the case of acci- 
 dents, wounds and sudden casualties, it is often impera- 
 tively necessary to act upon the spot ; and it is always 
 highly desirable to do so, insomuch as, if nothing else, it 
 by so much expedites the cure. Once again : there are 
 many ailments of so trifling a character and so simple of 
 treatment that it would be entirely superfluous for a horse- 
 keeper to call in the aid of a veterinary surgeon on each 
 occurrence of one of these, even if he were close at hand, 
 since they are such that every stable should be capable of 
 managing its own cases within itself 
 
 It is to these fcee classes of cases that we intend to con- 
 flne ourselves in the remarks which we propose to offer for 
 the use of our readers, whether urban, suburban or rural, 
 who keep horses and desire to promote, what fortunately 
 go hand-in-hand together, the utility and the well-being of 
 that noble animal. And first, we would have our readers 
 divest themselves of the idea that there is anything porten- 
 tously secret, wonderful, or out of the course of nature in 
 the ailments of horses, or that it requires either extraordi- 
 nary sagacity or intense study to treat their commoner and 
 
166 HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE. 
 
 more usual maladies so as to give them immediate relief, 
 and to enable them to resume their labors for our own 
 benefit in a short period. The truth is the very reverse of 
 this. The more ordinary diseases and affections of the 
 horse are very similar to those with which we are affected 
 ourselves; their treatment is always analogous, often 
 almost exactly identical ; the processes by which relief is 
 to be obtained are the same, and the medicines do not ma- 
 terially differ from those suitable to the human race. It 
 is not too much to say that any intelligent man, gifted with 
 good reasoning powers and not deficient in observation, 
 who knows how to keep his own bodily health in a good 
 state, and to deal with his own ordinary ailments, can, 
 within twelve months, qualify himself to treat a horse in 
 all the cases that are likely to befal him, under ordinary 
 circumstances, as well as any body else, and fifty times 
 better than the stable-keepers, who will sneer at his efforts 
 until they perceive that they are successful, and then will 
 suddenly discover that the means he took are precisely 
 those which themselves recommended. The things of 
 great importance which he has to learn, in order to guard 
 against danger, are, how much depletion the system of a 
 horse can endure without danger, and what extent of pur- 
 gation his bowels can resist undamaged. And to these 
 questions it may be answered, generally, that the horse 
 can bear much more depletion and less purgation than is 
 generally imagined, especially of the drastic drugs usually 
 exhibited. We are very decided opponents of purgatives 
 in general, and have been gratified by observing that the 
 recent cause of veterinary practice, both in France and 
 Euglrmd, is tending to the entire abandonment of the old 
 system ; according to which every horse, whether anything 
 ailed him or not, was put through two annual courses of 
 purgation, each of three doses, in the Spring and Fall, be- 
 
APPLICATION OF KEMEDIES. , 167 
 
 side having to bolt a diuretic ball fortnightly, or oftener, 
 according to the whim of the groom, when his kidneys no 
 more required stimulation than his hocks did blistering. 
 
 A horse of ordinary size contains, on an average, from 
 twenty to twenty-four quarts of blood, and the loss to him 
 of four quarts is not so much as a pound, or pint, to a 
 human being. In cases of acute inflammation, a horse 
 may be bled eight or ten quarts at a time, or until he lies 
 down, with advantage; and if the sj^mptoms do not abate, 
 may be bled again at intervals of an hour or two, to an 
 extent which a person, ignorant how rapidly blood is 
 made, would suppose must drain the animal of his life. 
 Purgatives, in our opinion, on the other hand, should be 
 very cautiously administered; never when there is any 
 inflammation of the lungs or bowels ; very rarely when 
 there is anj^ internal inflammation ; and when given, should 
 never, or hardly ever, in our judgment, exceed five 
 drachms of new Barbadoes aloes. Injections, diet, and 
 mashes are vastly superior, for general practice, to acute 
 p>urgatives, horses being extremely liable to super-purga- 
 tion, and many valuable animals being lost in consequence 
 of it yearly. 
 
 The first branch of this subject on which we propose to 
 treat, is the early application of remedies to horses, sud- 
 denly seized with violent and acute diseases, anticipatory 
 to the calling in of regular medical assistance. It is highly 
 necessary that this should be done as soon as the horse is 
 known to be seized, and the nature of his seizure is fully 
 ascertained, since, in several of the diseases to which the 
 horse is most liable, the increase of the malady is so 
 rapid that, if early steps be not taken to relieve the suf- 
 ferer, the evil becomes so firmly seated that the remedy, 
 if long delayed, comes too late, and an animal is lost 
 which by timely assistance might have easily been pre- 
 
168 HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE. 
 
 served. These ailments, especially, are of common occur- 
 rence with the horse, of highly dangerous character, and 
 so rapid in thsir development and increase that, if steps 
 be not taken for their relief almost immediately after their 
 commencement, all treatment will be useless; — these are 
 spasmodic colic, inflammation of the bowels, and inflam- 
 mation of the lungs. 
 
 The two former of these have, in their early symptoms, 
 a close resemblance one with the other ; and as the treat- 
 ment of the two should be very different, it is necessary 
 to be exceedingly careful, and to be well acquainted with 
 the diagnosis of the two ailments before attempting to treat 
 the patient, as a mistake might well be fatal, while a delay 
 is almost surely so. 
 
 "The attack of colic," says Mr. Youatt, " is usually very 
 sudden. There is often not the slighest warning. The horse 
 begins to shift his posture, look round at his flanks, paw 
 violently, strike his belly with his feet, lie down, roll, and 
 that frequently on his back. In a few minutes the pain 
 seems to cease, the horse shakes himself and begins to 
 feed ; but on a sudden the spasm returns more violently, 
 every indication of pain is increased, he heaves at the 
 flanks, breaks out in a profuse perspiration, and throws 
 himself more violently about. In the space of an hour or 
 two either the spasms begin to relax and the remissions 
 are longer in duration, or the torture is augmented at 
 every paroxysm, the intervals of ease are fewer and less 
 marked, and inflammation and death supervene." 
 
 As all the more violent symptoms of this disease and 
 of acute inflammation of the external coats of the intes* 
 tines, such as looking round at the flanks, pawing, kicking 
 at the bell}^ rolling violently, and, in a word, all the man- 
 itbstaticMis of excessive pain are nearly identical, and, as 
 tlio causes which lead to the two diseases are also nearly 
 
COLIC. 
 
 169 
 
 the same, so that one might be liable to suspect the occur- 
 rence of either, from a knowledge of the antecedents to 
 which the horse has been exposed, it was well done in 
 Youatt to present briefly in a tabular form the distinctions 
 between the symptoms of the two, which, if carefully ob- 
 served, cannot be misunderstood, and will prevent the pos- 
 sibility of confusion, which might lead to the most fatal 
 consequences. We proceed to present his table, accom- 
 panied by his remark that the treatment recommended for 
 the former (colic) would often be fatal in the latter : 
 
 COLIC. 
 
 Sudden in its attack, and without 
 any warning. 
 
 Pulse rarely much quickened in the 
 early period of the disease, and 
 during the intervals of ease, but 
 evidently fuller. 
 
 Legs and ears of natural temper- 
 ature. 
 
 Relief obtained from rubbing the 
 belly. 
 
 Relief obtained from motion. 
 
 Intervals of rest and ease. 
 
 Strength scarcely affected. 
 
 INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. 
 
 Gradual in its approach, with pre- 
 vious indications of fever. 
 
 Pulse very much quickened, but 
 small, and often scarcely to be 
 felt. 
 
 Legs and ears cold. 
 
 and 
 
 Belly exceedingly painful, 
 
 tender to the touch. 
 Pain evidently increased by motion. 
 Constant pain. 
 Great and evident weakness. 
 
 Of these differences the most strongly and decidedly 
 marked are the different affections of the pulse, the differ- 
 ent conditions of the extremities, the remissions of the 
 pain in the one, and the constant increase of it in the 
 other, and the extreme weakness which rapidly comes on 
 in inflammation, and does not show in colic. 
 
 It will be well, here, to state that the pulse of the horse 
 is most conveniently felt at the lower jaw; a little behind 
 the spot where the submaxillary artery and vein and the 
 parotid duct come from under the jaw : in other words, 
 close to the junction of the head and neck. The thumb 
 should be placed on the cheek externally, with the nail 
 upward^ and the tips of the fingers passing under and 
 8 
 
170 HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE. 
 
 within the jaw-bone, will readily feel the artery, and, by 
 compressing it against the bone, will ascertain not only 
 the number of pulsations, but the manner in which the 
 blood passes, and the quantity. By feeling the heart, 
 through the side, as is the ordinary practice of horsemen, 
 nothing can be ascertained beyond the number of pulsa- 
 tions. 
 
 We will here add that, in temperate climates, about 
 thirty-six in a minute is the ordinary beat of the pulse 
 in a common or farmer's horse, which will be increased to 
 forty, or even forty-two, in thorough-breds. It varies but" 
 little in horses of different sizes, but is slightly increased 
 in hot weather, and very materially so in hot climates. 
 The pulse of the thorough-bred horse is said to range ten 
 higher in New Orleans than in Ne\y York ; and we can 
 readily believe this to be the case, as we have observed 
 the same thing to occur when the horse is kept in a very 
 hot stable. Sudden alarm often quickens the pulse by ten 
 beats; wherefore particular care shoudd be had to, go 
 up to the patient as gently, and to handle him as tenderly 
 and caressingly, as possible, in order to avoid producing 
 this excitement, which will lead to a false diagnosis. 
 
 Colic is usually produced by sudden cold, often the 
 result of drinking cold water when heated; sometimes 
 by exposure to cold wind, in a draft, when heated ; some- 
 times by overfeeding on green meat, or new corn. The 
 causes of inflammation in the bowels are somewhat similar, 
 though not identical. Horses used. to high feeding and 
 warm stabling, which, after sharp exercise and being for 
 some hours without food, are exposed to cold wind, or are 
 allowed to drink freely of cold water, or are drenched 
 with rain, or have their legs and belly washed with cold 
 water, are almost sure to be attacked with inflammation 
 of the bowels. An overfed or overfat horse, which is sub- 
 
COLIC. 171 
 
 jected to severe and long-continued exertion, if his lungs 
 be weak, will be attacked, probably the same night, bj 
 inflammation of the lungs ; if the lungs be sound, the at- 
 tack will be on his bowels on the following day. 
 
 The diagnosis being made, and the disease being fully 
 established to be spasmodic colic, and not inflammation, 
 the treatment should be as follows : Give at once, in a 
 drench, by a horn or bottle, three ounces of spirits of tur- 
 pentine and an ounce of laudanum in a pint of warm ale, 
 the effect of which will often be instantaneous. K these 
 ingredients cannot be quickly obtained, a drench of hot ale, 
 with ginger, a wine-glass full of gin and a teaspoonful of 
 black pepper, with, if possible, the laudanum added, will 
 succeed as a substitute. If the paroxysm returns, or if re- 
 lief of a decided kind do not take place within half an 
 hour, from four to six quarts of blood may be taken, with 
 advantage, in order to prevent inflammation. The dose of 
 turpentine should be repeated, and clysters of warm water, 
 with an ounce of finely powdered Barbadoes aloes dissolved 
 in them, should be injected, at intervals, until the counter- 
 irritation puts a stop to the spasms. For the injections, a 
 common wooden pipe with an ox bladder will answer, al- 
 though the patent syringe is far better. The pipe should be 
 greased and introduced gently and tenderly, great care be- 
 ing had not to alarm or startle the animal. The opera- 
 tion and effect of the medicines will be promoted by gen- 
 tle friction of the belly, with a brush or hot flannel cloth, 
 and by Avalking the horse, or trotting him very gently 
 about ; but all violence, or violent motions, must be avoided 
 as tending to produce inflammation. These remedies, 
 which can be procured with ease in any village, almost in 
 any house, will almost to a certainty remove the disease. 
 When relief is obtained, the horse's clothes should be 
 changed,, which will be found to be saturated with sweat ; 
 
172 irow TO PHYSIC a horse. 
 
 he should be slightly cleaned; warmly and dryly lit- 
 tered down, if possible, in a loose box, and should be 
 fed, for two or three days, on warm bran mashes, and suf- 
 fered to drink warm water only. It is evident that the 
 above treatment, which is stimulating, would be probably 
 fatal, as it would aggravate all the worst features, in a case 
 of inflammation, which must be treated, as nearly as pos- 
 sible, on the opposite plan — that is, antiphlogistically. 
 
 Inflammation of the Bowels. — The first step, in 
 decided cases where the extremities are cold and the pulse 
 very quick and very feeble — observe, here, that fifty-five is 
 very quick, indicating considerable fever, and seventy-five 
 perilously quick — is to take eight or ten quarts of blood as 
 soon as the malady appears, — for there is no other malady 
 that so quickly runs its course. If this do not relieve the 
 pain, and render the pulse more moderate, and fuller, and 
 rounder, four or five quarts more may be taken, without 
 any regard to the weakness of the animal. That weak- 
 ness is a part of the disease, and, when the inflammation is 
 subdued by the loss of blood, the weakness will disappear. 
 We have said that most of the acute diseases of the horse 
 and the man are closely similar, and their treatment analo- 
 gous. In acute inflammation of the bowels there is an 
 exception. The human practitioner properly uses strong 
 purgatives, in cases of acute inflammation of the bowels. 
 The irritablility of the horse's bowels will not allow their 
 exhibition. The most that can be done is, to throw up 
 copious injections — they can hardly be too copious — of 
 thin gruel, in which half a pound of Epsom salts, or half 
 an ounce of Barbadoes aloes, has been dissolved. The 
 horse should be encouraged to drink freely of warm, thin 
 gruel; and he should have a draught, every six hours, of 
 warm water, with from one to two drachms, — never more, — 
 of aloes dissolved in it. Above all, the whole belly should 
 
INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS. 173 
 
 be blistered as quickly as possible after the nature of the 
 disease is fully ascertained, with tincture of cantharides 
 well rubbed in. The legs should be well bandaged, to re- 
 store the circulation ; and the horse should be warmly 
 clothed, but the stable kept cool. No hay or oats must be 
 allowed during the attack, but merely bran mashes and green 
 meat ; of the latter, especially, as much as he will eat. As 
 the horse recovers a little oats may be given, a handful or 
 two at a time, twice or thrice a day, but not more ; and 
 they should be increased sparingly and gradually. Clys- 
 ters of gruel should be continued for two or three days, 
 and hand -rubbing and bandaging to restore the circulation. 
 There is another kind of inflammation of the bowels, which 
 attacks the inner or mucous membrane, and is produced 
 by super-purgation and the exhibition of improper medi- 
 cine in improper quantities. Its characteristics are inces- 
 sant purging, laborious breathing, pulse quick and small, 
 but less so than in the other form of disease; and, 
 above all, the mouth is hot, and the legs and ears warm, 
 In this disease, no food must be allowed, least of all laxa- 
 tive food, such as mashes or gxeen meat ; but draughts 
 and clysters of gruel, thin starch and arrow-root may be 
 given frequently. If the pain and purging do not pass 
 away wdthin twelve hours, astringents must be given. The 
 best form is powdered chalk 1 oz., catechu { oz., opium 2 
 scruples, in gruel, repeated every six hours till the purg- 
 ing begins to subside, when the doses should be gradually 
 decreased and discontinued. Bleeding is not generally 
 necessary, unless the inflammation and fever are excessive. 
 The horse should be kept warm, and his legs rubbed and 
 bandaged as directed in the former type of the disease. 
 
 Inflammation of the Lungs. — This disease, which 
 in a state of nature is almost unknown to the horse, is one 
 to which in his domesticated state he is most liable, and 
 
174 HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE. 
 
 whicli is most fatal to him. It requires immediate and 
 most active treatment. It is sometimes sudden in its attack, 
 but is generally preceded by fever. The pulse is not al- 
 ways much quickened, in the first instance, but is indistinct 
 and depressed. The extremities are painfully cold ; the 
 lining membrane of the nostrils becomes intensely red ; the 
 breathing is quick, hurried, and seems to be interrupted by 
 pain, or mechanical obstruction. The horse stands stiffly, 
 with his legs far apart, so as to distend his chest to the 
 utmost, and is singularly unwilling to move, or to lie down, 
 persisting in standing up, day after day and night after 
 night : and if at last compelled by fatigue to lie down, rises 
 again after a moment's repose. The pulse soon becomes 
 irregular, indistinct, and at last almost imperceptible. The 
 legs and ears assume a clay-like, clammy coldness, — the 
 coldness of death. The lining of the nostril turns purple ; 
 the teeth are violently ground ; the horse persists in stand- 
 ing, until he can stand no longer, when he staggers, drops 
 and soon dies. 
 
 For this disease, the only remedy that can be depended 
 upon is the lancet. The horse must be bled, not accord- 
 ing to quantity, not only till the pulse begins to rise, but 
 until it begins to flatter or stop, and the animal begins to 
 faint. The operator should watch this effect, with his fin- 
 ger on the pulse, while the bleeding is in process. At 
 the end of six hours, if the horse still persist in standing 
 and the laborious breathing still continue, the bleeding 
 should be repeated to the same extent. This will generally 
 succeed in conquering the strength of the disease. If a 
 third bleeding be necessary, as is sometimes the case, it 
 mast not be carried beyond four or five quarts, lest not 
 only the disease, but the recuperative power be subdued. 
 After this, if the symptoms return, successive bleedings 
 to the extent of two or three quarts should be used, to 
 
INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS. 175 
 
 prevent ttie reestablislimeDt of the disease. The instru- 
 ment for bleeding should be a broad-shouldered thumb 
 lancet, and the stream of blood should be full and strong. 
 Some of the blood, from each bleeding, should be set 
 aside in a glass tumbler, and suffered to grow cold, in or- 
 der to note the thickness of the buff-colored, adhesive coat 
 which will appear on the top of it, and which indicates the 
 degree of inflammation at the time the blood was drawn. 
 We have seen it occupy above one half the depth of the 
 tumbler. As the condition of the blood improves, and 
 the symptoms of the animal decrease, the bleeding may 
 be gradually discontinued. 
 
 The whole of the horse's chest and sides, up as far as to 
 the elbows, should dow be thoroughly blistered, the hair 
 having been previously closely shaved, with an ointment of 
 one part of Spanish flies, four of lard, and one of rosin, 
 well rubbed in. In making the ointment, the rosin and 
 lard should be melted together, and the flies then added. 
 
 A horse with inflammation of the lungs must never be 
 actively purged ; the bowels and lungs act so strongly in 
 sympathy, that inflammation of the former would surely 
 supervene, and prove fatal. The horse must be back-raked, 
 and clystered with warm gruel containing eight ounces of 
 Epsom salts. Castor oil must never be given ; it is a most 
 dangerous medicine to the horse. Doses of nitre, digitalis 
 and tartar emetic, in the proportion of three ounces of the 
 first, one of the second and one and a halfof the third may 
 be given, morning and evening, until the animal begins to 
 amend, when the dose may be reduced to one-half. The 
 horse must be warmly clothed, but kept in a cool box. 
 As he recovers, his skin should be gently rubbed with a 
 brush, if it do not irritate him ; but his legs must be con- 
 stantly and thoroughly hand-rubbed and bandaged. He 
 should not be coaxed to eat, but may have a little hay to 
 
176 HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE. 
 
 amuse him, cold maslies and green meat, but on no account 
 a particle of oats. Eight-and-fortj hours generally de- 
 cides the question of death or life. But in case of recov- 
 ery, it is necessary long to watch for a relapse, which is of 
 frequent, one might say of general, occurrence. It is to be 
 met at once by the same energetic treatment. Andnovv, one 
 word to the owner of a horse which has had one bad attack 
 of inflammation, either of the lungs or of the bowels. Get 
 rid of him as soon as possible! It is ten to one that 
 he will have another, and another, and, as in the former 
 instance, end by becoming broken-winded, — in the latter 
 by bemg useless, from a nearly chronic state of the disease. 
 The second class of ailments, which every horse-keeper 
 ought to be prepared to treat himself, without assistance, 
 are those natural and constantly occurring cases which are 
 almost habitually present in large stables or farming estab- 
 lishments, and in aid of which to call in a veterinary sur- 
 geon on every occasion would be both an absurd expense 
 and a useless waste of time. Such are, for instance, costive- 
 ness, common cough, bronchitis, or catarrhal disease, stran- 
 gles or colt-distemper, worms, difficulty in staling, and some 
 others, which any man who keeps a horse ought to be able 
 to treat successfully himself, without any advice, and with 
 ordinary medicines, easily procurable from any druggist. 
 Condition, in its proper sense, is more dependent on proper 
 and systematic feeding, exercising, clothing and lodging, 
 than on medicine ; and if a horse be of good, sound con- 
 stitution, and be judiciously fed, regularly worked, warmly 
 yet not too warmly clothed and stabled, in a building prop- 
 erly ventilated and aerated; and, above all, if he be kept 
 scrupulously and religiously clean, there will for him be 
 but little need of medicine of any kind. From ill-con- 
 structed stables arise half the worst diseases, those for 
 instance of the lungs, from want of ventilation ; many of 
 
BLEEDING. 177 
 
 those of the eyes, from the excess of ammoniacal vapors 
 and unnatural darkness ; many of those of the feet, as 
 cracked heels, thrushes, grease — 'which in America is 
 known as scratches — from filth and neglect; and most of 
 those of the bowels, and the bowels and lungs combined, 
 from bad food, or good food badly administered. Still 
 diseases will and do arise from other causes, in the best 
 stables, and among the best-attended horses. And again, 
 they do arise, and when arising must be dealt with medi- 
 cally, owing to the causes above enumerated. 
 
 It may be well in this place to describe briefly the most 
 approved modes of bleeding and administering medicine. 
 The former operation is performed in the jugular vein ; the 
 hair is smoothed, along the course of the vein, with the 
 moistened finger ; then, if the fleam be used — which, in our 
 opinion, ought to be discarded — -with the third and little 
 fingers of the left hand, which holds the fleam, pressure is 
 made upon the vein sufficient to bring it into full view ; the 
 fleam is to be placed on the vein, in the direct line of its 
 course, precisely over the centre of it, not exactly touching 
 it, but as near to it as possible without doing so. A smart 
 blow is then given to the back of the fleam with an instru- 
 ment called the blood-stick, which gives it force sufficient 
 to pierce the skin and open the vessel. A much neater 
 way, however, is to use a broad-bladed lancet. The vein 
 is secured and pressed sufficiently to bring it into full view 
 and cause it to swell, with the divided fingers of the left 
 hand, when the point of the lancet is sent in, without an 
 effort, so as to cut slightly upward and to open a clean and 
 sufficient aperture. By this method the danger of cutting 
 the neck foul without touching the vein, owing to the 
 horse starting at the moment the blow is given upon the 
 fleam, and the yet worse danger of dividing both sides of 
 the vein, are both avoided. When enough blood has been 
 8* 
 
178 HOW TO PHYSIC A HOKSE. 
 
 taken, the edges of the wound should be brought smoothly 
 together, and secured by a sharp pin, around which a little 
 tow or a few hairs of the horse should be twisted. The 
 blood, while it is flowing, should be made, by a gentle 
 pressure on the vein below the aperture, to spring out in a 
 clear, full jet, and to fall into the centre of the vessel used 
 to receive it. If it be allowed to trickle down the sides of 
 the pail, it will not undergo the changes by which the 
 extent of inflammation may be judged. The operator 
 should accurately know the size of the vessel he uses, so as 
 to calculate the flow of blood. 
 
 In giving medicine, if balls be used, they should never 
 weigh above an ounce and a half, or be above an inch in 
 diameter, and three in length. The horse should be lashed 
 in the stall, the tongue should be drawn gently out with 
 the left hand on the off side of the mouth, and fixed there, 
 not by continuing to pull at it, but by pressing the fingers 
 against the side of the lower jaw. The ball is then taken 
 between the tips of the fingers of the right hand, the arm 
 being bared and passed rapidly up the mouth, as near the 
 })alate as possible, until it reaches the root of the tongue, 
 when it is delivared with a slight jerk, the hand is with- 
 drawn, and the tongue being released the ball is forced 
 down into the oesophagus. Its passage should be watched 
 down the left side of the throat, and if it do not pass im- 
 mediately, a slight tap under the chin will easily cause the 
 horse to swallow it. The only safe purgative for a horse 
 is Barbadoes aloes, or the flour of the Croton bean, for 
 some peculiar purposes ; but its drastic, nature renders it 
 undesirable as a general aperient. When aloes are used, 
 care should be taken to have them new, as they speedily 
 lose their power, and they should be freshly mixed. Yery 
 mild doses only should be used ; four or five drachms are 
 amply sufficient, if the horse have been prepared, as he 
 
COSTIVENESS. 179 
 
 should b>^, by being fed for two days at least, entirely on 
 maslies, wLicli will cause a small dose to have a beneficial 
 effect, equal to double the quantity administered to a 
 horse not duly prepared for it. The immense doses of 
 eio-ht, nine, ten and even twelve drachms, which were 
 formerly in vogue, and which are still favored b}^ grooms, 
 ostlers and carters, are utterly exploded ; and it is well 
 known that eight or nine good fluid evacuations are all 
 that can be desired, and far safer than twice' the number. 
 
 Four and a half drachms of Barbadoes aloes, with olive 
 or linseed oil and molasses sufficient to form a mass in the 
 proportion of eight of the aloes to one of the oil and three 
 of the molasses, is the best general ball, though often four 
 drachms given after a sufficiency of mashes or green food 
 will accomplish all that is needed or desirable. Castor oil 
 is a most dangerous and uncertain medicine. Linseed oil 
 is not much better. Olive oil is safe, but weak. Epsom 
 salts is inefficient, except in enormous doses, and is then 
 dangerous. It is, however, excellent, given in clysters 
 of weak gruel; which, by the way, except where very 
 searching and- thorough purging is required, as in cases of 
 mange or grease, is by far the safest, most agreeable and 
 mildest way of purging the horse, and evacuating his 
 bowels. Where, however, his intestines are over-loaded 
 with fat, Avhere he shows signs of surfeit, or where it is 
 necessary to prepare him to undergo some great change of 
 system, as from a long run at grass to a hot stable, or vice 
 versa, a mild course of two or three doses of physic, with a 
 •clear interval of a week between the setting of one dose 
 and the giving of another, is necessary, and cannot be prop- 
 erly dispensed with. 
 
 CosTiVENESS. — Ordinary cases can generally be con- 
 quered without medicine, by diet, such as hop or bran 
 mashes, gre^n meat and carrots ; but where it is obstinate, 
 
180 HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE. 
 
 the rectum sliould be cleared of dry fieces by passing the 
 naked arm, well greased, up the anus ; and the bowels 
 should be then thoroughly evacuated by clysters of thin 
 gruel, with half an ounce of Barbadoes aloes, or half a 
 pound of Epsom salts dissolved in it. If the patent 
 syringe be used, the injection will reach the colon and 
 caecum and dispose them also to evacuate their contents. 
 
 Common Cough is generally subdued without much 
 difficulty, though it often becomes of most serious conse- 
 quence if neglected. It is accompanied by a heightened 
 pulse ; a slight discharge from the nose and eyes, a rough 
 coat, and a diminished appetite, being its symptoms. The 
 horse should be kept warm, fed on mashes, and should 
 have a dose or two of medicine. If the cough be very 
 obstinate, bleeding may be necessary. 
 
 Bronchitis is cough, with catarrh extending to the en- 
 trance of the lungs superadded. It is characterized by a 
 quick, hard breathing, and a peculiar wheezing, followed 
 and relieved by coughing up mucus. It must be treated 
 by bleeding, though by no means so copious as in cases of 
 inflammation of the lungs. Kepeated bleedings of four or 
 five quarts, at intervals, until relief is obtained, are prefer- 
 able to the abstraction of large quantities at once. The- 
 chest should be blistered, and digitalis, nitre and tartar 
 emetic exhibited, as with inflammation of the lungs ; bron- 
 chitis, if neglected, is apt to degenerate into thick wind. 
 
 Strangles, or colt-distemper, is a disease which shows 
 itself in all young horses, and from which, w^hen they have 
 once passed through its ordeal, the}^ have no more to fear. 
 It is preceded by some derangement of circulation, quick- 
 ening of the pulse, some fever, cough, and sore throat. The 
 parts around the throat swell, the maxillary glands are 
 swollen and tender, and sometimes the parotids also. The 
 animal refuses to drink, and often declines his food. There 
 
WOEMS — DISEASKS OF THE BLADDER. 181 
 
 is a flow of saliva from the mouth and a semi-purulent 
 discharge from the nose. The jaws, throat and glands of 
 the neck should be poulticed with steaming mashes, the 
 skin stimulated by means of a liquid blister, and the head 
 steamed, in order to promote suppuration. As soon as 
 fluctuation can be perceived, the swelling should be lanced, 
 and a rowel introduced, to keep the abscess open and the 
 discharge flowing for a few days. The animal should have 
 walking exercise, and be treated with green food, until the 
 symptoms abate, when he will require liberal and generous 
 food to recruit his strength. 
 
 Worms are sometimes troublesome to a horse, but in a 
 far less degree than is generally supposed. Botts have 
 long since, been proved to be perfectly harmless while 
 they are within the stomach, — all the stories of their eating 
 through its coats being pure myths, although they are very 
 often troublesome after they have passed out of the cesoph- 
 aofus and rectum and be of in to adhere to the orifice of 
 the anus. Common purgatives will often bring away vast 
 numbers of the long, white worm, teres lumhricus, which 
 occasionally, when existing in great numbers, consume 
 too large a proportion of the animal's food, and produce a 
 tight skin, a tucked-up belly, and a rough coat. Calomel 
 should never be given, as it too frequently is, for the re- 
 moval of these worms, which will readily yield to balls of 
 two drachms of tartar emetic, one scruple of ginger, with 
 molasses and linseed oil quantum suff., given alternate 
 mornings half an hour before feeding time. The smaller 
 worm, ascaris, which often causes serious irritation about 
 the fundament, is best removed by injecting a quart of 
 linseed oil, or an ounce of aloes dissolved in warm water, 
 which is a most effectual remedy. 
 
 Diseases of the Bladder are many, serious, and often 
 mistreated. They require, however, so much skill and so 
 
182 now TO PHYSIC a horse. 
 
 accurate a diagnosis, that none bat a regular practitioner 
 should i^retend to treat them. Simple difficulty of staling 
 can generally be relieved by cleansing the sheath with the 
 hand, and giving gentle doses of nitre. These are most of 
 the simpler diseases, Avhich may be simply and successfully 
 treated at home, and with which every horse-keeper ought 
 to be at least superficially and generally acquainted. AVc 
 shall touch upon the subject of accidents, strains, simple 
 lameness, contusions, and the like, which can often be per- 
 fectly cured by cold lotions, or simple, warm f ^nentations, 
 without any further or more difficult process, — though igno- 
 rant persons make much of them, as if their cure proved 
 marvelous skill, and required magnificent appliances. 
 
 Before proceeding to the consideration of simple acci- 
 dents and their treatment, we shall devote a few words to an 
 affection of the feet, or, to speak more correctly, heels, which 
 although not exactly an accident, is not a natural disease, 
 but arises from filth, neglect, cold, wet, and the omission 
 to clean and dry the feet and legs of the horse, after work 
 and exposure to weather. It has been rightly called the 
 disgrace, as it is the bane, of inferior stables, both in the 
 city and the country, but more commonly in the latter, 
 where, to pay any attention to the legs and feet of a farm- 
 horse, is an almost unheard-of act of chivalric Quixotism. 
 This is the ailment known in England as "the grease," in 
 the United States, generally, as " the scratches." It is 
 perfectly easj^ to be prevented, and easy to be cured if 
 taken in the first instance ; but if neglected and allowed 
 to become virulent, is nearly incurable. 
 
 Grease. — The first appearance of "grease," wdiich is 
 caused by the feet and heels being left wet after work in 
 muddy soil, and exposed to a draft of cold air, is a dry and 
 scurfy state of the skin, with redness, heat and itching. If 
 neglected, the hair drops off, the heels swell, the skin as- 
 
SCRATCHES, OR GREASE. 183 
 
 sumes a glazed appearance, is covered with pustules, cracks 
 open, and emits a thin, glairy discharge, which soon becomes 
 very offensive. In the last, worst, and incurable stage, the 
 leg, half-way to the hock, is covered with thick, horny scabs, 
 divided into lozenge-shaped lumps by deep cracks, whence 
 issues an extremely offensive matter. In this stage, the 
 disease is called "grapy heels," and is scarcely curable. 
 In the first stage, all that is necessary is frequent washing 
 with tepid water and Castile soap, and the application of a 
 flannel bandage, evenly applied over the whole limb, 
 moistened with warm water and allowed to dry on the 
 part. An ointment of one drachm of sugar of lead in an 
 ounce of lard, will supple, soften and relieve the parts. 
 The cracks may be washed with a solution of four ounces 
 of alum in a pint of water, which will in most cases suf- 
 fice. A dose of medicine is now desirable, for which the 
 horse should be well prepared by the administration of 
 bran-mashes, as before advised, for a couple of days ; after 
 which, a ball of four or five drachms of Barbadoes aloes 
 will suffice. An injection will not answer in this case, as 
 the object is, not to empty the bowels, but to cool the sys- 
 tem. The horse should be fed on mashes, carrots, and 
 green meat ; oats, Indian corn, and high food of all kinds, 
 are to be avoided as too heating. 
 
 When the disease has reached the second stage, the 
 physicing must be persevered in for three doses, with the 
 regular intervals ; carrot poultices must be applied to the 
 heels. This is best done by drawing an old stocking, 
 minus the foot, over the horse's hoof, confining it around 
 the fetlock joint with a loose bandage, and filling it from 
 above with carrots, boiled and mashed into a soft pulp. 
 This mass should be applied tolerably hot, and repeated 
 daily for three days. When removed, the heels should be 
 anoint ^ 1 with an oititment of one part of rosin, three 
 
184 HOW TO PHYSIC a horse. 
 
 parts of lard, melted together, and one part of calamine 
 powder, added when the first mixture is cooling. The 
 cracks should be persistently washed with the alum lotion, 
 and the bandage applied whenever the poultices are not 
 on the part. The benefit of carrot poultices for all affec- 
 tions where there is fever, swelling and a pustular condi- 
 tion of the skin, cannot be over-rated. Stocked legs and 
 capped hocks we have seen completely cured by them ; 
 and, on one occasion, at least, we have known incipient 
 farcy to give way before their emollient and healing influ- 
 ence. Where "the grease" has degenerated into "the 
 grapes," the aid of a veterinary surgeon must be invoked; 
 but he will rarely succeed, as the ailment is now all but 
 incurable. It is, however, only the height of neglect which 
 ever allows the ailment to degenerate into this filthy and 
 malignant stage of disease. 
 
 Thrush. — Among the more common of the simple 
 ailments of the foot is that known as "thrush." This 
 is a discharge of offensive matter from the cleft of the 
 frog, produced by inflammation of the lower surface of 
 the sensible frog. In the fore feet, it is often the con- 
 sequence of contraction of the hoofs. It constitutes a 
 legal unsoundness, and is generally, although not always, 
 accompanied by lameness. Any moderately astringent ap- 
 plication is of advantage, but it must not be of too caustic 
 a nature. Common segyptiacum, or honey boiled with 
 vinegar and verdigris, is a good liniment ; but the best of 
 all applications is a paste, composed of two ounces of blue 
 and one of white vitriol, powdered as finely as possible, 
 and rubbed down with one pound of tar and two of lard ; 
 a pledget of tow covered with this should be introduced 
 into the cleft of the frog, as far as is possible, without un- 
 due force, every niglit, and removed before the horse goes 
 to work in the morning. The feet should be kept moist 
 
BROKEN KNEES. 185 
 
 by being stuffed nigbtly with equal parts of tar, cow-dung 
 and soft clay. 
 
 A very common and dangerous accident to tbe foot 
 arises from pricking the hoof, by awkward driving of the 
 nails in shoeing, either through the horny crust of the 
 foot into the sensible flesh, or so near to it as to give 
 acute pain and produce violent lameness. When a horse 
 falls lame immediately after shoeing, the foot should be 
 carefully examined, in order to see if this be not the cause. 
 If it be so, the seat of the injury will often be detected by 
 a sensible heat and inflammation of the injured part; if 
 not, on tapping the hoof externally all round with a ham- 
 mer, the animal will flinch when the hammer is struck 
 opposite to or above the puncture. The shoe must then 
 be withdrawn, the nail which has done the mischief must 
 be removed, the puncture must be opened out and enlarged 
 by paring away the horn quite down to the quick, when a 
 pledget of tow, dipped in Friar's balsam, should be inserted 
 into the puncture. The feet must be kept cool and moist, 
 by stuffing them, as described above, and the cure, beyond 
 this, must be left to time and rest to accomplish. 
 
 Broken Knees. — In cases of knees broken by a fall, 
 the wound should be carefully washed with tepid water ; 
 all extraneous matter, as earth, sand, or gravel, must be 
 carefully removed ; any ragged edges of skin should be 
 clipped off with a pair of sharp scissors ; a pad of linen, 
 dipped in Friar's balsam, should be applied, and kept in 
 its place by a moderately tight bandage. The wound 
 should be washed daily with tepid water ; if there be 
 much swelling or inflammation, it may be well fomented, 
 but not poulticed, as it is an object to prevent, not to 
 encourage, suppuration. But all hot oils, astringents, or 
 stimulating applications of any kind, which grooms are 
 almost sure to recommend, and to apply contrary to 
 
TB6 HOW TO PHYSIC A HORSE. 
 
 orders if not watched, must be avoided as one would avoid 
 poison. 
 
 The treatment for over-reach, tread, or wounds produced 
 by injuring one foot by the caulks of the other, are to be 
 treated precisely in the same manner as broken knees. 
 
 For all strains, wrenches, or contusions, where the skin 
 is not broken, hot fomentations of vinegar and water, ap- 
 plied b}^ means of flannel bandages, and constantly re- 
 peated, are the best possible treatment. Where there is 
 much swelling and acute inflammation, linseed, turnip, or 
 carrot poultices may be applied with advantage ; and the 
 parts should be kept tightly bandaged, when not under 
 other treatment. "When the swelling and inflammation 
 have passed, but weakness and lameness continue, the 
 part should be wrapped nightly with a close, but not 
 tight, Harpocrates bandage of cotton cloth, saturated in 
 cold water, and above that tightly swathed in a double 
 flannel bandage. This treatment, if resolutely persevered 
 in, will, nine times out of ten, remove the injury. If 
 it do not so, the veterinary surgeon must be called in, 
 and blistering, or other stronger means, resorted to. But 
 these measures should not be tried until the disease is be- 
 coming chronic, and until all inflammation is at end. 
 
 It is believed, that if applied carefully and with con- 
 siderate judgment, the above-described simple remedies 
 will be found all-sufficient for the simple ailments and 
 simple accidents mentioned ; and they can all be applied 
 from materials to be found in every house, and by any one 
 with ordinary sense and common judgment. For all more 
 serious accidents and complicated disorders, good medical 
 treatment is actually necessary ; and, in such cases, it is 
 even greater folly to attempt home treatment, than it is 
 not to attempt it in such cases as we have referred to. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 FARRIERY, ETC. 
 
 DEFINITION OP FARRIERY — CASTRATION — ^DOCKING AND NICKING— BLOOD- 
 LETTING— TREATMENT OP STRAINS AND WOUNDS — GALLS OP THE SKIN — 
 
 CRACKED HEEfiS— CLIPPING AND SINGEING ADMrNISTERLN"*G MEDICINES — 
 
 DISEASES OP THE PEET. 
 
 By larrierj we generally understand the performance of 
 those common operations which do not require the aid of 
 a Veterinary Surgeon, but may be practiced, with pretty 
 good success, by men of practical experience, who have 
 little or no scientific knowledge of the anatomy and phys- 
 iology of the horse. It is true that yerj many, if not all 
 of these, would be performed much better by a skilled 
 Veterinary Surgeon, but they are of such a character that 
 his services are not absolutely essential. These operations 
 are chiefly such as affect only the external parts and organs 
 of the animal ; and they may be safely entrusted to any 
 person, who has had a fair amount of experience in the 
 management of sick horse-flesh. It is to be premised, 
 however, that very few of those smiths on whose signs 
 there appears, " Horse Shoer and Farrier ^''^ are better than 
 quacks into whose hands it would not be safe to place the 
 control of the simplest case. 
 
 As a general rule, ever}?' horse owner should, if possi- 
 ble, appeal only to skilled veterinary surgeon?, for any 
 surgical operation, no matter how trifling, of Avhich his 
 horse may stand in need. Where he has to depend on the 
 services of an uneducated country farrier, he should take 
 pains to inform himself, as far as lies in his power, of all 
 
 [187] 
 
188 FARRIERY, ETC. 
 
 the conditions on which the difficulty in question, and the 
 mode of curing it, depends ; this will enable him at least 
 to prevent much injury which an ignorant quack might 
 occasion, if allowed to have entirely his own way. 
 
 CASTRATION. 
 
 This operation is, of course, a very delicate one, and 
 should never be attempted, on a living subject, except by 
 a person of experience and skill. 
 
 The following directions are given by Mr. Youatt : 
 
 " The j^eriod at which this operation may be best per- 
 formed depends much on the breed and form of the colt, 
 and the purpose for which he is destined. For the com- 
 mon agricultural horse, the age of four or five months will 
 be the most proper time, or, at least, before he is weaned. 
 Few horses are lost Avhen cut at that age. Care, however, 
 should be taken, that the weather is not too hot nor the 
 flies too numerous. 
 
 "If the horse is designed either for the carriage or for 
 heavy draught, the farmer should not think of castrating 
 him until he is at least a twelvemonth old; and, even 
 then, the colt should be carefully examined. If he is thin 
 and spare about the neck and shoulders, and low in the 
 withers, he will materially improve by remaining uncut 
 another six months; but if his fore-quarters are fairly 
 developed at the age of a twelvemonth, the operation 
 should not be delayed, lest he become heavy and gross 
 before, and perhaps has begun too decidedly to have a will 
 of his own. No specific age, then, can be fixed ; but the 
 castration should be performed rather late in the spring 
 or early in the autumn, when the air is temperate, and 
 particularly when the weather is dry. 
 
 "No preparation is necessary for the sucking colt, bat 
 it may be prudent to bleed and to physic one of more ad- 
 
CASTRATION. 189 
 
 vanced age. In the majority of cases, no after treatment 
 -will be necessary, except that the animal should be shel- 
 tered from intense^heat, and more particularly from wet." 
 
 Moderate exercise taken in grazing will be preferable to 
 perfect inaction. The old method of pinning the scrotmn 
 (testicle bag) on either side, and cutting off the testicles, — 
 preventing bleeding by a temporary compression of the 
 vessels while they are seared with a hot iron, — must be 
 abandoned;, and there is no necessity for this extra pain 
 when the spermatic cord, (the blood vessels, and the nerve) 
 is compressed between two pieces of wood, as tightly as in 
 a vice, and there left till the following day, or until the 
 testicle drops off. 
 
 Another method of castration is by torsion. An incision 
 is made into the scrotum, and the vas deferens is exposed 
 and divided. The artery is then seized with a pair of 
 forceps contrived for the purpose, and twisted six or seven 
 times around. It retracts without untwisting the coils, and 
 the bleeding ceases ; the testicle is removed, and there is no 
 sloughing, or danger. The most painful part of the opera- 
 tion, that with the firing iron or the clamp, is avoided, 
 and the wound readily heals. 
 
 Mr. Spooner, the editor of Youatt's works, recommends 
 the use of chloroform, and says that he has performed the 
 operation in seven minutes, without any pain to the 
 animal. 
 
 DOCKINa AND NICKING. 
 
 These barbarous methods of depriving the horse of his 
 natural form and appearance, in order to make him con- 
 form to the fashion of the time, is, fortunately, very fast 
 going into disuse. If the tail of the horse were given to 
 him for no good purpose, and if it were not a design of 
 nature that he should have the power of moving it forci- 
 
190 FARRIEKY, ETC. 
 
 blj to bis sides, there might be some excuse for cutting it 
 off, within a fevv' inches of his body, or for separating the 
 muscles i\t its sides to lessen this power ; but, that this is 
 not the case, must be acknowledged by all who have seen 
 how a horse, -whose tail has been abridged by '' Docking," 
 or weakened by nicking, is annoyed by flies. 
 
 If a horse have a trick of throwing dirt on his rider's 
 clothing, this may be prevented by cutting off the hair of 
 the tail, below the end of the bones, as is the custom with 
 hunters in England, where the hair is cut squarely off 
 about eight or ten inches above the hocks. 
 
 Ko apology is offered for not giving in this work a de- 
 scription of these two operations ; they are so barbarous 
 and so senseless, that they are going very rapidly out of 
 fashion, and it is to be hoped that they will ere long, have 
 become obsolete, as has the cropping of the ears, formerly 
 so common in England. 
 
 A more humane way of setting up the horse's tail, to 
 give him a more stylish appearance, is by simply weighting 
 it for a few hours each day, in the stall, until it attains the 
 desired elevation. This is done by having two pulleys at 
 the top of the stall, one at each side, through which are 
 passed two ropes, which come together and are fastened to 
 the tail, the ropes having at their other ends weights (bags of 
 sand or of shot are very good for the purpose), which must 
 be light at first, and may be increased from day to day. 
 The weighting should be continued until the tail has taken 
 a permanent position as desired. It is true that this method 
 requires a somewhat longer time than' that of cutting the 
 muscles, but while it is being done the horse is never off 
 his work, and he suffers infinitely less pain. 
 
 The method of nicking or pricking, as usually performed 
 in this country, is not quite so cruel nor so hazardous as 
 
BLOOD-LETTING. 191 
 
 the cutting of the muscles ; it is thus described by Mr. 
 Allen : * 
 
 The tail has four cords, two upper and two lower. 
 The upper ones raise the tail, the lower ones depress it, 
 and these last alone are to be cut. Take a sharp penknife 
 with a long slender blade ; insert the blade between the 
 bone and under cord, two inches from the body ; place the 
 thumb of the hand holding the knife against the under part 
 of the tail, and opposite the blade. Then press the blade 
 toward the thumb against the cord, and cut the cord off, 
 but do not let the knife cut through the skin. The cord 
 is firm, and it will easily be known when it is cut off. The 
 thumb will tell when to desist, that the skin may not be 
 cut. Sever the cord twice on each side in the same man- 
 ner. Let the cuts be two inches apart. The cord is nearly 
 destitute of sensation ; yet when the tail is pricked in the 
 old manner, the wound to the skin and flesh is severe, and 
 much fever is induced, and it takes a long time to heal. 
 But with this method the horse's tail will not bleed, nor 
 will it be sore, under ordinary circumstances, more than 
 three days ; and he will be pulleyed and his tail made in 
 one half of the time required by the old method. 
 
 BLEEDING. 
 
 Bleeding, like physic and many other artificial maasures 
 for assisting nature, is very much over-estimated — as a 
 means of bringing horses into condition ; and its evil effects 
 on horses in health are not sufficiently appreciated. It is 
 a well known fact, that those men who are in the habit 
 of being bled every few months, because of a supposed 
 over-supply of blood, invariably become so much inclined to 
 congestion, that the bleeding has, after a time, to be more 
 
 * Stewart's Stable Book. 
 
192 
 
 frequently repeated, and it can be dispensed with only at 
 the risk of serious temporary illness ; many who have been 
 bled with imnecessary frequency present the appearance 
 of an apoplectic condition. These results are supposed to 
 arise from an unnaturally vigorous action of the blood — 
 forming power, acquired in the attempt of nature to make 
 up for the loss of bleeding. The same result is observed 
 in the case of horses, and it is believed that they arise from 
 the same cause. 
 
 Blood-letting is, in the hands of a "cautious physician," 
 a most valuable agent for reducing inflammation or con- 
 gestion, but in the hands of the ordinary horseman, or far- 
 rier, it is subject to great abuse and is the occasion of many 
 evils. Of course, in a case of blind staggers, or of great 
 inflammation from a wound or other cause, it is well that 
 the person having charge of the horse should be able to 
 apply this means of relief; but for ordinary depletion of 
 the system, for bringing horses into condition, etc., it is 
 absurd to resort to bleeding. The end desired may be 
 more safely attained by administering a proper diet. 
 
 The operation of bleeding is thus described by Youatt : 
 
 This operation is performed with a fleam or a lancet. 
 The first is the common instrument, and the safest, except 
 in skilful hands. The lancet, however, has a more surgical 
 appearance, and will be adopted by the veterinary practi- 
 tioner. A bloodstick — a piece of hard wood loaded at one 
 end with lead — is used to strike the fleam into the vein. 
 This is sometimes done with too great violence, and the 
 opposite side of the coat of the vein is wounded. Bad 
 cases of inflammation have resulted from this. If the fist 
 is doubled, and the fleam is sharp and is struck with suffi- 
 cient force with the lower part of the hand, the bloodstick 
 may be dispensed with. 
 
 For gimeviil bleeding the jugular vein is selected. The 
 
BLOOD-LET rmor. 193 
 
 horse is blindfolded on the side on which he is to be bled, 
 or his head turned well away. The hair is smoothed along 
 the course of the vein with the moistened finger ; then-, 
 with the third and little fingers of the left hand, which 
 holds the fleam, pressure is made on the vein sufficient to 
 bring it fairly into view, but not to swell it too much, — 
 for then, presenting a rounded surface, it would be apt to 
 roll or slip under the blow. The point to be selected is 
 about two inches below the union of the two portions of 
 the jugular at the angle of the jaw. The fleam is to be 
 placed in a direct line with the course of the vein, and 
 over the precise centre of the vein, as close to it as pos- 
 sible, but its point not absolutely touching the vein. A 
 sharp rap with the bloodstick or the hand on that part of 
 the back of the fleam immediately over the blade, will cut 
 through the vein, and the blood will flow. A fleam with 
 a large blade should always be preferred, for the operation 
 will be materially shortened, and this will be a matter of 
 some consequence with a fidgety or restive horse. A 
 quantity of blood drawn speedily will also have far more 
 effect on the system than double the weight slowly taken, 
 while the wound will heal just as readily as if made by a 
 smaller instrument. There is no occasion to press hard 
 against the neck with the pail, or can ; a slight pressure will 
 cause the blood to flow sufficiently fast. 
 
 When sufficient blood has been taken, the edges of the 
 wound should be brought closely and exactly together, and 
 kept together by a small sharp pin being passed through 
 them. Eound this a little tow, or a few hairs from the 
 mane of the horse, should be wrapped, so as to cover the 
 whole of the incision ; and the head of the horse should be 
 tied up for several hours, to prevent his rubbing the part 
 against the manger. In bringing the edges of the wound 
 together, and introducing the pin, care should be taken 
 
194 
 
 not to draw the skin too mucli from the neck, — otherwise 
 blood will insinuate itself between it and the muscles be- 
 neath, and cause an unsightly and sometimes troublesome 
 swelling. 
 
 The blood should be received into a vessel, the dimen- 
 sions of which are exactly known, so that the operator may 
 be able to calculate at every period of the bleeding the 
 quantity that is subtracted. Twenty-four hours after the 
 operation, the edges of the wound will have united, and 
 the pin should be withdrawn. When the bleeding is to be 
 repeated, if more than three or four hours have elapsed, a 
 fresh incision will be better than opening the old wound. 
 
 For general bleeding the jugular vein is selected as the 
 largest superficial one, and most easily got at. In every 
 affection of the head, and in cases of fever or extended 
 inflammatory action, it is decidedly the best place for 
 bleeding. In local inflammation, blood may be taken from 
 any of the superficial veins. In supposed affection of the 
 shoulder, or of the fore leg, or foot, the plate vein, which 
 comes from the inside of the arm, and runs upwards directly 
 in front of it towards the jugular, may be opened. In af- 
 fections of the hind extremity, blood is sometimes extracted 
 from the saphcena^ or thigh-vein, which runs across the 
 inside of the thigh. In foot cases it may be taken from 
 the coronet, or, much more safely, from the toe; not by 
 Cutting out a piece of the sole at the toe of the frog, which 
 sometimes causes a wound difiicult to heal, and followed 
 by festering, and even by canker ; but cutting down with 
 a fine drawing-knife, called a searcher, at the union between 
 the crust and the sole at the very toe until the blood flows, 
 and, if necessary, encouraging its discharge by dipping the 
 foot in warm water. The bleeding may be stopped with 
 the greatest ease, by placing a bit of tow in the little groove 
 that has been cut, and tacking the shoe over it. 
 
TREATMENT OE STRAINS. 195 
 
 TREATMENT OF STRAINS AND WOUNDS. 
 
 Strains. — Strain is a wrenching or torsion of tlie mus- 
 cles, tendons or ligaments, and is generally followed by 
 pain and lameness. 
 
 " Muscular strains consist of an absolute tearing of tbe 
 fibrous tissue composing the muscles ; or else of such an 
 approach to a disruption as to have an equally prejudicial 
 effect in producing lameness-. In some cases the whole of 
 a small bundle of fibres is torn across ; but this is not the 
 usual degree in which strains occur, and the most common 
 amount of mischief is only a slight separation of a few of 
 the very small fibres of which the bundle is composed ; 
 and this state is then generally spread over a considerable 
 surface, producing considerable soreness from inflamma- 
 tion. Tendinous and ligamentous strains are very similar 
 in their nature, and consist either in an absolute tearing 
 apart of these fibres, or such an approach to this as to cause 
 great inflammation, and consequent incapacity for using 
 them. Sometimes what is supposed to be a strain of the 
 tendon is really an inflammation in its sheath, which causes 
 great swelling and pain, and the limb is thereby rendered 
 quite useless for the time being."* 
 
 Of Shoulder Strain^ Youatt says : 
 
 The muscles of the shoulder-blade are occasionally 
 injured by some severe shock. This is effected oftener by 
 a slip or side fall, than by fair, although violent exertion. 
 It is of considerable importance to be able to distinguish 
 this shoulder-lameness from injuries of other parts of the 
 fore extremity. There is not much tenderness, or heat, or 
 swelling. If, on standing before the horse, and looking at 
 the size of the two shoulders, or rather their points, one 
 should appear evidently larger than the other, this must 
 
 * Stonebenge. 
 
196 FAKRIERY, ETC. 
 
 not be considered as indicative of sprain of the musclesof 
 the shoulder. It probably arises from bruise of the point 
 of the shoulder, which a slight examination will determine. 
 
 In sprain of the shoulder the horse evidently suffers 
 extreme pain while moving, and, the muscle underneath 
 being inflamed and tender, he will extend it as little as 
 possible. He ivill drag his toe along the ground. It is in the 
 lifting of the foot that the shoulder is principally moved. 
 If the foot is lifted high, let the horse be ever so lame, the 
 shoulder is little, if at all affected. 
 
 In shoulder-lameness, the toe alone rests on the ground. 
 The circumstance which most of all characterizes this affec- 
 tion is, that when the foot is lifted and then brous^ht con- 
 siderably forward the horse will express very great pain, 
 which he will not do if the lameness is in the foot or the leg. 
 
 In sprain of the internal muscles of the shoulder, few 
 local measures can be adopted. The horse should be bled 
 from the vein on the inside of the arm (the plate vein), 
 because the blood is then abstracted more imniediately from 
 the inflamed part. A dose of physic should be given, and 
 fomentations applied, principally on the inside of the 
 arm, close to the chest, and the horse should be kept as 
 quiet as possible. The injury is too deeply seated for ex- 
 ternal stimulants to have- very great effect, yet a blister 
 will properly be resorted to, if the lameness is not speedily 
 removed. 
 
 Its best treatment consists of rest, cooling diet, blistering, 
 or the use of the seton or rowel. 
 
 " Setons are pieces of tape or cord, passed by means of 
 an instrument resembling a large needle, either through 
 abscesses or the base of ulcers, with deep sinuses, or between 
 the skin and the muscular or other substances beneath. 
 They are retained there by the ends being tied together, 
 or by a knot in each end. The tape is moved in the wound 
 
TKEATMENT OF STRAINS. 197 
 
 twice or thrice in the day ; occasionally wetted with spirits 
 of turpentine, or some acrid liquid, in order to increase the 
 inflammation which it produces, or the discharge which is 
 intended to be established. 
 
 To form a rowel^ the skin is raised between the finger 
 and thumb, and with a lancet, or with scissors contrived 
 for the purpose, a slit is cut an inch in length. The finger, 
 or the handle of the improved roweling scissors, is intro- 
 duced, and the skin is forcibly separated from the muscular 
 or cellular substances beneath, until there is a circular 
 cavity two or three inches wide ; into this a piece of tow is 
 inserted sufficient to fill it, and previously smeared with 
 blistering ointment. This causes considerable inflammation 
 and discharge. If a little of the tow be left sticking out 
 of the incision, the discharge will conveniently dribble 
 down it. The tow should be changed every day, with or 
 without the ointment, according to the action of the rowel 
 or the urgency of the case." * 
 
 If either of these be applied to the front of the shoulder, 
 it will produce such a counter irritation as will reduce the 
 inflammation in the locality of the strain, and aid in its cure. 
 They take the place of the blistering mentioned by Mr. 
 Youatt. 
 
 Other Strains. — The following directions of Dr. Dadd, 
 concerning strain of the back, and those given under the 
 head of shoulder strain^ will serve as a guide to the treatment 
 of all strains, supposing the mode of procedure to be changed 
 as is required by the locality of the affected part : 
 
 The diagno.4ic symptoms of this form of strain are, — 
 pressure over the lumbar region elicits symptom^s of pain ; 
 the part feels hot ; and the horse, when compelled to de- 
 scribe a circle, shows, by the careful manner in which he 
 turns, that it gives him great pain. 
 
 * Library of Useful Knowledge. 
 
198 
 
 Treatment — Eest ; applications of cold water ; light diet ; 
 and cream of tartar water as a drink. One ounce of cream 
 of tartar to a bucket of water daily. It was customary, 
 but a few years ago. to apply charges, and plasters, to the 
 back, for the cure of strain and lameness. But the day of 
 plasters in human, as well as veterinary practice, has gone 
 by ; they are now only used by those who have never tak- 
 en the trouble to understand the exhalatory function of 
 the skin, — which salutary function plasters obstruct ; the 
 wet sheet next the skin, and a blanket over it, will be 
 more likely to do good than a plaster. Should the horse 
 show more than ordinary symptoms of pain, a fomentation 
 of hops should be resorted to ; if, after a day or so, the 
 pain is still manifest, the trouble is something more than 
 mere strain, and the owner had better consult a medical 
 man, 
 
 GALLS OF THE SKIN. 
 
 A horse newly put to work, and working in a new har- 
 ness, or under a new saddle, which touches parts not in- 
 ured to the pressure, are very likely to have the skin of 
 the back, and shoulders abraded. 
 
 Unless there is an absolute necessity for the animal to 
 be used, he should, in all cases, be allowed a few days rest, 
 that the wound may heal and become somewhat hard ; and 
 even then, until the hair has fairly grown out, the greatest 
 care must be used to see that the chafing of the harness 
 is entirely obviated, as when the skin is in the least sore it 
 is peculiarly susceptible to irritation. When a gall is fresh 
 and bleeding, nothing will so soon dry it and cause it to 
 cicatrise, as a little dry table salt sprinkled upon it. 
 
 After the wound is in a measure healed, if it be absolutely 
 necessary to use the horse, a careful examination of the 
 harness or saddle should be made, and padding should be 
 
GALLS OF THE SKIN. 19.9 
 
 taken out, or parts of the leather removed, to prevent any 
 part of it from touching the wound. To prevent friction, 
 when caused by the saddle or collar, there is nothing so 
 useful as a piece of raw sheep-skin, worn with the flesh 
 side next to the horse. In riding long journeys, it is the 
 safest plan to have such a protection always under the sad- 
 dle. 
 
 If the chafing is caused by loose straps striking and 
 rubbing against the skin, they should be covered with 
 sheep-skin having its woolly side turned towards the horse. 
 
 Saddle galls are unlikely to occur if the saddle fits the 
 back, and is left on the horse for at least one hour (and 
 it had better remain on two or three hours) after he is 
 put into the stable. If convenient, he should be saddled 
 half an hour before going out, as it is much better that the 
 saddle should become warm, or slightly softened by the 
 insensible perspiration of the back, before the rider's weight 
 is put upon it. 
 
 The following is a good lotion for galls of the skin : 
 
 Sal ammoniac, 1 ounce. 
 Yinegar, 4 ounces. 
 Spirits of wine, 2 ounces. 
 Tincture of arnica, 2 drachms. 
 Water, half a pint. Mix. 
 
 If no other remedy is used, a mixture of burned leather, 
 gunpowder and lard should be occasionally rubbed on the 
 gall to prevent the growth of white hair. 
 
 Sit Fasts, and their treatment, are thus described by 
 Stonehenge : 
 
 Sit Fast is merely a name for an obstinate and callous 
 galled-sore, which has repeatedly been rubbed by the sad- 
 dle, and has become leathery, and disinclined to heal. If 
 time can be allowed, there is nothing like a small quantity 
 
200 FARKIEJRY, ETC. 
 
 of blistering ointment rubbed on ; or the application of a 
 small piece of fused potass ; or even the nitrate of silver in 
 substance, or blue-stone ; all of which will produce a new 
 action in the part, and if followed by rest from the saddle, 
 will generally effect a cure. 
 
 FLESH WOUJS'DS. 
 
 The following, on the treatment of ordinary flesh wounds, 
 is from Dadd's Modern Horse Doctor : 
 
 Incised Wounds are those inflicted by sharp instru- 
 ments. On the human body they often heal without any 
 subsequent inflammation beyond what nature sets up in 
 the restorative j^rocess ; but the difficulty in the horse is, 
 that we cannot always keep theparts iu contact, and there- 
 fore it is not so easy to unite them 
 
 If the wound is seen immediately after infliction, and there 
 seems to be the least probability of healing by first inten- 
 tion, we place a twitch on the horse's nose, and examine 
 the part. If there be found neither dirt nor foreign body 
 of any kind, the blood had better not be washed off; for 
 this is the best healing material in the Avorld. The edges 
 are then to be brought together by interrupted sutures, 
 taking care not to include the hair between the edges of 
 the wound, for that would effectually prevent union. 
 Nothing more is needed but to secure the animal so that 
 he cannot get at it. If he is to be kept in the stable, with- 
 out exercise, for any length of time, he had better be put 
 on half diet. 
 
 Contused AYounds. — These are generally occasioned 
 by hooks, or some blunt body connected with the harness 
 or vehicle. They generally leave a gaping wound with 
 bruised edges. We have only to remember that nature 
 possesses the power of repairing injuries of this kind — of 
 filling up the parts and covering them with new skin ; all 
 
TREATMENT OF WOUNDS. 201 
 
 we have to do is, to attend to the general health of the 
 animal, and keep the wound in a healthy condition. Our 
 usual application is the compound tincture of myrrh. If 
 the part assume an unhealthy aspect, a charcoal poultice 
 will rectify that. If such cannot be applied, owing to the 
 situation of the wound, dress it with pyroligneous acid. 
 
 Lacerated AYounds. — Lacerated wounds are gene- 
 rally in the form of a rent rather than cut, inflicted (as we 
 have seen cases) by the caulking of a shoe tearing off the 
 integuments and subcellular tissue, leaving a sort of tri- 
 angular flap. In these cures we generally employ sutures, 
 and treat them the same as incised wounds. 
 
 Punctured Wounds are those inflicted by a pointed 
 body, as a nail in the foot, the point of a fork, or a splin- 
 ter of wood. These are the most dangerous kinds of 
 wounds, for they are frequently the cause of fistula and 
 locked -jaw. 
 
 We make it an invariable rule, in the treatment of 
 punctured wounds, to first examine by probe, or otherwise, 
 and remove any foreign body that may be present, and 
 then poultice with flaxseed, into which we stir a small 
 quantity of fir balsam. In puncture of the foot by nail, 
 instead of plastering it with tar, and forcing a tent into the 
 orifice, and then covering the sole with leather, as most 
 blacksmiths are wont to do, we have the shoe taken off, 
 the foot washed clean, and a moderately warm poultice 
 applied, and renewed daily, until the suppurative stage 
 commences. That once established, we consider our patient 
 safe ; for many men; as well as animals, have lost their lives 
 from the absorption of pus formed in the wound after the 
 external breach had healed. When a bone is injured by 
 the point of a nail, or fork, the cure is rather tedious; the 
 primary means, however, are the same. The poultices may 
 be followed by astringent injections, as alum water, &c. 
 
202 
 
 In case of injury to the bone, we use pyroligneous acid, 
 to be thrown into the wound by means of a small syringe. 
 If extensive disease of the bone sets in, the services of a 
 veterinary surgeon will be required. A very profuse or 
 unhealthy discharge from a punctured wound must be met 
 by constitutional remedies. Sulphur and sassafras, to the 
 amount of half an ounce each, every other day, to the 
 amount of three or four doses, will arrest the morbid phe- 
 nomenon. The local remedy in all cases of this kind is, 
 diluted acetic or pyroligneous acid. 
 
 Ckacked Heels. — Horses that are so neglected that 
 thoy have a tendency to inflammation of the legs, and feet, 
 are often troubled with what is known as cracked heeh^ 
 which is a very troublesome affection, and causes a great 
 loss of useful service, in the case of animals otherwise well 
 cared for. 
 
 Cracked heels may be cured on the same general 
 principles as are employed in the case of scratches or grease, 
 which is thus described by Percival : 
 
 The etiology of grease throws considerable light upon 
 its veritable nature. Horses which are at pasture or in 
 straw yards — in situations, in fact, where heat and cold are 
 not naturally, and cannot be artificially, made suddenly 
 operative upon the heels — rarely have grease. Those that 
 have grease in stables are mostly coach and cart-horses, 
 with thick, fleshy heels and white legs ; which are subject 
 to get their heels wet, and do not commonly have such 
 pains bestowed upon them, to dry the legs, as hackneys, 
 hunters, and racers have. Indeed, among the latter, grease 
 is a very uncommon disease. Such horses also stand in 
 stables hot and filthy from dung and urine, the very ex- 
 halations from the litter of which proves an additional 
 excitement. 
 
 Grease formerly made great ravages in the English cav- 
 
CLIPriNG AND SINGEING. 203 
 
 alrj and ordnanco service; whereas, at the present day 
 the disease is scarcely known. This change for the better 
 is ascribed to thre^ causes ; — to proper ventilation of the 
 stables ; the greater attention paid to gi"ooming ; and to the 
 presence of a veterinary surgeon, who checks, at the onset, 
 such a casual occurrence. 
 
 The best remedy for this disease is probably the follow- 
 ing, which has been recommended by Professor Morton, 
 of the Koy al Veterinary College : 
 
 Pyroligneous acid, 
 
 Linseed oil, y . of each equal parts. 
 
 Turpentine, 
 
 I 
 
 Mix ; let the heels first be washed with lukewarm water 
 and Castile soap ; after wiping them dry, apply the mixture. 
 Eepeat night and morning. 
 
 In order to keep down morbid granulations — denomi- 
 nated by some ^^ proud flesh^^ — the parts may be sprinkled 
 daily with one of the following articles : 
 
 Powdered bloodroot. 
 . " burnt alum, 
 
 '• bay berry bark. 
 
 Put on a good coating of one of the above articles ; cov- 
 er the sore with dry lint ; and apply a bandage over all. 
 It should be borne in mind that bandages should always be 
 dispensed with, if possible; for they invariably irritate and 
 inflame whatever parts they are applied to. This is owing 
 to the high state of sensibility in the skin of the horse. * 
 
 CLIPPING AND SINGEING. 
 
 It has for a long time been the custom to clip the coats 
 of many well kept horses in the fall of the year, that they 
 may present a less shaggy appearance during the winter 
 months than if their hair were allowed to grow to its natu- 
 
 * From Dadd's Modern Horse Doctor. 
 
204 
 
 ral length. For this practice there has been recently sub- 
 stituted that of singeing with burning gas, by means of an 
 apparatus made for the jDurpose, which may be obtained 
 at most saddlers' in cities where gas is consumed. 
 
 This is an operation which requires to be performed by 
 a person who thoroughly understands it, and it is unnec- 
 essary to giye any directions for it in this woi'k. • 
 
 There have been opposed to this practice many objec- 
 tions, most of which were groundless, in the case of horses 
 which are highly prized and proportionately well cared 
 for. It would^ of course, be unwise to apply it to horses 
 receiving only ordinary care, such as working- horses ; but 
 for all that are kept for pleasure driving, or for fast work, 
 there can be no doubt that it is judicious, inasmuch as it 
 gives them a much better appearance, prevents their break- 
 ing out in cold sweats in the stable, or carrjdng wet coats 
 after perspiring freely. Indeed, it is at least questionable, 
 whether in the case of all horses that are not required from 
 the nature of their work to stand, unblanketed, in the cold, 
 it would not cause a great saving of their natural heat and 
 strength by keeping their coats generally in a dryer condition. 
 To prove that there is less danger of taking cold in conse- 
 quence of this treatment than would be supposed, the fol- 
 lowing extract is made from an English work on "Stable 
 Practice" (by Cecil): 
 
 I was returning home one evening, in the month of 
 November, and, passing through a gentleman's park under 
 some trees, the branches of which I could not discern, in 
 consequence of the excessive darkness, I was thereby pulled 
 off my hack, a mare which had been clipped only the day 
 previous. This disaster gave her her liberty ; and, although 
 I obtained the aid of the keeper, and other assistance, I 
 coiild hot succeed in finding the mare. She therefore re- 
 mained in the park, without shelter, all night. Moreover, 
 
TRIMMING THE HAIR OF THE LEGS, ETC. 205 
 
 it was bitterly cold, foggy, and frosty. When dayliglit ap« 
 peared, the mare was discovered; and I fully expected, espe- 
 cially as I had ridden her fast np to the time we parted 
 company, that she Avould be laid up with a violent cold. 
 That, however, was not the case. On her return home she 
 had a bran mash, with two ounces of spirit of nitric ether, 
 and, on the following day, gave no evidence of the slightest 
 indisposition. Had she not been clipped I am inclined to 
 think the result would not have been so fortunate ; because, 
 from the pace I had ridden her, with the perspiration in 
 the coat, she would have been wet all night, whereas she 
 quickly became dry ; hence the coldness of the atmosphere 
 had not such an inj urious effect as might have been expected." 
 
 TRIMMING THE HAIR OF THE LEGS AND HEELS. 
 
 On the subject of trimming the hair of the legs and heels, 
 we find the following sensible remarks in Stewart's Stable 
 Book: 
 
 The hair of the fetlock, the hollow of the pastern, and 
 the posterior aspect of the legs, is longer on heavy draught- 
 horses than on those of finer bone. It is intended to keep 
 the legs warm, and perhaps, in some degree, to defend them 
 from external violence. It becomes much shorter and less 
 abundant after the horse is stabled, kept warm, well fed, 
 and well groomed. The simple act of washing the legs, 
 or rubbing them, tends to make the hair short and thin, 
 and to keep it so. Nevertheless, it is a very common prac- 
 tice, especially in coaching-stables, to clip this hair away 
 almost close to the root. 
 
 The heels^" are trimmed in three different ways : the 
 most common and the easiest is, to clip away all the long 
 
 * The word hed is applied to the back and hollow of the pastern. In this 
 place, all that is said of the heels is applicable to the legs. 
 
206 
 
 liair, near or close to the roots ; — another way is, to switch 
 the heels, — that is, to shorten the hair without leaving any 
 mark of the scissors ; the groom seizes the hair and cuts 
 off a certain portion in the same manner that he shortens 
 a switch tail ; — the third mode is, to pull the long hairs out 
 by the roots. Switching and pulling, which is little prac- 
 tised, are generally confined to the foot-lock ; some neat 
 operators combine these different modes so well, that the 
 hair is rendered thin and short without presenting any 
 very visible marks of the alteration. By means of an iron 
 comb with small teeth and a pair of good scissors, the hair 
 may be shortened without setting it on end or leaving scis- 
 sor marks, but every groom can not do this. 
 
 When the horse is carefully tended after his work is 
 over, his legs quickly and completely dried, the less hair 
 he has about them the better. The moisture which that 
 little takes up can be easily removed : both the skin and 
 the hair can be made perfectly dry before evaporation 
 begins, or proceeds so far as to deprive the legs of their 
 heat. It is the cold produced by evaporation that does all 
 the mischief 
 
 Whenever the legs must be dried by manual labor, they 
 should have little hair about them. But in coaching and 
 posting-studs, and among cart-horses, the men can not, or 
 will not, bestow this care upon the legs ; they have not 
 time, and they would not do it if they had time. A team 
 of- four horses, perhaps, comes in at once, the legs all wet, 
 and, it may be, the whole skin drenched in rain. Before 
 eight of the legs can be rubbed dry, the other eight have 
 become almost dry of themselves, and are nearly as cold 
 as they can be. I^hese horses should never have the heels 
 trimmed: they cannot have too much hair about them. 
 They do indeed soak up a great deal of water, and remain 
 wet for a much longer time than those that are nearly 
 
DRESSING THE MANE, TAIL, AND EARS. 207 
 
 naked; but still they never become so soon nor so in- 
 tensely cold. 
 
 DRESSING THE MANE, TAIL, AND EARS. 
 
 The Mane. — When it is desired to make the mane lie on 
 tlie opposite side from that toward which it naturally grows, 
 it should be combed and wetted several times a day. This 
 will suffice if it is not very short and bushy ; in such case, 
 some of the hair may be pulled out from the under part, 
 on the side toward which it is desired to make it grow ; 
 this will generally cause it to fall easily. If this does not 
 suffice, the mane should be plaited in eight or ten braids, 
 the end of each being loaded with a bit of lead. When 
 the mane becomes too long, or too thick, a few of the hairs 
 should be pulled out, but it is necessary that this should 
 be done with care and judgment. 
 
 The Tail. — If the tail of a horse is tolerably good, it may 
 be kept in proper order by being combed daily with a strong 
 comb. If the hair is inclined to be too wiry, and to stand 
 on end, it may sometimes be made to lie well by being 
 moistened, and either tied together at the ends or bound 
 around with a straw rope. If the tail become unhealthy 
 (which may be known by a dry scurf in the hair, accom- 
 panied by itching), it should never be combed, but should 
 be dressed by frequent wiping down with wet straw. It is 
 not the custom in this country to square the end of 
 the tail, and the only directions, therefore, which it is nec- 
 essary to give, are w4iat refers to the pointing of the switch 
 tail. To do this properly requires some skill. The tail 
 must be taken in the left hand, a small portion at a time, 
 and the knife, which is Jield in the right hand, with its edge 
 resting directly across the hair, should be moved up and 
 down over the hair in such a way as to rasp it off, leaving 
 the ends irregular in their lengths. 
 
208 FARRIEKY, ETC. 
 
 The Ear. — Custom to the contrary, notwithstanding, the 
 hair on the inner side of the ear of the horse should never 
 be cut away. It is necessary to protect that delicate organ 
 from dust, rain, and cold. The only treatment which 
 should be allowed, is to close the edges of the ear together, 
 and to clip off the hair that projects beyond them. 
 
 ADMINISTERING MEDICINE TO THE HORSE. 
 
 On this subject Stonehenge gives the following direc- 
 tions : 
 
 The most common form in which medicine is given to 
 the horse is by means of the ball, — an oblong mass of rather 
 soft consistence, yet tough enough to retain its shape, and 
 wrapped up in thin paper for that purpose. The usual 
 weight of the ball is from half an ounce to an ounce, but 
 they may be given of a larger size, if they are made longer 
 but not wider. Every groom should know how to give a 
 ball, which is managed either with or without a balling- 
 iron, an instrument which is seldom wanted, and which 
 sometimes occasions considerable mischief to the roof of 
 the horse's mouth. Occasionally a horse cannot be man- 
 aged by any other means; but, generally speaking, they 
 are only an excuse for bad management. In giving a ball 
 in the ordinary way, the horse's tongue is drawn out of his 
 mouth on the off or right side, and held there firmly with 
 the left hand grasping it as near the root as possible, but 
 to a certain extent yielding to the movement of the horse's 
 head, so as not absolutely to tear it out. While the tongue 
 is thus held, the ball is placed between the fingers and 
 thumb of the right hand, extended in a wedge-like or coni- 
 cal form, so as to pass as far down tJie swallow as possible ; 
 andv the hand in this form, with the arm bared to the 
 shoulder, is car^^ied over the root of the tongue till it feels 
 the impediment caused by the contraction of the swallow, 
 
ADMINISTEKING MEDICINE. 209 
 
 when the fingers leave the ball there, and the hand is with- 
 drawn quickly yet smoothly, while at the same moment 
 the tongue is released, and the head is held up till the ball 
 is seen to pass down the gullet on the left side of the neck, 
 after which the head may be released. When the balling- 
 iron is used, the oval ring of which it is composed is passed 
 into the mouth, so as to keep it open, being first well 
 guarded with, tow or cloths wrapped round it; the handle 
 is then held in the left hand, together with the halter, so 
 as to steady the head, and yet to keep the horse from 
 biting ; and while thus held the hand can freely be carried 
 over the tongue, and the ball be deposited in the pharynx. 
 When a horse is very determined, it is sometimes neces- 
 sary to keep the iron in the mouth by means of the check- 
 pieces of an ordinarj^ bridle buckled to the sides of the 
 oval ring ; but this expedient is seldom required if the 
 halter is firmly grasped with the handle of the iron. In 
 the usual Avay the horse to be hailed is turned round in his 
 stall, which prevents his backing away from the groom ; 
 and if the latter is not tall enough, he may stand upon a 
 sound stable-bucket, turned upside down. Balls should be 
 recently made, as they soon spoil by keeping ; not only 
 losing their strength, but also becoming so hard as to be 
 almost insoluble in the stomach, and frequently passing 
 through the bowels nearly as they went into the mouth. 
 When hard they are also liable to stick in the horse's 
 gullet. If ammonia, or any other strong stimulant, is given 
 in this way, the horse should not have his stomach quite 
 empty, but should have a little gruel or water just before ; 
 for if this is put off till afterwards, the nauseous taste of the 
 ball almost always prevents his drinking. When arsenic 
 forms an ingredient of "the ball, it should be given soon 
 after a feed of corn ; or a quart or two of gruel should be 
 given instead, just before the ball. 
 
210 FARRIERY, ETC. 
 
 The administration of a drench is a much more trouble- 
 some affair than the giving of a ball ; and in almost all 
 cases more oi* less of the dose is wasted. Sometimes, how- 
 ever, a liquid medicine is to be preferred, as in colic or 
 gripes, when the urgent nature of the s3'mptoms demands 
 a rapidly-acting remedy, which a ball, from its requiring 
 time to dissolve, is not; and, besides this, a ball cannot 
 contain any of the sprituous cordials. The best instrument 
 for giving a drench is the horn of the ox, cut obliquely, so 
 as to form a spout. Bottles are sometimes used in an emer- 
 gency, but their fragile nature always renders them dan- 
 gerous. In giving a drench, the tongue is held in the same 
 Avay as for the delivery of a ball, but the head must be 
 more elevated ; the drench is then carefully poured into 
 the throat, after which the tongue is let go, but the head 
 still kept up till it is all swallowed. Allowance should 
 always be made for some waste in giving a drench. 
 
 The mode of managing all horses while ' in physic,' is that 
 which I shall here describe. In all cases, if possible, the 
 horse should be prepared by bran mashes, given for two 
 or three nights, so as to make the bowels rather loose than 
 otherwise, and thus allow the dose to act without undue 
 forcing of the impacted fences backwards. If physic is 
 given without this softening process, the stomach and bow- 
 els pour out a large secretion of fluid, which is forced back 
 upon the rectum, and met by a solid obstacle which it 
 takes a long time to overcome, and during that interval the 
 irritating purge is acting upon the lining membrane, and 
 often produces excessive inflammation of it. Purging 
 physic should generally be given in the middle of the 
 day, after which the horse should remain in the stable, and 
 have chilled water as often as he will drink it, with bran 
 mashes. By the next morning he will be ready to be 
 walked out for an hour, which will set the bowels to act 
 
PHYSICING. 211 
 
 if they have not already began. It is usual to tie up the 
 tail with a tape or string, so as to keep it clean. The horse 
 should be warmly clothed, and if the physic does not 
 act u'ith an hour's walk, he may be gently trotted for a 
 short distance, and then taken home; and, if still ob- 
 stinate, he may be exercised again in the afternoon. As 
 soon as the physic operates pretty freely the horse is to be 
 taken into his stable, and not stirred out again ^ under any 
 pretence whatever^ for forty-eight hours after it has *'set," 
 or, in common language, stopped acting. When the purg- 
 ing has ceased, the mashes may be continued for twenty- 
 four hours, with a little corn added to them, and a quantity 
 of hay. The water, during the whole time, should be in 
 small quantities, and chilled ; and the clothing should be 
 rather warmer than usual, taking great care to avoid 
 draughts of cold air. Every horse requires at least three 
 days' rest for a dose of physic, in order to avoid risk of 
 mischief. 
 
 The mode of giving a clyster is now rendered simple 
 enough, because a pump and tp.be are expressly made for 
 the purpose ; and the groom has only to pass the greased 
 end of the tube carefully into the rectum, for about eight 
 or nine inches, and then pump the liquid up until a suffi- 
 cient quantity is given. From a gallon to six quarts is the 
 average quantity, but in colic a much larger amount is 
 required. 
 
 Lotions are applied by means of calico bandages, if 
 used to the legs ; or by a piece of calico tied over the part, 
 if to any other surface. 
 
 Fomentations are very serviceable to the horse in all 
 recent external inflammations, and it is astonishing what 
 may be done by a careful groom, with warm water alone, 
 and a good-sized sponge. Sometimes by means of an elastic 
 tube and stop-cock warm water is conducted in a continuous 
 
212 
 
 stream over an inflamed part, as in severe wounds, &c., in 
 whicli this plan is found wonderfully successful in allaying 
 the irritation, which is so likely to occur in the nervous 
 system of the horse. A vessel of warm water is placed 
 above the level of the horse's back, and a small India-rubber 
 tube leads from it to a sponge fixed above the part, from 
 which the water runs to the ground as fast as it is over- 
 filled. It is a plan very easily carried out by any person 
 of ordinary ingenuity. 
 
 DISEASES OF THE FEET. 
 
 Thrush is inflammation of the lower surface of the sensi- 
 ble frog, which while so inflamed secretes pus^ instead of 
 horn ; this offensive matter being exuded from the cleft of 
 the frog renders it sensitive to pain. The direct cause of 
 thrush is doubtless too much secretion, especially of a foul 
 kind ; but this result will never occur unless the horse is, 
 or has been, so shod, as to prevent a natural expansion of 
 the foot; and even where thrush has appeared it may some- 
 times be cured by the adoption of the "one-sided nailing." 
 
 Corns in the feet of horses are injuries to the sole, 
 usually occurring in the angle between the crust and bar 
 on the inner side of the fore foot. They are caused by the 
 pressure of the shoe, or of gravel which is lodged under 
 the shoe. They are easily prevented, and when they occur 
 they are a disgrace to the smith who shoes the animal, or 
 to the groom who neglects to clean out the gravel which 
 accumulates between the shoe and the foot. 
 
 They may be cui-ed, if recent, or greatly relieved, if of 
 long standing, by a proper adaptation of the shoe. The 
 sole should be (in the sound foot, as well as in that which 
 has corns,) cut away from the angle in question until it is 
 lower than both the crust and the bar, and these should be 
 so prepared as to afford an elevated support for the shoe, 
 
2 IB 
 
 whicli, if properly made, will rest always upon them and 
 will be in no danger of pressing upon the sole at the '' corn 
 place." If the case is a bad one, and if the frog is suffi- 
 ciently sound to withstand the pressure, a bar-shoe may be 
 used, which is chambered over the affected point, and so 
 formed as to rest upon the frog. This treatment, however, 
 should not be constant, as the frog would not long bear the 
 pressure, and as the heel being relieved from pressure might 
 become softened, and thus induce permanent lameness. 
 There are few cases in which a bar-shoe, thus formed, can 
 be used for more than two successive shoeings. 
 
 If a horse, whose feet are already sound, be shod accord- 
 ing to the directions given in the chapter on that subject, 
 there need be no fear of his having corns, if proper care be 
 taken to prevent an accumulation of gravel under the shoe. 
 
 Cutting, or interfering, is the striking of the fetlock 
 joint with the opposite foot, or its shoe. It arises some- 
 times from a defective formation of the legs, but generally 
 from improper shoeing. On this subject Youatt says : 
 
 Many expedients used to be tried to remove this ; the 
 inside heel has been raised and lowered, and the outside 
 raised and lowered ; and sometimes one operation has suc- 
 ceeded, and sometimes the contrary ; and there was no point 
 so involved in obscurity, or so destitute of principles to 
 guide the practitioner. The most successful remedj^, and 
 that which in the great majority of cases supersedes all 
 others, is Mr. Turner's shoe, of equal thickness from heel 
 to toe, and having but one nail on the inside of the shoe, 
 and that near the toe ; care being taken that the shoe shall 
 not extend beyond the edge of the crust, and that the crust 
 shall be rasped a little at the quarters. 
 
 When the leg is at all swollen from the cutting, it should 
 be protected by a boot, which should in all cases remain on 
 until the cure is complete, as if the swelling remained it 
 
214 FARRIERY, ETC. 
 
 might throw the parts so far into the line of the other foot, 
 when in motion, as to cause the cutting to continue in spite 
 of every attempt to prevent it. 
 
 Speedy cut is a cut of the knee, by the striking of the 
 shoe of the opposite foot, when the horse is cantering, or 
 throwing his feet very high in the trot. The only remedy, 
 when the shoeing has been properly performed, and the 
 cutting still continues, is to use the boot on the wounded 
 knee ; but, in such a case of constitutional defect, the boot 
 can never be dispensed with, as an unlucky step might at 
 any time cause the horse to fall from the pain occasioned 
 by the blow. 
 
 Nail pricking, from careless shoeing, is very common, 
 especially in country districts, where the smith is very often 
 guided only by the horse flinching, in deciding whether a 
 nail has gone too deep. Injury from these causes is not 
 always perceptible at the time of shoeing, but it will be 
 certain to appear in a few days. When an injury arising 
 from this cause is detected, the shoe should, be removed 
 and the foot examined, that the extent of the injury may 
 be learned. Stonehenge gives the following directions for 
 the treatment of such cases : 
 
 On removing the shoe it is found that there is great 
 tenderness at some particular part of the foot, and some- 
 times a slight bulging; but this is seldom evident so soon. 
 It is the better plan to place the foot in a cold bran poultice, 
 without a shoe on, and wait for a day or two, when, if the 
 foot continues very hot, the smith must pare down the horn 
 over the suspected place, and let out the matter, if there is 
 any ; or, if necessary, bleed at the toe, which is likely to 
 relieve the inflammation, and prevent suppuration, if it has 
 not already occurred. If matter has formed, and is let out 
 a little, friar's balsam is pushed into the abscess on a piece 
 of lint, and the shoe tacked on ; but the lint must be so left 
 
TBEATMENT OF QUITTOR. 215 
 
 as to be capable of being pulled out on the next day, so as 
 to leave a clear opening for the matter to escape. In a few 
 da3'S the shoe must be taken off again, and any ragged 
 pieces of horn removed, as well as the opening enlarged, 
 if necessary. Sometimes a prick occurs from a nail picked 
 up on the road, and then the accident must be treated ex- 
 actly as if it occurred in shoeing. 
 
 QuiTTOR is a disease very nearly allied to, and frequently 
 growing out of, neglected cases of nail-pricking. Concern- 
 ing this disease, Dr. Dadd writes as follows : * 
 
 Quittor is a fistulous opening running between the sen- 
 sible and insensible limince of the foot ; the opening, or 
 sinus^ runs in various directions downward ; at other times, 
 the lateral cartilages are in connection with it, and become 
 diseased. It generally makes its ajDpearance on the inside 
 of the foot, near the matrix of the hoof In such case, its 
 origin is from braise or wound. It arises also from pricks 
 in shoeing, gravel, neglected corns, &c. Should a nail enter 
 the sensitive lamin;:e of the foot, and cause suppuration, and 
 the lower outlet become plugged up, the matter moves up- 
 ward, burrowing through the tissues, until it gains exit 
 above the hoof. 
 
 Treatment. — We first examine the sinus by means of a 
 small-sized, flexible bougie, such as are used on young 
 persons. 'EQing flexible^ we are enabled to trace the cavity, 
 whatever direction it may take. Having discovered that, 
 we make up our mind as to the treatment. Should it 
 descend towards the sole, it is caused either by prick, corn, 
 or gravel, which can be ascertained on careful examination. 
 In order to make such, we remove the shoe, pare the foot, 
 and perhaps poultice it, with the double object of softening 
 the hoof and removing obstructions to the lower outlet, if 
 any there be. Whether the cause be evident or not, we 
 
 * Dadd's Modern Horse Doctor. 
 
216 
 
 waste no time in injecting the sinus, (which is practised by 
 many,) but make a small opening in the sole, as near the 
 base of the sinus as possible, and invite a discharge from it 
 by means of a poultice placed only in contact with the sole. 
 A free discharge once secured from the lower outlet, we 
 have no fears of a cure. So soon as a discharge sets up, 
 inject from below strong tincture of bloodroot, two or three 
 times, and then sprinkle some bloodroot in the cavity ; 
 there is no need of any bandage ; let the matter have free 
 vent. The upper orific:) wdli now close; it is only neces- 
 sary to moisten this region with compound tincture of aloes, 
 or some other traumatic. 
 
 During this treatment the horse must be kept on light, 
 soft food, and his bowels must be kept in a somewhat re- 
 laxed condition. 
 
 Over-reaching consists in the striking of the heel of the 
 fore foot with the toe of the hind shoe. It seldom occurs 
 except in saddle-horses which are too slow in moving their 
 fore feet, and this faulty action may be remedied by training 
 the horse to a light "gathered" movement, as directed in 
 the chapter on Baucher's method of training. When a 
 wound has been inflicted by over-reaching, the best treat- 
 ment is to dry up the discharge as soon as possible, which 
 may best be done by the use of tincture of arnica, of full 
 strength, or, in the absence of this, of gunpowder. If 
 the discharge is allowed to continue, it is ver}^ apt to de- 
 generate into Quittor^ and to cause much trouble. 
 
 The cut of the heel in over-reaching is caused not by 
 the clip of the hind shoe, but by the back part of the web 
 at the toe of the shoe, which, being made square at first, 
 is soon worked to a sharp edge. If, when the shoe is 
 made, that part of the web be filed to a round edge, there 
 will be little danger of a severe cut. 
 
 Clicking, or forging, which is a limited over-reach, 
 9 
 
STOPPING THE FEET. 217 
 
 and whicli is often noticed in trotting horses, whetlier un- 
 der the saddle or in harness, is a striking of the shoe of 
 the fore foot with the toe of the shoe of the hind foot. 
 The parts of the fore shoe which are thus struck may be 
 known from being worn brighter than the rest of the shoe, 
 and if these parts are filed away the diffiulty will generally 
 cease. 
 
 Stopping the feet, which belongs to "Grooming" 
 rather than to "Farrieing," consists of filling the space be- 
 tween the shoe and the hoof, and all within the inner cir- 
 cumference of the shoe, with some material which will 
 gradually impart moisture to the foot. It should always 
 be resorted to whenever there is the least tendency to dry- 
 ness or fever in the feet, and there is an advantage in 
 stopping the feet of all horses as often as every other night. 
 The stopping should be very carefully removed before the 
 horse goes out. 
 
 The best material for stopping are : 
 
 1 — Pure cow-dung, — recently dropped. 
 
 2— Wet clay. 
 
 3 — Cow-dung and clay, mixed. 
 
 4 — "Wet oakum. 
 
 5 — ^Linseed meal. 
 
 6 — A mixture of tar, tallow, clay and cow-dung. 
 
 A change from one of these to another will be found 
 beneficial, though, in the country, cow-dung is usually the 
 most convenient, and it is quite as good as any of the 
 others. 
 
 10 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 HOW TO SHOE A HOKSE. 
 
 . "DNSKILFUL SHOERS — ANATOMY OF THE FOOT ILLUSTRATED— THE FOOT OP 
 A COLT — PREPARATION OF THE FOOT — REMOVING THE OLD SHOE— PARING 
 THE FOOT — THE SHOE— FITTING THE SHOE — NAILING — NUMBER OF NAILS — 
 DISEASES OF THE FOOT. 
 
 Although it is an almost universal custom to entrust the 
 shoeing of horses to the Knight of the Hammer and 
 Tongs who happens to be nearest to one's stable, and to 
 pay but little regard to the manner in which the work is 
 done, there are very few who are not ready to admit that 
 the operation is frequently performed in an unskilful man- 
 ner, and that their horses would be more serviceable, and 
 would perform their work with much greater comfort to 
 tbemselves, if their owners knew exactly how and when 
 the shoeing should be done ; and would insist on its being 
 done at the right time, and in the right manner. 
 
 There is hardly auy other class of mechanics who com- 
 bine so much ignorance of the principles on which their 
 art is founded, with so much conceit of their knowledge, 
 as do ordinary horse-shoers ; and it should be one of the 
 first duties of the horse owner to inform himself of the 
 construction and nature of the horse's foot, the reasons why 
 shoeing is necessary at all, what parts of the foot it pro- 
 tects, what is the best form of shoe to effect the purpose, 
 how it may be best fastened to the foot, and how often it 
 should be removed. 
 
 [218] 
 
ANATOMY OF THE FOOT. 
 
 219 
 
 To illustrate these fundamental points, cuts are "here in- 
 troduced, showing the constrnctio!) of the horse's foot. 
 
 Fig. 8. 
 Shows tbe ground surface of the hoof prepared for receiving a shoe ; and marks very 
 listinctly the difference between the curvature of the outer and inner quarters. 
 a The toe — rasped away to receive the turned-up shoe, a 1. The inner toe. a 2. The 
 outer toe. b 1. The inner quarter, b 2. The outer quarter, c 1. The inner heel. 
 c 2. The order heel, d d d. The sole, e e. The crust or wall of the hoof. //. The bars. 
 g g. The commissures, hkl. The frog. 
 
 {h. The part immediatelv under the navicular joint. 
 k. The oval cleft of the' frog. 
 I. The elevated boundary of the cleft. 
 i i. The bulbs of the heels. 
 
 As the various parts of the horse's foot cannot be better 
 described for the purposes of this Avork than they have 
 been by Mr. MDes (from whose manual the above cuts are 
 transferred), extracts are here made from his description : 
 
 The hoof is divided into horny crust or wall, sole, and frog. 
 
 The horny crust is secreted by the numerous blood- 
 vessels of that soft protruding band which encircles the 
 upper edge of the hoof, immediately beneath the termina- 
 tion of the hair ; and is divided into toe, quarters, heels, 
 and bars. Its texture is insensible, but elastic throughout 
 its whole extent ; and, yielding to the weight of the horse, 
 allows the horny sole to descend, whereby much inconven- 
 ient concussion of the internal parts of the foot is avoided. 
 But if a large portion of the circumference of the foot be 
 
220 HOW TO SHOE A HORSE. 
 
 fettered by iron and nails, it is obvious that that portion, 
 at least, cannot expand as before ; and the beautifal and 
 efficient apparatus for effecting this necessary elasticity, 
 being no longer allowed to act by reason of these restraints, 
 becomes altered in structure : and the continued operation 
 of the same causes, in the end, circumscribes the elasticity 
 to those parts alone where no nails have been driven, — 
 giving rise to a train of consequences destructive to the 
 
 a. Is a broad flat mass of horn, projecting upwards into the middle of the elastic 
 cushion, and is called the " frog stay." 
 
 b h. Are two horny projections rising into the cavity of the hoof formed by the 
 commissures. 
 
 c c. Are portions of the same projections, and are situated just under the two ends of 
 the navicular bone, and mark the point on either side where diminution in the 
 natural elasticity of the fatty frog would be felt with the greatest severity by 
 the navicular joint : for under the most favorable circumstances, the quantity 
 of cushion between these points and the navicular joint cannot be very large ; 
 and hence the importance of our doing all we can to preserve its elasticity as 
 long as possible. 
 
 soundness of the foot, and fatal to the usefulness of the 
 horse.* 
 
 The toe of the fore foot is the thickest and strongest 
 portion of the hoof, and is in consequence less expansive 
 than any other part, and therefore better calculated to 
 resist the effect of the nails and shoe. The thickness of 
 the horn gradually diminishes towards the quarters and 
 
 * The horse's foot, and how to keep it sound, with illustrations, by Wra 
 Miles, Esq. 
 
ANATOMY OF THE FOOT. 
 
 221 
 
 heels, particularly on the inner side of the foot, whereby 
 the power of yielding and expanding to the weight of the 
 horse is proportionably increased, clearly indicating that 
 those parts cannot be nailed to an unyielding bar of iron, 
 without a most mischievous interference with the natural 
 functions of the foot. In the hind foot, the greatest thick- 
 ness of horn will be found at the quarters and heels, and 
 not, as in the fore foot, at the toe. This difference in the 
 thickness of horn is beautifully adapted to the inequality of 
 the weight which each has to sustain, the force with which 
 
 Fig. 10. 
 
 tiou (if theF* ct. 
 
 1. The coronet bone. 2. The coffin bone. 3. The navicular bone. 
 
 a. The wall. b. The sole. c. The cleft of the frog. del. The frog. ee. The fatty- 
 frog, or elastic cushion. /. The sensitive sole. g. The sensitive frog. hhh. Ten- 
 dons of the muscles which bend the foot. t. Part of the pastern bone. 
 kk. Tendons of the muscles which extend the foot. I. Tlie cofijn joint, m. The 
 navicular joint. n. The coronary substance. o. The sensible laminae, or 
 covering of the coffin bone. 
 
 it is applied, and the portions of the hoof upon which it 
 falls. The toe of the fore foot encounters the combined 
 force and weight of the fore hand and body, and conse- 
 quently in a state of nature is exposed to considerable 
 wear and tear, and calls for neater strens^th and substance 
 of horn than is needed by any portion of the hind foot, 
 where the duty of supporting the hinder parts alone is 
 
222 HOW TO SHOE A HOKSE. 
 
 distributed over the quarters and heels of both sides of 
 the foot. 
 
 The bars are continuations of the wall, reflected at the 
 heels towards the centre of the foot, where they meet in a 
 point, leaving a triangular space between them for the 
 frog. 
 
 The whole inner surface of the horny crust, from the 
 centre of the toe to the point where the bars meet, is every- 
 where lined with innumerable narrow, thin and projecting 
 horny plates, which extend in a slanting direction from 
 the upper edge of the wall to the line of junction between 
 it and the sole, and possess great elasticity. These pro- 
 jecting plates are the means of greatly extending the sur- 
 face of attachment of the hoof to the coffin bone, which is 
 likewise covered by a similar arrangement of projecting 
 plates, but of a highly vascular and sensitive character; 
 and these, dovetailing with the horny projections above- 
 named, constitute a union combining strength and elasticity 
 in a wonderful degree. 
 
 The horny sole covers the whole inferior surface of the 
 foot, excepting the frog. In a well-formed foot it presents 
 an arched appearance and possesses considerable elasticity, 
 by virtue of which it ascends and descends, as the weight 
 above is either suddenly removed from it, or forcibly ap- 
 plied to it. This descending property of the sole calls for 
 our especial consideration in directing the form of the shoe ; 
 for, if the shoe be so formed that the horny sole rests upon 
 it, it cannot descend lower ; and the sensible sole above, 
 becoming squeezed between the edge's of the coffin bone 
 and the horn, produces inflammation, and perhaps abscess. 
 The effijct of this squeezing of the sensible sole is most 
 commonly witnessed at the angle of the inner heel, where 
 the descending heel of the coffin bone, forcibly pressing 
 the vascular sole upon the horny sole, ruptures a small 
 
ANATOMY OF THE FOOT. 223 
 
 blood-vessel, and produces what is called a corn, but which 
 is, in fact, a bruise. 
 
 The horny frog occupies the greater part of the trian- 
 gular space between the bars, and extends from the hinder- 
 most part of the foot to the centre of the sole, just over 
 the point where the bars meet ; but is united to them only 
 at their upper edge : the sides remain unattached and 
 separate, and form the channels called the "Commissures." 
 
 If we carefully observe the form and size of the frog 
 in the foot of a colt of from four to five years old, at its 
 first shoeing, and then note the changes which it under- 
 goes as the shoeings are repeated, we shall soon be con- 
 vinced that a visible departure from a state of health and 
 nature is taking place. At first it will be found large and 
 full, with considerable elasticity; the cleft oval inform, 
 open, and expanding, with a continuous, well-defined, and 
 somewhat elevated boundary ; the bulbs at the heels fully 
 developed, plump and rounded ; and the whole mass oc- 
 cupying about one-sixth of the circumference of the foot. 
 By degrees the fulness and elasticity will be observed to 
 have diminished ; the bulbs at the heels will shrink, and 
 lose their plumpness ; the cleft will become narrower, 
 its oval form disappear, the back part of its boundary 
 give way, and it will dwindle into a narrow crack, ex- 
 tended back between the wasted, or perhaps obliterated 
 bulbs, presenting only the miserable remains of a frog, 
 such as may be seen in the feet of most horses long accus- 
 tomed to be shod. 
 
 The bones proper to the foot are three in number, — viz., 
 the coffin bone, the navicular bone, and part of the coro- 
 net bone : they are contained within the hoof, and combine 
 to form the cofiin joint ; but the smallest of them, the na- 
 vicular bone, is of far more importance as connected with 
 our subject of shoeing, than either of the others ; for upon 
 
224 HOW TO SHOE A HORSE. 
 
 the healthy condition of this bone, and the joint formed 
 between it and the tendon, which passes under it to the 
 coffin bone, and is called the navicular joint, mainly de- 
 pends the usefulness of the horse to man. 
 
 This small bone, which in a horse sixteen hands high 
 measures only two and a quarter inches in its longer di- 
 ameter, three-fourths of an inch at the widest part of its 
 shorter diameter, and half an inch in thickness in the 
 centre, its thickest part, has the upper and under surfaces 
 and part of one of the sides overlaid with a thin coating 
 of gristle, and covered by a delicate secreting membrane, 
 very liable upon the slightest injury to become inflamed ; 
 it is so placed in the foot as to be continually exposed to 
 danger ; being situated across the hoof, behind the coffin 
 bone, and immediately under the coronet bone ; whereby 
 it is compelled to receive nearly the whole weight of the 
 horse each time that the opposite foot is raised from the 
 ground. 
 
 The coffin bone consists of a body and wings ; and is 
 fitted into the hoof, which it closely resembles in form. Its 
 texture is particularly light and spongy, arising from the 
 quantity of canals or tubes that traverse its substance in 
 every direction, affording to numerous blood-vessels and 
 nerves a safe passage to the sensitive and vascular parts 
 surrounding it ; while the unyielding nature of the bone 
 effectually protects them from compression or injury, under 
 every variety of movement of the horse. 
 
 In an unshod foot, the front and sides of the coffin bone 
 are deeply furrowed and roughened, to secure the firmer 
 attachment of the vascular membranous structure, by which 
 the bone is clothed ; but in the bone of a foot that has 
 been frequently shod, this appearance is greatly changed, 
 the furrows and roughness giving place to a comparatively 
 smooth surface. This change I imagine to be produced 
 
PEEPARATION OF THE FOOT. 225 
 
 by tlie slice limiting, if not destroying, the expansive 
 power of that part of the horn to which it is nailed ; 
 whereby a change of structure in the membrane itself, as 
 well as absorption of the attaching portions of the bone, is 
 induced ; for it is an invariable law of the animal economy 
 not to continue to unemployed structures the same meas- 
 ure of efficient reparation that is extended to parts con- 
 stantly engaged in performing their allotted tasks. The 
 shoe restricts or prevents expansion ; while nature, as the 
 secret influence is called, immediately sets to work to sim- 
 plify the apparatus for producing the expansion, which art 
 has thus rendered impracticable, and substitutes for it a 
 new structure, less finely organized, but admirably suited 
 to the altered condition of the parts. ^ 
 
 The wings extend from the body of the bone directly 
 backwards, and support the " lateral cartilages" of the foot. 
 
 The sensitive sole, or, as it is sometimes called, the fleshy 
 sole, is about the eighth of an inch thick, and is almost 
 entirely made up of blood-vessels and nerves ; it is one of 
 the most vascular and sensitive parts of the body, and is 
 attached to the lower edge of the sensitive covering of the 
 coffin bone, — to the bars, — and point of the frog, — and 
 also with great firmness to the whole of the arched under- 
 surface of the coffin bone. 
 
 The sensitive frog includes not only the part correspond- 
 ing to the sensitive sole, but also the peculiar spongy 
 elastic substance which intervenes between it and the na- 
 vicular joint, and fills the space between the cartilages. 
 The proper sensitive frog is thicker, and less finely organ- 
 ized, than the sensitive sole, possessing fewer blood-ves- 
 sels and nerves. 
 
 Before treating of the preparation of the foot for the 
 reception of a shoe, it is desirable to correct the generally 
 received, but erroneous opinion, that the shape of a per- 
 10^ . . 
 
226 HOW TO SHOE A HOESE. 
 
 feet foot is circular, or very nearly so. It is this opinion 
 that leads the generality of smiths to direct their energies 
 towards reducing the foot to that shape as soon as possible ; 
 indeed, so impatient are some persons to commence this 
 work of settmg nature right, that they cause their colts' 
 feet to be '■^ put in order ^'^ — as the mischievous interference 
 is called, — long before the process of "breaking" has ren- 
 dered the evil of shoeing necessary. There are very few 
 things so little varied in nature as the form of the ground 
 surface of horses' feet ; for whether the hoof be high 
 heeled and upright, — or low-heeled and flat, — ^large or 
 small, — broad or narrow,— the identical form of ground sur- 
 face is maintained in each, so long as it is entirely left to 
 nature's guidance. The outer quarter, back to the heel, 
 is curved considerably and abruptly outwards, while the 
 inner quarter is carried back in a gradual and easy curve. 
 The advantage of this form is so obvious, that it is m.atter 
 for wonder it should ever be interfered with. The en- 
 larged outer quarter extends the base and increases the 
 hold of the foot upon the ground ; while the straighter 
 inner quarter lessens the risk of striking the foot against 
 the opposite leg. 
 
 The inclination of the front of the horny crust of the 
 foot should be at an angle of about 45 degrees. If the 
 foot is much steeper than this it is very liable to contract, 
 while, if it is much more slanting, it constitutes what is 
 called the " oyster shell" foot, in which there is an undue 
 flatness of the sole, and a tendency to pumiced feet. 
 
 Bearing in mind, now, the nature of the various parts of 
 the foot of the horse, we will consider the manner in 
 which the practical operations of shoeing should be con- 
 ducted, and the reasons for adopting some improvements 
 on the general custom of our smiths. 
 
 Before removing the old shoo, care should be taken to 
 
PARING THE FOOT. 227 
 
 raise all tlie clincLcs of tlie nails to prevent injury to the 
 crust, and to avoid giving pain to tlie horse ; even after 
 clinches are raised, if the shoe cannot be easily drawn off, 
 those nails which seem to hold most firmly should be 
 punched, or drawn out, that the shoe may be removed 
 without injury to the hoof, and without weakening the 
 nail hold for the new shoeing. 
 
 The shoe being removed, the edge of the crust should be 
 well rasped to remove so much of the horn as would have 
 been worn away by contact with the ground, had it been un- 
 shod. In no case should the rasp be used on the surface of 
 the hoof, except to make the necessary depressions for the 
 clinches, after the new shoe has been put on, and to shape 
 the hoof helow the line of the clinches of the nails. The 
 hoof, above this line, will inevitably be injured by such 
 treatment, which is one of the m6st fertile sources of brit- 
 tleness of the horn, which often results in "sand crack." 
 
 The operation of paring out the horse's foot is a matter 
 requiring both skill and judgment, and is, moreover, a 
 work of some labor, when properly performed. It will 
 be found that the operator errs much oftener by removing 
 too little than too much ; at least it is so with the parts 
 vdiich ought to be removed, whicli are almost as hard and 
 unyielding as a flint, and, in their most favorable state, re- 
 quire considerable exertion to cut through. 
 
 It would bo impossible to frame any rule applicable to 
 paring out of all horses' feet, or, indeed, of the feet of the 
 same horse at all times : for instance, it is manifestly un- 
 wise to pare the sole as thin in a hot, dry season, when the 
 roads are broken up, and strewed with loose stones, as in 
 a moderately wet one, when they are well bound and even ; 
 for, in the former case, the sole is in perpetual danger of 
 being bruised by violent contact with the loose stones, 
 and consequently needs a thicker layer of horn for its 
 
228 HOW TO SHOE A HOKSE. 
 
 })rotection ; while the latter case ofiPers the most favorable 
 surface that most of our horses ever have to travel upon, 
 ajid should be taken advantage of for a thorough paring 
 out of the sole, in order that the internal parts of the foot 
 may derive the full benefit arising from an elastic and de- 
 scending sole ; a state of things very essential to the due 
 performance of their separate functions. Again : in horses 
 with upright feet and high heels, horn grows very abun- 
 dantly, especially towards the toe ; and such are always 
 benefited by having the toe shortened, the heels lowered, 
 and the sole well pared out ; while in horses with flat feet 
 and low heels horn grows sparingly ; and the toe of such 
 feet, being always weak, will admit of very little shorten- 
 ing. Such heels being already too low, should scarcely be 
 touched with the rasp ; and the sole presents such a small 
 quantity of dead horn, that the knife should be used with 
 great discretion. 
 
 ' The corners formed by the junction of the crust and bars 
 should be well pared out, particularly on the inside ; for 
 this is the common seat of corn, and any accumulation of 
 horn in this situation must increase the risk of bruising 
 the sensible sole between the inner point or heel of the 
 coffin bone and the horny sole. I very much doubt either 
 the utility or wisdom of leaving the bars projecting beyond 
 the surface of the sole ; it cannot possibly increase the 
 power of resisting contraction, and this projecting rim is 
 left exposed to the danger of being broken and bruised by 
 contact with stones and other hard substances ; and it is 
 further attended with the disadvantage of making the 
 cleaning out of these corners a work of considerable inge- 
 nuity with so unwieldy an instrument as a common draw- 
 ing-knife. I prefer paring them down to a level with the 
 sole, or very nearly so ; avoiding, however, every approach 
 to what is called " opening out the heels." a most repre- 
 
PARING THE FOOT. 229 
 
 hensible practice, wliicli means cuttiDg away the sides of 
 the bars, so as to show an apparent increase of width be- 
 tween the heels, which may for the time deceive the eye ; 
 but it is a mere illusion, purchased at the expense of im- 
 paired power of resistance in the bars, and ultimate con- 
 traction of the feet. It is self-evident, that the removing 
 any portion from the sides of the bars must diminish their 
 substance, and render them weaker, and consequently less 
 able to resist, contraction. 
 
 Youatt says, on the same subject: 
 
 The act of paring is a work of much more labor than 
 the proprietor of the horse often imagines. The smith, 
 except he is overlooked, will frequently give himself as 
 little trouble about it as he can ; and that portion of horn 
 which, in the unshod foot, would be worn away by con- 
 tact with the ground, is suffered to accumulate month 
 after month, until the elasticity of the sole is destroyed, 
 and it can no longer descend, and its other functions are 
 impeded, and foundation is laid for corn, and contraction, 
 and navicular disease, and inflammation. That portion of 
 horn should be left on the foot, which Avill defend the in- 
 ternal parts from being bruised, and yet suffer the external 
 sole to descend. How is this to be ascertained? The 
 strong pressure of the thumb of the smith will be the best 
 guide. The buttress, that most destructive of all instru- 
 ments, being, except on very particular occasions, banished 
 from every respectable forge, the smith sets to work with 
 his drawing-knife and removes the growth of horn, until 
 the sole will yield, although in the slightest possible de- 
 gree, to the strong pressure of his thumb. The proper 
 thickness of horn will then remain. 
 
 The quantity of horn to be removed, in order to leave 
 the proper degree of thickness, will vary with different 
 feet. From the strong foot, a great deal must be taken. 
 
230 HOW TO SHOE A HORSE. 
 
 From the concave foot the horn may be removed, "antil 
 the sole will yield to a moderate pressure. From the flat 
 foot, little need be pared : while the pumiced foot should 
 be deprived of nothing but the ragged parts. 
 
 The crust should be reduced to a perfect level all round, 
 but left a little higher than the sole, or the sole will be 
 bruised by its pressure on the edge of the seating. 
 
 The heels will require considerable attention. From 
 the stress which is thrown on the inner heel, and from the 
 weakness of the quarter there, the horn usually wears 
 away considerably faster than it would on the outer one ; 
 and if an equal portion of horn were pared from it, it 
 would be left low^er than the outer heel. The smith should 
 therefore accommodate his paring to the comparative wear 
 of the heels, and be exceedingly careful to leave them pre- 
 cisely level. 
 
 Miles, after forcibly recommending that the frog (ex- 
 cept in very rai-e cases, of horses with unusually fast-grow- 
 ing frogs), should never be cut or pared; and giving 
 instances which have come under his own observation, and 
 which have demonstrated the truth of liis theory, says : 
 
 The first stroke of the knife removes this thin horny 
 covering altogether, and lays bare an under surface, totally 
 unfitted, from its moist, soft texture, for exposure either to 
 the hard ground or the action of the air ; and in conse- 
 quence of such unnatural exposure it soon becomes dry 
 and shiinks: then follow cracks, — the edges of which 
 turning outwards form rags ; these rags are removed by 
 the smith at the next shoeing, whereby another such sur- 
 face is exposed, and another foundation laid for other 
 rags ; and so on, until at last the protruding, plump, elastic 
 cushion, interposed by nature between the navicular joint 
 and the ground, and so essential to its preservation from 
 injury, is converted by the mischievous interference of art 
 
THE SHOE. 231 
 
 into the dry, shrunk, unyielding apology for a frog, to be 
 seen in the foot of almost every horse that has been regu- 
 larly shod for a few years. The frog is provided within 
 itself with two very efficient modes of throwing off any 
 superfluous horn it may be troubled with ; and it is very 
 unwise in man to interfere with them : the first and most 
 common is the separation from its surface of small bran- 
 like scales, which, becoming dry, fall off in a kind of 
 whitish scurf, not unlike the dust that adheres to Turkey 
 figs. The other, which is upon a larger scale, and of rarer 
 occurrence, is sometimes called *' casting the frog." A 
 thick layer of frog separates itself in a body, and shells 
 off as deep as a usual paring with a knife ; but it is worthy 
 of remark, that there is this very important difference be- 
 tween the two operations ; nature never removes the horny 
 covering until she has provided another horny covering 
 beneath, so that although a large portion of the frog may 
 have been removed, there still remains a perfect frog be- 
 hind, smaller, it is true, but covered with horn, and in 
 every way fitted to sustain exposure; while the knife, 
 on the contrary, removes the horny covering, but is un- 
 able to substitute any other in its stead. My advice, there- 
 fore, is, to leave the frog to itself; nature will remove the 
 superfluous horn, and the rags can do no harm, and, if un- 
 molested, will soon disappear altogether. 
 
 The shoe should have these general features : — 1st. It 
 should be, for ordinary work, rather heavy, in order that 
 it may not be bent by contact with hard, uneven roads ; 
 2nd. It should be wide in the web, and of equal thickness 
 and width from the toe to the heel, that it may protect, 
 as much as possible, the sole, without altering the natural 
 position of the foot. 3rd. It should be well drawn in at 
 the heels, that it may rest on the bars, and extend to the 
 outer edge of the crust on the outside, and reach beyond 
 
282 HOW TO SHOE A HORSE. 
 
 the bar nearly to the frog, so that there maj be no danger 
 of its pressing on the "corn j^lace" or angles between the 
 bar and the crust. 4th. It should, in no part, extend be- 
 yond the outer edge of the crust, lest it strike against the 
 opposite leg when the horse is travelling, or be stepped 
 on by another horse, or be drawn off by a heavy soil. 
 
 Such a shoe, and its position on the foot, is shown in 
 figure 11. 
 
 Fig. 11. 
 Represents the foot with the shoe rendered trauspareut, showing what parts of the foot 
 are covered and protected by bringing in the heels of the shoe. 
 
 a a a. The crust, with the shoo closely fitted all round. 
 
 h b. The bars, protected by the shoe. 
 
 c c. The heels, supported by the shoe. 
 
 d. The situation of corns protected from injury. 
 
 The shoe should be made as nearly of this form as the 
 shape of the foot will allow ; but one niust never lose sight 
 of the fact that the shoe is made for the foot, and not the 
 foot for the shoe, and that it is eminently proper to make 
 the shoe to lit the natural form of tlie foot, instead, as is 
 too often the case, of paring, burning, and rasping the foot, 
 until it fits the shoe, which is made to suit the ideas of the 
 
FITTING THE SHOE. 283 
 
 smith as to what should be the form of the horse's foot. 
 No amount of paring can bring the foot of a horse to an 
 unnatural figure, and leave it sound and safe to work 
 with. Miles says : 
 
 The truth really is, that the shape of the shoe cannot 
 by possibility influence the shape of the foot ; for the foot, 
 being elastic, expands to the weight of the horse in pre- 
 cisely the same degree, whether it be resting upon the 
 most open or the most contracted shoe: it \b ihQ situation 
 of the nails, and not the shape of the shoe, that determines 
 the form of the foot. If the nails be placed in the outside 
 quarter and toe, leaving the heels and quarters of the in- 
 side, which are the most expansive portions, free, no shape 
 that we can give to the shoe can of itself change the form 
 of the foot. I would not however be "understood to mean, 
 that the shape of the shoe is therefore of no importance ; 
 for I trust I have already proved the contrary. Seeing 
 then that the shape of the foot is in no way changed by 
 the form of the shoe, both wisdom and interest would 
 prompt us to adopt that form which possesses the greatest 
 number of advantages with the fewest disadvantages. 
 
 A small clip at the point of the toe is very desirable as 
 preventing displacement of the shoe backwards ; it need 
 not be driven up hard ; it is merely required as a check 
 or stay. The shoe should be sufficiently long fully to 
 support the angles at the heels, and not, as is too often the 
 case, so short, that a little wear imbeds the edge of it in 
 the horn at these parts. The foot surface of the shoe 
 should always have a good flat even space left all around 
 for the crust to bear upon ; for it must be remembered, that 
 the crust sustains the whole weight of the horse, and needs 
 to have a perfectly even bearing everywhere around the 
 shoe. In this space the nail-holes should be punched, and 
 not, as is too often the case, partly in it, and partly in the 
 
234 HOW TO SHOE A HORSE. 
 
 seating. In what is technicall}^ called " back-holing- tlie 
 slioe," which means completing the opening of the nail- 
 holes on the foot surface, great care should be taken to 
 give them an outward direction, so as to allow the points 
 of the nails to be brought out low down in the crust. The 
 remainder of the foot surface should be carefully seated 
 out, particularly around the elevated toe, where it might 
 otherwise press inconveniently upon the sole ; and I would 
 have the seating carried on fairly to the point where the 
 crust and the bars meet, in order that there may be no 
 pressure in the seat of corns : the chance of pressure in 
 this situation will be further diminished by bevelling off 
 the inner edge of the heels with a rasp. 
 
 The ground surface should be perfectly flat, with a ful- 
 lering or groove running round the outer edge, just under 
 the plain surface, whereon the crust bears. The principal 
 use of the fuller is to receive the heads of the nails that 
 secure the shoe, and prevent their bending or breaking 
 off : — it is further useful in increasing the hold of the shoe 
 upon the ground, and with this view I always have it car- 
 ried back to the heels. 
 
 In fitting the shoe to the foot, it should never, while red 
 hot, be burned into its place, as this would so heat the sen- 
 sitive sole as to produce a serious derangement of its parts^ 
 but it may with safety be touched lightly to the foot, that 
 by a slight burning it may indicate those points where the 
 foot needs paring ; indeed, it is necessary to pursue this 
 course in order to make the shoe so exactly fit the foot 
 that there will be no danger of its moving sufficiently to 
 loosen the hold of the nails. It is desirable to have the 
 shoe made with steel in front, this being sloped backw^ard 
 to a line running at right angles with the upper slope of 
 the hoof. Old shoes are always worn to about this form, 
 and new ones should be so made. The steel will prevent 
 their being unduly worn. 
 
THE NUMBER OF NAILS. 235 
 
 Having so fitted the shoe that the foot exactly touches 
 it in every part, the next point is to nail it fast to the hoof; 
 and on this subject we can do no better than to quote 
 Miles' very valuable remarks : 
 
 The next circumstance to be considered is one of vital im- 
 portance to our subject, as upon it depends the amount of 
 disturbance that the natural functions of the foot are des- 
 tined to sustain from the shoe; viz., the number and situa- 
 tion of the nails which are to secure it to the foot. If they 
 be numerous, and placed back in the quarters and heels, 
 no form of shoe, be it ever so perfect, can save the foot 
 from contraction and navicular disease. If on the contrary 
 they be few, and placed in the outside quarter and toe, 
 leaving the inside quarter and heels quite free to expand, 
 no form of shoe is so bad that it can, from defective form 
 alone, produce contraction of the foot. 
 
 Three years ago I commenced a series of experiments 
 upon shoeing, with a view, among other things, of ascer- 
 taining how few nails are absolutely necessary, under 
 ordinary circumstances, for retaining a shoe securely in its 
 place. The subjects of my experiments were six horses of 
 my own, and three belonging to friends ; the nine among 
 them representing very fairly the different classes of pleas- 
 ure horses, — not, indeed, including hunters or race-horses, 
 each of which requires a separate and totally different treat- 
 ment, but carriage-horses, ladies' horses, and roadsters; 
 and they also included the common variations in form and 
 texture, of the generality of horses' feet. 
 
 When my attention was first directed to the subject of 
 nailing, I was employing seven nails in each fore, and 
 eight in each hind shoe. I then withdrew one nail from 
 each shoe, thus reducing the number to six in the fore and 
 seven in the hind shoes ; and finding at the end of a year 
 that_the shoes of all the horses had been as firmly retained 
 
236 HOW TO SHOE A HORSE. 
 
 as formerly, I withdrew another nail from each shoe, leav- 
 ing only five in the fore shoes and six in the hind. I 
 found, however, that six nails would not retain the hind 
 shoe of a carriage-horse, without allowing it sometimes to 
 shift ; so I returned to seven in the hind shoes, and have 
 contirmed to employ that number ever since : but five have 
 retained all the fore shoes as firmly during the whole of 
 the last year and a half, as six had previously done. 
 
 I have luv^ariably directed and superintended the whole 
 operation of shoeing during these experiments ; and have 
 always been very careful to mark that the nails were not 
 driven high up in the crust, but brought out as soon as 
 possible ; and that they were very lightly driven up 
 before the clinches were turned down, and not, as is gene- 
 rally the case, forced up with all the power that the smith 
 can bring to bear upon them with his hammer. 
 
 The clinches should not be rasped away too fine, but 
 turned down broad and firm. The practice of rasping the 
 whole surface of the hoof after the clinches have been 
 turned down, should never be permitted ; it destroys the 
 covering provided by nature as a protection against the 
 too rapid evaporation of the moisture of the hoof, and 
 causes the horn to become dry and brittle. 
 
 Two of the horses alluded to above, worked for some 
 time with only four nails in their fore shoes. 
 
 I have detailed these experiments with a view to expose 
 the groundless nature of the fear that expects to cast a shoe 
 at every step, unless it be held to the foot by eight or nine 
 nails, driven high into the crust. If the presence of a nail 
 in the crust were a matter of no moment, and two or three 
 more tlian are necessary were merely useless, there would 
 be no great reason to interfere with this practice of making 
 "assurance doubly sure;" but it is far otherwise; — the 
 nails separate the fibres of the horn, and they never by 
 
NAILING. 287 
 
 any chance become iimted again, but continue asunder and 
 unclosed, until bj degrees they grow down with the rest 
 of the hoof, and are ultimately, after repeated shoeings, re- 
 moved by the knife. 
 
 If the clinches should happen to rise, they must be re- 
 placed without delay; as such rising imparts to the nails a 
 freedom of motion which is sure to enlarge the size of the 
 holes, — and this mischief is often increased by the violent 
 wrenching which the shoe undergoes from side to side in 
 the process of removal by the smith. 
 
 Now as these holes cannot possibly grow down and be 
 removed under three shoeings, it will be found that even 
 with seven nails, the crust must always have twenty-one 
 of these separations existing in it at the same time ; and as 
 they are often from a variety of causes extended into each 
 other, they necessarily keep it in a brittle, unheal thj^ state, 
 and materially interfere with the security of the future 
 nail-hold. 
 
 During the last six months I have arranged my five 
 nails upon this "system of one-sided nailing," and the re- 
 sult has been most satisfactory ; the shoes have not only 
 been firmly, but easily held to the feet, as is evidenced by 
 the clinches not having risen in one single instance, — a 
 clear proof that the struggle between the expansion of the 
 foot and the resistance of the shoe is entirely overcome by 
 this mode of fastening. This very desirable end appears 
 to be attained in the following manner : the outer side of 
 the foot, being the only part nailed to the shoe, carries the 
 whole shoe with it at every expansion ; while the inner 
 side, being unattached, expands independently of it, where- 
 by all strain upon the nails is avoided, and the foot is left, 
 with respect to its power of expansion, as nearly as pos- 
 sible in a state of nature. 
 
 An unexpected benefit has arisen to one of my horses 
 
288 HOW TO SHOE A HORSE. 
 
 from this plan, in the total disappearance of two very trou- 
 blesome corns : they had existed in his feet for ten years, 
 during seven of which I tried every plan that I had ever 
 heard of as likely to effect a cure, — ^both in form of shoe 
 and local application, — without, however, any decided ad- 
 vantage ; but the adoption of this plan of fastening the 
 shoe to the foot, by removing all restraint and pressure 
 from the part, has accidentally achieved that which I had 
 so long sought in vain. 
 
 The hind foot certainly does not demand the same meas- 
 ure of attention as the fore foot, inasmuch as its position 
 and the nature of its ofl&ce render it less liable to in- 
 jury, and consequently it is less frequently lame. It is, 
 however, by no means entirely exempt, nor does it always 
 escape disease of its navicular joint ; for I have myself found 
 disease in a navicular bone taken from a hind foot. This 
 being the case, then, we should endeavor to guard against it 
 by interfering as little as possible with its expansive power ; 
 and that will be best done by keeping the nails on the in- 
 side as far removed from the heel as we conveniently can, 
 to which end I recommend the employment of seven nails 
 only, — four to be placed in the outer and three in the inner 
 side of the shoe. The holes in the inner side are to be 
 punched closer together, and kept more towards the toe 
 than those on the outside, which need to be more spread 
 out, as affording greater security of hold to the foot. The 
 shoe should be carefully fitted to the hoof all I'ound, par- 
 ticularly at the heels, which are too commonly left without 
 any support whatever; and the mischievous custom of 
 turning down the outer heel only must be avoided, because 
 it throws the weight entirely upon the inner quarter, which 
 is the part the least able to bear it, and causes much un- 
 comfortable strain to the fetlock joint above. Calkins, 
 even though they may be turned down of perfectly even 
 
EVILS OF BAD SHOEING. 
 
 239 
 
 lengths on eacli side, wliich, however, is very rarely done, 
 are objectionable appendages, and had better be dispensed 
 with, excepting, perhaps, for very heavy draft, where their 
 ends, by entering the ground, may prevent the foot from 
 slipping backwards, and may thus enable the toe to obtain 
 a firmer hold. 
 
 The form of shoe here referred to, and the position of 
 the nail holes, are shown in figure 12. 
 
 Fig. 12 
 
 a a. The heels of an even thickness with the rest of the shoe. 
 6 b. Show the points at which the heels of the hoof terminated, 
 c c. The seating carried back, so as to clear the angles at the heels, and leave the 
 seat of corns free from pressure. 
 
 d. The nail-holos placed in the flat surface which supports the crust, where they 
 
 should always be. 
 
 e. The hindermost nail of the inner side at the inner toe, whereby the whole of 
 
 the quarter and heel are left free to expand. 
 
 The directions for properly shoeing horses having now 
 been as fully given as the limits of this work will allow, 
 the attention of the reader is called to certain evils which 
 are produced by bad shoeing. 
 
 CoNTEACTED Feet, — that is, feet that have shrunken and 
 become narrow at the heels, and of which the frog has be- 
 come materially reduced in size, — are often caused by in- 
 
240 HOW TO SHOE A HORSE. 
 
 flammation, arising from various causes, but most frequent- 
 ly, without doubt, from improper shoeing. It is the custom 
 of many smiths to " set the shoes well off at the heels," and 
 to carry the seating or bevel of the upper side of the shoes 
 so far back that the heels, instead of resting on a flat sur- 
 face, as they would on a properly fitted shoe, rest on the 
 slope of the seating, which are, in this respect, simply two 
 inclined planes, so placed that, at each step taken by the 
 horse, his heels must be pressed together until a greater 
 or less contraction is made manifest, too late for us to 
 remedy the evil ; for there is no means by which this con- 
 traction of the foot can be cured, — though, when it exists 
 only to a slight extent, the internal portions of the foot 
 will sometimes accommodate themselves to its new form. 
 So far as disease is the result of bad shoeing, it can be ob- 
 viated by so forming the shoe that it will afford a sufficient 
 and perfectly secure and level support for the heels. 
 
 For the cause, and treatment of diseases of the feet, in- 
 cluding those which result from improper shoeing, the 
 reader is referred to the chapter on Farriery. 
 
CHAPTER XVL 
 
 BAUCHER'S METHOD OF TRAINING HORSES TO THE SADDLE. 
 
 WHAT CONSTITUTES A WELL-TRAINED HORSE — TO MAKE HIM COME AT YOUR 
 CALL—THE PHILOSOPHY OF TRAINING— FLEXIONS OF THE JAW — FLEXIONS 
 OF THE NECK — FLEXIONS OF THE CROUP— BACKING THE PACES — LEAPING. 
 
 There is notMng wMch so mucli conduces to tlie pleas- 
 ure and safety of a rider, as the proper training of his 
 horse. Indeed, no matter how good a rider one may be, 
 it is impossible for him to ride gracefully, easily or safely 
 on a horse that has not been properly broken to the work. 
 It is true that a good rider can, by a sufficient exercise of 
 prudence, get on passably well with an unbroken horse, or 
 even a poor rider may, by putting his horse into a fast 
 gallop, make up in some degree, and for a short time, for 
 want of training ; but it is very certain that both are la- 
 boring under great disadvantages, and that neither the rider 
 or his horse is working with ease. 
 
 It is too often supposed that all that is necessary to con- 
 stitute a good saddle-horse is, that he should allow a bit to 
 remain in his mouth, and should carry his rider without 
 attempting to throw him, and without viciously trying to 
 make himself disagreeable. If he have a dozen different 
 gaits ; if he carry his head low, and his nose out, — these 
 
 11 [241] 
 
242 baucher's method. 
 
 faults are ascribed to his nature^ and it is not deemed pos 
 sible to give him an elegant carriage. If he bear with his 
 full force on the bit, it is considered an advantage, because 
 it gives the rider a firm support, by enabling him to steady 
 himself in his seat by bearing his weight on the bridle. 
 
 There have been for ages more or less imperfect direc- 
 tions given for overcoming these difficulties, and for bring- 
 ing ordinary horses into a tolerably good condition for the 
 saddle ; but they were so tedious and so uncertain in their 
 results, that their application was limited to Military schools, 
 and similar institutions, where it was worth while to take 
 a great amount of trouble to train liorses for special w^ork. 
 
 More recently M. Baucher, a French equestrian of great 
 distinction, has, after giving many j^earsto the subject, ad- 
 vanced uu entirely new method for training horses to the 
 saddle, which seems to be founded on natural principles 
 and to be equally applicable to all cases. M. Baucher does 
 not claim that he can make all horses equally good for the 
 saddle, but he does claim, and he seems to prove, that all 
 horses can be made, by his method, as good saddle-horses 
 as they are capable of becoming, with an outlay of yqx^ 
 much less time and labor, and with far less pain to the an- 
 imal, than was necessary under the old system. He also 
 asserts that any horse, not actually deformed, no mattei 
 how sad a jade he was when taken in hand, wdll become, 
 after proper suppling and instruction, a light and graceful 
 saddle beast. 
 
 If the horse to be trained be vicious, and will not allow 
 himself to be approached and properly handled, he should 
 of course be subjected to the processes described in the 
 chapter on Rarey's method of taming horses ; but suppos- 
 ing him to be already tamed, and tolerably docile, he 
 may be proceeded with according to the following direc- 
 tions : — 
 
FIRST LESSONS. 248 
 
 AND TO RENDER HIM QUIET WHILE BEING HANDLED AND MOUNTED. 
 
 The rider or trainer should approach the horse, without 
 haste or timidity, holding his whip under his arm. He 
 should speak to him in an ordinary tone of voice, and 
 should pat him caressingly on the face and neck ; he will 
 then take the reins of the curb-bit in the left hand, at a 
 distance of six inches from the branches, and in such a 
 manner as to be able to present as much resistance as pos- 
 sible to the efforts which the horse will make to release 
 himself. Take the whip in the right hand, and raise it 
 quietly to the height of the horse's breast, against which 
 it should be struck at intervals of a second, and with a 
 steady and uniform movement. This will, of course, cause 
 the horse to draw back, in order to get away from the 
 whip ; as he recedes, follow him steadily, keeping a uni- 
 form pull upon the reins, and tapping the breast with the 
 same steady movement of the whip. The horse will soon 
 tire of his unsuccessful attempts to back away from the 
 pain, and will try another movement, making a start for 
 ward. At that instant the pressure on the bit should be 
 discontinued, and by caresses the horse should be made to 
 understand that he has done as we desired, by coming 
 toward us, and that in this way he can avoid being whip- 
 ped. Repeat this exercise, and continue it for half an 
 hour, being careful always to follow the horse as he re- 
 cedes, and to reward him for compliance, by slacking the 
 hold of the reins, and caressing him. Be sure not to 
 caress him when he has not done well, and not to punish 
 him after he has yielded. This first lesson having been 
 given in the morning, it should be repeated for half an 
 hour in the afternoon. This will be sufficient to cause the 
 most timid or stubborn horse to respond to the least intima- 
 
211 baucher's method. 
 
 tion of the wish of his master, and without being whipped 
 he will come forward at the first touch of the reins ; it will be 
 gratifying to the trainer, and useful to the horse to repeat the 
 foregoing operation once or twice before each lesson during 
 the subsequent training. Occasionally during the exer- 
 cises the hand may be borne down, so as to depress the 
 head, to teach the horse more ready submission to the in- 
 structions which are to follow. When a horse will come 
 freely forward at the least gesture, his progress may be 
 slightly checked by the hand, which will cause him to 
 arch his neck, and draw in his chin, approaching to the 
 perpendicular position of the face, which Baucher so 
 strongly recommends. 
 
 If the horse be very unruly, it may be necessary, in rare 
 cases, to use the cavesson, (a nose-band of iron, supported 
 by an arrangement similar to the common halter) ; but 
 such aids should be eschewed as far as possible. 
 
 The following exercises are, like the calisthenic exer- 
 cises of schools, intended to give strength and pliability 
 to the muscles, and grace to the movements. They are 
 not immediately useful, but they render the horse much 
 more serviceable to his rider than he would be in a state 
 of nature, because they enable him to perform smoothly 
 many movements which, naturally, he would perform but 
 awkwardly ; and to respond more readily to the indica- 
 tions of the hand or leg. 
 
 It is one of the first principles of M. Baucher's system, 
 that all the resistances of the young horse originate in a phys- 
 ical cause, and that they have a moral cjiuse only when the 
 horse has been perplexed, and made resentful, by the un- 
 skilfulness, ignorance, or brutality of the rider. 
 
 It is often remarked that horses which are considered in- 
 domitable are those which develop the greatest energy 
 and vigor, as soon as we know how to remedy their phvs- 
 
Fisr. 16. 
 
 F/V. IT. 
 
FIRST LESSONS. 245 
 
 ical defects ; as with tliose which, in spite of their bad 
 conformation, are subjected by a bad system of train- 
 ing to a semblance of oUedience, we have to thank noth- 
 ing but the gentleness of their natures. K they consent 
 to submit to the simplest exercise, it is on condition that 
 we do not exact anything more difficult ; for they would 
 soon recover their energy to resist any further attempts. 
 
 A well constituted horse is one, all of whose powers are 
 regularly harmonized, so as to bring about a perfect equi- 
 librium of the whole. 
 
 If we once admit these truths : 
 
 That the education of the horse consists in the complete 
 subjection of his forces ; 
 
 That we can make use of his forces only by annulling 
 all of his involuntary resistances ; 
 
 And, that these resistances have their source in the con- 
 tractions resulting from physical defects ; — 
 
 It is only necessary to seek out those parts in which 
 these contractions operate, to combat them, and to cause 
 them to disappear. 
 
 Whatever be the fault of conformation which prevents 
 a just disposition of the forces of the horse, it is always in 
 the neck that the most immediate effect is felt. There is 
 no false movement, no resistance, that is not preceded by a 
 contraction of this part ; and as the jaw is intimately con- 
 nected with the neck, a stiffness of the one is instantly 
 communicated to the other. These two points, are the prop 
 on which the horse depends to annul all of the efforts of 
 the rider. We can easily conceive of the immense ob- 
 stacles which they present, because the neck and the 
 head are the two principal levers by which Ave control 
 and direct the animal, and it is impossible to obtain any 
 influence over him so long as we do not entirely master 
 these two indispensable means of action. Behind, the parts 
 
246 
 
 baucher's method. 
 
 where the forces most contract for resistance, are the loins 
 and the croup (the haunches). 
 
 The contractions of these two opposite extremities are, to 
 each other, causes and effects ; that is to say, the stiffness 
 of the neck induces that of the haunches, and vice versa. 
 
 Flexions of the Jaw. — The flexions of the jaw, as 
 well as the two flexions of the neck, which are to follow, 
 are performed standing still, the trainer on foot. The 
 horse will be led on to the ground and the reins passed 
 over his neck. The trainer will first see that the bit, which 
 is of the double sort (see fig, 18), is properly placed, and 
 
 Fig. 13.— The Bit and Bridoon Bridte. 
 
 that the chain is so fastened that the finger can be easily 
 introduced between it and the chin. Then, looking the 
 animal kindly in the eyes, he will place himself opposite 
 his neck, and near to his head ; the body should be firm 
 and the legs a little apart, to strengthen the position and to 
 
FLEXIONS OF THE JAW. 247 
 
 enable the trainer to contend with, advantage against every 
 resistance of the horse. 
 
 In order to execute the flexions to the right, the trainer, 
 being on the near side of the horse (see fig. 14), will take the 
 right curb rein in his right hand, at a distance of about six 
 inches from the branch of the bit, and the left rein in the left 
 hand, at a distance of about four inches from the branch. 
 He will then draw the right rein toward him, and at the 
 same time , stretch out the left hand, turning the bit in such 
 a way as to force the horse's mouth open. The force em- 
 ployed ought to be proportioned to the resistance of the 
 neck and the jaw, in order not to render unsteady the po- 
 sition of the trainer. If the horse incline to back, to avoid 
 the flexion, he should be prevented from doing so by hold- 
 ing the hands firmly forward. If the previous exercise 
 has been practiced completely and with care, it will be 
 easy, with the aid of the Avhip, to arrest this retrograde 
 movement, which is a powerful obstacle to all flexions of 
 the jaw and neck. 
 
 As soon as the horse yields to the pressure, and allows 
 his head to be drawn around to the right shoulder, draw 
 gently and evenly on the two reins until the line of the 
 face is perpendicular to the ground, and until the animal 
 will sustain his head in this position without bearing on 
 the bit. The champing of the bit by the horse is an evi- 
 dence that he is completely in hand, and entirely under 
 subjection. Figure 14, shows the position at the commence- 
 ment of this exercise, and fig. 15, that at the termination. 
 He should now be recompensed by a slackening of the 
 reins, and by being allowed, after a few seconds, to regain 
 his natural position. The flexion of the jaw to the left is 
 executed on the same principles, and by opposite means, 
 and the flexions should be alternated from the right to the 
 left. 
 
248 baucher's method. 
 
 Depression of the Neck and Direct Flexion of 
 THE Jaw. — The trainer will stand as before directed ; he 
 will take the reins of the snaffle in the left hand, at about 
 six inches from the rings, and the curb reins in the right 
 hand, close to the bit (see fig. 16). He will then bear down 
 with the left hand, and will draw back with the right, — 
 the force with wliich either effort is made being nicely ad- 
 justed to the resistance of the horse. This figure repre- 
 sents the position at the commencement, and fig. 17 that at 
 the close of this exercise. 
 
 As soon as the horse's head shall fall, as though of its 
 own weight, all force must cease, and the neck and head 
 allowed to resume their natural position. 
 
 If the horse do not readily lower his head on feeling the 
 pressure on the top of it, which this tension of the snaffle 
 reins produces, he may be taught more prompt obedience by 
 crossing the reins of the snaffle under his chin, and drawing 
 them tightly, so as to compress the jaw, at the same time 
 bearing down with as much force as possible (see fig. 18). 
 He will soon learn that the tension of the snaffle means 
 "lower your head," and he will be quick to obey without 
 waiting for the more painful part of the operation. By 
 the direct flexion of the jaw we mean the relaxing of those 
 muscles by which the mouth is shut ; this will ordinarily 
 be accomplished by the action of the curb-bit in the pre- 
 ceding exercise, but if the horse persist in poking out his 
 nose, and holding the bit " in his teeth," his mouth may 
 be forced open, in a way that he will be likely to remem- 
 ber, by the following process: — Stand facing the left side 
 of the horse's head, and take the left snaffle rein in the 
 left hand, and the left curb-rein in the right, both as near 
 to the bit as will allow of a firm hold. Now raise the 
 elbows, and draw the hands away from each other with 
 sufficient strength to force the jaws apart (see fig. 19). In 
 
FLEXIONS OF THE KECK. 249 
 
 this, as in all other operations, the force applied by the 
 trainer should be proportioned to the resistance of the horse. 
 
 Lateral Flexions of the Neck. — The trainer will 
 stand by the side of the horse's shoulder, as in the flexions 
 of the jaw. He will take the right snaffle-rein in his right 
 hand, and draw upon it over the horse's neck, (see fig. 20,) 
 holding the left snaffle tight enough to prevent the horse 
 from turning his body. 
 
 As soon as the neck yields to allow the head to go 
 round to the right, the tension of the left rein must cease. 
 When the head is well brought round (fig, 21), the two 
 reins should be equally drawn upon until the head as- 
 sumes a perpendicular position, and until the horse evinces 
 his lightness by champing the bit. After having held him 
 a few seconds in this position, the head should be gently 
 drawn back to its natural place. It is important that the 
 horse should not be allowed to do anything of his own 
 will, and his head should be drawn back before he tries to 
 move it of his own accord. The flexion to the left, which 
 should be alternated with this, is of course performed by 
 the opposite process. When this flexion can be readily 
 made with the snaffle, the curb-reins should be used until 
 the least touch is sufficient to cause the horse to turn his 
 head quite to the shoulder. This is an exercise which 
 should be frequently repeated, even after the training of 
 the horse has been completed, as it will serve to keep him 
 light and submissive. It is not necessary at all times to 
 cause the horse to bring his head entirely round ; it is 
 better occ.isionally to cause the head, pivoting on the neck, 
 to be lightly turned from side to side, so that the horse 
 sh:"ill look toward either side, and not to the rear, as in the 
 complete flexion. 
 
 Latekal Flexions of the Neck — the Tkainer in 
 TIT:: Saddle. — For this exercise the trainer should be in 
 11-^ 
 
250 BAUCHER S METHOD. 
 
 the saddle, holding both reins of the snaffle in his hands in 
 such a manner as to barely feel the bit. He should then 
 draw lightly on the rein of the side toward which he de- 
 sires the horse to turn his head, increasing the force as the 
 horse increases his resistance, and always in such a man- 
 ner as to control him. The horse will soon tire of strug- 
 gling against the bit, the continued pressure of which 
 causes an increasing pain, and he will sooner or later incline 
 his head toward the side. As soon as the head is drawn 
 well round to the side, the rein of the opposite side must 
 be drawn upon as well as the other, so as to place the 
 head in a perpendicular position. It is very important 
 that this perpendicular position should always be attained, 
 as the suppling can never be perfect without it. If while 
 the head is being drawn to one side, the horse try to 
 avoid the pressure of the bit by turning his body round, 
 the opposite snafi&e-rein may be used to prevent him from 
 doing so. 
 
 Direct Flexion of the Head and Keck, or Kame- 
 NER.^ — The trainer being in the saddle, he will take both 
 of the snaffle-reins in his left hand (see fig. 22). He will 
 then place the edge of his right hand on the reins, so as 
 to give greater force to the tension of the left hand, and 
 by a steady p.ressure he will draw upon the reins until the 
 horse yields and drops his head toward his breast (fig. 23). 
 As soon as he shows, by champing the bit, that he main- 
 tains this position without aid from the hand of the trainer, 
 it will be sufficient to raise the right hand to reward him. 
 If the horse try to back away from the bit, a slight press- 
 ure of the legs will suffice to keep him in his position. 
 When he will yield to the action of the snaffle, he will do 
 so much more readily to that of the curb-bit. The curb 
 
 '^- By Ramener is meaut the placing the head in a perpendicular posi- 
 tion. 
 
Fisr. 21. 
 
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FLEXIONS OF THE CROUP. 261 
 
 should, of course, be used with much more skill than the 
 snaffle. 
 
 This flexion is the most important of all ; the others 
 chiefly tend to render it attainable. As soon as it can be 
 executed with ease and promptness, as soon as a slight 
 touch of the hand is sufficient to bring and maintain the 
 head in a perpendicular position, the contractions of the 
 fore part of the animal are destroyed, and it^ lightness 
 and equilibrium are established. 
 
 The Hind Parts. — The rider, in order to direct his 
 horse, acts upon two portions of his body, — the front and 
 the rear. He employs for this purpose two movements, — 
 one with the legs, which gives an impulse to the croup 
 (the hind parts), the other with the hands, which directs 
 and modifies this impulse, by the head and neck. 
 
 Flexions of the Croup and making it Movable. — 
 The trainer, being mounted, willl hold the curb-reins in 
 his left hand, and the snaffle-reins in his right. He will 
 first bring the horse's head into a perpendicular position 
 by drawing lightly on the curb. Then, if he wishes to 
 execute the movement to the right, he will pass the left 
 leg back behind the girths, and press it against the horse's 
 flank, until the croup yields to the pressure. He will, at 
 the same time, cause the left rein of the snaffle to be felt, 
 proportioning its tension to the f )rce which is opposed to 
 it. The action of the rein is to combat the resistance of 
 the horse, and that of the leg to determine the movement. 
 The right leg should not be kept away from the horse's 
 side during the movement, but should remain near to it 
 in its natural position, to keep him in place and to aid a 
 slight forward impulse, which the right side would natu- 
 rally acquire by the rotation of the whole body about a 
 centre, which should coincide with the centre of gravity of 
 the horse. The force with which the two legs are pressed 
 
252 
 
 against the sides should be about equal, and the trainer 
 should bear in mind that their office is to turn the horse 
 between them, much as one would turn a stick held be- 
 tween the fingers ; that is, by pressing against different 
 points of the opposite sides. This lesson should be pro- 
 ceeded with slowljr, and so gradually as not to discourage 
 the horse. While it is yet in its early stages, the side-long 
 movement, which the French call the manage de deux 
 'pistes^ may be practiced as a variety. This may be accom- 
 plished after a week's practice, while the old military 
 school did not attempt it until after several years. 
 
 BACKING. — This is an exercise which has not, until Bau- 
 cher's time, been sufficiently appreciated, but which has a 
 very great influence i]Jjfhe education of the horse. The 
 trainer should first assure himself that the croup is exactly 
 on a line with the shoulder, and that the horse is light in 
 hand. The legs should be pressed gently against the two 
 sides in such a way as to cause the horse to lift one of his 
 hind legs, the snaffle being held sufficiently to prevent his 
 advancing. An immediate pressure on the curb will cause* 
 the horse to replace his foot, slightly to the rear of its 
 natural position. If the horse shall have turned to the 
 right or to the left, he may be brought into place by the 
 aid of the snaffle and the leg, and the movement of the 
 hind parts may be repeated. This should be practiced for 
 a time without trying to make the pupil recede to any ex- 
 tent, the first object being to teach him to use his bind 
 legs with facility, while he retains his general lightness. 
 Tills object being accomplished, it will soon be possible to 
 
 * •' Lapiste is an imaginary line upon which the horse is made to walk 
 When the hind legs follow the same line as the fore ones, the horse is said 
 to go d'unepi^te, or on one line. He goes de deux pistes, or on two lines* 
 when his hind legs pass along a line parallel to that traced by the fore 
 legs' '* — Baiicher's Dictionnaire d^ Equitation . 
 
Fig. 22. 
 
 Fiff -2^.. 
 
RECAPITULATION — THE PACES. 253 
 
 make liim walk backward as gracefully and as easily as 
 forward. Bauclier considers this to be the best exercise of 
 all, and its proper performance to be the best test of the 
 horse's education. 
 
 RECAPITULATION. 
 
 Stationary Exercises — the Trainer on Foot 
 
 1. Flexions of the jaw to the right and to the left, using 
 the curb-bit. 
 
 2. Direct flexion of the jaw, and the depression of the 
 neck. 
 
 3. Lateral flexions of the neck with the snaffle and 
 with the curb. 
 
 Stationary Exercises — the Trainer on HorsehacJc. 
 
 1. Lateral flexions of the neck with the snaffle and th© 
 curb. 
 
 2. Placing the head in a perpendicular position with the 
 snaffle and with the curb. 
 
 3. Lateral movements of the croup, and rotation of the 
 croup and shoulders around the centre of gravity. 
 
 4. Movement of the bind legs, and backing. 
 
 THE PACES. 
 
 The young horse, at first stiff and awkward in the use 
 of his members, will need a certain degree of manage- 
 ment for the development of his powers. We have by 
 the preceding rules, acquired a means of acting on the 
 separate parts of the horse's body. We mnst now facili 
 tate his means of action, by exercising his forces together. 
 If the animal respond to the aids of his rider, by the jaw, 
 the neck, and the haunches ; if he yield by the general 
 disposition of his body to the impulses which are commu- 
 nicated to him ; if the play of his extremities be easy and 
 regular, the entire mechanism of the animal will move 
 
254 baucher's method. 
 
 with perfect harmony in the different paces. It is these 
 indisputable qualities which constitute a good education. 
 
 The AYalk is the mother of all the other paces of the 
 horse ; b}^ it we may obtain their cadence and regularity. 
 
 Before causing the horse to advance, we should first as- 
 sure ourselves that he is light in hand ; that is to sa}^, that 
 his head is perpendicular, his neck supple, and his croup 
 straight and plumb. The legs will then be gently closed 
 to give the horse a forward impulse; but we should not at 
 the same time slacken our hold on the horse's mouth, for 
 then the horse, free from all restraint, would lose his light- 
 ness, and, by the contraction of his neck, would render 
 powerless our efforts to manage him properly. The rider's 
 hand should be, at all times, an impassable barrier to the 
 horse whenever he endeavors to move his head from a 
 perpendicular position. He will soon accustom himself to 
 the fact that it is only within our limit that he will find 
 ease and comfort. 
 
 So long as the horse will not keep himself supple and 
 light in his walk, we will continue to exercise him on a 
 straight line ; but as soon as he shall have acquired more 
 ease and stability, we will commence to make him turn to 
 the right and to the left in walking. 
 
 The Trot. — The rider will commence this pace very 
 moderately, following exactly the same process as for the 
 walk. He will maintain the lightness of his horse, not for- 
 getting that the foster the pace becomes, the more he 
 inclines to fall back into his natural stiffness. The hand 
 should now be used with redoubled skill ; the legs will 
 second the hand, and the horse, kept between these two 
 barriers, which will be an obstacle only to his faulty move- 
 ments, will soon acquire, with the cadence of the step, 
 grace, extension, and steadiness. 
 
 The Gallop.— In preparing the horse for the gallop, it 
 
THE GALLOP. 255 
 
 is necessary to render him as light as possible, in order that 
 he will not o])pose our efforts. By a pressure of the legs, 
 the hind quarters are to be brought well under the body, 
 and, by a simultaneous action of the hand and the legs, his 
 fore quarters are to be raised as for a short leap. The great 
 care of the rider during the whole time of training the 
 horse to this pace, should be given to keeping him, as much 
 as possible, in a light, supple, and active condition. 
 Although a sort of gallop is the natural gait of the horse, 
 the gallop of n well -trained saddle-horse is almost entirely 
 a:ti:ici.il; an 1, to onlain its hio^h action, o'race, and entiie 
 subjection tj the will of the rider, is more difl&cult than any 
 other exercise connected with training. It is im[)ossible 
 for a horse to gallop well until he has been thoroughly 
 suppled, and is in the condition to act only as he is im- 
 pelled by his rider ; the position of the head and the plia- 
 bility of the neck must be perfect. 
 
 No horse can be said to be perfectly trained to the gal- 
 lop until he can be made to lead off with either the right 
 or the left foot, as we may desire, or change his leading 
 foot at every step, or as often as we may choose to have 
 him do so ; not that it is often important, when a horse gal- 
 lops well with whichever foot he happens to lead off with, 
 whether he starts with the left or the right, but because 
 his ability to change at the least hint from his rider, is an 
 indication, and a necessary one, that he is in the proper 
 condition as to lightness and submission. It is only by 
 patiently applying the supplings which have been described^ 
 and by adapting them to the altered necessities of the new 
 pace, that we can, within a reasonable time, train our pupil 
 to a satisfactory gallop. 
 
 A great deal has been written on the subject of making 
 a horse lead off with his right, or his left foot, as we may 
 desire ; but, after a careful perusal of all that is to be found 
 
256 
 
 treating on this matter, we have found no positive infor- 
 mation about it, and believe that it is not possible to give 
 rules for producing this result with certainty, under all cir- 
 cumstances; still there are very many riders who do it, al- 
 though they cannot clearly tell another person how it is to be 
 done, — just as expert swimmers, or skaters, perform with 
 ease feats of skill which they cannot teach to others, and 
 directions for which cannot be written. There is one 
 principle which is easily to be understood from the fore- 
 going instructions, which is, that a horse will, if properly 
 handled, lift that foot first on which there is the least 
 weight resting, and that if the preponderance of weight be 
 changed from one leg to another, the greatest action or 
 " leading " will be transferred to that on which the least 
 weight is bearing. There is a certain "knack "^ of thus 
 transferring the weight from one part of the horse's body 
 to another which cannot be described, but which may soon 
 be attained with practice. 
 
 The nearest approach to a rul-e for making a horse lead 
 off with the right or left foot, at the pleasure of the rider, 
 is the following : 
 
 To make the horse lead off with the right foot, get him 
 well in hand, with his head in an easy position, and his 
 hind legs well under his body and then bear the hand to 
 the left and give an increased pressure to the right leg. 
 This rule is not by any means infallible, but it is the best 
 to commence with, and the 3^oung horse-trainer will soon 
 learn to modify it, or, what is more likely, Avill soon acquire 
 a supreme contempt for all rules, and will establish a com- 
 munication with his horse ensuring his success. 
 
 In the gallop, the horse will sometimes change his step 
 with the hind feet without changing in front ; he is then 
 said to be " disunited " in his gait. This is a habit of 
 which he may easily be broken by being always made to 
 
THE SPUE. 257 
 
 Stop and begin again regularly. The rule for correcting 
 sncli a false step, without stopping the horse is, when he 
 is leading with the right foot, to hold the rein firmly, and 
 to press the left leg against his flank in such a way as to 
 fix the left hind foot on the ground, and allow the other 
 to regain its place in advance. If the horse be leading 
 with the left foot and become "disunited," the right leg 
 must be pressed against his flanks, as it is the left hind leg 
 which has fallen behind. 
 
 The Spurs. — Writers upon horsemanship, and teachers 
 of the art generally, will inform you that the spur is only 
 to be applied to the horse when it is impracticable to urge 
 him onward with the legs, or when you would force him 
 to advance towards some person or thing which terrifies 
 him, — in short, only as a punishment. I undertake to say, 
 however, that if properly used, it will be found of the 
 greatest assistance in training the most spirited animal, 
 even those which have not been conquered by the use of 
 the hardest bits, guided by the strongest hands. With the 
 aid of the spur the veriest Bucephalus will speedily be 
 reduced to subjection, rendered gentle and promptly obedi- 
 ent to rule, and readily brought to a stand-still in the midst 
 of his most frantic bounds. 
 
 The spur will also be found a valuable agent in con- 
 quering the animal's tendency to shift his centre of gravity 
 too much towards his front or rear. In "horses of high 
 action," the greatest amount of force resides in the hind 
 quarters, whence their greater rapidity of movement. Pre- 
 cisel}^ the reverse of this is the case with those of heavy, 
 sluggish mood. 
 
 Having, through the instrumentality of suppling, broken 
 up the natural forces of the horse, we sh'^uld now proceed, 
 by a judiciously blended use of the legs and hands, to con- 
 centrate them in tlie middle of the animal's body, the 
 
258 baucher's method. 
 
 proper location of his centre of gravity. The spur should 
 be applied adroitly and with caution, the legs being as little 
 moved as possible, and brought together so gently as to 
 pause within a quarter of an inch of the horse's flanks, be- 
 fore they actually touch them. The hand should be per- 
 fectly in unison, the reins being held with a strong grasp, 
 so as to completely control the increased violence of move- 
 ment caused by the spur. If the hand do not check this 
 at the very moment it is given, and a struggle for the mas- 
 tery ensues, we should restore the horse to complete tran- 
 quility before attempting to resume our instructions. By 
 pursuing this course, he may gradually be brought to 
 endure the the severest application of the spur, without 
 increasing his pressure upon the bit, accelerating his pace 
 when moving, or starting when standing still. 
 
 A horse being thus far subjected, three-fourths of the 
 task of breaking is accomplished, his forces being com- 
 pletely at our command, and his centre of gravity coinci- 
 dent with the middle of his body, where it properly belongs, 
 •as all his forces unite at that point. Every movement 
 being now perfectly controlled by the rider, his weight can 
 readily be shifted when it becomes requisite. 
 
 OF LEAPING THE DITCH AND BAR. 
 
 The great desideratum is to induce the horse to under- 
 take the leap with readiness. If the course I have directed 
 to be pursued, for getting the natural forces of the animal 
 under subjection to our will, have been implicitly followed, 
 its value will be made apparent in the ease with which we 
 shall make him clear every obstacle before him. But 
 should he make any resistance, do not employ means to 
 urge him on, which are likely to cause terror, such as a 
 whip applied by another person, or load shouts. We 
 
LEAPING THE DITCH OR BAK. 259 
 
 must gain liis obedience by our own physical exertions, as 
 these alone will give him the ability to fulfil our directions 
 intelligently. In order, therefore, to overcome the forces 
 whicli cause his resistance, we must first have brought him 
 perfectly under the control of the legs and spur, the use of 
 which will enable us to act directly and successfully upon 
 them. 
 
 The bar being first kept on the ground until he crosses 
 it without opposition, is to be raised, inch by inch, to the 
 greatest elevation at which he can clear it, without too se- 
 vere exertion. An attempt to make him do more is un- 
 wise, as being likely to give rise to a strong disinclination 
 for such exercises. 
 
 The bar, heretofore loose, is now to be firmly fastened 
 in its place, that the horse, in leaping, may carefully avoid 
 hitting it, which he might not take pains to do, did he 
 know that a touch of his feet would remove it. Nor should 
 the bar be so enveloped with covering as to diminish its 
 hardness, as it is essential that he should be taught by 
 experience the disagreeable results of an unsuccessful leap. 
 
 Before attempting the leap, the rider should be suffi- 
 ciently firm in his seat to prevent his body's anticipating 
 the movement of his steed. His loins should be supple, 
 and his posteriors well adjusted to the saddle, so as to 
 avoid encountering a severe shock on alighting. His 
 thighs and legs must perfectly fit the sides and body of the 
 horse, thus giving him ready and complete control. The 
 hand, in its natural position, will calculate, by feeling the 
 mouth of the horse, the amount of force with which he is 
 approaching the bar. In this position he will bring the 
 horse to the leap, and if he maintains his freedom of pace 
 to the last moment, a slight resistance with the leg and 
 hand will aid in the elevation of the fore, and the bound 
 of the hind quarters. As the horse rises to the leap, the 
 
260 
 
 grasp of the hand is to be relaxed to be again applied when 
 the fore legs touch the ground, lest they should sink under 
 the weight of the bodj. 
 
 We should be content with trying only a few leaps at a 
 time, never attempting such as are too great for the ani- 
 mal's powers. Horses are sometimes so much alarmed in 
 this wnj, as to refuse thereafter to perform leaps only half 
 the height of those to which they have been previously 
 accustomed. 
 
 The reader has now been presented with a detailed ac- 
 count of the best manner of training horses for the saddle, 
 and they will be found satisfactory in proportion as he 
 applies them with spirit, adopting, of course, such altera- 
 tions as will be suggested by circumstances. Of the prelim- 
 inary exercises, not one is unnecessary or unprofitable. 
 He who would have a thoroughly good saddle-horse should 
 be contented to follow M. Baucher's directions, until he is 
 able to prove that they are erroneous. 
 
 It is recommended that each lesson be of a half hour's 
 duration, that the horse have two lessons per day, and 
 that the training be continued for sixty days. 
 
f^C/HMJA/CS S 
 
 h'ig. '24. 
 
CHAPTER XVn. 
 
 HOW TO EIDE A HORSE. 
 
 THE SADDLE — THE GIRTHS — THE STIRRUPS— SADDLE-CLOTHS— THE CRUPPER — 
 THE MARTINGALE— THE BRIDLE — SPURS — MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING — 
 THE SEAT — THE HANDS — THE LEGS — THE PACES— HINTS FOR SPECIAL CASES 
 — THE ART or FALLING RIDLN'G WITH LADIES. 
 
 It would be useless, in this work, to enter into an argu- 
 ment in favor of horse-back riding. It is so inspiriting, 
 so healthful, so enchanting, — such a truly noble exercise for 
 both men and women, — that it pleads its own cause, and 
 it cannot fail to commend itself to all who will master its 
 difficulties sufficiently to fairly test its merits. 
 
 Driving is very well for invalids, and for those who are 
 indolent, or timid, while it is often convenient for all ; but 
 a free gallop on a prancing piaffer, or a well-bred and Avell- 
 trained horse, appeals so strongly to the life and spirit of 
 all vigorous persons, while it brings relief for dyspepsia 
 and hypochondria, and immunity from nearly every ill 
 that flesh is heir to, that it must effect, more and more, its 
 own adoption. 
 
 This being the case, it is deemed necessary to the pur- 
 poses of this chapter only to give a detailed statement ot 
 the various practical matters connected with the art of Rid- 
 ing, — safely assuming that the reader will find, in the prac- 
 tical application of its principles, sufficient inducement for 
 its continued exercise. 
 
 The Saddle. — Of the various sorts of saddles, there are 
 only two which are sufficiently desirable for modern use 
 to require notice in this work. These are the English 
 hunting saddle and the Somerset saddle. 
 
 [261] 
 
262 HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 
 
 The Hunting Saddle is the one which is now almost 
 universally nsed for gentlemen's riding. It is smooth, hard, 
 and close fitting, being usually covered with the best tanned 
 hog-skin. This saddle, as used for hunting, is from sixteen 
 to twenty inches long, according to the size of the rider, 
 from pommel to cantle, slightly depressed in the centre, 
 and having its flaps inclined forward, their anterior edge 
 being furnished with a padding, which, by preventing the 
 leg from slipping forward, gives security in the descent 
 from a leap, or when the horse kicks badly. 
 
 For road riding the saddle may, without disadvantage, 
 be half an inch shorter than would be necessary for h ant- 
 ing ; and, as it is ssldom necessary for the pleasure rider to 
 assume so bracing a position as is, at times, required in 
 the hunting-field, the flaps may be somewhat more per- 
 pendicular. Beneath, the saddle should be well cham- 
 bered, — that is, it should be wide over the withers, and free 
 from stufi&ng at this point, and there should be a space of 
 at least two inches betrween the pads of either side to leave 
 a free space over the horse's spine, from one end of the 
 saddle to the other. The pads should be only sufficiently 
 stuffed to protect the horse's back from injury, as too 
 much stuffing, by increasing the distance between the rider 
 and his horse, .gives an insecurity to his position. On 
 either side of the saddle, just in front of the stirrup bars, 
 there should be a ring about three-fourths of an inch in 
 diameter, to which to attach the breast-plate, if it should 
 at any time be necessary to use one. 
 
 The beauty and durability of the saddle depend upon 
 the quality of the leather of which it is made. The best 
 quality is hard and firm, and the bristle-holes are large 
 and clearl}^ defined. Hog-skin varies in quality so greatly 
 that its price ranges from ten to one hundred dollars per 
 dozen. 
 
THE SADDLE. 263 
 
 The cost of such a saddle ns is above described, when 
 made in the best manner, is from thirty to forty-five dol- 
 lars ; good looking saddles may be bought for a very 
 much less price, but the best ones are the cheapest, when 
 we consider their durability, and the comfort Avhich they 
 ensure to the horse and rider. 
 
 The Somerset Saddle is so called, because it was in- 
 vented for one of the Somerset family who had lost a leg 
 below the knee. " It is padded before the knee and be- 
 hind the thigh, to fit the seat of the purchaser, and if pro- 
 vided with a stuffed seat of brown buck-skin, will give the 
 quartogenarian pupil the comfort and confidence of an arm 
 chair. They are, it may be encouraging to mention, fash- 
 ionable among the more aristocratic middle aged. The 
 front roll of stuffing is much used among those who ride 
 and break their own colts, as it affords a fulcrum against a 
 puller, and a protection against a kicker. Australians us3 
 a rolled blanket, strapped over the pommel of the saddle, 
 for the same purpose. To bad horsemen who are too con- 
 ceited to use a Somerset, I say, in the words of the old 
 proverb, '' Pride must have a fall."* 
 
 The Girths, of which there should always be two, 
 should be of the best quality of webbing, of good width, 
 and they should be supplied with very strong, long- 
 tongued buckles. 
 
 The Stirrup-leathers should be attached by bars 
 closed at the rear by a clasp, (see fig. 25) acting with a spring 
 in the manner of an ordinary knife blade. This renders 
 the foot-hold always secure, so long as it is desirable that it 
 should be so ; and, if the rider fall with his foot fastened in 
 the stirrup, the clip yields and allows the strap to draw out 
 towards the rear. The best stirrap straps are usually made 
 with the rough side of the leather outward, as being more 
 
 " The Art of Taming Horses." 
 
264 
 
 HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 
 
 durable. They should be just long enough when let out 
 to their full extent, to allow the ball of the foot to touch 
 the stirrup when the leg is stretched down to its fullest 
 
 Fig. 25. 
 
 o a. The bars of the clasp. b. Is inserted like a knife-blade on a spring, 
 
 c. The same partly open. d d. The parts by which the clasp is fastened 
 
 to the saddle, and are covered by the leather. ^ 
 
 extent. It is sometimes desirable to ride with the stirrups 
 thus long, and any excess of leather beyond what is re- 
 quired for this^ will be inconvenient when riding mth a 
 shorter stirrup. 
 
 The Stirrup-irons should be large enough to allow 
 the ball of the foot to pass easily through them, and not 
 less than li inches wide at the bottom. A very liglit 
 stirrup is objectionable, as it is more easily lost by the foot 
 and less easily recovered, than one of medium weight. 
 
 Saddle-cloths. — These are of two sorts. The first is 
 that which is attached to the rear of the saddle, and the 
 office of which is to protect the rider's coat from being 
 ? )iled by the perspiration of the horse. They are voted 
 " slow" bv modern riders. 
 
BREAST-PLATE — MAETIXGALE. 265 
 
 The second form is a heavy felt cloth, or a folded blanket, 
 which is put on the horse's back under the saddle, and 
 which greatly protects the horse from inj ary by its friction. 
 It is of further use in absorbing the perspiration of the 
 horse, thus preventing the pads of the saddle from becom- 
 ing hard. 
 
 The Crupper is too familiar to need description. It is 
 of use only on such horses as are, from their straight shoul- 
 ders and low withers, unfit for the saddle. All well-bred 
 saddle-horses are so high in the withers that there is no 
 danger of the saddle slipping forward. 
 
 The Breast-plate or Hunting Martingale is of use 
 only on such very highly bred horses as, from their high 
 withers and small, round barrels, may " run out of their 
 saddles" in ascending steep hills. It consists of a strap 
 which passes about the neck, and is attached to the girths 
 beneath, having on either side, -at a distance of about nine 
 inches below the top of the withers, a ring, from which 
 pass short straps to the breast- plate rings of the saddle. 
 
 Martingales are of three sorts : — the running martin- 
 gale, which has two rings through which the reins are pass- 
 ed ; the standing martingale, which is buckled to both 
 rings of the bit ; and the cavesson martingale, which is 
 buckled to the nose -band of the bridle. The object of the 
 standing martingale and of the cavesson martingale, is to 
 keep the horse's head always in position, and they are but 
 poor substitutes for a proper rein-hold. Except for unskil- 
 ful riders on fretful horses, their use is to be deprecated as 
 unnaturally constraining the movements of the horse. 
 
 The running martingale is scarcely ever more desirable, 
 though with horses which have a habit of rearing, or of 
 throwing up their heads, it may be used as a last resort. 
 But in all cases the straps should be sufficiently long to al- 
 low the rings to go quite up to the buckles when the horse's 
 12 ^ 
 
266 HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 
 
 head is in a perpendicular position, and the reins should 
 be supplied with buttons to prevent these rings from being 
 caught on the bnckles of the reins. 
 
 The Bridle should be of white or russet leather, of 
 good quality, and it will be more satisfactory if its buckles 
 are of polished steel and detachable (that they may be 
 easily cleaned), rather than covered with leather, and sew- 
 ed fast to the bridle. Covered buckles are usually so 
 weak as to easily get out of order. The bridle should be, 
 for elegance, as plain as possible, and it may have either 
 single or double head-straps, according to the sort of bit 
 which has to be used. Some persons use a nose-band, 
 buckled sufficiently short to prevent the horse from open- 
 ing his mouth to its full extent, but it is possible so to train 
 a horse as to render this unnecessary. 
 
 The Bit. — As to the form of the bit, it is the opinion of 
 many that there should not only be a different bit for each 
 sort of "mouth," but that there should be various bits to 
 suit the varying temper of the same horse. Baucher, who 
 is high authority, insists, on the contrary, that one sort of 
 bit is sufficient for all horses, and for all occasions. He 
 recommends a particular form of the hit and hridoon bridle. 
 (See Baucher's chapter.) The snaffle should be small, and 
 not long. The curb-bit he describes thus: "Branches 
 straight, six inches long from the eye of the bit to the ex- 
 tremity of the branch ; the canon, or that part of the bit 
 which acts against the bars of the mouth, is three-fourths 
 of an inch in diameter; the width of the port at the bottom 
 is two inches." 
 
 The "Pelham" bit, (see fig. 26) a combination of the 
 snaffle and the curb, if of sufficiently large size, is more 
 elegant in its appearance, having but a single head-piece, 
 and is very effective. The "Hanovarian" (see fig. 27) is a 
 powerful variation of the Pelham bit, and in the hands cf 
 
THE BIT. 
 
 267 
 
 a practiced horseman has an excellent effect on the horse's 
 action. There are few horses which car^ be satisfactorily 
 
 Fig. 26.— The Pelham Bit. 
 
 ridden with the plain snaffle-bit — such as is represented 
 in figure 28. 
 
 Fia. 27.— The Hanovarian Bit. 
 
 a Ring pieces for the attachmeot of the head -stall made movable (as at V) , to prevent 
 interference with the action of the curb-chain. 
 
268 now TO eide a hokse. 
 
 The Pulley Bkidle can be useful only when it is neces- 
 sary to ride a pig-headed, stiff-necked brute, whose peculiar 
 fancy is for taking the bit between his teeth, and running 
 like mad, without a moment's warning. For ordinary 
 
 Fig. 28— The plain Snaffle-bit. 
 
 use, it acts as a plain snaffle, but, if the horse try to run 
 away with it, a stout pull on the rein which passes 
 through the ends of the bit and over the top of the head, 
 will effectually gag him and bring him to terms. It is 
 much better than the saw-edged, jaw-breaking devices in 
 use in some parts of the world, and, for special uses, it is 
 desirable ; but for a gentleman's saddle-horse it would be 
 absurd, inasmuch as no horse fit for saddle use would at- 
 tempt any prank which Baucher's bit, with its 6-inch lev- 
 erage, would not speedily check. 
 
 Spurs. — The best form of spur is the old-fashioned sort 
 known to the trade as the *' hunting-spur." This sets over 
 the heel, and is fastened by a strap around the instep. The 
 more fashionable form at the present time, is the spur 
 which is either screwed fast to the heel of the boot, or 
 which is fastened to it by a spring which fits into a socket 
 made in the heel. The points of the spur should be filed 
 
MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 269 
 
 off, SO that tliey cannot prick the horse too severely ; in 
 ordinary riding they are used only as reminders. 
 
 The use of the spurs, as directed in the chapter on 
 Baucher's method of training, adds greatly to nearly every 
 effect of the motions of the legs, and by their skilful appli- 
 cation, it is possible to make the well-trained horse seem 
 a portion of ourselves. 
 
 The Dress. — The riding dress for gentlemen, in this 
 country, where there are no riding or hunting clubs, and 
 where there is no special fashion for riding costume, may 
 be anything that is appropriate to the season, convenient, 
 and not easily injured by the frequently recurring mishaps 
 incident to riding. Tight breeches, with the boots worn 
 outside, are most convenient, and least subject to accident; 
 but pantaloons, with straps, are more elegant, and suffi- 
 ciently convenient. 
 
 MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 
 
 Mounting. — 1. Walk up to the horse in a quiet, confident 
 way, pat his face and neck, and speak tr) him gently ; then, 
 standing opposite his left shoulder, fix the reins in the left 
 hand, and with the right hand separate a portion of the mane 
 and wind it around the thumb of the left hand. Then fac- 
 ing the horse's rump, hold the stirrup in the right hand 
 and put the left foot firmly into it ; now hop around so as 
 to face the saddle, and lay the hand on the right side of the 
 cantle ; raise yourself in the stirrup, and throw the light 
 leg well over the horse's back, without bending the knee. 
 As soon as you touch the saddle, loose the hold of the mane, 
 but be careful that, in finding the right stirrup, your efforts 
 produce no reaction on the bit, which should be held only 
 tight enough to cause the horse to stand quietly. Or, 
 
 2d. Approach the horse as before, step back so as to 
 
270 HOW TO RIDE A HOESE. 
 
 fiice the saddle, take the curb-rein lightly in the right hand 
 and lay that hand on the right side of the cantle of the 
 saddle ; with the help of the left hand place the foot in 
 tlje stirrup, and then, taking a portion of the mane in the 
 left hand, place yourself in the saddle, as before directed, 
 raising the right hand to clear the right leg, and letting go 
 of the mane and taking hold of the curb-rein with the left 
 hand as the right rises from its position on the cantle to al- 
 low the leg to pass over. This method of mounting is less 
 formal and more graceful than that first described, but it 
 requires a certain degree of skill and good horsemanship to 
 enable one to perform it, without taking too strong a hold 
 of the horse's mouth. 
 
 These are methods of the schools, and it is conven- 
 ient to be able to employ them at pleasure ; but the follow- 
 ing directions by Baucher will enable one to mount more 
 easily and more quickly : 
 
 Approach the horse's shoulder, take the reins in the left 
 hand, and then take in the same hand a portion of the • 
 mane firmly, but in such a manner as not to tear the hair 
 from its roots. Place the right hand on the pommel of 
 the saddle, passing the four fingers inside the pommel and 
 laying the thumb on the outside ; spring lightly and raise 
 yourself upon your wrists. As soon as your middle has 
 reached the height of your hands, throw the right leg- 
 over the croup, without touching it, and place yourself 
 lightly in the saddle. 
 
 These directions all apply to mounting from the left side 
 of the horse ; for mounting from the right or off side, they 
 should, of course, be reversed. 
 
 There is no right or wrong side of the horse from which 
 to mount, and the rider should be able to mount from 
 either side, indifferently. 
 
 Dismounting. — In leaving the saddle, it is customary, as 
 
THE SEAT. 271 
 
 it is eas}-, to dismount by simply reversing tlie first direc- 
 tions given for mounting, — thus : having the reins and 
 whip in the left hand, take hold of the mane, withdraw 
 the right foot from the stirrup, lay the right hand on the 
 pommel of the saddle, and throw the right leg backward 
 over the horse's rump, being careful not to touch him with 
 the spur. As the leg descends to the horse's side, move the 
 right hand from the pommel of the saddle to the cantl® ; 
 lower the right leg to the ground and take the stirrup in 
 the right hand, so that the foot may be withdrawn without 
 throwing the stirrup against the horse's flank. 
 
 A less dignified but more graceful mode of dismount- 
 ing is the following : disengage both feet from the stirrups, 
 place both hands on the pommel of the saddle, lean slightly 
 backward, and then throw the bod}?: forward, bringing the 
 weight on the wrists ; continue the spring, so as to bring 
 either leg over the horse, landing on either side at pleas- 
 ure, dropping close by his side and keeping hold of the 
 reins over his withers. 
 
 The Seat. — On this subject Nimrod says : "It wcs Avell 
 observed by Don Quixote, in one of his lectures to Sancho, 
 that the seat on a horse makes some people look like gen- 
 tlemen, and others like grooms ; but a wonderful improve- 
 ment has taken place Avithin the last half century in the 
 seat on horseback of all descriptions of persons, effected 
 chiefly by the simple aci> of giving the rider a few more 
 inches of stirrup-leather. No gentleman now, and very 
 few servants, are to be seen with short stirrups, and, con- 
 sequently, a bent knee, which, independently of its un. 
 sightliness, causes uneasiness to the horse as well as to his 
 rider, — whose knees being lifted above the skirts of the sad- 
 dle deprive him of the assistance of the clip hy his thighs 
 and legs. The short stirrup-leather, however, was ado[)ted 
 with the idea of its giving relief to the horse, although a 
 
272 HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 
 
 moment's consideration would have proved the contrary, 
 and for this reason : the point of union between a man and 
 his horse, as well as the centre of action, lies just behind 
 the shoulder blades, which, as must be apparent to every 
 one, is the strongest part of the horse's body, and where 
 the sack of wheat or flour is placed by the farmer or mil- 
 ler. With short stirrup-leathers, the seat of the rider is 
 thrown farther back on the saddle, instead of being exactly 
 in the centre of it, and consequently his weight is thrown 
 upon the part approaching the loins, — the weakest part of 
 the body, and very easily injured. From the same mis- 
 taken notion was the saddle formerly placed nearly a 
 hand's breadth from the shoulders, which, of course, added 
 to the mischief" 
 
 In military riding, the stirrup-straps are nearly as long as 
 they can be reached by the ball of the foot. In cross-coun- 
 try riding, on the contrary, the strap is considerably short- 
 ened and the foot is placed home, — that is, the stirrup is car- 
 ried in the hollow of the foot. This gives greater security 
 to the seat, and lessens the risk of loosing the stirrup in 
 leaping. The seat, in pleasure-riding, should be a compro- 
 mise between these two. Various directions are given for 
 the length of the stirrup, such as that the stirrup should 
 hang opposite the ankle joint when the leg is extended 
 downward ; that the leg should be extended, the toes raised 
 as much as possible, and the stirrup adjusted to the position 
 of the ball of the foot, when so placed ' or, that when 
 the ball of the foot is in the stirrup, the rider cao, keep- 
 ing his ankle still bent, so raise himself as to just clear 
 the pommel. Practically, the best direction is, for the 
 rider to carry his feet in the position that is most comf )rt- 
 able to him, provided that it does not greatly vary from 
 any of the foregoing, and that it does not cause his seat, in 
 riding, to be behind the middle of the saddle. The proper 
 
■ THE SEAT. 273 
 
 position of tKe stirrup and the depression of the heel are 
 represented in fig. 29. The foot must always be carried 
 nearly 'parallel to the horse's hody^ turning out the toe hut very 
 little. The great essential of any seat on horseback is, to 
 have it perfectly secure, natural, and unrestrained. Bau- 
 cher gives the following directions for acquiring a good seat. 
 He recommends for the purpose a quiet old horse : 
 
 The pupil being in the saddle, the instructor will exam- 
 ine his position in order to detect those parts which most 
 require suppling. The pupil will first expand his chest, 
 and retain himself some time in that position. He will next 
 move his head to the right, or to the left, without a corre- 
 sponding motion of the shoulders. The.- chest, arms, and 
 head having become properly suppled, he will remove one 
 of his legs as far as possible away from the saddle, and af- 
 terward replace it in such a manner as to take a firm clip 
 with, his knees and thighs. The leg must be entirely un- 
 der the control of the pupil, and must be gradually replaced, 
 not allowed to fall back of its own weight. The thighs 
 and knees preserving their adherence to the saddle; the 
 legs must be swung like a pendulum, the heels being raised 
 to the height of the cantle of the saddle. The pupil should 
 hold in either or both hands, weights of from ten to forty 
 pounds, and should continue this practice until he can do 
 it without affecting the security of his seat. The instruc- 
 tor should push the pupil from his seat to one side or to 
 the other, and. should watch that he regains it by the use 
 of his hips and knees only. The hands, and consequently 
 the shoulders and whole upper portion of the body, should 
 remain motionless during this movement. In all of these 
 exercises the pupil must have in view the necessity for 
 guiding his horse independently of the means which keep 
 him in his position, and never endeavoring to strengthen 
 his position by his hold of the reins. It is a useful prac- 
 12^ 
 
274 HOW TO RIDE A KORSE. 
 
 tice for the pupil to get upon his knees, and Subsequently 
 upon his feet in the saddle, while holding weights in his 
 hands. 
 
 The Hands. — The position of the hands, in riding, is a 
 matter of the utmost importance, as on the delicacy and 
 firmness of the touch depends very much the rider's 
 ability to make his horse entirely submissive to his efforts. 
 In cross-country riding, and in all cases where great care 
 is necessary, the reins of each side should be held in the 
 hand of that side. (See fig. 30.) This manner of holding 
 the reins is always the safest, and, as a gentleman in rid- 
 ing is not obliged to use his right hand for a sword, as are 
 military men, there is no reason why he should not use it 
 in such a manner as to give him the best possible control 
 of his horse's mouth. 
 
 With all strange or unruly horses, in turning to the right 
 draw on the right rein, and to the left on the left rein. If 
 you find that your horse is so delicately trained that he 
 can be turned by the least pressure of the rein against 
 either side of his neck, it will often be convenient to hold 
 the reins together in the left hand. Baucher, in his Manege 
 riding, holds the curb-reins together in his left hand, and 
 the snaffle-reins together in his right. An alternate tension 
 on the two reins keeps the horse more sensitive to the bit. 
 As it is the almost universal custom among good riders in 
 this country to ride with the reins in the left hand only, and 
 as those deviating from this custom would be considered 
 awkward, such persons as desire a reputation for skilful 
 riding should hold their reins as is represented in Fig. 81. 
 The right hand, in which the whip is firmly held, may rest 
 on the hip, or hang by the side. The left hand should 
 be held with the thumb upward and pointing .toward the 
 horse's ears, and with the little finger near to the pommel 
 of the saddle and directlv above it. This enables one to hold 
 
THE HANDS — THE LEGS. 275 
 
 the elbow close to the side. The old custom of turning 
 the knuckles upward, without giving more power, throws 
 the elbow awa}^ from the aide, and gives the rider an un- 
 graceful appearance. If the horse has been trained as de- 
 scribed in the chapter on Baucher's method, he may be 
 best ridden with the curb-rein alone ; the rein of the 
 snaffle, being slackened only a few inches, may be easily 
 drawn up at pleasure when it is necessary to give the horse 
 a more firm support. 
 
 " Lightness of hand," about which much is said, is really 
 B. firmness; and, except with delicately formed and perfectly 
 trained horses, a light hold of the bit is not only danger- 
 ous, but is injurious to the perfect action of the horse. On 
 the road the rider should always maintain his horse's head 
 in a perpendicular position ; this requires the rein to be 
 drawn to a certain point, at which it should be constantly 
 kept, unless it be necessary to slacken the pace. The 
 horse will soon learn that it is only Avithin this limit that 
 he can be free from the pain caused by the pressure of the 
 bit, and, by keeping his mouth just within it, he will ren- 
 der the hold a light one ; but, should he attempt to pass 
 beyond it, he should find his rider's hand as firm and un- 
 yielding- as iron. When in this position the horse is ex- 
 tremely sensitive to the least movement of the rider's hand, 
 and by an awkward motion he may be thrown upon his 
 haunches, or at least interrupted and confused in his gait. 
 
 The Legs. — The legs are no less important in guiding 
 and assisting the horse in his movements than are the 
 hands, for his chauges of direction, and indeed his every 
 action is no more dependent on his fore parts, which are 
 controlled by the hands, than on the hind parts which are 
 controlled entirely by the legs. A uniform j)ressure of 
 both legs tends to bring the horse's hind feet forward, or 
 to give a forward motion to his body. The pressure of 
 
276 HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 
 
 one leg, placed behind the girths, tends to turn the croup 
 around the fore legs from that side. An equal pressure of 
 both legs differently placed, and delicately aided by the 
 hand, tends to turn the horse around his centre of gravity, 
 and, by a combination of these aids, which require as much 
 practice in the management of the legs as in that of the 
 hands, the horse, in his movements, ma}^ be made entirely 
 submissive to the will of his rider. The legs have still an- 
 other ofS.ce, in enabling the rider to displace his weight so 
 as to throw more weight on one side of the horse than on 
 the other, and to cause him to raise the legs of the side 
 from which the weight has been removed. The rider 
 should carefully avoid distressing his horse by an unnec- 
 essary pressure of his thighs. 
 
 THE PACES. 
 
 The Walk is so simple a gait that it is only necessary to 
 say of it that, except when adopted as a resting or breath- 
 ing time for a Aveary horse, it should be performed with 
 animation, the head being kept in position, and the action 
 made lively and firm ; this should especially be the case 
 when the object is to perform a slow* journey, or simply to 
 exercise the horse. After fast travelling on the road, it is 
 at times desirable to allow the head to drop, and the whole 
 muscular system to become relaxed ; but this should be 
 only for a sufl&cient distance to enable the horse to recover 
 from temporary exhaustion, and it should never be allowed 
 on rough ground with any horse, nor even on the smooth- 
 est ground with such as are inclined to trip. The rider 
 may suffer his own body to drop into an easy position, but 
 he must be ready instantly to regain his firmness in case 
 of a false step. 
 
 The Trot is the fashionable gait in this country, though 
 
THE PACES. 277 
 
 it is less easy to the ricler and to the liorse tlian a well- 
 gathered canter ; and it is for both of tliem an artificial 
 gait, and both will need much practice before they will be 
 able to |)erform it gracefull}'. On the part of the horse, 
 there is too frequently a tendency to bear heavily on the 
 bit, and to trot with a low, reaching step. This always 
 canses a contraction of the neck and jaw, and usually an 
 irregular motion of the hind parts, which is far from being 
 either easy or elegant. No matter how fast the trot may 
 be, the animal should always preserve his lightness and 
 freedom of action, maintaining a perfect suppleness and a 
 uniformity in his step. 
 
 Military men, and the riders of the French school, prac- 
 tice what the English very properly term riding 'hard,' or 
 sitting close to the saddle, while the English and very 
 many American riders rise in the stirrup at each step of 
 the. horse. The latter is certainly the most easy for both 
 horse and rider. This opinion is sustained by Nimrod, 
 who writes as follows: "It is indeed to the disuse of this 
 practice in France, and other parts of the continent, where 
 rising in the stirrups is never resorted to, even on the 
 hardest trotting horses, that is to be attributed the rare 
 occurrence of persons riding any distance, at a quick rate, 
 for pleasure. To this peculiar system in our horseman- 
 ship are we indebted, also, for our rapid style of posting, 
 as without it post-boys could not endure the fatigue the 
 action of a horse creates, especially in hot weather, over a 
 fifteen miles stage, at the rate of ten or tw^elve miles an 
 hour, without a moment's intermission ; whereas, by means 
 of it, he performs the task with comparative ease and com- 
 fort. The objection to it on the part of foreigners lies in 
 the fancied inelegance of the motion, which we consider 
 not worthy of an argument ; but of this we are certain, that 
 what is called 'riding hard,' tliat is, not rising in the stir- 
 
278 HOW TO RIDE A HOESE. 
 
 nips in tlie trot, nor leaning any weight on them in the 
 gallop or canter, must be extremelj^ distressing to the 
 horse." 
 
 If the novice attempts riding hard, he should avoid 
 leaning back too much, as this, bj throwing the weight 
 near to the horses coupling, must always be distressing 
 to him. The proper position is to incline a very little 
 backward, enough to bring the shoulders over the cantel 
 of the saddle, or nearly so. 
 
 In rising in the stirrups one should lean a little forward, 
 and the motion should be only enough to break the shock 
 of the horse's step. The feet should be carefully kept in 
 a line with the horse's sides, as close as j^ossible to his 
 body, and the swajnng motion which they are likely to 
 take should be avoided. One should be able to ride in 
 this manner without the least support from the reins. In 
 slow trotting, as indeed in all slow riding, the reins may 
 be held together in the left hand, if the rider be acquaint- 
 ed with his horse, and is sure that he is not inclined to trip. 
 
 The Gallop and Canter. — While the gallop and can- 
 ter are entirely different paces, the former being a succes- 
 vsion of short leaps, and the latter a movement of the front 
 and hind legs successively, the ti"ansition from one to the 
 other is so gradual that it would be difficult to exactly fix 
 it, and the style of riding in both paces is very much the 
 same. 
 
 The horse being light in hand, and the rider being eas}-, 
 yet secure, in his seat, it will only be necessary to observe 
 a few important directions, such as the- following : 
 
 The hand or hands, having a proper hold of the reins, 
 should be so held that the body is not twisted out of its 
 proper position ; that is, supposing the reins be held togeth- 
 er in the left hand, the left shoulder should not be thrown 
 forward, but both shoulders should be placed as nearly as 
 
THE PACE, OR AMBLE. 279 
 
 possible at right angles with tlie line of travel. If the 
 horse leads with the left foot, his body will be inclined a 
 little to the right, or if he lead with the right foot it will 
 be inclined a little to the left. In either case, the rider 
 should face the direction in which he is going, rather than 
 the direction of the horse's body. 
 
 As there is more motion on that side of the horse which 
 is leading, the rider's foot of that side will be more inclined 
 than the other to sway with the horse's step ; this should, 
 as far as possible, be avoided, as inelegant and insecure. 
 The body of the rider should be perpendicular, — or, in the 
 language of Baucher, every part of the body should rest on 
 the part next below it, and the weight should be thrown 
 somewhat into the stirrups, as being less fatiguing to the 
 horse than when borne entirely by the seat. 
 
 The thighs should in all cases grasp the horse, but not 
 with so much power as to render him uncomfortable, — a 
 frequent error with strong men. 
 
 In the gallop the motion of the horse is very much in- 
 creased, and there is proportionately greater necessity for 
 the observance of the foregoing suggestions. 
 
 For further information concerning the different paces, 
 the reader is referred to the chapter on Baucher's system 
 of training horses for the saddle. 
 
 The Pace, or Amble, is a gait which is not recognized 
 in the art of Equitation, and which demands no special 
 attention here, inasmuch as particular instructions with re- 
 gard to it are not required after what has been said on the 
 general subjects of the '' Seat," "Hands," etc. 
 
 While pacing horses are in active demand for the sad- 
 dles of middle-aged beginners, and although the gait has 
 the sole and questionable advantage of being " as easv as 
 a rocking-chair," it may not be amiss to say that the sidling 
 movement and boring month of this class of horses, and 
 
280 HOW TO niDE A HORSE. 
 
 tlie necessarily sioagging seat of their riders, exclude the 
 gait from the manege. 
 
 To an accomplished horseman, pacing is either painfully 
 swinging or painfully dull. So long as his horse moves 
 forward in a direct line he can preserve a safe, elegant, and 
 comfortable seat, no matter how high the action; but 
 when to the forward movement there is added a swaying 
 from side to side, such a seat is impossible ; and, indeed, 
 all works on horsemanship, only teach the means for cor- 
 recting this gait as a vice. Still, as many of the readers 
 of this work may have reason, on account of timidity or 
 physical weakness, to prefer pacing horses, their attention 
 is called to the superior advantages of that particular 
 variety of the gait called " Backing." 
 
 A true pacer moves the two feet of each side at the 
 same time, and his action is neither so safe nor so pleasant 
 as that of the racker^ whose feet are set down one after the 
 other in regular one two three four time. • 
 
 Turning. — In turning the horse, in any pace, the rider 
 should recollect that he is not simply to pull him round 
 by the head, as this will invariably induce a contraction of 
 the neck or of the whole body. The legs should be held 
 sufficiently close to the sides to keep the horse's hind legs 
 well under him, and the leg on the side toward which it is 
 desired to turn should be carried back of the girths at the 
 same time that the head is drawni toward the sides ; this 
 Avill cause the horse to turn gracefully, and to retain his 
 lightness. 
 
 The Halt. — There is one principle Vvhich must be borne 
 in mind, in making a sudden halt from a rapid pace ; that 
 is, that if the hind legs are under the body, when the horse 
 stops, they receive their share of the shock, whereas, it 
 they are not so placed, the whole shock comes on the fore- 
 legs, and a sudden halt becomes dangerous, or disagree- 
 
HINTS FOR SPECIAL CASES. 281 
 
 able. In halting from tlie gallop, touch the horse gently, 
 but steadily, with the spurs when the hind legs are for- 
 ward, and immediately follow this movement by a tension 
 of the hand. If the rein is drawn before the spurs are used 
 the hind legs cannot be controlled, and the horse stops only 
 after a series of bounds, which are as uncomfortable to the 
 rider as they are ungraceful. The instant halt, from an 
 ordinary gallop, may, Avith a well-trained horse, be effected 
 without difficulty. 
 
 Skilful riding is, if the expression may be allowed, an 
 acquired instinct^ and written instructions can give but an 
 imperfect idea of the manner in which an accomplished 
 rider is enabled to make his horse entirely subservient to 
 his will, holding him, between his hands and his legs, ready 
 to obey his least suggestion, and powerless to oppose his 
 wishes ; yet this is not a difficult acquirement for any per- 
 son who will devote himself with zeal to his own and his 
 horse's education. 
 
 HINTS FOR SPECIAL CASES. 
 
 In riding over hard ground, the horse should be kept 
 to a trot, or a very gentle canter, as the concussion of the 
 gallop is very severe on the hoofs and legs ; strains, in- 
 flammation in the feet, break down, and, worse than all, 
 quarter-crack, are frequent penalties of a disregard of this 
 suggestion. The friction of hard roads on the shoes often 
 renders them so hot as to injure the hoof. 
 
 When a piece of turf or soft road offers, the pace may 
 be with safety extended to a sharp gallop without much 
 danger of accident. 
 
 In riding over miry ground, the horse should be taken 
 firmly between the legs, and the body should be inclined 
 slightly backward, to prevent a fall forw^ard in case of his 
 
282 HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 
 
 stepping on a very soft spot. As tlie liind feet are placed 
 
 very nearly in the tracks of tlie fore feet, and as they are 
 
 put down less perpendicularlyj there is comparatively but 
 
 little liability of the horse's falling on his haunches, and if 
 
 he should do so, the fall would not be very dangerous to 
 
 the rider. 
 
 The management of sliyincj horses is considered in the 
 
 chapter on Karey's Method of Horse-taming. 
 
 If the horse be a kicker, recollect that he cannot kick to 
 do any harm so long as his head is kept in the proper po- 
 sition, and that he may be prevented from striking out by 
 the use of the curb, which will canse him to throw np his 
 head, in which position excessive kicking is impossible. 
 
 Some horses rear badly ; they may generally be pre- 
 vented from doing so by being touched in either flank 
 with the spur, just as they commence to rise. It may also 
 be prevented, in some cases, by the rider's leaning well 
 back in the saddle, and then throwing his weight suddenly 
 forward, as soon as the fore feet leave the ground. This 
 creates an opposition which the horse had not calculated 
 on when he took his spring, and brings him to his feet, 
 or at least will prevent the horse from falling over back- 
 ward. 
 
 Leaping or Fencing. — In the chapter on Baucher's 
 method, there are given directions for teaching the horse 
 to leap. The rider will best take Ms first lessons in cau- 
 tious and unobserved practice. Yery small ditches, and 
 after them, very low fences should be "carried," with a 
 well-ti'ained, or very active horse. The first landing from 
 ever so small a leap, if it be really a leap, and not a 
 scramble, is usually made with the rider on the horse's 
 neck, or, at least, very far forward on the saddle ; but the 
 knach of the thing is soon acquired, and with the aid of 
 coolness and courage, the novice will, after a few slight 
 
LEAPING OR FENCING. 283 
 
 mishaps, find it eas}^ to keep Avell down in his seat, and to 
 land in such a manner as to jeopardize neither his own 
 neck, nor his horse's fore legs. 
 
 Instead of the usual lengthy directions for leaping, we 
 insert only the following suggestions, believing that the 
 art is to be acquired only by practice, and that the expe- 
 rience of each individual, bought at the cost of a few 
 mishaps, will be of more value than a volume of detailed 
 instructions. 
 
 In going at a leap hold the reins in both hands, keep- 
 ing them rather low, and steadying the horse by a uniform 
 but not too tight hold of his mouth, reducing the speed to 
 enable the horse to gather his hind legs well under him 
 to take the spring. 
 
 As soon as he rises, give him the reins, and be ready to 
 hold him at the moment of landing, — but be careful not to 
 interfere with him until he has fairly touched the ground ; 
 a nervous grasping of the reins, g"uch as is natural to the 
 beginner, will almost inevitably brii:ig him to grief 
 
 All high leaps should be approached slowly, and those 
 which require a long distance to be covered, should be 
 ridden to at a gallop. 
 
 In approaching a water leap, take a firm hold of your 
 horse's head, and, having made up your mind to jump it, 
 do not let him swerve to the right nor to the left ; the time 
 for indecision has passed, and the leap must be taken at all 
 cost, or that horse will never face water again. 
 
 Be careful never to lead your horse to a leap which you 
 are not sure that he can cover, except in a case of abso- 
 lute necessity ; he will then, if necessary, go to severe 
 leaps with confidence, and with a good chance of "cariy- 
 ing" them. 
 
 Do not try to lift your horse at his leaps. You might 
 as well try to lift yourself by your boot-straps. If y(;ur 
 
284 HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 
 
 horse need animating by ^vhip or spur, let it be done be- 
 fore you approach the leap. Any interference on the part 
 of the rider, at the time of leaping, is more likely to do 
 harm than good. In descending from the leap, tlirow the 
 shoulders and body well back, to prevent a fall forward. 
 Confine yourself entirely to the standing leap, until both 
 you and your horse can perform it properly. This will 
 render the flying leap always easy and safe ; but if the 
 horse be first taught the flying leap, he will acquire the 
 bad habit of rushing at his fences. 
 
 Do not disgust your horse by making him leap repeat- 
 edly over the same place ; rather lead him to believe that 
 the leaps are taken from necessity. 
 
 It is generally best not to ride to the bank of a ditch to 
 examine it, and then turn to run at it ; if it lie in your 
 way, and you are pretty sure of its character, either take it 
 on faith and go at it, or don't attempt it at all ; any inde- 
 cision will render your horse nervous, and lessen his ability 
 to leap safely. 
 
 The Art of Falling. — " He that will venture noth- 
 ing, must not get on horseback," and every horseman 
 must expect, sooner or later, to be thrown. Nimrod 
 says : There is an art in falling, as well as in prevent- 
 ing falls. This consists in getting clear of the horse as 
 soon as possible. If thrown over the horse's head, put 
 out one, and if possible, both hands, to prevent tiK) 
 shock from being received by the head ; — a broken collar 
 bone is better than a broken neck. 
 
 If the horse falls, the rider should roll away from him 
 as soon as he possibly can, lest in his struggle to rise 
 again he strike him with his legs or liead. Instead of 
 losing hold of his reins, and abandoning his horse to his 
 own will, as the man who is flurried at this time invari- 
 ably does, he keeps them in his hand, if not always, per 
 
•BIDING WITH LADIES. 285 
 
 liaps in nine cases out of ten, and this secures his horse. 
 It was the remark of a gentleman who was, from his 
 desperate system of riding, and despite of his fine horse- 
 manship, known to have had more falls than any other man 
 during the time he hunted in Leicestershire, that nothing had 
 so low an appearance as that of a man running on foot 
 over a field, calling out, " stop my horse." In case of a 
 severe fall, if surgical aid cannot be immediately obtained, 
 drink a wineglassful of strong vinegar and water ; its revul- * 
 sive power on the circulation will delay inflammation. 
 
 Riding with Ladies.^K the lady with whom you are 
 to ride is a good horsewoman, and her horse is perfectly 
 trained, your responsibility is a light and pleasant one, in- 
 volving only those usual attentions in mounting and dis- 
 mounting which suggest themselves. Any unnecessary 
 interference with the lady, or her horse, or excessive solici- 
 tude for her safety, must, to a woman of good sense, be 
 annoying, and may not unfrequently be the cause of acci- 
 dents. As, however, a lady is never so well prepared, 
 from her mode of dress, natural timidit}^, and inferior 
 strength, for the exigences of an accident, or a contest 
 with a frightened horse, you should always be watchful 
 of her horse, without appearing to be so, especially when 
 passing vehicles or unusual objects on the road. 
 
 If the lady be inexperienced, or her horse badl}^ trained, 
 an increased responsibility rests upon the gentleman ; and 
 here coolness and good judgment on his part are requisite. 
 If the lady be timid he must inspire her with confidence, not 
 by ridiculing her fears, but by a quiet consideration of her 
 wishes and solicitudes, even when they are the result of a 
 foolish timidity. She will then receive his assurances that 
 "there is no danger," with a reliance upon his judgment 
 which she could not otherwise feel. 
 
 If, on the other hand, as is yqvj often the case she be 
 
286 HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 
 
 over-confident of "her own skill or the good disposition of 
 tlie horse, keep a vigilant eye upon her, but do not un- 
 wisely show your own anxiety, or utter cautions which will 
 only tempt her to a greater displays of her own fearlessness, 
 with a laugh at your advice; At the proper moment you 
 may suggest the danger you see, giving her the reasons for 
 your apprehensions. 
 
 The instructions for assisting the lady in mounting will 
 be found in the chapter on Ladies' Eiding, and comprise 
 all that is necessary on that topic. 
 
 If you are to ride with a lady under circumstances which 
 render it probable you will have to assist her, or on thor- 
 oughfares where many vehicles will be met, ride on the 
 left side of her ; but if otherwise, it is well to consult her 
 preferences as to which side you shall take. There is 
 no rule to be prescribed on this point, though the advan- 
 tages of riding on the left side may be stated as follows : 
 
 You have the right hand nearest to her, to render her 
 any assistance, if required. On the other side your bridle- 
 hand, Vv'hich is comparatively inefficient for this purpose, is 
 the only one you can conveniently use. 
 
 Any disarrangement or entanglement of the skirt can be 
 corrected by the gentleman, and is less liable to be ob- 
 served by passers-by. 
 
 The left side being the one on which all carriages pass, 
 you ride between them and your lady's horse. 
 
 Conversation is much more easily carried on, as the lady 
 can, with less exertion, turn her face toward the gentleman. 
 
 If the saddle turn, or any accident render it necessary 
 to lift the lady from the saddle, the left side is always pref- 
 erable. 
 
 The objections to riding on this side are, that an awk- 
 ward rider, or horse, may hurt or incommode the lady's 
 feet, and that it is sometimes desirable to the lady to ad 
 
RIDING WITH LADIES. 287 
 
 just her dress when she would prefer the gentleman to be 
 on the other side. 
 
 In rapid riding, keep near to your lady, but do not crowd 
 her; the horses' heads should be equally advanced, but 
 when about to pass a vehicle you may ride slightly for- 
 ward, to be more sure not to press her feet in turning out, 
 and to be in a better position for assisting her. 
 
 If it become necessary, in an extremity, to lift the lady 
 from the saddle, direct her to remove her leg from the 
 pommel, and to take the reins in the right hand ; then hug 
 your left foot close under your horse's side, to strengthen 
 your position and to move him as close to her as possible ; 
 hold your reins in the left hand, pressing the back of the 
 knuckles against the left side of the pommel of your sad- 
 dle, for a fulcrum, and then grasp her with the right arm 
 firmly around the waist, and lift her on to j^our right 
 thigh ; turn your horse sharply around to the right, that 
 her's may not kick her on finding himself free. 
 
 The lady should keep a firm hold of her reins until she 
 begins to leave the saddle, when she should drop them 
 and grasp your horse's mane, at the same time disengag- 
 ing her foot from the stirrup. During the whole operation 
 the gentleman must be firm and decided, and must studi- 
 ously avoid feeling, and consequently communicating to 
 his companion, the least alarm. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 ladies' riding. 
 
 written by a lady. 
 
 learnina to ride — the sidesaddle — the girths— the stirrup — the bri- 
 dle—the martingale — the bit — the dress — mounting and dis- 
 mounting — the position — the hands — accidents. 
 
 EvEKY lady should learn to ride ; not at a mature age, 
 when her frame has become exhausted by a sedentary life, 
 and consequent ill health ; nor even when, her school-days 
 being over, she is thought to have leisure for wholesome 
 exercise ; but in childhood, when her will is strong and 
 her body obedient to it. Particularl}^ in our large cities, 
 too little care is given to the physical culture of young 
 girls. Their minds are engaged, not often with energetic 
 mental work, but with idle thought for dress and show ; 
 while no other exercise is taken than a measured daily 
 walk, and occasional dancing and waltzing. 
 
 Where household labor is disdained, and no opportu- 
 nity can be afforded for floriculture or any other agreeable 
 out-door occupation, there is no substitute so good as 
 horseback riding. But for the country girl it becomes 
 indispensable. Not her health, perhaps, but her happiness 
 demands it. No woman ever rides so well as one who 
 from childhood has loved her pet colt. She has chased 
 him, perhaps, for hours around a ^ ten-acre lot:' and when, 
 his frisky mood over, she has been able to take him coax- 
 ingly by the mane and lead him to a mounting place, great 
 was the triumph of her wild ride. And no training or 
 care can give the freedom and skill of this youthful prac- 
 [288] 
 
Fig. 
 
LEARNING TO RIDE. 
 
 tice. When, at length, she is able to bridle and saddle 
 him, her seat may be somewhat faulty, and her use of the 
 reins awkward, but these faults are easily remedied, and 
 are certainly atoned for by her freedom and fearlessness. 
 Besides, no one can fully enjoy riding wlio does not both 
 love and admire the noble animal which she rides ; and the 
 quick intelligence of the horse yields ready obedience to 
 the hand and voice of a woman who has learned lovingly 
 to control him. His affectionate nature yields to her the 
 mastery, often more readily than to a stronger power. 
 
 Well mounted on a strong, spirited horse — with a wide 
 country before her — on a clear, cool day — with a love for 
 all the beauty around her, of the noble animal beneath her, 
 and glowing with the bounding life within her, a lady 
 capable of enjoyment is certainly prepared for it then. 
 The first gentle pace of the horse starts the warm blood 
 in her veins, and as both become excited, the glow tingles 
 to the very finger-tips. The close-clinging to the horse, 
 the slight reliance upon stirrup and bit, and the generally 
 light proportion of rider to steed, give a feeling of being 
 possessed of the powers of a new life, of riding upon the 
 whirlwind, and jet controlling it with a word. 
 
 This combination of a sense of weakness and of power, 
 as every woman knows, is her greatest delight, and is the 
 secret of many an enjoyment which she attributes to other 
 causes. If a quieter mood possess the rider, there is no 
 such pleasant manner of strolling over a wide extent of 
 country, otherwise inaccessible. The discovery of new 
 paths and openings in woods and hilly country, where 
 momently changes are succeeding each other in the pano- 
 rama, affords delights which are not attainable in any 
 other way. Even hundreds of miles of travel are more 
 pleasantly accomplished in the saddle than in any other 
 manner, even by ladies; provided always that they be 
 13 
 
Fro. 34.— Ladies' Saddle without the right-hand horn. 
 
 FiO. 35. — ^Th« reverse view of the above, showing the Leaping-horn. [2901 
 
THE SIDE-SADDLE. 291 
 
 well attired and well mounted. Then the companionship of 
 friends is infinitely more sweet under the exhilerating influ- 
 ences of active exercise, fresh air, and keen physical enjoy- 
 ment. What so gay as a party of high-spirited equestrians ? 
 The emulation of riders and horses adds a new element 
 of enjoyment, while the beauty of every fair rider is 
 enhanced not only by the glow of pleasurable excitement, 
 but by the contrasts of color and form which each may 
 present, in her habit and her horse. Companies of gentle- 
 men and ladies, in full hunting suits, bounding in all the 
 excitement of a race over a smooth stretch of road, or bet- 
 ter still, over wide meadows, in eager chase, present one of 
 the most beautiful sights imaginable. Of the healthfulness 
 of this most delightful of accomplishments too much, can- 
 not be said. But certainly its benefits must greatly dimin- 
 ish when it is resorted to, merely to strengthen the body. 
 If a lady be recommended to ride for her health, let her 
 first seek for the delight of riding, for nothing is more tire- 
 some than being heavily jolted in a lady's saddle, or more 
 wearisome than being quietly ambled over the ground by 
 a small, spiritless pony. 
 
 To ensure ease, elegance, and enjoyment in riding, many 
 things are requisite. We enumerate as follows : 
 
 The Sidesaddle. — The following, by Mr. Earey's 
 English editor, is sensible, and to the point : 
 
 "Ladies' saddles ought invariably to be made with what 
 is called the leaping-horn, or crutch, at the left side, (See 
 figs. 34 and 35.) The right-hand pommel has not yet gone 
 out of fashion, but it is of no use, and is injurious to the 
 se\^.urity of a lady's seat, by preventing the right hand from 
 being put down as low as it ought to be with a restive horse, 
 and by encouraging the bad habit of leaning the right hand 
 on it. A flat projection is quite sufficient. This will be 
 quite clear to you, if, when sitting in your chair, 3'ou put a 
 
292 
 
 cylinder, three or four inclies in diameter, between yonr 
 legs, press your two knees together by crossing them, in 
 the position of a woman on a sidesaddle. Besides, when 
 a man clasps his horse, however firmly, it has a tendency 
 to raise the seat from the saddle. This is nol the case 
 with the sidesaddle seat : if a man wishes to use a lance 
 and ride at a ring, he will find that he has a firmer scat 
 with this kind of sidesaddle than with his own. There is 
 no danger in this side-pommel, since you cannot be thrown 
 on it, and it renders it next to impossible that the rider 
 should be thrown upon the other pommel. In case of a 
 horse leaping suddenly into the air and coming down on 
 all four feet, — technically, " hucMncj^^ — without the leaping- 
 horn there is nothing to prevent a lady from being thrown 
 up. But the leaping-horn holds down the left knee, and 
 makes it a fulcrum to keep the right knee down in its 
 proper place. If the horse in violent action throws him- 
 self suddenly to the left, the upper part of the rider's body 
 will tend downwards, to the right, and the lower limbs to 
 the left : nothing can prevent this but the support of the 
 leaping-horn. The fear of over-balancing to the right 
 causes many ladies to get into the bad habit of leaning 
 over their saddles to the left. This fear disappears when 
 the hunting-horn pommel is used. The leaping-horn is 
 also of great use with a hard puller, or in riding down a 
 steep place, for in either case it prevents the lady from 
 sliding forward. 
 
 " But these advantages render the right-hand pommel 
 quite useless, a slight projection being all-sufficient (see 
 fig. 35) ; while this arrangement gives the habit and figure 
 a much better appearance. But every lady ought to be 
 measured for this part of the saddle, as the distance be- 
 tween the two pommels will depend partly on the length 
 of her legs. 
 
THE STIRRUP. 293 
 
 " When a timid, inexperienced lady has to ride a fiery 
 horse, it is not a bad plan to attach a strap to the outside 
 girth on the right hand, so that she may hold it and the 
 right-hand rein at the same time without disturbing her 
 seat. This little expedient gives confidence, and is partio. 
 ularly useful if a fresh horse should begin to kick a littla 
 Of course, it is not to be continued, but only used to givo 
 a timid rider temporary assistance. I have also used for 
 the same purpose a broad tape passed across the knees, 
 and so fastened that in a fall of the horse it would give 
 way."* 
 
 The prejudice of many American ladies, especially in 
 the country, against the third horn of the saddle, is purely 
 the result of habit. Having always been accustomed to 
 the old style of saddle, they experience a restraint in the 
 first use of the leaping-horn, which suggests a dangerous 
 confinement of the limbs, and they seem to fear that they 
 could not easily disengage themselves from it, in case of 
 accident. This fear is groundless ; they could, in no case, 
 get off on the right side, and in dismounting to the left, 
 the leg is simply lowered away from it, so that it can, in 
 no sense, be considered an obstacle to jumping off from the 
 horse. The mere fact that it prevents that worst of all 
 accidents — being thrown on to the left horn in case of 
 the horse falling — is an unanswerable argument in its 
 favor, and no lady, who has become accustomed to its use, 
 would be willing to dispense with it. 
 
 The Stirrup. — English ladies very often ride with the 
 ordinary open stirrups, and it is not clearly apparent why 
 the custom is not universal. Except in very cold weather, 
 the slipper can have no advantage, and in very warm 
 weather it must be uncomfortable. As, however, the slip 
 
 * " The Art of Taming Horses," &c. From this work we have also taken 
 the suggestion for some of the cuts which embellish these "Hints.'' 
 
294 
 
 ladies' eidikg. 
 
 per is almost universally used in America, two cuts, repre- 
 senting the most fashionable forms, are here introduced. 
 Figure 36, is the ordinary slipper, with a small pad 
 
 buckled over the iron, 
 to protect the ankle. 
 In fig. 37, a French slip- 
 per, the ancle is more 
 effectually protected by 
 the projection and turn- 
 ing up of the upper edge 
 of the slipper, so as to 
 entirely separate the 
 iron from the ancle. 
 
 Girths. — The ladies' 
 saddle should be sup- 
 plied with three girths, 
 — two under both flaps, 
 as on gentlemen's sad- 
 dles, and one under the 
 near-side flap, and over 
 the off-side flap. They 
 all draw up on the off 
 side, and on horses which require to be girthed to suffoca- 
 tion, the two under ones should be made tight at the 
 stable, and again after the lady has mounted, and then the 
 outer girth should be drawn taut, confining the flap on the 
 off side. Well-bred horses have high, sharp withers, around 
 which it is impossible for the saddle to turn, and do not 
 require excessively tight girthing. If a lady hang on the 
 near side-horn of her saddle, no amount of girthing will 
 prevent the saddle from bearing hard against the withers. 
 The girths should be of a modest color, and of the best 
 quality of English webbing. 
 
 The Bridle. — The bridle for a lady's horse should be 
 
 Fig. 37 
 
THE BIT — THE WHIP. 295 
 
 perfectly neat and simple. The head-stall and reins should 
 always be made of the most pliant of leather. It is well 
 to have the two reins made of different material, or of dif- 
 ferent size, that they may be readily distinguished. It is 
 indispensable that a lady should know when her horse is 
 well bridled and well saddled, and she should study the 
 adjustment of bit and buckle. 
 
 The martingale is often adopted for show, rather than 
 use. A lady's horse, properly broken, will bend to the 
 hand without it, and where not absolutely required, it is 
 far better dispensed with. This remark applies particu- 
 larly to the nose or standing martingale ; for, should a 
 horse make a false step, half his power to recover himself 
 is destroyed b}^ the manner in which his head is confined 
 by it. The objection to the ring-martingale is not so great 
 but one of this kind can only be used on the snaffle-rein 
 and is of very little service. 
 
 The Bit. — Ladies should always use either the Pelham 
 bit (fig. 26), or the bit and bridoon, which is a combination 
 of both snaffle and curb. Its arrangement is shown in 
 figure 13. There are many sorts and sizes of these bits. 
 Some are very light and elegant, being intended especially 
 for ladies' use. Ornamental frippery should find no place 
 in any part of a lady's riding outfit, and it is peculiarly 
 inappropriate for the bit, which should be, in all cases, as 
 strong and effective as possible. There is no bit in the 
 world which, while it does not annoy a nervous horse, 
 gives such absolute control over an obdurate brute as this 
 very Baucher bit elsewhere described. Its large, smooth 
 canon is easy in the mouth, and the great length of the 
 branches affords a leverage which is especially necessary 
 to riders of little strength. 
 
 The Whip, an essential element of the lady's riding 
 outfit, should be stiff and substantial, without being heavy. 
 
29G 
 
 It may be liglitly made, and finished witli delicate orna- 
 ment, and often becomes a gem in the hidj's costume. It 
 is needed not so much to punish the horse or to animate 
 him, as to control his movements by its pressure against 
 his flank, as the gentleman controls his horse by a pres- 
 sure with his right leg. 
 
 The Dkess. — "Few ladies know how to dress for horse 
 exercise, although there has been a great improvement, so 
 far as taste is concerned, of late years. As to the head- 
 dress, it may be whatever is in fashion, provided it fits the 
 head so as not to require continual adjustment, often needed 
 when the hands would be better employed with the reins 
 and whip. It should shade from the sun, and, if used in 
 hunting, protect the nape of the neck from rain. The re- 
 cent fashions of wearing the plumes or feathers of the 
 ostrich, the cock, the pheasant, the peacock, and the king- 
 fisher, in the riding hats of young ladies, are highly to 
 be commended. 
 
 The hair should be arranged in the firmest manner pos- 
 sible. If suited to the style of the lady, it may be plaited at 
 the back and looped across, in a manner which will support 
 the hat and present a very comely, appearance. Or it may 
 be found pleasanter to turn all of the back hair to the top 
 of the head, where a high hat is used. All loose arrange- 
 ments of the hair, except short curls, when they are natural, 
 should be avoided. But few hair-pins should be used, and 
 those long and firmly woven into the hair. 
 
 Ladies' habits are usually made too long ; if the extra 
 length be turned to a heavy hem at the bottom, it will be 
 found much more likely to stay well down over the feet, 
 which is all that is required ; weights are unnecessary and 
 cumbersome. A foot longer than an ordinary skirt will be 
 found sufficient, if the material be suitable. Light cloth 
 will be found the most appropriate for the skirt, if the color 
 
THE DRESS. 297 
 
 be becoming and sufficiently dark. For country riding it 
 may be bordered a foot deep with leather. A habit of the 
 same should be worn in winter, adapted in shape to the 
 figure of the lady. If she be short and plump, the more 
 closely it fits the figure the better, particularly the sleeves, 
 which should never be large. If she be slight, the dress 
 may be opened in front and the sleeves loosened at the 
 wrist, with white linen chemisette and sleeves. ISTo basque, 
 or a very slight one, should be worn, nor anything else 
 which will flutter in the wind. No ornament is needed. A 
 good effect of color and form is all that is seen or that is 
 desirable. 
 
 " The fashion of a waistcoat of light material for summer, 
 revived from the fashion of the last century, is a decided 
 improvement, and so is the over-jacket, of cloth or seal- 
 skin, for rough weather. It is the duty of every w^oman to 
 dress in as becoming and attractive a manner as possible ; 
 there is no reason why pretty young girls should not in- 
 dulge in picturesque riding costume so long as it is appro 
 priate. 
 
 " Many ladies entirely spoil the set of the skirts by re- 
 taining the usual impedimenta of petticoats. The best 
 dressed horsewomen wear nothing more than a flannel che- 
 mise with long, colored sleeves, under their trousers. 
 
 "Ladies' trousers should be of the same material and color 
 as the habit, and if full, flowing like a Turk's and fastened 
 wdth an elastic band round the ankle, they will not be dis- 
 tinguished from the skirt. In this costume, which may be 
 made amply warm by the folds of the trousers, plaited like 
 a Highlander's kilt, — fastened with an elastic band at the 
 waist, — a lady can sit down in a manner impossible for 
 one encumbered by two or three short petticoats. It is the 
 chest and back which require double folds of protection 
 during, and after, strong exercise." 
 
298 ladies' riding. 
 
 If ladies prefer, a quilted skirt, not too fall, may be 
 worn. It should be lined with silk or glazed muslin, and 
 will be found no impediment. Long boots are a great com- 
 fort and protection in riding long distances. 
 
 All ladies who desire that riding should be to them a 
 healthful exercise, must take great care that their dress be 
 perfectly easy in every part, particularly over the chest and 
 around the ribs. Let the boots be easy, and their gloves, 
 which should be leather gauntlets, large and soft, and all 
 elastic bands very loose. 
 
 Mounting. — The lady in mounting should, if conven- 
 ient, be assisted by two persons ; one to hold the horse, — 
 standing directly in front of him, and holding by the check 
 pieces of the bridle, above the bit, — and the other to assist 
 her to her seat. Having taken the reins and whip in the 
 right hand, she will stand with her face towards the horse's 
 head, and with her right hand on the left pommel of the 
 saddle. In the left hand she will hold her skirt, in such a 
 manner as to enable her to raise it clear of the gTound. 
 The gentleman will stand, facing her, and opposite to the 
 horse's shoulder, Avith his left hand holding by his mane ; 
 this steadies the horse when the lady springs. The gentle- 
 man will now stoop and take the lady's left foot, which has 
 been raised fifteen inches from the ground, in his right hand, 
 clasping it firmly under the instep. The skirt having been 
 raised to clear the foot, is now dropped, and the lady places 
 her left hand on the gentleman's right shoulder, giving a 
 spring to straighten the left knee. During this spring the 
 gentleman will simply keep his hand- still, supporting the 
 lady's weight, but not raising her until the knee is fairly 
 straightened, when he may lift her to the required height, 
 but without trying to pusli her over on to the saddle. Slie 
 will find her seat more easily without such assistance, which 
 woTild often tend to throw her over the horse, rather than 
 18* 
 
THE POSITION. 299 
 
 on his back. Being seated witli her right hand still on the 
 pommel, the lady will, with her left hand, adjust the folds 
 of her skirt. She Avill then remove her hand from the pom- 
 mel, and place her right knee over it; when the gentleman 
 will place her foot in the stirrup, and then aid her in tak- 
 ing -proper hold of the reins and whip. When this is 
 accomplished, the attendant at the horse's head steps out 
 of the way, and the lady assumes the control. Fortunately, 
 the operation is less tedious than its description. 
 
 DiSMOUNTiiCG. — A lady dismounts with perfect ease. 
 After the groom has taken his place in front of the horse and 
 secured him, by releasing her hold upon the bridle and 
 stirrup and lifting her right leg over the pommel, which she 
 now holds with the right hand, while the left, on the 
 shoulder, or in the hand of her gallant, affords her suffi- 
 cient support in slipping to the ground. 
 
 THE POSITION. 
 
 The Seat in the Sidesaddle. — The lady should, by 
 exercises similar to those recommended for gentlemen, en- 
 deavor to acquire a perfect independence of the rein-hold in 
 the security of her seat. She should be able to lean far to 
 the right or to the left, or lie back on the horse's haunches, 
 or forward on his neck, and to regain her position without 
 disturbing her seat in the saddle, and without holding by 
 the reins. With the use of the leaping-horn it will be 
 more easy for her to attain perfection, in this respect, than 
 it will be for the man, who must depend in a great measure 
 on the clip of his legs. 
 
 We introduce a series of cuts to show the difference be- 
 tween good and bad positions in the sidesaddle. Fig. 38 
 represents the proper position, the figure being erect, di- 
 rectly over the horse's spine, the shoulders at an equal 
 height, and the elbows near the sides. Fig. 39 shows a more 
 
300 ladies' RIDING. 
 
 common faulty position, the weight of the body being 
 placed far to the left, and supported by the horn. This 
 position is taken from a fear of falling to the right, and is 
 most distressing to the horse, while it makes the lady look 
 as though hung on a peg at his side. In iig. 40, the last 
 described ungraceful position is attempted to be avoided by 
 a lady who takes her seat in the proper place on the sad- 
 dle, and at that point, her courage failing her, bends her 
 shoulders far to the left, by a combination of curves more 
 remarkable than beautiful. 
 
 The fear which occasions these faults will in a great 
 measure disappear if the leaping-horn be adopted. 
 
 The spine should be perpendicular over a line running 
 lengthwise through the centre of the saddle, and the right, 
 leg, by which the weight should be n\^nly supported, 
 should lie as far from the right as the construction of the 
 saddle will allow. The right leg, from the knee down, 
 should lie close to the saddle, rather than be pressed hard 
 against it. Care should be taken to keep the foot turned 
 to the right ; otherwise the lady can have no firm hold, and 
 it will break one of the most graceful lines of her flowing 
 skirt. 
 
 It is also important that the stirrup be not too short. It 
 should be of such a length as to raise the left thigh 
 lightly against the leaping-horn, while the heel is very 
 slightly depressed below the level of the ball of the foot. 
 The leg can then be either borne hard against the horn, or 
 lowered slightly away from it at pleasure. 
 
 The Hands. — It is believed by many that a good seat 
 is all that is required to make a good rider, and it is un- 
 doubtedly of vast importance to the fair equestrienne. But 
 this excellence can be more easily obtained than the 
 proper use of theTiands. However strange it may seem, a 
 "heavy " hand is found quite as common among ladies as 
 
THE HANDS. 301 
 
 gentle men, thougli this is more from lack of decision and 
 energy than from any other cause. Practice alone can 
 ensure a delicate hand, unless it be a natural gift. Some 
 hints towards holding the reins properly will assist ma- 
 terially. 
 
 Ladies, particularly those with very small hands, will 
 often find it burdensome to hold their reins both in one 
 hand, as is universally taught in our riding-schools. For 
 young riders it is best to use both hands, pulling the right 
 rein when they wish to go to the right hand, and the left 
 when they wish to go to the left. It is better for new be- 
 ginners to ride with one bridle and two hands, than with 
 two bridles and one hand : it ensures a square seat, and 
 ■ gives that power which can only be dispensed with when 
 great skill is acquired. A man has the power of turning 
 a horse, to a certain extent, with his legs and spurs ; a wo- 
 man must depend on her reins, her Avhip, and her left leg. 
 The best way for a lady is, if her hand be light, to knot up 
 the snaffle and let it rest within her reach, in case of acci- 
 dent to the other rein. Or, if her touch be not delicate 
 enough for the curb, let her hold it lightly and depend on 
 the snaffle. In this case the snaffle should be taken on 
 either side of the second finger of the bridle hand, and the 
 curb on either side of the little finger. Eeverse the order, if 
 it is desirable to use the curb. Two reins are certainly 
 more safe, and sufl&cient practice will enable a lady to use 
 them with perfect ease. She should be able to shift them 
 instantly to the right hand, without slackening her pace, in 
 case of disarrangement of her skirt, or other accident. 
 
 Ladies, whose hands are sufficiently large, may ride with 
 the four reins gathered in the left hand, keeping the elbow 
 close to the side, and the thumb pointed upward, as re- 
 commended for gentlemen ; but usually with ordinary 
 reins, only the snaffle, or the curb-rein, — as the case may 
 
302 ladies' riding. 
 
 be, — can be held gathered, and the otner must lie across 
 the hand (fig. 32). When two reins are held in each hand 
 they should be arranged as in fig. 33, but the whip should, 
 usually, be dropped and allowed to hang by its cord from 
 the wrist, as the two reins are quite enough for a lady's 
 hand, and this double hold of both reins is not often neces- 
 sary at a time when the whip is called for. 
 
 The Whip and the Left Heel are valuable aids to a lady 
 in the saddle. By a proper use of them she is enabled to 
 retain a much freer hold upon her reins. Particularly in 
 stopping and turning they are invaluable. Also, in starting^ 
 the pressure of the leg and whip should be applied to 
 bring the horse up to the bit. In making the turn he 
 must be kept well up, and be assisted both by a steady feel- 
 ing of the outward rein, which should onl}^ be relaxed 
 enough to admit of an easy inclination of the horse to the 
 side to which he is to turn, and, by a stronger pressure of 
 the outward aid, — the leg or whip, — to keep the haunches 
 from falling too much out. Care must be taken at all times 
 to make the step steady, and not by a sudden or violent 
 pull upon the reins, which often causes some horses to rear, 
 and injures others. The use of the reins, the heels and the 
 whip mighb be enlarged upon indefinitely; but only the 
 nicest care and minute observation can teach the lady the 
 rare art of perfect management. 
 
 Accidents. — Ladies, of course, should never ride horses 
 which are in any manner vicious. But the best animals 
 are not faultless, nor the most sure-footed always reliable. 
 The lady should therefore be prepared for critical situations. ' 
 Perhaps the most common fault is shying. If a horse is 
 known to be afraid of any object, his attention may often- 
 times be diverted by turning away his head or speaking 
 kindly to him ; also, rather than to oppose him, he may 
 often to much better advantage be humored in his whims, 
 
ACCIDENTS. 303 
 
 and even be compelled to continue tliem after he is tired; 
 thus, if he turn short round, make him turn in the same 
 direction half a dozen times. If he refuse to go forward 
 compel him to go backward. 
 
 Stumbling is more often a habit or an infimity than an 
 accident. Where it is accidental, it is generally in a young 
 horse, who will probably recover himself without danger 
 to the rider; but, on the slightest intimation, she must 
 throw her body back, and by raising her hands raise his 
 head and assist him to regain himself The greatest 
 danger a lady encounters is the possibility of her horse 
 rearing very high ; when she should be sufficiently self- 
 possessed to slacken his rein and throw the whole weight 
 of her body forward, being always ready to rise the mo- 
 ment the horse comes to the ground. With proper watch- 
 fulness of eye and hand, a well-seated lady will always be 
 prepared for any emergency. Above all things be chary 
 of an improper use of the whip. ^ 
 
 Kemember that with a long skirt about her feet, and with 
 little experience in such exercise, it is always unsafe for ix 
 lady to leap from her saddle. She can tell at once, on 
 mounting, if her saddle is not securely girthed, so that 
 only inexcusable neglect will admit of its turning. So 
 long as the saddle is in its place, and the horse on his feet, 
 a lady should 7iever leave him under any circumstances un- 
 less he be rearing badly, and an attendant be at hand to 
 receive her ; if the saddle turn entirely off from the horse's 
 back, or, if he has fallen and cannot recover himself, a lady 
 may disengage herself quickly, but carefully. In a runa- 
 way, her place is close down in the saddle, holding the four 
 reins low on either side, and giving an alternate tension 
 to the curb and snaffle, steadying her horse in the road and 
 saving her strength to force him to run long after he would 
 gladly stop. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 HOW TO DRIVE A HOESE. 
 
 THE ART OP DRIVING — PLEASURE DRIVING — HOW TO HOLD THE REINS— DRIV- 
 ING- A PAIR— FOUR-IN-HAND DRIVING— DRIVING WORKING HORSES — PLOW- 
 ING — THREE-A-BREAST. 
 
 When the colt is once made to understandjsrhat is required 
 of him, in both double and single harness, his after education 
 depends on the skill and patient perseverance of his driver. 
 The art of driving, whether for pleasure or work, demands 
 a clear understanding of the requirements of each particular 
 case, and attention to every motion of one's horse. Pleasure 
 %orses are required to travel actively, evenly, safely, and with 
 as much style as possible, while work horses are required 
 to throw their weight into the collar, and with a steady, 
 even pull, without swerving to the right or to the left, and 
 without fretting or noticing what is going on about them, 
 to keep up a uniform motion of their load, at no time losing 
 the assistance of its momentum, and never unnecessarily 
 wasting their strength by a sudden rapid pull. The ability 
 of the horse to assume one or the other of these characters 
 depends even less upon his own nature than on the manner 
 in which he is driven. 
 
 In Pleasure Driving the seat should be rather high^ 
 so that one may easily see over the dash-board of the car- 
 i-iage, but low enough for a direct pull on the bit when it 
 is necessary. The feet should be firmly planted (avoiding 
 an ungraceful or studied attitude,) in such a manner as to 
 give strength to the pull, and security to the position, in 
 
 [304] 
 
. HOLDING THE KEINS. 305 
 
 case of a sudden jolt of the carriage. The legs and "Viips 
 should be as firm and immovable, and the upper part of the 
 bodj' should be as free and flexible, as possible, the princi- 
 ple being borne in mind, as in the case of riding on horse- 
 back, that while the seat should be perfectly secure, this 
 security should not imply the least "support from the reins, 
 nor the least inability to do whatever may be necessary 
 with the head or arms. 
 
 The eyes of the driver should be always on his horses, 
 yet always about him. While he should see every strap 
 and buckle within eye-shot, every movement of the horses' 
 ears, every toss or shake of their heads, 'and every step 
 that they take, he should also see every vehicle coming 
 toward him, every object by the roadside, or elsewhere, 
 which can possibly frighten his team, and every stone or 
 uneven place in the road on which they are likely to step, 
 or which may come in the way of the wheels. To sit in 
 this manner, and to be thus watchful while driving a pair 
 of lively horses, and . at the same time to appear perfectly 
 at ease, is no small accomplishment ; still it may be attained 
 by practice, and is essential to elegance in driving. 
 
 The manner of holding the reins should depend on cir- 
 cumstances. They may be both held in the left hand in 
 either of the following ways, the hand being held with the 
 thumb upward: — 
 
 First. Let the off rein pass over the fore finger, and 
 the near rein between the fore and middle fingers, the 
 thumb pressing on the off rein to keep it in place, and both 
 reins passing out between the ring and little fingers, as 
 shown in fig. 41; in this way they can be held very 
 securely. 
 
 Second. Let the near rein pass under the little finger, 
 and the off rein between the ring-finger and little finger, 
 both ends being brought out between the thumb and fore 
 
S06 HOW TO DRIVE A HORSE. 
 
 finger, falling over the knuckles, and being secured by 
 the pressure of the thumb, as is shown in figure 42; this is 
 a lighter hold than the former, and is better for driving 
 perfectly trained horses which require only the least touch 
 to bring their heads into the proper (perpendicular) position. 
 It is more fatiguing than that first described, with horses 
 which are at all hard on the bit. 
 
 When it is desirable to hold the reins in both hands, the off 
 rein may be taken in the right hand, by passing the fore 
 finger under it, and allowing it to fall down through the hand, 
 and out between the ring and little fingers; this will admit 
 of the hand be'ing opened to take the whip. (See fig. 43.) 
 The rein in the left hand may remain in the same position 
 as before. If it be necessary to strike a severe blow witli 
 the whip, the rein should be passed into the left hand, and 
 quickly regained after the blow has been struck; this 
 manner of holding the reins will give the greatest possible 
 power over the team. The whip should be taken from its 
 socket only when there is occasion to use it, and it should 
 be returned as soon as it has become unnecessarj^ While 
 held quietly in the hand it should lie horizontally across 
 the near rein, and pointing over the whiffle-tree on the 
 near side. 
 
 Driving a single horse is not at all difficult, and it re- 
 quires only a good hand, a good temper, and a watchful 
 eye. The horse's mouth should be lightly felt, that lie 
 ^tnay be supported if he trip ; and especially in going down 
 hill, the driver should sit with his feet well braced and his 
 hand ready to support the horse in- a false step, which, if 
 at all, is most likely to occur at this time. 
 
 Driving a pair of horses requires much more skill and 
 care. It is thus described by Stonehenge : 
 
 , "In Driving a Pair, the great art cciisists in putting 
 them together so as to draw equally, and Co step together 
 
DRIVING A FAIR. 807 
 
 To do this well, the horses must match in action and tem- 
 per, two slugs being much better than a free-tempered 
 horse with a slug ; because, in this case, the whip applied 
 to the one only makes the other more free, and as a con- 
 sequence it is impossible to make them draw equally. In 
 some cases where two horses are exactl}^ equally matched, 
 the coupling-reins must both be of equal length ; but this 
 is seldom the case ; and when they do not do an equal 
 amount of work, the coupling-rein of the free one must be 
 taken up, and that of the idle horse let out. In watching 
 the working of the two horses the pole-pieces should 
 always be the guide; and if both are slack, with the end 
 of the pole steady, and neither horse shouldering it, the 
 driver may rest contented that his horses are each doing 
 their share ; if, however, the pole is shouldered by either, 
 that horse is a rogue, and is making the other do more 
 than his share, keeping the pole straight by the pressure of 
 his shoulder, instead of pulling at the traces. On the 
 other hand, if either horse is pulling away from the pole, 
 and straining at the pole-piece, he is doing more than his 
 share, and his coupling-rein must be taken in accordingly. 
 Sometimes both shoulder the pole, or spread from it, which 
 are equally unsightly habits, and may generally be cured 
 by an alteration of the coupling-reins of both horses, let- 
 ting them out for shouldering, and taking them in for its 
 opposite bad habit. The reins are held in the same way for 
 double-harness as for single. In driving a pair, it shoulft^ 
 alwaj^s be remembered that there are two methods of driv- 
 ing roimd a curve, one by pulling the inside rein, and 
 the other by hitting the outside horse, and these two-should 
 generally be combined, graduating the use of the whip by 
 the thinness of the skin of the horse. In all cases the 
 whip is required in double harness, if not to drive horses 
 when thoroughly put together, yet to make them pull 
 
308 HOW TO DRIVE A HORSE. 
 
 equally ; and there are very few pairs which do not occa- 
 sionally want a little reminding of their duties. A constant 
 change from one side to the other is a prevention of those 
 tricks and bad habits which horses get into if they are 
 kept to one side only. The coachman should, therefore, 
 change them every now and then, and back again, so as to 
 make what was a puller from the pole, rather bear towards 
 it than otherwise when put on the other side." 
 
 There is a certain animation of manner on the part of 
 the driver which, without being noisy or demonstrative, 
 keeps a team lively and cheerful at work, while another 
 driver would not be able to get them to nearly so good a 
 pace with even more labor to himself, and more fatigue to 
 them. To attain this correspondence with one's horse 
 should be the object of every person who attempts to 
 become a fine driver. No such influence can be had over 
 a horse which is not light in hand, and sprightly in his 
 action, — that is, in the condition which is best and most eas- 
 ily attained by the suppling for the saddle described in the 
 chapter on that subject. Some of the advantages of this 
 are, that it gives the horse more style, — that is, a higher, 
 more graceful step, a better carriage of the head and tail, 
 and generally a more lithe appearance. It has consider- 
 able influence in causing the horses of a double team to 
 step together in measured time. This must of course 
 depend very much on their relations as to size and form, 
 l»Ml it will do more than any other mode of training to 
 equalize their steps, as it renders them very sensitive to 
 the least action of the hand, and as the trotting of one 
 horse will produce a slight reaction on the band, it must 
 have an equal effect on the mouth of the other horse with 
 which the hand is equally connected. 
 
 FouR-iN-HAND DRIVING. — With respect to coupling 
 four-horse teams, the heads, particularly those of the 
 
FOUR-IN-HAND DRIVING. 809 
 
 wheel-horses, should not be too closely confined. It looks 
 well to see them with their heads close together, running 
 boldly up to their bits ; but if you confine them too 
 tightly, they cannot apply all their power to the collar. 
 
 Wheel-horses should, in this respect, have more liberty 
 than their leaders, not only on account of the pole, but to 
 enable them to " quarter their ground" and bring them- 
 selves into a proper situation to hold back in going down 
 hill, which they cannot do if their heads are confined. 
 When the leaders' heads are well together, they are much, 
 easier driven ; the least motion of the wrist will affect their 
 mouths, and of course they are much safer on their feet ; 
 for, on the least false step they make, the support of the 
 coupling-rein is immediately felt ; without this, they would 
 be down before they could receive assistance from the 
 coachman's hand. 
 
 Of the two reins used for coupling, one must be upper- 
 most at the crossing ; that one should be buckled to the 
 horse that carries his head highest, otherwise he will be 
 constantly annoying his partner's mouth. 
 
 All attempts at directions for curbing coach -horses ciust 
 be vain, and can only be regulated by their mouth, temper 
 and disposition. 
 
 Horses with hard dead mouths require the greatest skill 
 and management to draw tolerably, and should not be 
 curbed up tightly, as that will tend to increase the diffi- 
 culty. To ride or drive horses with pleasure and advan- 
 tage, you must have a light finger and play with their 
 mouths with skill and humor. Some horses have a trick 
 of getting the check of their bit into their mouths ; this 
 is very dangerous, and should be prevented by a washer 
 or round piece of leather. 
 
 The most dangerous horse in a team is a stiff-necked 
 one, which, in going down hill, instead of inclining his head 
 
310 HOW TO DEIVE A HORSE. 
 
 towards liis partner, and throwing out his quarters so as to 
 hold back the coach, twists his head another way, looking 
 over one shoulder, and with the other shouldering the pole 
 or his partner. When you have one of this sort you can 
 do nothing with him by pulling up, but must whip his mate 
 up to him, and if that does not answer, cross the road 
 quickly with the leaders, to prevent running off to the 
 side to which he is pushing. 
 
 If your horses are nervous and fidgety, they will not 
 bear being confined too tightly at first starting, but must 
 be humored and allowed some length of chain, particularly 
 if the road be rough and full of ruts. When there are' no 
 breechings the horse requires to be nearer to the pole, or in 
 holding back his collar will get too far forward, unless 
 restrained by a false martingale. Some coachmen object 
 to breechings as being troublesome to horses in hot weather, 
 but they are almost indispensable in hilly countries, as 
 they enable the horse to hold back with less strain on his 
 back and legs, and add greatly to the security of both team 
 and vehicle. 
 
 The draft of the leaders will be greatly equalized by 
 crossing the inside traces, fastening that of the near horse 
 to the whiffle-tree of the off side, and that of the off horse 
 to the near whiffle-tree. 
 
 The great art in driving four-in-hand is to favor the 
 j)eculiarities of the different horses of the team. It is not 
 often that all four will draw equall}^ at all times, nor is it 
 desirable that they should do so. By allowing first one 
 and then another to slacken his pull, the team will be able 
 to do more in a day than if all were always pulling. Some 
 horses will naturally draw at their best on starting off, anl 
 will work with less energy after a few miles, while others 
 will hang back at first, and come in to their \vork as they 
 get warmed up. By consulting their inclinations, the 
 
DRIVING WORKING HORSES. 311 
 
 driver may economize the strength, and preserve the 
 temper of his team, so as to secure a greater amount of 
 work with less effort than if he kept the sluggard up to 
 the bit from the start, and restrained the early ardor of 
 the more spirited animal. 
 
 If your horses have a fancy for working in a peculiar 
 manner, or at a particular stage of the journey, you will 
 derive an advantage from consulting that fancy as far as 
 practicable. Fig. d shows the manner in which the reins 
 may be held in the left hand, and fig. e the manner in 
 which the off reins may be taken in the right* hand, for 
 more careful driving. When the reins are all held in the 
 left hand, the right may be laid on any one or more of 
 them as occasion may require. 
 
 In turning corners, draw the leaders around first and 
 let the wheel horses follow as nearly as possible in their 
 tracks — not turn at the same time. 
 
 On ascending ground, the leaders should do more than 
 half of the work, to compensate the wheel-horses for their 
 extra effort in holding back when going down hill. 
 
 Driving Working Horses differs from pleasure driv- 
 ing, as much as does its object. One desideratum in pleas- 
 ure driving is a certain style and a regard to appearanc?, 
 while teaming or business driving has for its main object the 
 best economy of the strength of the team, and its appli- 
 cation to the performance of labors. It is true that a team- 
 ster may have a just pride in the appearance and style of 
 his team, but this should always be subordinate to their 
 usefulness, and the main problem which he has to solve 
 is, how to turn a certain amount of invested capital, and a 
 certain amount of hay and grain to the best account, in 
 performing the work in which he and his team are em- 
 ployed. To accomplish this, having the horses fed in a 
 manner to give them the greatest possible strengtli and 
 
312 HOW TO DRIVE A HORSE. 
 
 health, and so groomed that their systems are in the best 
 condition for appropriating the nutriment of their food, he 
 should keep the following rules always in view : 
 
 First. — The load should be just what the horse or the 
 team can move steadily along, being neither so light that 
 they are occupying their time in going over the road with 
 less than they can draw, nor so heavy that they must over- 
 tax their strength to draw it, or stop to take breath and 
 to recover from the effects of too hard a strain ; in short, 
 they should do all that they can do comfortably, never 
 much less, and never any more. 
 
 Second. — Horses will work better if they are kept well 
 up to the bit, not sufficiently to pull on it, but just enough 
 to feel its effect and to receive its support in case of a false 
 step, than when allowed to become negligent and careless 
 in their gait. 
 
 Third. — Wlien^ there are two or more horses in a team, 
 they should be so harnessed as to draw exactly alike. 
 This requires them to be of uniform dispositions, and in 
 equally good training; an}^ deviation from this will cause 
 one horse to do more, and another less, than his share of 
 the work. 
 
 Fourth. — Working horses should never be whipped 
 while drawing, except it is absolutely necessary ; and then 
 they should not simply be tapped, but smartly punished 
 in a manner that will cause them to understand and to 
 recollect that their driver really means that they shall 
 work, and work properly. 
 
 Fifth. — If necessary to stop to rest before going up a 
 hill, let the halt bo at a little distance from the foot of the 
 hill, that they may not get in the habit of stopping just at 
 the foot of every hill which they encounter. When they 
 are fully rested and prepared to go on, let them move 
 vigorously, but do not allow them to rush at the hill ; they 
 
DRIVING WORKING HORSES. 313 
 
 would in sucli a case lose more in wind than they would 
 gain in impetus. If possible, go moderately up every hill 
 without stopping, recollecting that it is much harder to 
 start a load against a hill, than it is to keep it in motion 
 after it is started. At the top of every difficult hill, either 
 stop the team or let them walk slowly for a few rods, until 
 they have recovered from the effects of the extra exertion. 
 
 Sixth. — At all times, and especially in difficult places, or 
 when first starting with a heavy load, the driver should 
 carefully avoid exciting his team by crossness or impatience, 
 but should hold them steadily by the bit, and talk to them 
 in a quiet and determined manner, endeavoring to keep 
 them cool and resolute, pulling evenly and steadily until 
 they start their load, without making a sudden jump at it, 
 as many nervous horses are inclined to do. Such a move- 
 ment is very likely to disconcert the other horses, and it 
 exhausts the strength more than ten times the effort prop- 
 erly expended. 
 
 Seventh. — In descending a hill, especially if there be no 
 break or drag on the wheels, the team should be so held 
 back that the wagon never gets an increasing speed, and 
 the pole should be kept in an exact line with, and not 
 diagonally across, the wagon. 
 
 Eighth. — The team should never be so hardly driven as 
 to become blown (where it is possible to avoid it), nor 
 should they ever be allowed to become indolent, or care- 
 less in their gait. They should always be active and will- 
 ing, but never impatient to do more than is clearly within 
 their powers. 
 
 A road team, well kept, and driven according to the 
 above directions, wdll last longer, keep in better condition, 
 and do more work than horses managed by the ordinary 
 s\- t m, and in the hands of persons who are either not 
 able or not willing to give any thought to the matter. 
 14 
 
314 HOW TO DRIVE A HORSE. . 
 
 These directions apply to all sorts of teaming, whether with 
 drays or trucks in towns, or with farmers or manufacturers' 
 wagons on country roads. 
 
 The proper driving of stage and omnibus horses is a 
 combination of the essential points of pleasure and team- 
 driving. The team should still be kept cool and resolute, 
 and yeTj free from impatience, and they should at the 
 same time be held so well in hand that they can, at a 
 moment's warning, be either stopped or turned suddenly 
 out of their course. They should also be able to start 
 from a halt steadily, and without loss of time. As it is 
 important that their pace should seldom degenerate into a 
 walk, their trot should be uniform, and not excessively 
 fast ; and unless the horses are only required to go very 
 short stages, they should not travel faster than from six to 
 eight miles per hour, according to their load. 
 
 Plowing. — Plowing on rough ground, with horses which 
 are fit for anything else, is, at best, a painful necessity. 
 There is occasionally to be found a stylish carriage team, 
 or a pair of fast trotters which will work like oxen at the 
 plow ; but generally horses of spirit will become impatient 
 under the frequent interruption caused by stones, or by 
 the frequent turning necessary in small fields, while the 
 harness generally used for this work is neither comfortable 
 nor complete. In large fields, free from obstructions, 
 horses may very properly be used, as they are more pleasant 
 to work with than oxen ; but in rough work the latter are 
 preferable, being by temper and structure much better 
 adapted to such work than horses. " 
 
 Horses are frequently driven to the plow with the sin- 
 gle line, or with a pair of lines fastened to the outer rings 
 of each horse's bit, the inside rings being connected by a 
 short line passing from one to the other. This will do 
 very well for quiet, well-trained animals, in good gnnmd ; 
 
PLOWING. 
 
 316 
 
 but with horses at all inclined to be unruly or impatient, 
 or working in soft or stony ground, we should use the 
 same sort of reins as in driving on the road, thus giving a 
 fair hold of each horse's head. 
 
 Horses used for this work should be taught to stop in- 
 stantly at the word, to start promptly and together, and to 
 pull evenly. The team should be brought quickly around 
 
 Fig. 42. — Lines for plowing three-abreast. 
 
 at the turns and headlands, and made to take their places 
 as actively as possible for the new furrow ; but they should 
 not be started, if at all blown, until they are fully ready to 
 
316 HOW TO DKIVE A HORSE. 
 
 go to the end of it without stopping, unless, indeed, it be a 
 very long, or a very hard one. 
 
 It is the opinion, apparently a good one, of the best 
 farmers of the present day, that no two horses are strong 
 enough to turn such a furrow as is necessary for the proper 
 cultivation of the soil, and they recommend that three or 
 four be used. Assuming this to be the case, it should be 
 remembered that three horses w^orking abreast will pull 
 nearly as much on a plow as will four geared in the ordi- 
 nary way, — that is, the third horse, from being fastened 
 within three or four feet of the plow, would have nearly 
 as much power to draw it as would two horses drawing it 
 from a distance of from fifteen to twenty feet. 
 
 Fig. 41 represents the best form of whififle-tree for three 
 horses plowing abreast. Fig. 42 is an arrangement for the 
 lines for plowing with such a team, which will be found 
 effective for horses w^hich are inclined to pull irregularly, 
 before being sufdciently broken, but as soon as the}^ un- 
 derstand it, the lines marked a and h may be dispensed 
 wit'i. Indeed, intelligent horses will soon learn to work 
 entirely without lines. The writer had a three-horse team 
 which he trained to plow by the word in less than a 
 month, so that they would work perfectly well without 
 lines on the shortest turns. There are few horses which 
 will not become irregular in their working without the 
 assistance of the lines. 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 RAREY'S SYSTEM A NEW DISCOVERY — PREVIOUS SYSTEMS— PRINCIPLES OP THIS 
 SYSTEM— INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRACTISING RAREY'S METHOD— TO STABLE THE 
 
 HORSE— TO APPROACH THE HORSE— TYING UP THE LEG LAYING THE 
 
 HORSE DOWN— VICIOUS AND BAD HABITS— REARING— KICKING BAULKING 
 
 — PULLING ON THE HALTER — SHYING. 
 
 The metliod of taming horses termed the Rarey system 
 is clearly a new discovery ; for, although others have in 
 this country and elsewhere used some of the practices, such 
 as tying up the foot, &c., in its successful and perfect form 
 no one preceded Mr. Rarey, or even very much assist- 
 ed him in the discovery. 
 
 J. S. Rarey was an Ohio farmer, and his family connec- 
 tions still reside near the city of Columbus. He has been, 
 from his childhood, a horse-breaker of some reputation 
 among his neighbors, and even when he had first developed 
 his present system he very quietly practiced it in the more 
 unsettled parts of the country, extending his travels even 
 to Texas. He taught his system to others for a small fee, 
 and wrote a pamphlet some six years ago, which he gave 
 to his pupils, but which was kept by them under a promise 
 of secrecy. This is the only book ever published by Mr. 
 Rarey, but one of his pupils in England has written a very 
 readable little volume* on this system, and other matters 
 
 * The art of Taming Horses, by J. S. Rarey, &c., by the Hunting corres- 
 pondent of the Illustrated London News. London : George Routledge & Co. 
 
 [317] 
 
318 
 
 of interest to the horseman. From Mr. Karey's pamphlet 
 and this English work our chapter has been compiled, and 
 we can assure the reader that, however much the practice 
 may be varied and extended, the system as now practiced 
 by Mr. Karey is here given : 
 
 The subjection of vicious horses has been a great desid- 
 eratum ever since horses were first ridden by man, but, 
 until very recently, there has been no knowledge of a 
 rational means for rendering them docile or tractable. 
 The plans hitherto adopted have generally been too much 
 according to the directions of a ITorfolk trainer, of the 
 time of Queen Elizabeth, who wrote as follows : 
 
 ** If your horse does not stand still, or hesitates, then alrate him 
 with a terrible voyce ; and beat him yourself with a good sticke 
 upon the head between the ears; and then stick him in the spurring 
 place iii or iiii times together, with one legge after another, as fast 
 as your legges might walk : your legges must go like two bouching 
 beetles." 
 
 The most celebrated horse tamer, before Earey's 
 time, was an Irishman named Dan Sullivan, known as the 
 ''Irish Whisperer," who would, after a half hour's private 
 interview with the most vicious horse, bring him out per- 
 fectly tamed, — so long as he himself used him, but he 
 would not remain docile in the hands of other persons. 
 Sullivan pretended to have got his secret from a poor sol- 
 dier, who revealed it as an Indian charm. The secret was 
 given by Sullivan to one of his sons, but it is not now 
 known. Probably it was not capable of a general appli- 
 cation. 
 
 All other methods of taming very vicious horses, 
 so far as we have any information, have been based on 
 cruelty, and harsh treatment, and they were never entirely 
 successful. 
 
PRINCIPLES OF THE SYSTEM. 319 
 
 The mere reading of "Rarey's directions is not sufficient 
 to make horse-tamers of all who choose to try a hand at 
 it ; these directions are a stepping stone, and an introduc- 
 tion to a series of processes which they sufficiently illus- 
 trate, which can be carried into effect, only by the aid of 
 experience. 
 
 The success of Mr. Earey in England was such as but 
 few of any calling have attained, he having maue in a few 
 months, over one hundred thousand dollars in subscriptions 
 to his lectures, and having gained the acquaintance of 
 many of the best people in the kingdom. In London he 
 tamed a Zebra, an animal hitherto considered untamable, 
 so that he could ride him as he pleased. He also tamed 
 Cruiser, the most vicious stallion in England, " who could 
 do more fighting in less time than any other horse in the 
 world," and who for a long time had to be fed through a 
 barred helmet. It was considered as much as any man's 
 Jife was worth to attend to him. 
 
 There Avere many other very remarkable instances of 
 the success of Mr. Earey's attempts to tame horses that 
 were so violently vicious that all previous efforts to subdue 
 them had failed. 
 
 In bringing a horse to that state in whicli he obeys 
 without resistance the will of man, we have to overcome — 
 First^ his fear of the presence and actions of man. Second^ 
 his anger J or an instinctive resentment, of which the unbro- 
 ken horse makes as unmistakable an exhibition as any 
 other animal, or even man himself. Third^ his waywardness^ 
 or the natural desire for liberty of action and impatience of 
 restraint : and we must supplant these passions by — First^ 
 affection for his master^ that instinct so strong in the dog 
 and elephant, and traceable in some other animals. jSeco7id^ 
 a fear of the chiding or chastisement of his master, united 
 with the conviction that the only way to avoid or escape 
 
320 rahey's horse-taming. 
 
 it is bv obedience. Third^ an interest in^ or ambition for ^ the 
 labors to be performed : the last is most clearly seen in 
 the eagerness of the nobler bloods for the race, the chase, 
 or even for the battle. 
 
 The means which are adopted for accomplishing this are 
 — First^ familiarity with the presence of man under circum- 
 stances which convince him of man's kind intentions. A 
 colt accustomed to be handled and kindly treated, will be 
 easily trained to the harness, or at least rendered in some 
 degree manageable when grown. Second^ some system 
 which shall demonstrate to the horse the superiority of 
 man, and his power to overcome him physically. Of this 
 we have instances in the capture and subduing of wild 
 elephants in India, of wild horses on the plains of Amer- 
 ica, and it has been the method of breaking refractory 
 horses, in all times and among various nations. The 
 mounting by a strong rider, who holds the painful thong or 
 bit in the mouth of the horse, and urges him to his 
 greatest endeavors to remove his burden, until, weary and 
 exhausted with vain efforts, he is submissive, is a process 
 long known to savage and civilized horsemanship. Sub- 
 sequently the horse must gradually be made to understand 
 the language of words and signals by which his master 
 would communicate to him his wishes, and the training is 
 complete. 
 
 We must not, however, overlook one all-important ele- 
 ment whicli has not often been taken into account, and 
 never fully explained — the magnetic influence which a fear- 
 less man has overall inferior animals"; an influence much 
 stronger in some persons than in others. It is vrell known 
 that all animals, even those most wild and ferocious, 
 instinctively regard man with feelings different from those- 
 exhibited toward other beings; and although they meet 
 him for the first time, in their own haunts, where they 
 
PRINCIPLES OF THE SYSTEM. 321 
 
 have reigned supreme, they show great dread of, and rarely 
 begin an attack upon him. This proves a recognition 
 of man's position, which in their domesticated state devel- 
 ops into a wholesome fear, mingled with a dependence upon 
 him ; and instances are by no means rare, where, with the 
 most vicious horses the calm, firm demeanor of a man or 
 woman has quelled resistance, when strength and violence 
 had failed. 
 
 The contest between the horse and his master will be 
 more or less violent and protracted, in proportion to the 
 strength and disposition of the horse, and the nature of the 
 means used, or the skill of the horseman. 
 
 In Mr. Rarey's system all the requirements here stated 
 are supplied, by means so simple that almost any one may 
 apply them, and it is so efficacious as to leave scarcely a 
 wish for anything more or better. 
 
 At no stage of the contest is there any, even temporary 
 advantage gained by the horse, to relieve the hopelessness 
 of the struggle, and it permits the comparatively quiet 
 position of the master, while the horse is engaged in the 
 most desperate efforts, every one of which brings him 
 more inextricably into difficulty, while every submission 
 brings him relief, until, upon his final abandonment of all 
 effort, he lies helpless but comfortable upon the ground, and 
 the soothing attentions of his master convince him that no 
 harm is intended him ; and to complete the triumph he 
 wins his gratitude and affection by releasing him from his 
 difficulties. In approaching a vicious animal Mr. Rarey 
 brings most distinctly to his aid the magnetism before 
 alluded to, which courage and unflinching firmness will 
 always enable us to exercise upon the Horse. 
 
 The maxim so well stated by Mr. Rarey should be con- 
 stantly borne in mind — " Fear and anger a good horseman 
 should never feeV 
 14* 
 
322 
 
 rarey's horse-taming. 
 
 INSTRUCTION'S FOR PRACTICING RAREY'S METHOD. 
 
 If you are not well accustomed to the handling of 
 unbroken and spirited horses, your first subject for practice 
 should be a comparatively quiet horse. After you have 
 repeatedly laid him down as directed, you can try others 
 more difficult until you can at length undertake those that 
 are vicious and even untamable by other methods. 
 
 Preparations. — Supply yourself with a strong surcingle^ 
 to be buckled around the horse at the girth ; a strap^ as 
 
 Fig. 48. — Strap with buckle. 
 
 Fig. 49.— Wooden gag-bit. 
 
 represented at Fig. 48, made of good stout leather an inch 
 and a quarter wide and three feet or more in length, 
 having a loop by which to form a noose, and a strong 
 buckle; a second strap^ without a buckle, but with a 
 loop made by doubling over one end of the strap and 
 sewing it strongly. This strap should not be less than 
 five feet in length, A common bridle^ with stout reins 
 and bit, will answer for ordinary horses, but for vicious 
 
PREPARATIONS. 
 
 823 
 
 animals inclined to bite, a wooden gag-bit^ as in Fig. 49, 
 is used by Mr. Karey. A long 
 huggy whip^ with a good cracker, 
 should be kept near at hand. If 
 you intend to ride the horse after 
 his lesson, your saddle should be 
 accessible, or be handed to you at 
 the right time. If there is danger 
 of the horse hurting his knees, a 
 pair oflcnee-pads should be provid- 
 ed (Fig. 50), the body of which 
 (h) is made of felt ; c is a leather 
 shield ; a is the strap, with a 
 buckle, and for a part of its length 
 is of Indian rubber, to give it 
 
 elasticity. Fiq. 50.— Knee-pai 
 
 The Enclosure. — Horses have been trained by the 
 expert, on the open ground, where soft and free from stones, 
 &c. — or in a barn, or bullock yard, well supplied with 
 straw or tan, — being sure that there are no beams or posts 
 against which the horse or his trainer may be hurt. It is far 
 preferable to have a suitable enclosure about 30 feet square, 
 the fence so high that the horse cannot see over it, and 
 the floor covered a foot deep with straw, tan, or saw-dust. 
 It is of importance that the horse should see or hear no 
 person or object beyond the enclosure, to distract his atten- 
 tion. If the horse is very vicious, the enclosure may have 
 a half-door by which a gradual acquaintance with the 
 horse may be formed. Mr. Rarey advises, that even with 
 the worst horses but one person should enter the enclosure 
 with the animal. 
 
 To Stable the Horse, — Mr, Rarey gives some excel- 
 lent hints for the stabling and haltering of the colt or horse, 
 which it is undesirable to repeat here, but the points to be 
 
824 
 
 observed are : — never to frighten or run after him ; patiently 
 follow -him around the pasture or field until he enters the 
 enclosure you intend for him, or by leading a steady horse 
 into the stable gradually entice the colt to follow ; do not 
 throw up your arms, or halloo at him, but bj^ gentle 
 methods accomplish your object. 
 
 To APPROACH THE HoRSE. — Enter the stable or enclo- 
 sure quietly, and if the horse shows signs of fear, 
 stand, at the entrance without moving until he shows no 
 uneasiness ; then approach him a step or two, and if he is 
 again afraid, stop a few moments. Again step toward him, 
 stopping whenever he appears alarmed. Your arms should 
 be stationary, the right hanging by your side, and the left 
 hand projected -toward the horse, but not at full length. 
 Approach him toward the shoulder, and if he moves a lit- 
 tle forward or backward, step cautiously more to the right 
 or left. AVhen you are within reach he will turn his head 
 to smell your hand ; do not move it at first, but encourage 
 him to touch it with his nose ; graduallj^ touch his head and 
 neck, stroking him the way the hair lies, speaking all the 
 time in a gentle tone, repeating the same words as '' Ho ! 
 my boy," " Pretty boy," " Nice Lady," &c. The accustom- 
 ing the horse from the first, to the sound of the voice, is 
 deemed of great importance. 
 
 After you have gentled your horse a little, take your 
 halter in your left hand and approach him as before. After 
 again rubbing and soothing him, put the end of the strap 
 around his neck, slowly get his nose into the halter and 
 buckle it. The halter should have a long strap or rope, so 
 that if he wish to walk to the opposite side of the stable 
 he can do so. Do not tug at the halter, but gradually 
 begin to control him by pulling him to one side : never go 
 before and attempt to pull him after you. When he is 
 somewhat accustomed to the halter, a suitable bridle, as 
 
THE PEOCKSS ICXPLAINED. 825 
 
 previously described, should be put on him before proceed 
 ing further in the process. 
 
 Tying up the Leg. — With ordinary horses this is not 
 a difificult feat, after the preliminary steps, but in some 
 cases even Mr. Rarey himself has taken two hours before 
 he could accomplish it. Soothing, gentle means are the 
 only ones to be used, such as rubbing and handling the 
 legs, until you can take up the foot as if for shoeing. Then 
 put the noose of strap, Fig. 48, around the left fore leg, just 
 below the fetlock, and draw it snug. Raise the foot and 
 pass the strap around the fore-arm, and buckle it. If the 
 horse is to be laid down on the left side, the buckle should 
 be on the inside of the leg, so that it can be easily reached 
 when he is down. You may now handle or go about your 
 horse with more freedom, as he cannot kick, and will not 
 be able to run very fast. It is well to lead him about for 
 some time, in this condition, before proceeding further. 
 Fig. 51 represents the horse at this stage of the proceedings. 
 
 Laying the Horse Down. — Next, the surcingle is 
 to be buckled on, and the second strap is put around 
 the right fore-leg, below the fetlock, drawing the noose 
 tightly, and passing the end through the surcingle, 
 as in Fig. 51. The horse is now made to hop, and the 
 moment he moves his right leg the strap is drawn tightly, 
 so as to bring the leg in the same position as the other. 
 Tills will cause him for a moment to come upon his 
 Ivuees, Yfhen the strap may have another turn around 
 the surcingle to secure it. The struggle now com- 
 mences. He rears on his hind legs, and springs violently 
 about, so that some agility is required to keep up with 
 him, but you are merely to follow him about, guiding 
 him as well as you can, so that he does not injure, him- 
 self, keeping close to his side, just behind the shoulder, 
 holding the bridle in the left hand, and the end of strap 
 
826 rarey's horse-taming. 
 
 No. 2 in tlie riglit. See Fig. 52. This demands more self- 
 possession than strength, as bojs, and even ladies, have 
 successfully laid down large horses, and few or no serious 
 accidents are recorded. The struggle rarely continues 
 longer than from five to ten minutes, and no horse has been 
 known to hold out for more than fifteen minutes. 
 
 It is not necessary to oppose the horse by violently 
 pulling on the bridle, but merely use the reins to steer him 
 away from the walls of the enclosure ; or, if he be obstinate, 
 he may be compelled to walk backwards until he is tired 
 out. When he finally sinks forward on his knees exhausted, 
 you can, by pulling the off rein firmly, bring him over 
 upon his left side. If he make a second attempt at resist- 
 ance, so much the better, as his subjugation will be more 
 complete after he gives up. 
 
 When completely subdued and upon his side, begin to 
 caress and soothe him, rubbing his head, neck and legs, 
 speaking kindly to him as you move about him, and 
 he should be repeatedly stroked and handled wherever 
 he is disposed to be "•touchy." Any articles he is in- 
 clined to fear may be brought to him, and placed upon 
 him, such as a Buffalo robe, umbrella, saddle, or harness. 
 Mount him yourself quietly, to convince him you will 
 do him no harm. After all resistance has ceased, you 
 may remove his straps, and continue the rubbing and 
 your soothing attentions. If he attempt to rise, you may 
 hold him down by the head, or by doubling up a fore 
 leg, as at first, but if he is too quick for you, do not con- 
 tend with him, but let him rise, and again tie his feet, 
 and Iny him down. After working with him thus for 
 an hour, encourage him to rise, and, after an interval of 
 a few hours, repeat the lesson ; indeed, two or three les- 
 sons per day may be advantageously given to an obstinate 
 animal. After each, and whenever he shows submission, 
 
VICES AND BAD HABITS. 827 
 
 reward him by caresses, soothing words, or a lock of hay. 
 This wins for you his gratitude and affection, and with a 
 little pains, he will readily follow you and obey your call. 
 
 VICES AND BAD HABITS. 
 
 Bearing. — This is a vice which is not very common, at 
 least in a dangerous form. It can generally be prevented 
 by the use of the martingale. 
 
 Another good preventive, in the case of saddle-horses, 
 is, when the horse is about to rise, to touch him with the 
 spur, on one side only ; this will cause him to stop to lift 
 the hind leg on that side, and if he persists in his attempt 
 the spurs may be used vigorously, first on one side, and 
 then on the other, but not so fast as to prevent the horse 
 from raising his hind legs alternately, as he is spurred. 
 The least touch of the curb bit will cause some vicious and 
 badly trained horses to rear, while those which have been 
 thoroughly trained, as by the system of Baucher, will rear 
 slightly, to a great height, or not at all, as their rider may 
 desire ; but it is obvious that horses so delicately trained 
 should not be ridden by unskilful persons, lest the awk- 
 wardness of the rider should cause unexpected curveting. 
 
 Kicking. — It is impossible for a horse to kick, while 
 one of his fore legs is strapped up, as we have described ; 
 and if a horse has the habit of kicking in harness, he 
 may be driven a few times with only three legs to walk 
 on. -We may, after that, have a strap, long enough to 
 reach to the hand when in the wagon, fastened around 
 the pastern of the near side fore leg, and passing through 
 a ring in the harness. We now drive the horse slowly^ 
 and, at the first laying back of the ears, jerk up the foot, 
 and leave him powerless to kick. In this manner this 
 worst of all vices, in harness horses, may be effectually and 
 permanently cured. 
 
328 
 
 Pulling Back on the Halter. — This is a vice whicL 
 has probably arisen from the horse having, at some time, 
 broken a weak halter in a fit of impatience. The only safe 
 cure for it, and this is not always successful, is to tie the 
 horse with a very strong halter, which it will be impossible 
 for him to break; finding that his efforts are futile, he 
 will, after a time, usually desist from pulling, — though 
 some incorrigible brutes will try every new halter as soon 
 as they are fastened, and will break it if possible. 
 
 Shying is a most dangerous vice, the treatment of which 
 is thus described by Stonehenge : 
 
 Shying is sometimes the effect of fear, and sometimes 
 of vice ; and there are many horses which begin by the 
 former and end with the latter, in consequence of misman- 
 agement. The young colt is almost always more or less 
 shy, especially if he is brought at once from the retired 
 fields where he was reared, to the streets of a busy town. 
 There are, however, numberless varieties of shyers, some 
 being dreadfully alarmed by one kind of object, which to 
 another is not at all formidable. When a horse finds that he 
 gains his object by turning round, he will often repeat the 
 turning without cause, pretending to be alarmed, and 
 looking out for excuses for it. This is not at all uncommon, 
 and with timid riders leads to a discontinuance of the ride, 
 by which the horse gains his end for the time, and repeats 
 the trick on the first occasion. In genuine shjdng from 
 fear, the eyes are generall}^ more or less defective ; but 
 sometimes this is not the cause, which is founded upon a 
 general irritability of the nervous .system. Thus, there 
 are many which never shy at meeting wagons, or other 
 similar objects, but which almost drop with fear on a small 
 bird flying out of a hedge, or any other startling sound. 
 These are also worse, because they give no notice, whereas 
 
1 
 
 Fiff. 54. 
 
VICES AND BAD HABITS. O'Z'd 
 
 the ordinary shyer almost always shows by his ears that 
 he is prepared to turn. 
 
 For shyers the only remedy is, to take as little notice 
 as possible, to make light of the occurrence, speak encour- 
 agingly, yet rather severely, and to get them hy the object 
 somehow or other. If needful, the aid of the spur and 
 whip may be called in, but not as a punishment. If the 
 horse can be urged to go by the object at which he is shying 
 without the w:hip or spur, so much the better; but if not, he 
 must be compelled to do so by their use. Whenever fear 
 is the cause of shying, punishment only adds to that fear 
 but where vice has supplanted fear, severity should be 
 used to correct it. As a general rule the whip need never 
 be used, unless the horse turns absolutely round, and not 
 then unless there is reason to suspect that he is pretending 
 fear. If only he will go by the object, even \^\\h ' a wide 
 berth,' as the sailors say, he may be suffered to go on his 
 way unpunished; and nothing is so bad as the absurd 
 severity which some horsemen exercise after the horse has 
 conquered his reluctance, and passed the object. At this 
 time he should be praised and patted, with all the encour- 
 agement which can be given ; and on no account should 
 he be taught to make those rushes which we so commonly 
 see on the road, from the improper use of the whip and 
 spur. If punishment is necessary at all, it must be used 
 beforehand; but it often happens that the rider cannot 
 spare his whip-hand until the shying is over ; and then, in 
 his passion, he does not reflect that the time is gone by for 
 its employment. 
 
 Baulking or Jibbing. — On this subject, Mr. Earey 
 writes as follows : When your horse baulks, or is a little 
 excited, if he wants to start quickly, or looks around 
 and doesn't want to go, there is something wrong, 
 and he needs kind treatment immediately. Caress him 
 
300 
 
 kiiidlj, and if lie doesn't understand at once what jou 
 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 you are calm, and keep down the excitement 
 of the horse, there are ten chances that you will make him 
 understand you, where there would not be one under harsh 
 treatment ; and then the little flare up will not carry with 
 it any unfavorable recollections, and be will soon forget all 
 about it, and learn to pull trulj^. Almost every wrong act 
 the horse commits is from mismanagement, fear, or excite- 
 ment : one harsh word will so excite a nervous horse as to 
 increase his pulse ten beats in a minute. 
 
 When we remember that we are dealing with dumb 
 brutes, and reflect how difficult it must be for them to un- 
 derstand our motions, signs, and language, we should 
 never get out of patience with them because they don't 
 understand us, or wonder at their doing things wrong. 
 With all our intellect, if we were placed in the horse's 
 situation, it would be difficult for us to understand the 
 driving of some foreigner, of foreign ways and foreign lan- 
 guage. We should always recollect that our ways and 
 language are just as foreign and unknown to the horse as 
 any language in the world is to us, and should try to prac- 
 tise what we could understand, were we the horse, endeav- 
 oring by some simple means to work on his understanding 
 rather than on the different parts of his body. All baulked 
 horses can be started true and stead}^ in a few minutes' 
 time: they are all willing to pull as soon as they know 
 how, and I never yet found a baulked horse that I could 
 not teach to start his load in fifteen, and often less than 
 three, minutes' time. 
 
 Almost any team, when first baulked, 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 
 
VICES AND BAD HABITS. 831 
 
 voice, and turn tliem a little to tlie right or left, so as to 
 get them both in motion before they feel the pinch of the 
 load. But if you want to start a team that you are not 
 driving yourself, that has been baulked, fooled, and \vhi]> 
 ped for some time, go to them and hang the lines on their 
 hames, or fasten them to the wagon, so that they will be 
 perfectly loose ; make the driver and spectators (if there 
 are any) stand off some distance to one side, so as not to 
 attract the attention of the horses ; unloose their check- 
 reins, 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, gent- 
 ling them : it will make them a little more kind, and the 
 spectators will think that you are doing something that 
 they do not understand, and will not learn the secret. 
 When you have them ready to start, stand before them, 
 and, as you seldom have but one baulky 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 on you. Turn them gently to the right, without 
 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 then turn them back to the left, by the same process. 
 You will then have them under your control by this time ; 
 and as you turn them again to the right, steady them in 
 the collar, and you can take them where you please. 
 
 There is a quicker process that will generally start a 
 baulky horse, but not so sure. Stand him a little ahead, 
 so that his shoulders will be against the collar, and then 
 take up one of his fore feet in jonv hand, and let the driver 
 start them, and when the weight comes against his shoul- 
 ders he will try to step ; then let him have his foot, and he 
 
332 rarey's horse-taming. 
 
 will go right along. If you want to break a horse from 
 baulking that has long been in that habit, you ought to 
 set apart a half-day for that purpose. Put him by the side 
 of some steady horse ; have driving reins on them ; tie up 
 all the traces and straps, so that there will be nothing to 
 excite them ; do not rein tliem up, but let them have their 
 he.cids loose. Walk them about together for some time as 
 slowly and lazily as possible ; stop often, and go up to 
 your baulky horse and gentle him. Do not take any whip 
 about him, or do anything to excite him, but keep him 
 just as quiet as you can. He will soon learn to start off 
 at the word, and stop whenever you tell him. 
 
 As soon as he performs rightly, hitch him in an empty 
 wagon ; have it standing in a favorable position for start- 
 ing. It would be well to shorten the trace-chain behind 
 the steady horse, so that, if it is necessary, he can take the 
 weight of the wagon the first time you start them. Do 
 not drive more than a few rods at first ; watch your jibbing 
 horse closely, and if you see that he is getting excited, stop 
 him before he stops of his own accord, caress him a little, 
 and start again. As soon as they go well, drive them over 
 a small hill a few times, and then over a larger one, occa- 
 sionally adding a little load. This process will make any 
 horse true to pull. 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 BACIKG. 
 
 TRAINING FOR THE RACE — THE STABLES — FEEDING AND EXERCISE — LAWS OP 
 RACING — TABLE OF WEIGHTS FOR AGES — HANDICAPPING. 
 
 By Racing, in the proper acceptation of the term, is meant 
 a trial of speed between running horses. Match-trotting, 
 although more in vogue in this country, is less intimately 
 connected with the science of breeding horses, which it is 
 one of the objects of this work to discuss. 
 
 With the moral bearing of the subject of horse-racing 
 we have nothing to do. It is used as a means for im- 
 proving the breed of horses, and this result is certainly 
 attained, for there can be no doubt that more capital is de- 
 voted, and more attention given, to the raising of thorough- 
 bred horses than could be expected to take this channel if 
 no such remunerative market for fine horses existed. It 
 is true that the thorough-bred horse is frequently of but 
 very little practical use for anything but racing and breed- 
 ing, but as a getter of horses for all kinds of ordinary 
 work, whether for the saddle or harness, he is not only 
 unequalled, but almost indispensable, since without him 
 we could not have for any kind of work so good an animal 
 as it is possible to get by an infusion of thorough blood. 
 Even if it were probable that thorough-bred horses would 
 
 [333] 
 
834 RACING. 
 
 be raised in perfection without the stimulus of racing, there 
 would be no means for ascertaining which of them was 
 the best for transmitting the two important qualities of 
 speed and bottom (or endurance) ; no other test would so 
 fully make known these qualities. 
 
 To give the reader an idea of the manner in which horses 
 are trained for racing, and of the management of the race 
 itself, we condense the following account from the best 
 writers on the subject, in England, (where horse-racing is 
 a national pastime, Parliament adjourning on the day of 
 the great Derby race at Epsom,) and from the rules of the 
 English "Jockey Club." A careful study of the manner 
 in which horses are trained for racing cannot fail to give 
 some valuable suggestions as to keeping working and 
 pleasure horses in a proper condition for the performance 
 of their labor. 
 
 Traiyiing- stables are necessarily located near a good 
 piece of ground upon which to exercise the horses. This 
 should be, if possible, of such a character that it will never 
 get either very soft in wet, nor very hard in dry weather. 
 A piece of deep old turf, on land which is thoroughly 
 well drained, either naturally or artificially, is best for the 
 purpose. The stables themselves should be roomy, and 
 well ventilated ; and it is desirable to have them rather 
 dark than light, as the horses get the necessary amount of 
 light in taking their exercise, and as they will be more 
 ready to take their feed, and to rest themselves after hard 
 work, in tolerably dark stables. The best form for the 
 stable is probably a compromise between stalls and loose 
 boxes which keep their inmates entirely secluded, — that 
 is, large stalls, about ten feet in length and six feet in 
 width, closed at the rear with a door which can be locked, 
 when it is desirable to allow the horse to move about 
 at pleasure in his apartment, and boarded up only to a 
 
TRAINING-STABLES. 335 
 
 height of six feet ; the remaining space, from the top of 
 the partition to the ceiling, which should be from ten to 
 twelve feet from the floor, being supplied with iron bars, 
 which will allow the horses to see each other ; and which 
 will make the stable generally warmer in winter, and 
 allow a better circulation of air in summer. A cheap 
 arrangement of shutters, to entirely close up the barred 
 space, will confine the heat to the stables which are 
 occupied. 
 
 Training establishments are usually supplied with sad- 
 dles, of various forms, weights, and sizes ; bridles ; bits, of 
 every form; rollers, straps, knee-caps and boots, and 
 clothing in every conceivable variety ; also with the simpler 
 remedies for the ordinary ailments of horses in training. 
 Before the training commences the horse should be ex- 
 amined as to his health, form, and temper, as well as to 
 his pedigree. This examination is one of the most respon- 
 sible duties of the trainer, and its object is to put him in 
 possession of as many facts as possible as to the points of 
 strength and weakness of the horse, whether acquired or 
 inherited. By the deductions therefrom made, he decides 
 in what way it is best to treat his subject so as to develope 
 his powers, with the least risk of injuring his health or 
 disposition. The average length of time required for 
 training is about six months, during which the horse un- 
 dergoes three different stages of treatment, the object being 
 to remove all unnecessary fat from the external and in- 
 ternal parts of the body, to put the heart and lungs in 
 the best condition for the performance of their functions, 
 and to give, by means of exercise and nutritious food, the 
 greatest possible amount of strength and endurance. 
 
 The first preparation, as far as exercise is concerned, 
 consists mainly of walking, which removes excess of fat, 
 and gives hardness and endurance to the legs. After it 
 
336 KACING. 
 
 has been continued for from two to four weeks, according 
 to tlie condition of the horse, he has his first sweaty which is 
 given by galloping him moderatel}^, under heavy clothing ; 
 if it be desirable to greatly reduce any part of the body 
 in particular, as, for instance, the neck or shoulders, these 
 parts are more heavily laden with blankets than the rest 
 of the body. Immediately after the perspiration has be- 
 gun to flow freely, the horse should be well scraped, and 
 then rubbed dry, by four boys working as rapidly as pos- 
 sible. During the first preparation an occasional short 
 gallop is allowed, to vary the monotony of the work, but 
 it must be only a very gentle one ; and toward the last 
 these may be somewhat increased, if the horse is evidently 
 in condition to bear the extra work without being put 
 back in his training. The sweats are continued at inter- 
 vals during the whole time of the first preparation, this 
 matter being decided by the trainer from his knowledge 
 of the character of the horse. Light doses of physic are 
 also given, from time to time, as they may be required. 
 
 During the second preparation, the feed, which was 
 eight quarts of oats per day at first, is raised to ten quarts ; 
 the sweats are more frequent, and the gallops are more 
 frequent and more severe, the object being to improve the 
 wind as well as the legs and muscles. 
 
 In the third or final preparation, the work is made more 
 severe, the feeding is managed with the utmost care, being 
 small in quantity and highly nutritious. The water, as 
 well as oats and hay (all of which must be of the very best 
 quality), should be given in such a way as to produce the 
 best results. 
 
 The stable must at all times be kept scrupulously clean. 
 Every circumstance which can possibly have an influence 
 on the condition of the horse is taken into the account, 
 0.11(1 fdtlifuUv roQ-arded. The sweats, at fir.st, are fj^ross 
 
LAWS OF RACING. 337 
 
 and lathery, but towards the last they are little more than 
 water. From this fact the progress of the horse's training 
 may be approximately ascertained. The legs are hand- 
 rubbed, at least fifteen minutes each, every day. 
 
 During the whole time of training there is a great lia- 
 bility to all manner of accidents and diseases, and the 
 trainer finds, in the treatment of such cases, no small part 
 of his labor, while nothing can be more vexatious than to 
 see a horse, whose final preparation is in the full tide of 
 successful experiment, thrown out of the race by a casu- 
 alty, such as "breaking down," or "Curb." 
 
 LAWS OF RACIt^G. 
 
 The following are some of the rules of the Jockey Club 
 of England : — 
 
 " The Age of all horses is taken from the 1st of Jan- 
 uary. 
 
 " In Catch Weights any person can ride without going 
 to scale. A Feather Weight is defined to be 4 stone, 
 but the usual declaration must be made if the jockey in- 
 tends to ride more than that weight. 
 
 " A Maiden horse or mare is one that has never won. 
 An Untried stallion or mare is one whose produce has 
 never started in public. 
 
 " Jockeys Must Kide their horses to the usual place of 
 weighing, and he that dismounts beforehand, or wants 
 weight, is distanced, unless he is disabled by accident, in 
 which case he may be led or carried to the scale. If a 
 jockey fall from his horse, and the horse be rode in firom 
 the place where the rider fell by a person of sufficient 
 weight, he may take his place the same as if the rider had 
 not fallen. (At Newmarket, jockeys are required to weigh 
 before as well as after the race.) 
 
 " Every Jockey is Allowed 2 lbs. above the weight 
 15 
 
838 BACING. 
 
 specified for his horse ; but should any horse carry more 
 ihan 2 lbs. above his weight without having declared it, 
 he will be considered distanced, although he came in first. 
 
 " Heats. — For the best of the plate, when three heats are 
 run, the horse is second which wins one heat. For the best 
 of the heats, the horse is second that beats the other horse 
 twice out of three times though he do not win a heat. When 
 a plate is won by two heats, the preference of the horses is 
 determined by the second heat. When a plate is given to 
 the winner of the best of three heats, a horse must be the 
 actual winner of two heats, even though no horse appear 
 against him for both or either of the heats. When three 
 horses have each won a heat, they only must start for a 
 fourth. In running heats, a dead heat goes for nothing, 
 and all the horses may start again, unless it be between 
 two horses that had each won a heat. Horses drawn be- 
 fore the plate is won are distanced. No distance in a 
 fourth heat. 
 
 " False Description". — JSTo horse will be deemed the 
 winner of any race which shall be proved to have run 
 under a false description ; the disqualification to remain in 
 force until his pedigree be ascertained and recorded. No 
 objection can be made after the lapse of twelve months 
 from the time of running. 
 
 " Allowance of Weight to the produce of untried 
 horses or mares must be claimed at the time of running. 
 Extra weight and allowances for not winning are not ac- 
 cumulative unless particularly specified. Extra weights 
 for running are enforced up to the time of running. 
 
 " Fictitious Name. — When any person enters a horse 
 or subscribes, under a fictitious name, or in the name of a 
 person not fully identified at the time, he will be considered 
 in all respects as the owner of the horse, and as the sub- 
 scriber to the stake. The stewards of the Jockey Club 
 
LAWS OF RACING. 339 
 
 have power to call upon a nominator to produce testimony 
 tliat the horse named is not the property, either wholly or 
 in part, of any person whose name appears in the list of 
 defaulters; and if he fail to do so, they may cause the 
 nomination to be erased. 
 
 " Examination of Mouth. — When the age or qualifi- 
 cation of a horse is objected to, either before or after run- 
 ning, the stewards have power to order the examination 
 of the horse's mouth, by competent persons, and to call for 
 such evidence as they may require, and their decision is 
 final. The person requiring the horse's mouth to be ex- 
 amined, at Newmarket, must pay the expenses of such ex- 
 amination, unless it should prove that the horse is of the 
 wrong age, in which case the Jockey Club will pay it. 
 
 " Fraudulent Owners, &c. — If a horse shall run, or be 
 brought to run, for any race, in England or elsewhere, and 
 shall be proved not to be of the age represented, the Jockey 
 Club have power to disqualify for ever the owner, or part 
 owner, trainer, groom, or person having the care of such 
 horse at the time, from running or training any horse 
 where the rules of the Jockey Club apply, and from being 
 employed by any member of the Club. And any horse 
 thus fraudulently entered or run, is for ever disqualified 
 for running in any race whatever. 
 
 ''Non-payment of Stakes. — Ko person can start a 
 horse for any race, either in his own name or that of any 
 other person, unless both the owner and namer shall have 
 paid all former stakes and forfeits before the time fixed for 
 starting for the first race. This rule extends to forfeits due 
 elsewhere than at Kewmarket, provided a notice of them 
 be delivered by ten o'clock in the evening preceding the 
 day of running. 
 
 *' Defaulters. — No person in arrear for stakes or for- 
 feits, after application for payment, and no person note- 
 
810 RACING. 
 
 riouslj a defaulter in respect of bets, can enter and run in 
 his own name, or in that of any other person, any horse of 
 which he is wholly or in part owner. And to prevent any 
 evasion of this rule, the stewards have power to call upon 
 the nominator to procure satisfactory testimony that such 
 is not the case, and on failure of such proof may cause the 
 nomination to be erased ; and the nominator v/ill be held 
 liable for the stakes or forfeits thereon. And no horse 
 trained by any groom or person thus in default, or in any 
 way under the care of a person in default, will be per- 
 mitted to start. Should any horse, coming under the 
 above regulations, be mistakingly permitted to start, he 
 will not be considered a winner, though he should come 
 in first; and the subscriber will have to pay the whole 
 stake, as for a beaten horse. (This rule does not apply at 
 Newmarket, but at most of the principal races elsewhere.) 
 
 " Liabilities of Sellers and Purchasers. — When a 
 horse is sold with his engagements, the seller has not the 
 power of striking the horse out ; but, as the original sub- 
 scriber remains liable for the forfeits, he may, if compelled 
 to pay them, place them on the forfeit-list, as due from 
 the purchaser to himself; and both the purchaser and the 
 horse remain under the same disabilities as if the pur- 
 chaser had been ^' the original subscriber. In all cases of 
 private sale the written acknowledgment of both parties 
 that the horse was sold with the engagement is necessary 
 to entitle either buyer or seller to the benefit of this rule. 
 
 " Forfeits may be Paid. — When a person has a horse 
 engaged in the name of another party, who may be on the 
 list of defaulters, he may, if he pay this forfeit, start his 
 horse, leaving the forfeit on the list, and substituting his 
 own name for that of the person to whom it was pre 
 viously due. He may take the same course in respect to 
 forfeits not on the list. 
 
TABLE OF WEIGHTS. 
 
 341 
 
 ^' Non-Declaration" of Forfeits. — When a person 
 takes a nomination for a stake, in which the forfeit is to be 
 declared by a particular time, and does not declare forfeit 
 by the time fixed, he takes the engagement on himself, 
 and his name will be substituted for that of the original 
 subscriber." 
 
 The following is Admiral Rous' scale of standard 
 weights for ages : — 
 
 
 
 
 HALF 
 
 A MILE. 
 
 
 
 
 Age. 
 
 April 1. 
 
 May 1 
 
 June 1. 
 
 St. lb. 
 5 12 
 
 7 10 
 
 8 7 
 8 7^ 
 
 July 1. 
 
 Aug. 1. 
 
 ■Sept. 1. 
 
 Oct. 1. 
 
 Nov. 1. 
 
 Years. 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5, 6, and a. 
 
 St. lb. 
 5 2 
 
 7 5 
 
 8 7 
 8 9 
 
 St. lb. 
 5 7 
 
 7 7^ 
 
 8 7 
 8 8 
 
 St. lb. 
 
 6 1 
 
 7 13 
 
 8 7 
 8 7 
 
 St. lb. 
 6 3 
 
 8 
 
 8 7 
 8 7 
 
 St. lb. 
 6 5 
 
 8 1 
 
 8 7 
 8 7 
 
 St. lb. 
 6 7 
 
 8 n 
 
 8 7" 
 8 7 
 
 St. ib. 
 6 8 
 8 2 
 
 8 7 
 8 7 
 
 T. Y. C, OR SIX FURLONGS. 
 
 
 2 
 
 4 9 
 
 4 13 
 
 5 3 
 
 5 6 
 
 5 8 
 
 5 10 
 
 5 12 
 
 6 
 
 
 3 
 
 7 2 
 
 7 4 
 
 7 6 
 
 7 7i 
 
 7 9 
 
 7 10 
 
 7 11 
 
 7 12 
 
 
 4 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 6,6, 
 
 and a. 
 
 8 13 
 
 8 12 
 
 8 Hi 
 
 8 11 
 
 8 lOi 
 
 8 10 
 
 8 9 
 
 8 8 
 
 
 
 
 ONE 
 
 MILE. 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 4 2 
 
 4 4 
 
 4 7 
 
 4 10 
 
 4 13 
 
 5 2 
 
 5 4 
 
 5 5 
 
 3 
 
 6 12 
 
 6 13 
 
 7 1 
 
 7 4 
 
 7 6 
 
 7 7 
 
 7 8 
 
 7 9 
 
 4 
 
 8 1 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 5 
 
 9 
 
 8 134 
 
 8 13 
 
 8 12. \ 
 
 8 12 
 
 8 HI 
 
 8 11 
 
 8 10 
 
 6 and a. 
 
 9 1 
 
 9 
 
 8 13.^ 
 
 8 13 
 
 8 12 
 
 8 11.^ 
 
 8 11 
 
 8 10 
 
 
 
 
 TWO MILES 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 2 
 
 4 7 
 
 4 9 
 
 4 11 
 
 3 
 
 6 3 
 
 6 7 
 
 6 12 
 
 7 
 
 7 2 
 
 7 5 
 
 7 6 
 
 7 7 
 
 4 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 5 
 
 9 2 
 
 9 U 
 
 9 1 
 
 9 O.J 
 
 9 
 
 8 13 
 
 8 12 
 
 8 llj 
 
 6 and a. 
 
 9 5.^ 
 
 9 5 
 
 9 3}r 
 
 9 3 
 
 9 2 
 
 9 1^ 
 
 8 13 
 
 8 12 
 
 THREE MILES. 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 4 4 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 6 4 
 
 6 8 
 
 6 11 
 
 6 IS 
 
 7 
 
 7 2 
 
 7 4 
 
 4 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 5 
 
 9 4 
 
 9 3 
 
 9 2 
 
 9 U 
 
 9 1 
 
 9 OJ 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 Cauda. 
 
 9 8 
 
 9 6^ 
 
 9 6 
 
 9 5 
 
 9 4 
 
 9 3 
 
 9 2 
 
 9 1 
 
842 
 
 RACING. 
 
 
 
 
 FOUR MILES. 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 5 10 
 
 6 
 
 6 4 
 
 6 7 
 
 6 9 
 
 6 ]0^- 
 
 t) 12 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 8 7 
 
 5 
 
 9 6 
 
 9 5 
 
 9 4 
 
 9 3 
 
 9 2; 
 
 9 2 
 
 9 IJ 
 
 9 1 
 
 6 
 
 9 11 
 
 9 9 
 
 9 8.1- 
 
 9 7 
 
 9 6 
 
 9 5 
 
 9 4 
 
 9 4 
 
 aged 
 
 9 13 
 
 9 10 
 
 9 9 
 
 9 7 
 
 9 6 
 
 9 5 
 
 9 4 
 
 9 4 
 
 Mares to be allowed 5 lb. from April to June 1st; 3 lb. from June 1st to 
 September 1st: 2 lb. from September 1st to November. Geldings allowed 
 3 lb. throughout the year. 
 
 The stone is 14 lbs. 
 
 HANDICAPPING. 
 
 By handicapping is meant an adjustment to the dif- 
 ferent horses entered for a race of such different weights 
 as will equalize their powers, and give them all equal 
 chances for winning the race. The person who makes the 
 adjustment is called the "handicapper," and it is his duty 
 to inform himself of the character of each horse, of the 
 running that he has previously made, of his age, and in 
 short of every circumstance which can effect his running 
 in the race in view. 
 
 Although very much in vogue, it is a system which 
 encourages more dishonesty than any other connected with 
 the turf, inasmuch as it offers a premium for fraud, by 
 making it appear, to the " handicapper," at least, that one's 
 horse is a poor one, when he is quite the reverse. The 
 means by which this is accomplished are as many and 
 as dishonorable as they are notorious. A horse will, at 
 times, be made to lose every race for a whole season, in 
 order that in a " handicap" race, for which he is being pre- 
 pared, he may be weighted as lightly as possible, and that 
 then, with the extra power which has been kept in abey- 
 ance, he may easily win a prize which repays ten-fold the 
 losses of the early part of the season. The whole system 
 has done more to bring discredit on the racing of horses 
 
HANDICAPPING. 843 
 
 than any tiling else connected with it, especially in Eng- 
 land, where handicapping is much more general than in 
 this country. Without it, it is possible to make horse- 
 racing respectable ; with it, it will be more difficult than 
 ever to divorce it from the fraud and rascality which it is 
 said to foster. 
 
 The speed of the best race-horses is from 13^ to 14 
 seconds per furlong, or from 1 m. 48 s. to 1 m. 52 s. per 
 mile. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 
 
 The homcbopathic treatment of disease is based on the 
 discovery of Hahnemann, and its fundamental principle is : 
 
 " In order to cure a disease, select such a remedy as is 
 capable of producing a similar malady in a healthy person, 
 and of such a remedy prescribe only a small dose." 
 
 Without any discussion as to the truth of this theory, 
 there is a sufficient reason for the preparation of this chap- 
 ter, in the fact that a large and intelligent class of persons 
 prefer this system of practice, and there can be no doubt 
 that it is as well adapted to the diseases of animals as to 
 those of the human family. 
 
 The practice of "Veterinary Homceopathy has been popu- 
 larized by several valuable works, to two of which we are 
 much indebted in the compilation of this chapter — " The 
 New Manual of Veterinary Homoeopathic Medicine," by J. 
 C. Schoefer, translated by Ch. J. Hempel, M. D., and " The 
 Hand Book of Veterinary HomoBopathy," by John Rush, — 
 published by Wm. Radde, N. Y. The reader is referred 
 to these works for the treatment of complicated cases. 
 
 The remedies used in homoeopathic treatment should be 
 prepared with the greatest care, and are usually in the 
 form of liquid solutions. They can be purchased at pres- 
 ent only at certain places in large towns ; but as they may 
 be kept for a very long time, and are not expensive, and 
 
 [844] 
 
LIST OF MEDICINES. 
 
 845 
 
 as a very small quantity will suffice for years, it will be 
 found most convenient to procure sets of the remedies, 
 which are neatly put up in boxes. The following list of 
 medicines will be found sufficient for the ordinary diseases 
 of the horse. The first column gives the names which are 
 used in the prescriptions, the second gives the abbreviations 
 with which the bottles are labelled, and the third gives the 
 English signification of the Latin terms. 
 
 LATIN. 
 
 ABBBEVIATION. 
 
 ENGLISH. 
 
 Aconitum napellus, 
 
 Aeon. 
 
 Wolfs bane. 
 
 jViTiTTionium muriaticum, 
 
 Am. mur. 
 
 Muriate of ammonia. 
 
 Antimonium crudum, 
 
 Ant. or. 
 
 Antimony. 
 
 Arnica montana, 
 
 Am. 
 
 Leopard's bane. 
 
 Arsenicum album, 
 
 Ars. 
 
 Arsenic. 
 
 Belladonna, 
 
 Bell. 
 
 Deadly nightshade. 
 
 Bryonia alba, 
 
 Bry. 
 
 White bryony. 
 
 Calcaria carbonica, 
 
 Calc. carb. 
 
 Carbonate of lime. 
 
 Campora, 
 
 Camph. 
 
 Camphor. 
 
 Cannabis satira, 
 
 Can. sat. 
 
 Hemp. 
 
 Cantharides, 
 
 Canth. 
 
 Spanish fly. 
 
 Carbo vegetabilis, 
 
 Carb. veg. 
 
 Vegetable. 
 
 Causticum, 
 
 Caust. 
 
 Caustic. 
 
 Chamomilla, 
 
 Cham. 
 
 Chamoinile flower. 
 
 China, 
 
 Chin. 
 
 Peruvian bark. 
 
 Cina, 
 
 Cin. 
 
 Wormseed. 
 
 Colchicum autumale, 
 
 Colch. 
 
 Meadow safiron. 
 
 Colocynthis, 
 
 
 
 Conium maculatum. 
 
 Con. 
 
 Hemlock. 
 
 Dulcamara, 
 
 Dulc. 
 
 Bittersweet. 
 
 Euphrasia officinalis, 
 
 Euphr. 
 
 Eye bright. 
 
 Hepar sulpliuris, 
 
 Hep. 
 
 Liver of sulphur. 
 
 Hyoscyamus niger, 
 
 Hyoc. 
 
 Henbane. 
 
 Ipecacuanha, 
 
 Ipec. 
 
 Ipecacuanha root. 
 
 Kali carbonicum. 
 
 Kal. carb. 
 
 Carbonate of potash. 
 
 Lycopodium, 
 
 Lye. 
 
 Clubb moss. 
 
 Mercurius corrosivus, 
 
 Merc. cor. 
 
 Corrosive sublimate. 
 
 15* 
 
 
 
846 
 
 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 
 
 Mercurius solubilis, 
 
 Merc. sol. 
 
 Soluble mercury. 
 
 Mercurius vivus, 
 
 Merc. V. 
 
 Quicksilver. 
 
 Natrum muriaticum, 
 
 Nat. mur. 
 
 Kitchen salt. 
 
 Nitrum, 
 
 Nitr. 
 
 Saltpetre. 
 
 Nux vomica, 
 
 Nux. V. 
 
 YomJc nut. 
 
 Opium, 
 
 Op. 
 
 White poppy. 
 
 Phosphorus, 
 
 Phos. 
 
 Phosphorus. 
 
 Platina, 
 
 Plat. 
 
 Platina. 
 
 Pulsatilla, 
 
 Puis. 
 
 Meadow anemone, 
 
 Rhus Toxicodendron, 
 
 Rhus t. 
 
 Sumach. 
 
 Sabina, 
 
 Sab. 
 
 Savina. 
 
 Secale cornutum, 
 
 Sec. 
 
 Spurred rye. 
 
 Sepia, 
 
 Sep. 
 
 Cuttle fish. 
 
 Silicea, 
 
 Sil. 
 
 Silex. 
 
 Spongia marinatosta, 
 
 Spong. 
 
 Burnt sponge. 
 
 Squilla maritina, 
 
 Squil. 
 
 Sea onion. 
 
 Stramonium, 
 
 Stram. 
 
 Stiukweed. 
 
 Sulphur, 
 
 Sulph. 
 
 Brimstone, 
 
 Thuja occidentalis, 
 
 Thuj. 
 
 Tree of Life. 
 
 Veratrum album, 
 
 Verat. 
 
 White hellbore 
 
 Tartarus emeticus, 
 
 
 Tartar emetic. 
 Nitric acid. 
 Phosphoric acid. 
 Tincture sulphur. 
 
 The remedies being in a liquid form, the best means of 
 administering them to the horse is, to put six drops on a 
 small piece of bread, or on a wafer of flour paste, and to 
 raise the horse's head a little, '' press down the tongue to 
 one side, and pull it out as far as may be, and then place 
 the wafer as far back as possible ; after which the mouth 
 is held closed with the hand, in order to compel the animal 
 to swallow the wafer." Schoefer says : In some cases the 
 dose has to be repeated ; but all useless and improper rep- 
 etitions should be avoided. If no change of any kind 
 should take place after the first dose, this is a sure sign 
 that the medicine had been improperly selected, and that a 
 
DIRECTIONS FOR ADMINISTERING MEDICINES. 847 
 
 second dose of tlie same remedy would not do any more 
 good than the former had done. In this case we have to 
 review the symptoms a second time, and to select a different 
 remedy. If the first dose should produce a favorable 
 change in the symptoms of the disease, and this change 
 should again be followed by an aggravation, it is proper to 
 give a second dose of the same remedy. If the symptoms 
 should become aggravated after the first dose, we should 
 not all at once resort to a different remedy ; for this aggra- 
 vation might be what we have termed homoeopathic aggra- 
 vation, which would soon be followed by a favorable re- 
 action. In all very acute diseases that run a rapid course, 
 and after one, two, or four weeks, terminate in death or re- 
 covery, such as Glanders, Pleura, Pneumonia, et cetera, the 
 dose should be repeated every five, ten, or fifteen minutes. 
 
 In such dangerous maladies, the first dose is often fol- 
 lowed by a visible improvement, which soon ceases, how- 
 ever : this is the time to repeat the dose, and a second dose 
 may then be eminently useful. In chronic diseases that 
 run a long course, the medicine may be repeated every 
 day, or every two, three, or four days. In such cases the 
 rule is, likewise, not to interfere with an incipient improve- 
 ment by giving another dose of the same or some other 
 remedy. 
 
 If the improvement stops, the medicine may be repeat- 
 ed, and if no improvement at all should set in after a rea- 
 sonable lapse of time, another medicine may be chosen. 
 Among the class of chronic diseases we number all ner- 
 vous and mental diseases, lingering fevers, etc. An im- 
 proper remedy does not produce any very injurious effects ; 
 for a homoeopathic remedy only acts upon a disease to which 
 the medicine is really homoeopathic : otherwise the small- 
 ness of the dose is such that the medicine cannot possibly 
 
348 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATIIY. 
 
 affect the organism. All that we have to do is, to give 
 another remedy, and endeavor to avoid mistakes for the 
 future. Homoeopathic remedies may be applied externally 
 in the case of burns, and other injuries. We use princi- 
 pally Arnica, Symphytum, and Urtica-urens, from twenty 
 to thirty drops in a half pint of water, and this mixture 
 to be applied to the part according to directions. 
 
 A proper diet in the case of sick domestic animals is 
 of great importance. All applications, quack medicines, 
 etc., that might interfere with the regular treatment, have 
 to be avoided. Injections of water mixed with a little salt 
 on soap are allowable. The usual feed may be continued. 
 « « * * * * * Half an hour, at least, should 
 elapse, between the feeding and taking of the medicine. 
 
 On the treatment of the sick animal, Eush says : 
 
 Treatment of a sick animal. As soon as an animal is dis- 
 covered to be unwell, let it be immediately placed in a 
 house by itself ; this is necessary both for the welfare of 
 the sick animal and for the safety of the others. The 
 house that the animal is placed in ought to be warm, well- 
 lighted and ventilated, and above all, kept scrupulously 
 clean. Let the person who attends to the wants of the 
 animal be very cautious to approach in a quiet manner, 
 never make any unnecessary noise, or do any thing 
 that would tend to irritate the animal when in a state of 
 health. 
 
 With regard to diet. In acute diseases no food whatever 
 ought to be given until improvement has taken place, and 
 even then only in a sparing manner; the articles of diet 
 most suitable are bran, oats, hay, carrots, Swede turnips, 
 and green food, either grass or clover. 
 
 The bran may be given either dry or wetted, whichever 
 way the animal prefers it. 
 
REMEDIES. c49 
 
 Oats may be given mixed with tbc bran, either raw and 
 crushed, or whole and boiled. 
 
 It is necessary to keep the animal without food or water 
 half an hour before and after administering the medicine. 
 
 Repetition of the dose. In acute diseases it is necessary to 
 repeat the dose every five, ten, fif teen, or twenty minutes. 
 
 In less acute diseases, every two, four, six, or eight hours. 
 
 In chronic diseases, once in twenty-four hours is suffi- 
 cient. 
 
 KEMEDIES FOR SPECIFIC DISEASES. 
 t 
 
 MANGE. 
 
 The principal medicine to be used in this disease is Sul- 
 phur, of which six drops must be given every day for two 
 or three weeks ; afterwards the following medicines will be 
 found useful — Arsenicum, Sepioe, and Rhus toxicodendron. 
 
 Arsenicum, if the hair falls ofif and the skin becomes 
 loose and flabby, or if there are ulcers with hard red 
 edges. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops night and morning. 
 
 Sepioe, if the parts affected are tender, and the animal 
 shrinks when touched, or if there are white-looking blisters, 
 filled with a watery fluid. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops night and morning. 
 
 Rhus toxicodendron, if there are hard elevated patches 
 or scabs that do not fall off of themselves, and if taken off, 
 others soon form in their places. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops three times a day until better. 
 
 FARCY. 
 
 REMEDIES. Aconite, Arsenicum, China, Rhus Toxico- 
 dendron, and Thuja Occidentalis. 
 
 Aconite^ if accompanied with fever, in which case the 
 
850 VETEEINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 
 
 swelling is hot and painful, the animal refuses to eat, is 
 restless, and moves about from place to place. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or twelve globules, three or four 'times a day. 
 Arsenicum and China alternately, if the swelling is cold. 
 
 Dose. — The same as prescribed for Aconite. 
 Rhus toxicodendron^ if with the hot swelling there is great 
 stiffness of the limb. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or eight globules, morning, noon and night. 
 Thuja occidentalism if there are any pimples or hard 
 patches, or if the animal frequently stretches the limbs, and 
 a crackling noise is heard at the s&e time. 
 
 Dose. — The same as recommended for Rhus toxicodendron. 
 
 GREASE. 
 
 "REMEDIES. Thuja occidentalism Secale cornuiumy Ai^sen- 
 icum.m Mercurius vivus, and Sulphur. 
 
 Thuja occidentalism both internally and externally, if 
 there are bluish or brownish .excrescences, which bleed on 
 the least touch, and there is a discharge of fetid iclior. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops three times a day; at the same time the parts may be 
 bathed with the strong tincture night and morning. 
 
 Secale cornutum and Arsenicum may be used in alterna- 
 tion, if there is a watery swelling or dark looking ulcers, 
 with fetid discharge. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Thuja occidentalis, internally. 
 Mercurius vivus, when there are numerous small ulcers 
 that discbarge a thick matter, and bleed when touched. 
 Dose. — Six or eight drops twice a day. 
 
 It is necessary to give a dose of Sulphur once a week 
 during the treatment, and keep the legs clean by washing 
 them with warm water. 
 
REMEDIES. 851 
 
 FOUNDER. 
 
 REMEDIES. Aconite^ Bryonia^ Veratrum, Arsenicum^ 
 and Rhus toxicodendron. 
 
 Aconite^ if there is inflammation, the animal stands as if 
 rooted to one spot, the breathing is hurried and interrupted, 
 the breath is hot, and the pulse accelerated. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops every one, two or three hours. 
 
 Bryonia, complete stiffness of the limbs, with swelling 
 of the joints. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops every two hours. 
 
 Veratrum^ if it is brought on by violent exercise. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Bryonia. 
 Arsenicum, if it is caused by bad or heating food, or 
 after a cold drink when overheated. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Aconite. 
 Rhus toxicodendron^ if there is much pain in the feet, and 
 the animal is very stiff in his movements. 
 Dose. — Six drops or eight globules three times a day ; at the same time 
 the limbs may be bathed with a solution of Rhus, externally, twice a day. 
 
 HIDE BOUND. 
 
 REMEDIES. Arsenicum^ Antimonium crvdum, Mercu- 
 rius vivits, and Sulphur. 
 
 Arsenicum^ if there are hard scurfy patches about the 
 skin, coldness of the skin, general emaciation, loss of 
 strength. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or six globules three times a day until better. 
 
 Antimonium crudum^ if there are rough scales on the 
 skin, coat very rough, loss of appetite, and excessive 
 thirst. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops in a little water night and morning. 
 
 Mercurius vivus, if the animal has fits of shivering, the 
 
852 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 
 
 hair falls off from various parts and leaves the skin of a 
 dull leaden color, voracious appetite or unnatural appe- 
 tite, eating of dirty litter and even dung. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or six globules niglit and morning. 
 Sulphur^ as an intermediate remedy, may be given twice 
 a week during the whole treatment. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops in a little water. 
 
 THRUSH. 
 
 This disease is of frequent occurrence, where proper 
 care is not taken as regards cleanliness, by allowing the 
 horse to be continually standing on moist litter or in his 
 dung, whereby the frog becomes soft and tender, and there. 
 is a discharge of fetid pus and matter from the cleft of the 
 frog. For the cure of this disease cleanliness is requisite, 
 and to place the animal upon a dry or sandy bottom. 
 
 REMEDIES. Tincture sulphuris^ Phosphoric acid, Squil- 
 
 la, and Arsenicum. 
 
 Tincture sulphuris is considered most specific for this 
 
 disease. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops night and morning until better. 
 
 Phosphoric acid is useful, especially if the preceding rem- 
 edy has been of little benefit. 
 
 Dose. — The same as of Tincture Sulphur. 
 JSquilla, if there is a fever or inflammation of the parts. 
 Dose. — Four drops twice a day until the inflammation is subdued. 
 Arsenicum^ if the discharge is very fetid, and there is 
 lameness, the foot very hot and painful. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops three times a day. 
 
 Megrims. 
 
 REMEDIES. Aconite, Belladonna, Arnica, Opium, and 
 Sulphur. 
 
REMEDIES. 853 
 
 Aconite will be serviceable, and may always be given, 
 especially if during an attack the horse falls down and 
 then tries to get up again without succeeding. 
 
 Dose. — Four drops every hour until relieved, after which it may be re- 
 peated at longer intervals, increasing them until the horse is entirely 
 
 cured. 
 
 Belladonna^ if the animal turns quickly round, falls 
 down and continues alternately to struggle and lie quietly. 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Aconite. 
 
 Arnica^ if the disease is supposed to arise from mechan- 
 ical injury. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops every one, two or three hours, according to the sever- 
 ity of the case. 
 
 Opium^ if the animal lies in a stupid state as if dead. 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Arnica. 
 
 The medicine ought to be given two or three times a 
 day, for a week after an attack, to prevent its recurrence, 
 finishing with a dose or two of Sulphur in the same man- 
 ner as directed for the other remedies, only at longer inter- 
 vals. 
 
 TNFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN. 
 
 REMEDIES. Aconite^ Belladonna^ Yeratrum^ and Opium, 
 Aconite^ in the very commencement of this disease, if 
 the pulse is accelerated, fever, congestion towards the 
 brain, rapid breathing, and trembling of the whole body. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops every twenty minutes until several doses have been 
 
 taken, or the more violent symptoms subdued, after which the next 
 
 remedy should be taken into consideration. 
 
 Belladonna^ if the animal has a wild, staring, fixed look, 
 dashes furiously and unconsciously about, which is indica- 
 tive of violent congestion of the brain. 
 
oo4 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops put upon tlie tongue every fifteen or thirty minutes, 
 until the violence of the attack is subdued. 
 
 Verainim, if the legs and ears are icj cold, with convul- 
 sive trembling of the whole body, or where there is a 
 reeling, staggering motion, and the animal plunges vio- 
 lently and falls down head foremost. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Belladonna. 
 
 Opiurii^ if after the paroxysms the animal remains mo- 
 tionless, with fixed, staring eyes, the tongue of a black 
 or leaden color. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops every half, one or two hours, according to circum- 
 stances. 
 
 REMEDIES. Aconite^ Nux vomica, Dulcamara^ Rhus 
 toxicodendron, Bryonia, Arsenicum, Mercurius vivus, and 
 Pulsatilla. 
 
 Aconite will be useful in the beginning of the disease, 
 if there is fever and heat of the body, restlessness, short 
 hurried breathing, violent thirst, urine fiery red, and the 
 discharge from the nose impeded. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or six globules every three hours until better. 
 
 Nux vomica, if during the prevalence of north-easterly 
 winds, and if the mouth is dry, tongue coated white, an 
 offensive earthy odor emitted from the mouth, and a thin 
 watery or thick bloody discharge from the nose. 
 Dose. — Six drops or six globules twice a day. 
 
 Dulcamara, if the attack was brought on from exposure 
 to wet, and the animal is dull and drowsy, the tongue 
 coated with a thick sticking phlegm. 
 
 Dose.— The same as directed for Nux vomica. 
 
 Rhus toxicodendron, if short dry cough, great accumulation 
 
REMEDIES. 355 
 
 of mucus in the nose, without being able to discharge it, 
 obstructed respiration, frequent sneezing, and restlessness. 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules three times a day. 
 Bryonia^ if there is difficulty in breathing, dry spasmodic 
 cough, swelling of the nose, profuse corjza, or crusts of 
 hardened mucus in the nose. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Rhus toxicodendron. 
 Arsenicum^ if the discharge from the nose continues too 
 long, is acrid and corroding to the nostrils, dry cough, sneez- 
 ing, with discharge of watery mucus from the nose. 
 Dose. — Six drops twice a day. 
 Mercurius vivus^ in the first stage of the disease, if there 
 is swelling of the nose, profuse coryza with much sneez- 
 ing. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or six globules three times a day. 
 
 Pulsatilla^ if the cough is loose, discharge of greenish 
 fetid matter from the nose. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Mercurius vivus. 
 
 COUGH. 
 
 . KEMEDIES. Dulcamara, Nux vomica^ Squilla^ Bryonia^ 
 Ammonium muriaticum, Brosera, Pulsatilla, and Lycopo- 
 dium. 
 
 Dulcamara, if it follows cold, especially if the cold cornea 
 on from wet, and there is a discharge from the nose. 
 
 Dose. — Four or six drops three or four times a day until better. 
 ' Nux vomica, if the cough is dry, and the cough comes 
 on when first leaving the stable. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Dulcamara. 
 Squilla, if the animal makes a groaning noise before 
 coughing, and the whole body shakes from coughing. 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules two or three times a day. 
 
366 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 
 
 Bryonia, if tlie cough is of several weeks' standing, and 
 worse from motion. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops night and morning. 
 Ammonium muriaticum, if the horse appears to be 
 choked or about to vomit, loss of flesh, the skin sticks to 
 the ribs. 
 Dose. — Four drops every three hours until improvement is manifest. 
 Drosera, if the cough is of long standing, worse at night 
 when the animal lies down. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops night and morning. 
 Pulsatilla, if the animal is timid and easily frightened, 
 or if with the cough there is a bad smelling clischarge from 
 the nostrils. 
 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules every three hours. 
 Lycopodium, if the cough is excited or worse after 
 drinking, and comes on in fits, coughing a great many- 
 times in rapid succession. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops three times a day. 
 Attention ought to be paid to diet in this disease ; no 
 inferior food should be given, such as the animal must eat 
 a large quantity of to keep itself alive ; but whatever is 
 given should be good, and that moistened with coZci water ; 
 carrots are very good, either raw or boiled. 
 
 SORE THROAT. 
 
 REMEDIES. Aconite, Mercurius vivus, Belladonna, 
 Spongia, Lycopodium, and Sulphur. 
 
 Aconite, if there is much fever, accompanied with dry 
 heat of the skin, the parts affected inflamed and red, vio- 
 lent thirst, and difficulty in swallowing. 
 
 Dose. — Four drops every two hours, until the febrile symptoms have 
 ameliorated, after which give the next remedy. 
 
REMEDIES. 857 
 
 Mercurius vivusj if there is much saliva in the month, 
 enlargement and swelling of the glands of the neck, diffi- 
 cult deglutition, symptoms worse toward night. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or eight globules three times a day until better. 
 
 Belladonna, if there is difficulty in breathing, shrinking 
 when the throat is touched, as the slightest pressure causes 
 a choking sensation, difficulty of swallowing, especially 
 fluids, which are returned through the nose. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Mercurius. 
 
 Spongia, if the breathing is very difficult, accompanied 
 with a rattling kind of sound, the animal has an anxious 
 countenance, turns his head from side to side and appears 
 to be suffocating. 
 
 Dose. — Four or six globules every two hours. 
 
 Lycopodium, if the animal sweats,' and the swelling is 
 most under the jaw, the membrane inside the nose and lips 
 yellow, the mouth smells very badly. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops night and morning until better. 
 
 Sulphur, in obstinate cases, if the swelling is extensive, 
 painful constriction with difficult deglutition. 
 Dose. — The same as of Lycopodium. 
 
 INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS. 
 
 EEMEDIES. Aconite, Phosphorus, Bryonia, Belladonna^ 
 Tartar emetic, Hepar sul2:>hur, Mercurius vivus. Ipecacuanha, 
 Rhus toxicodendron, Squilla, and Sulphur, 
 
 Aconite, in the very commencement, if there is much. 
 fever, quick and full pulse, thirst, hurried respiration, dry 
 heat of the skin. It is considered the sheet anchor for this 
 disease, as well as for all cases of inflammation, if it is 
 resorted to immediately at the commencement of an attach. 
 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules every fifteen, twenty or thirty minutes, 
 until some amelioration of the most violent symptoms takes place, which 
 
858 VETERINARY HOMOEOPATHY. 
 
 may generally be seen at the end of two or three hours ; it may then be 
 administered at longer intervals, in alternation with the next following 
 
 remedy. 
 
 Phosphorus may be used in alternation with. Aconite^ when 
 the more violent febrile symptoms have been subdued. 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules every one, two or three hours, accord- 
 ing to the violence of the symptoms. 
 
 Bryonia^ if the breathing is difficult, especially if with 
 each respiration there is heard a grunting sound. 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Phosphorus. 
 
 Belladonna^ if the breathing is hurried, and a rattling 
 noise is heard in the throat, short dry cough occasioning a 
 spasmodic constriction of the throat and chest. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Phosphorus. 
 Tartar emetic^ if the breathing is short and difficult, cough 
 coming on in paroxysms, irregular, almost imperceptible 
 pulse ; it is especially useful if hepatization is supposed to 
 have commenced. 
 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules every three or four hours. 
 Hepar sulphur^ frequent deep breathing, with wheezing, 
 expectoration of tenacious mucus, as if tubercles or ab- 
 scesses had formed. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops three times a day. 
 Mercurius vivus^ if there is much discharge, dry cough 
 oppressed breathing, pulse feeble, frequent sweating. 
 Dose. — The same as prescribed for Hepar sulphur. 
 Ipecacuanha^ if the breathing is rapid and anxious, rat- 
 tling noise in the throat when breathing, eyes red and in- 
 flamed. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops every one, two or three hours, according to the vio 
 lence of the case. 
 
KEMEDIES. 859 
 
 Rhus toxicodendron^ if there is o]Dpres3ion and haaving 
 of the chest in breathing, the nose red, inflamed and pain- 
 ful to the touch, and the animal has his legs widely sepa- 
 rated. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Ipecacuanha. 
 
 jSquilla, violent painful cough, breathing quick and anx- 
 ious, constant desire to nrinate. 
 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules every three hours. 
 
 Sulphur^ rattling in the chest on breathing, relieved by 
 expectoration, cough dry, with discharge of lumpy, green- 
 ish mucus as if abscesses had formed. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Hepar sulphur. 
 
 The animal must be debarred from food till the violence 
 of the disease is abated, and then it ought to be sparingly 
 given for some time. Cold bran mashes, carrots, and a 
 little sweet hay may be given. After a day or two, if all 
 goes on favorably, a few oats may be allowed ; cold soft 
 water, frequently refreshed, should be constantly kept 
 within reach of the horse. 
 
 If the legs are cold, they must be rubbed with the hands, 
 and flannel bandages applied ; the usual practice is to use 
 straw or hay bands, but these are too cumbrous, and fre- 
 quently irritate the animal, and consequently do more 
 harm than good. 
 
 INFLUENZA. 
 REMEDIES. Aconite^ Mercurius vivus^ Belladonna^ Ar- 
 senicum^ and Bryonia. 
 
 Aconite is generally required to commence the treatment 
 with, if the disease assumes an inflammatory character, and 
 there is fever, dry cough, violent sneezing, and running 
 from the nose. 
 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules every three hours. 
 
860 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 
 
 Mercurius vivus, if witli the sore throat there is profuse 
 secretion of saliva, the animal sweats, watering of the eyes 
 and intolerance of light. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops three times a day. 
 Belladonna, if the head is affected, the eyes prominent 
 and inflamed, inability to swallow, especially fluids. 
 Dose. — The same as directed for AcoEite. 
 Arsenicum, if there is great weakness, general heat of 
 tlie body, loose evacuations, sometimes bloody, discharge 
 of bloody matter from the nose, great thirst. 
 
 Dose. — Four or six drops three times a day, 
 
 Bryonia is useful, if the febrile symptoms do not give 
 way after using Aconite, and the discharge from the nose 
 stops, and the breathing becomes affected. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Aconite. 
 
 COLIC OR GRIPES. 
 
 REMEDIES. Aconite, Arsenicum, Nux vomica, Opium^ 
 Chamomilla, Colcliicum, Cantharis, Hyoscyamus, and Colo- 
 cynth. 
 
 Aconite, in the commencement if there is dryness of the 
 mouth, the ears are either hot or cold, breath hot, pulse 
 accelerated. 
 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules every fifteen or thirty minutes, 
 
 according to the urgency of the case, if no relief is obtained after the 
 
 third dose, proceed then with the next remedy. 
 
 Arsenicum, if the disease depends on indigestion, food 
 of bad quality, drinking cold water when heated, or if it 
 is caused by a constipated state of the bowels, in which case 
 it is considered to be specific. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops every half, one or two hours. 
 
 I have succeeded in curing a great number of cases 
 
REMEDIES. 361 
 
 with these two medicines ; I generally, after giving two or 
 three doses of Aconite^ give Arsenicum and Aconite alter- 
 nately. 
 
 Nux vomica^ is useful for colic from constipation, when 
 the animal walks slowly round, and then lies or falls down 
 suddenly, bloated appearance of one or both flanks. 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Arsenicum. 
 
 Opium^ if Nux vomica fails to remove the constipation, 
 or if the excrements are very dry, hard and dark colored 
 nearly black, and the animal lies stretched out as if dead. 
 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules every one, two or three hours, accord- 
 ing to the urgency of the case. 
 
 Ghamomilla^ if the bowels are relaxed, the animal is 
 very restless, frequently lying down and getting up ; an 
 attack of pain soon followed by an evacuation, swelling of 
 the abdomen, extremities cold, especially the ears. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops every one or two hours, according to the severity of 
 the case, until better. 
 
 Cokhicum^ if the disease is caused by green food, and 
 there is flatulent distension of the abdomen, protrusion of 
 the rectum, the animal strikes at his belly with his hinder 
 feet. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Chamomilla. 
 
 CanthariSj if there is a troublesome retention of urine, 
 and the animal often places himself in position to pass 
 urine, but only succeeds in passing a few drops ; if this 
 remedy does not relieve, give Hyoscyu^nius. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Chamomilla. 
 
 INDIGESTION. 
 
 EEMEDIES. Antimonium crudum^ Ipecacuanha^ Niix 
 vomica^ Arsenicum^ China, Silicea, and Sulphur. 
 16 
 
862 • VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 
 
 Antimonium crudurUj if there is total loss of appetite, 
 rough staring coat, evacuations watery and stinking, crav- 
 ing for drink. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or ten globules night and morning. 
 
 Ipecacuanha, if there is aversion to food, or vomiting of 
 food and mucus, stools green and fetid. 
 
 Dose. — The same as of Antimonium crudum, or they may be given 
 
 alternately. 
 
 Nux vomica is useful, if it arises from cold in the spring 
 of the year, and there is constipation, or the animal stands 
 in a stupid, drowsy state for hours together, without chang- 
 ing his position. 
 
 Dose. — The same as prescribed for Antimonium crudum. 
 
 Arsenicum, if the derangement of the stomach is of long 
 standing, the skin becomes hard in different places, with 
 or without diarrhoea, but it is more particularly indicated 
 when the stools are watery or bloody. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops once or twice a day according to circumstances. 
 
 China, if it is a young horse that has been overworked, 
 especially if there is much debility and loss of appetite. 
 
 Dose. — Four drops or six globules three times a day until better. 
 
 Silicea, if the animal sweats from the least exertion. 
 Dose. — The same as directed for China. 
 
 Sulphur may be given as an intercurrent remedy in any 
 stage of the disease. 
 
 DIARRHOEA. 
 
 EEMEDIES. Bryonia, Arsenicum, Sulphur, Chamo- 
 milla, Pulsatilla, Dulcamara, China, Carho vegetahilis, and 
 Colocynthis. 
 
 Bryonia, if there is alternately diarrhoea and constipation. 
 
REMEDIES. S63 
 
 or if brought on by sudden changes of temperature, espe- 
 cially from beat to cold. 
 
 Dose. — Six or eight globules every three or four hours. 
 Arsenicum^ if it is the result of green or unwholesome 
 food, and the discharges are watery, with or without pain. 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Bryonia. 
 Sulphur and Arsejiicum may be given in alternation if the 
 evacuations are bloody and very oJffensive ; also in chronic 
 diseases. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Bryonia. 
 Carho vegetahilis^ if the discharges are very offensive and 
 approach putridity. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or eight globules every four or six hours. 
 Chamomilla^ if there is swelling of the abdomen, evacu- 
 ations greenish, and the animal is restless. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Bryonia. 
 Pulsatilla^ if the evacuations are frequent and full of 
 air bubbles, flatulent state of the bowels, aversion to food. 
 Dose. — Six drops or eight globules three or four times a day. 
 Dulcamara^ especially in summer, if it has been brought 
 on by taking cold after getting wet, and the evacuations 
 are watery, accompanied with colic. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Pulsatilla. 
 China, if the diarrhoea is of an intermittent character. 
 
 Dose. — The same as the preceding remedy. 
 Colocynthis, if approaching dysentery, with colic, and the 
 evacuations consist of slime and blood. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops every one, two or three hours, according to the vio- 
 lence of the case. 
 
 INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. 
 
 REMEDIES. Aconite, Arsenicum, Rhus toxicodendron, 
 Colocynthis, Nux vomica^ Caniharis, and Arnica. 
 
36-± VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 
 
 Aconite is the chief remedy to be depended upon in this 
 disease, and should be fi-equentlj administered till a calm 
 is established, which generally takes place in about an hour. 
 Dose. — Six drops or eight globules every ten or fifteen minutes, until 
 
 relieved. 
 
 Arsenicum^ if after the use of Acoyiite some symptoms 
 still remain, especially if the disease has been produced by 
 green food, or by drinking cold water when heated. 
 Dose. — Six drops every half, one or two hours, or at longer intervals^ if 
 the disease is not very violent. 
 
 RhvjS toxicodendron^ if the extremities are alternately hot 
 and cold, with sweating of the belly, and a frequent dis- 
 charge of urine. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Arsenicum. 
 Colocynthis^ if Arsenicum does not remove all the symp- 
 toms, especially if it is accompanied with colic, and there are 
 bloody evacuations. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or eight globules every half or one hour. 
 Nux vomica or Opium^ if after the disease is cured there 
 remains a constipated state of the bowels. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops night and morning. 
 Oantharis or Hyoscyamus^ if there is retention of urine. 
 Arnica will be useful in very obstinate cases, if the dis- 
 charges are very fetid, frequently small stools consi,sting 
 only of slime. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops every one or two hours, until better. 
 
 WOEMS. 
 
 KEMEDIES. Cina^ Sulphur^ and Mercurius soluhilis. 
 Cina, if there is a discharge of worms, violent itching of 
 the parts, causing the animal constantly to rub. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or eight globules three times a day. 
 
REMEDIES. 365 
 
 Sulphur^ discharge of lumbrici, with hard stool. 
 Dose. — The same as of Cina. 
 
 Mercurius solubiHs, if there is violent heaving of the' 
 flanks, discharge of large worms, soreness of the anus. 
 Dose. — Six or eight drops twice a day. 
 
 Then there are the ascarides, small dark or red worms ; 
 these sometimes exist in immense quantities, and hun- 
 dreds are often voided at one time. 
 
 KEMEDIES. Cina, Digitalis, Stramonium, Sulphur, and 
 Arsenicum. 
 
 Cina, symptoms similar to those indicating its use in 
 
 lumbrici. 
 
 Dose. — The same as above stated. 
 
 Digitalis may be given if the animal wastes away, and 
 
 there is diarrhoea. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops twice a day. 
 
 Stramonium is useful if the horse rubs himself behind. 
 Dose. — The same as of Digitalis. 
 
 There are several other varieties of worms ; but the 
 symptoms are too complicated to be treated from any 
 directions that can be given; but generally Cina and 
 Sulphur will be found beneficial. I have also seen great 
 improvement from a dose or two of Arsenicum. 
 
 INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 
 
 REMEDIES. Aconite, Arnica, Dulcamara, Cantharis, 
 Cannabis, and Mercurius vivus. 
 
 Aconite in the beginning, if the animal is very uneasy, 
 and the urine is fiery red, depositing a thick muddy sedi- 
 ment. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops two or three times a day. 
 
 Arnica, if it is the result of an injury. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops or eight globules night and morning. 
 
VETEKINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 
 
 Dulcamara^ if it supervenes after exposure to wet. 
 Dose. — The same as of Arnica. 
 • Cantharis^ if there are frequent and painful emissions 
 of bloody urine, in small quantities, trembling of the 
 hinder extremities, which are wide apart, and the back 
 arched. 
 
 Dose. — Six drops three or four times a day, until relieved. 
 Cannabis^ if there is violent straining; the animal is 
 very restless, paws the ground, and strikes at the abdomen 
 with his feet. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Cantharis. 
 Mercurius vivus, if the animal sweats and the discharge 
 of urine is profuse. 
 
 Dose. — The same as directed for Cantharis. 
 
A GLOSSARY OF DISEASES. 
 
 ALBuao, - - 
 
 Anchylosis, - 
 
 Amaurosis, 
 Blood Spavin, 
 
 Bloody Urine, 
 
 Bog Spavin, - 
 Bone Spavin, - 
 
 BOTS, - - - 
 
 Break-down, - - - 
 
 Broken Knees, - - 
 
 Broken Wind, - - 
 Bruise op the Sole, 
 
 Partial dimness of the corner of the eye, with 
 whitish spots. 
 
 Loss of motion in joints ; bones grown together, 
 or ligaments contracted. 
 
 A sort of blindness called " glass eyes." 
 
 An enlargement of the sac which contains the 
 lubricating fluid of the hock joint. 
 
 An emission of blood, more or less mixed with 
 urine. 
 
 An aggravated form of blood spavin. 
 
 A bony enlargement of the lower part of the 
 hock joint on the inner side of the leg. 
 
 The larvae of the gad-fly. The eggs are de- 
 posited on the horse's hair, and after he licks 
 them off, and swallows them, they are hatched 
 in the stomach, where they adhere to its sur- 
 face. 
 
 Eupture of the sheath which confines the back 
 tendon of the leg. 
 
 Injury to the knees from falling. The skin is 
 broken, and, at times, the joint is opened. 
 
 Ruptui-e of the air-cells of the lungs ; heaves. 
 
 Injury, and consequent inflammation of the sensi- 
 ble, or inner sole, caused by pressure of a badly 
 fitting shoe, of gravel between the shoe and 
 the foot, &c. 
 
 [367] 
 
368 
 
 GLOSSARY OF DISEASES. 
 
 Capped Hock, 
 
 Catakact, 
 
 - A swelling of the point of the hock, behind^ 
 
 caused by an enlargement of a sac containing 
 synovial fluid, as in blood spavin. 
 
 - A disease of the eye. 
 
 Colic, Spasmodic, - A spasmodic action of the muscular coat over 
 certain parts of the intestines, without a cor- 
 responding activity of the wh ole. It pro- 
 duces an irregularity in the passage of the 
 food through the intestinal canal, and causes 
 great pain. 
 
 Colic, Flatulent, - An inflation of the bowels by gas emitted by 
 the fermentation of undigested food. 
 
 Contraction op the 
 
 Foot, A drawing together of the back part of the 
 
 foot, and an accompanying reduction of the 
 size of the frog. 
 
 Corn, A bruising of the sensible sole, and an accom. 
 
 panying rupture of its blood-vessels at the 
 angles, between the wall of the foot and the 
 bar. 
 
 Curb, ----- An enlargement of the back part of the hock, 
 three or four inches below its point, and a 
 strain of the ligaments of the tendon, or a 
 rupture of its sheath. 
 
 Diabetes, - - - - 
 Distemper,- - - - 
 Enteritis, - - - - 
 
 Falling in of the 
 Foot, 
 
 False Quarter, 
 
 Excessive urinating. 
 
 An epidemic catarrhal fever. 
 
 Inflammation of the external coats of the 
 stomach. 
 
 A depression of the front part of the wall of the 
 foot, caused by the descent of the coffin-bone 
 m pumiced feet. 
 
 A more or less complete separation of the hoof 
 as it grows down from the coronet. The re- 
 sult of injury to the coronet, or of neglected 
 quarter, crack, or quittor. 
 
GLOSSARY OF DISEASES. 369 
 
 Farcy, Obstruction of the absorbent vessels, whose duty 
 
 it is to remove useless matter from the various 
 organs. It is a stage of Glanders. 
 
 Fistula iic the 
 
 Withers, - - - A bad sore, resulting from neglected saddle- 
 galls on the withers. 
 
 Fistula in the Poll, Poll evil ; a troublesome ulcer on the top of the 
 head. 
 
 Foot, Cankeb in, - A growth of fungus matter (proud flesh) be- 
 tween the horn and sensible part of the 
 foot. 
 
 Founder, Acute, - An inflammation of the laminae of the foot, 
 originating in too hard work, or in cold. 
 
 Founder, Chronic, - This is a species of founder, insidious in its 
 attack, and destructive to the horse. It 
 produces less severe lameness than acute 
 founder. 
 
 Foot, Inflammation 
 
 OP, Acute founder. 
 
 Foot, Prick in the, - A wound of the laminae by a badly driven nail, 
 or the penetration of sharp substances to the 
 sensible sole, or frog. 
 
 Gall, Abrasion of the skin by the saddle or harness. 
 
 Glass Eye, - - - - See Amaurosis. 
 
 Glanders, - - - - A contagious disease, peculiar to horses, asses 
 and mules. It commences with a slight dis- 
 charge, generally from one nostril, but some- 
 times from both, and terminates in a complete 
 obstruction of the absorbent vessels, which 
 produces death. 
 
 Grease, ----- An inflammation of the skin of the heels, whicb 
 renders them dry and hard, and causes them 
 to crack. 
 
 Gripes, See Colic. 
 
 16* 
 
370 
 
 GLOSSARY OF DISEASES. 
 
 Grogoiness, - - - a weakness, and tottering condition of the fore 
 legs, accompanied, usually by a knuckling 
 over of the fetlock joint. 
 
 GuTTA Serena, - - See Amaurosis. 
 
 Heaves, - - - - See Broken Wind. 
 
 Hematuria, - - - See Bloody Urine. 
 
 Hernia, - - - - A protrusion of the intestines, through a natural 
 or artificial opening in the belly ; rupture. 
 
 Hide Bound, - - - Dryness and unyielding condition of the skin, 
 accompanied by a staring coat. 
 
 Itch, See Mange. 
 
 Jaundice, - - - - The introduction of the bile into the general 
 circulation. It is accompanied by a yellow 
 appearance of the skin when visible. 
 
 Lamp AS, ----- A swelling of the gums or bars of the mouth. 
 
 Laminitis, - - . - See Founder. 
 
 Laryngitis, - - - Inflammation of the upper part of the windpipe. 
 
 Locked Jaw, - - - A constant spasm, and rigidity of all of the 
 voluntary muscles. Usually fatal. 
 
 Luxation, - - - - Partial displacement of the bones of a joint. 
 
 Mallenders, - - - Scurfy eruptions on the inside of the knee of 
 the fore leg. 
 
 Mange, 
 
 Marasmus, - 
 Megrims, - 
 
 Moon Blindness, 
 
 Nasal Gleet, 
 
 - A pimpled eruption on the skin, with increasing 
 
 scabs. 
 
 - A decay or wasting of the whole body. 
 
 - A determination of blood to the head, causing 
 
 temporary unconsciousness, and often causing 
 the horse to stagger or fall. 
 
 - See Ophthalmia. 
 
 - An increased and thickened discharge from the 
 
 nostrils. 
 
GLOSSARY OF DISEASES. 
 
 871 
 
 Nasal Polypus, - 
 Navicular Disease, 
 
 Ophthalmia, - - 
 
 Overreaching, - ■ 
 
 Palsy, 
 
 Poll Evil, - - - - 
 Pumiced Foot, - - 
 
 QUITTOR, - - - - 
 QUIDDING THE FoOD, 
 
 Quarter Crack, - - 
 
 Rabies, 
 
 Ringbone, - - - - 
 
 Roaring, - - - - 
 Rupture, - - , - 
 
 A tumor hanging by a nick from the lining of 
 the nostril. 
 
 Injflammation, or anchylosis (growing together) 
 at the joint formed by the coffin-bone and the 
 lower pastern-bone, in connection with the 
 navicular-bone. 
 
 An inflammation of the eye which recurs at 
 regular intervals, and terminates in total 
 blindness of one or both eyes. It is some- 
 times called " Moon blindness." 
 
 Striking the fore legs with the shoe of the hind 
 foot in travelling. 
 
 A suspension of the nervous influence over the 
 muscles. 
 
 An inflammation at the top of the head, re- 
 sulting from a bruise or gall of that part. 
 
 A foot of which the sole, in consequence of 
 disease, descends to a level with or below the 
 wall of the hoof. 
 
 A deeply seated ulceration in the foot, resulting 
 from a neglected or badly treated wound. 
 
 Dropping the partly chewed food ; an indication 
 of sore throat. 
 
 See Sand Crack. 
 
 Hydrophobia. 
 
 A bony enlargement of the pastern near the 
 foot. 
 
 Noisy inspiration, resulting from an obstruc- 
 tion of the air passages of the throat or 
 lungs. 
 
 See Hernia. 
 
872 
 
 GLOSSARY OF DISEASES. 
 
 EUPTUEE OF THE SuS- 
 
 PENSOEY Ligament, 
 
 Sallendees, - 
 Sand Ceack, - 
 
 SCOUEING, 
 
 SiTFAST, - 
 
 Spavin, - - 
 Speedy Cut, 
 
 Splint, oe S'plent, - 
 
 Staggees, - - - 
 
 Staling, Peofuse, 
 Steangles, - - 
 
 Steanguey, - - 
 Steing Halt, - - 
 
 Suepeit, 
 
 Breaking of the ligament by which the sescu 
 moids, two small bones on the back part of 
 the pastern-joint are kept in place. 
 
 Scurfy eruptions on the inside of the hock-joint 
 of the hind leg. 
 
 A separation of the laminae of the hoof, forming 
 a crack up and down its wall ; when it occurs 
 in the front part of the hoof it is called " toe 
 crack ;" when on one side, " quarter-crack." 
 
 Looseness of the bowels. 
 
 A hardened integument on the back, resulting 
 
 from an obstinate saddle gall. 
 See Bone Spavin. 
 A wound on the inside of the fore leg, near the 
 
 kneee, made by the striking of the shoe of the 
 
 opposite foot in fast travelling. 
 
 A bony enlargement on the side of the leg be- 
 low the knee or hock. 
 
 See Megrims. 
 
 An excessive discharge of urine. 
 
 A disease, sometimes called " colt distemper." 
 A tumor forms under the jaw, and breathing 
 is rendered difficult ; in time the tumor breaks 
 and the patient recovers. 
 
 ''Inflammation or spasmodic affection of the 
 neck and bladder." 
 
 A sudden jerking up of one or both of the hind 
 legs, not entirely involuntarily, but to a 
 greater height than is natural, or than is in- 
 tended by the horse. 
 
 A disease much resembling mange, but usually 
 commencing on the neck. It arises in, or is 
 accompanied by, a closing of the pores of the 
 skin of the affected part. 
 
GLOSSARY OF DISEASES. 
 
 373 
 
 Tetanus, - - 
 Thick-wind, - 
 
 Thorough-fin, 
 
 Thrush, 
 
 Toe Crack, 
 Tread, - • 
 
 Warbles, - - - - 
 
 Washiness, - - - 
 
 Water-farcy, - - 
 
 Wheezing, - - - - 
 
 Wind, Broken, - - 
 
 Whirlbone Lame- 
 ness, - - - - - 
 
 Locked jaw. 
 
 Laborious breathing, resulting from a diminished 
 
 capacity of the lungs after disease. 
 A sort of wind-gall, or swelling upon the hock, 
 
 and between the cord and the bone. It can 
 
 be pressed through from side to side. 
 A softening of the frog of the foot, accompanied 
 
 by an offensive discharge of pus. 
 
 See Sand Crack. 
 
 A wound of the coronet, inflicted by other 
 
 feet. 
 Lumps in the back, resulting from neglected 
 
 saddle-galls. 
 Looseness of the bowels. 
 
 Local dropsy in the cellular membrane, resulting 
 from general debility. 
 . Asthmatic breathing. 
 See Broken Wind. 
 
 Lameness of the hip-joint. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 CARRIAGES. 
 
 STYLE OF CARRIAGES IN THE UNITED STATES — HOW TO BUY A CARRIAGE — 
 MUST BE ADAPTED TO ITS PURPOSE— THE "WHEEL — THE HUB — THE SPOKES — 
 THE TIRE — THE AXLE— THE SPRINGS — THE SHAFTS AND POLE— THE BODY — 
 THE TOP — THE LEATHER — THE PLATING — THE TRIMMING — THE PAINT- 
 ING—HINTS ON COLORS— HARMONY OF COLOR IN THE TRIMMINGS WITH 
 ladies' COMPLEXION AND DRESS— THE CARE OF THE CARRIAGE— WASH- 
 ING — LUBRICATING —REPAIRING. 
 
 In a countrj wliere riding in carriages is an almost uni- 
 versal custom among those who can afford to keep a horse, 
 the selection of a carriage, and the manner of taking care 
 of it, are subjects of no small importance. 
 
 The vehicle, as soon as it rises above the condition of a 
 ^' business wagon," and is constructed with a view to com- 
 fort, or elegance of appearance, and assumes the character 
 of a "carriage," becomes an article of luxury, although 
 by no means a useless one; and its selection is a question 
 which should exercise both the j udgment and the taste of 
 the purchaser. 
 
 No carriage can really look well if it does not look ser- 
 viceable. If for heavy work, it must be strong and 
 appear strong, without appearing heavy or unwieldy. If 
 for light work, it can hardly appear too light ; for it is so 
 generally known that delicately-made carriages may be 
 very strong, that the light appearance does not convey 
 an idea of weakness. If the carriage be intended to make 
 a rich display, it will be most beautifully finished when 
 most richly decorated. If to be used by persons of mod- 
 
 [874] 
 
STYLE. 375 
 
 est and retiring habit, it will be most beautifully finished 
 when it exhibits great simplicit}^, or an entire absence of 
 decoration. A royal state carriage, and a simple coup6 
 are both beautiful, though Avidely different. The simple 
 vehicle will usually be the most elegant, and the error, if 
 any, should be oq the safe side. 
 
 The style of carriages in the United States is, for all 
 descriptions, much lighter in appearance and in reality, 
 than in England. Something is undoubtedly sacrificed 
 on the score of strength and durability to this taste, but 
 as it cannot be supposed that Young America will, for this 
 generation at least, be content to drag about heavy lumber- 
 ing carriages of the European style, we may find some com- 
 pensation for the sacrifice in the fact, that what is lost in 
 wear of the carriage is gained in horse-flesh, and in the 
 speed and despatch with which our business, and even our 
 pleasure-driving is accomplished, — while we may justly 
 pride ourselves on having arrived more nearly at the maxi- 
 mum of strength for a minimum weight of wood and 
 iron, than any other people. 
 
 Economy and safety demand that the purchaser assure 
 himself that the carriage is sufficiently strong, and well 
 made for the service for which it is required. If intended 
 for use on city pavements or in stony districts, it must be 
 of the best possible quality of material and workmanship, 
 and a little extra weight in the wheels and axles is desir- 
 able. In all streets paved with stone, there are so many 
 inequalities, and so many unyielding obstacles to the 
 smooth moving of the wheels, that a single stick of un- 
 sound wood will usually soon make itself known, a bad 
 tire will most likely be broken, a bad bolt will become 
 loose or bent, and a bad spring will either be broken, or 
 lose its shape and elasticity. Of two carriages of exactly 
 the s^me appearance, and in precisely the same service, 
 
376 CARRIAGES. 
 
 one will last for years, while the other will give signs of 
 dissolution in a month. 
 
 In these hints to those who would purchase a carriage 
 either ready made or made to order, we would not claim 
 that any one, however experienced, can avoid being 
 cheated if he fall into the hands of a dishonest maker, 
 who has no regard for his reputation. In a hundred 
 things can the purchaser be deceived ; the quality of iron 
 and steel — of the wood and leather — of the paint* and var- 
 nish even — can only be tested by actual use ; and the car- 
 riage-maker himself has to depend in a great degree on 
 the " brand" or the reputation of the manufacturers, 
 for the quality of many of the materials. Much more, 
 then, must the purchaser of a carriage, which, when it is 
 delivered to him, is covered up with paint and trimmings, 
 depend on the character of the carriage manufacturer or 
 merchant. 
 
 To those who would buy a carriage, our advice then is : 
 
 First — Make the most diligent investigation into the 
 character of the firm with whom you deal ; if possible, 
 obtain the opinion of those who have dealt with them pre- 
 viously, as to their reliability ; and when you are satisfied 
 on this point, do not let an undue suspicion prevent your 
 asking and following their advice — obtaining, when you 
 can, a full guarantee for at least one year, against all de- 
 fects or breakages, accidents excepted. Do not hope to 
 buy a good carriage at a very low price. A dealer who 
 professes to sell at cost is always to be suspected. A well- 
 made carriage is always cheaper than one poorly made, at 
 any difference in price. 
 
 Second — Consider well the purpose for which you re- 
 quire a carriage, and the character of the roads on which 
 it will be used, and let your selection be carefully made in 
 reference thereto. The weight of the carriage, the«thick- 
 

VARIETIES. 377 
 
 ness of tlie tire and felloes, size of the wheel, strength of 
 the iron work, the stiffness of the springs, materials for 
 the trimmings, the plating, the leather — all should cor- 
 respond with the intended use. A desire for ornament, 
 or a fine appearance, should never lead you to buy a fine 
 carriage for a vehicle of all work. A " shabby gentility" 
 will be the result after the gloss is worn away. If a nice 
 carriage is required for occasional use, while there is 
 also a necessity for driving during bad weather and on 
 bad roads, it is poor economy to try to make one vehicle 
 answer all purposes. A second, more strongly made, 
 with more durable trimmings, must be provided, or the 
 finer one will soon expose your want of judgment. 
 
 VARIETIES OF CARRIAGES. 
 
 The Coach (Figure 55). — All panelled carriages with 
 seats for four persons inside, and an elevated coachman's 
 seat, are designated coaches. The town coach proper, has 
 windows in the doors, and one in each end, the quarters 
 being panelled. The most elegant coaches of this kind have 
 a full sweep in the lower line of the body, although the out- 
 lines are varied to please individual taste. For many pur- 
 poses windows in the quarters are deemed desirable. For 
 country use, leather curtains in the quarters, instead of pan- 
 els, are becoming popular. For cold weather the curtains 
 may be " squabbed " on the inside, and rendered perfectly 
 warm, while, in summer, by rolling up the curtains, the 
 comfort and convenience of an open carriage may be ob- 
 tained. A full sized town coach weighs about 1500 lbs. 
 Price, $900 to $1200. The one from which our figure is 
 taken* is finished in the best style, and would command 
 the highest price. A curtain-quarter coach, for road use, 
 may weigh 1200 lbs. ; price, $750 to $900. 
 
 * From the extensive mauufactory of Messrs. G. & D. Cook, New Haven. 
 
CARRIAGES. 
 
 The Caleche (Figure 06) is of Frencli origin ; a carriage 
 with leather top, and portable glass shutters on the sides, 
 and a panelled front, with sliding window. The whole 
 front may be removed in a few minutes, making it an 
 elegant open Barouche, with a half-top over the back seat. 
 No carriage is so desirable for winter and summer use. 
 They are made for four persons inside. Weight, about 
 1350 lbs., J^vith the front. Cost, about $75 more than a 
 coach of the same quality. 
 
 The Landau is similar to the Caleche, without the 
 portable front and glass sides ; the entire top being of 
 leather, supported by folding joints in each quarter. The 
 top may be divided in the centre, the whole falling front 
 and back. These are complex in construction and liable 
 to get out of order, which prevents their popular use. 
 Weight and cost about the same as a caleche. 
 
 The Barouche (Figure 57) is made for four persons 
 inside, and has an elevated coachman's seat ; leat^her half- 
 top over the back 
 seat, or an extension 
 top, covering the four 
 inside seats. The lat- 
 ter form is desirable 
 f)r country use, as 
 it affords protection 
 from the sun and 
 rain. The half- top, for 
 morning and evening 
 drives, is much liked: 
 the top being thrown down, the carriage presents an ele- 
 gant appearance, and affords an opportunity for the display 
 of full dress — hence it is popular with visitors at watering- 
 places and public parks. Weighs about 1100 lbs. Cost, 
 $750. 
 
 Fig. 57. — The Barouche. 
 
VARIETIES. 
 
 379 
 
 A smaller Barouche is made to carry four persons, in- 
 cluding the driver, of less pretension and much cheaper 
 and lighter, with an extension leather top (covering four 
 seats), which may be thrown back at pleasure. It may be 
 used with one or two horses. Weight, about 600 lbs. ; cost, 
 $350 to $400. 
 
 A Barouche of the smaller kind is made with a "jump- 
 seat," so that it may be in a few seconds converted into 
 a buggy, with seats for two persons. There are some objec- 
 tions to this mongrel, such as its liability to get out of 
 order ; and it is not possible to have the springs and other 
 parts of the carriage well adapted to a huggy and yet 
 capable of doing double duty when required. It is, how- 
 ever, often convenient, and will be much used. Messrs. Gr. 
 & D. Cook, of New Haven, have just brought out a new 
 style, shown in Figs. 58 & 59, with an adjustable seat and 
 extension top, — the latter feature being new, and a great 
 addition to the value of this vehicle. 
 
 The Coupe, or Brougham.— A half-coach body (Fig. 
 60), for two persons 
 inside, and an elevat- 
 ed coachman's seat; 
 very popular in Eu- 
 rope, and now becom- 
 ing popular here. 
 They are used in Eu- 
 rope with one horse 
 only ; here with one 
 
 or two horses. Weight Fig. eo.— Coupe, or Brougham. 
 
 800 to 1000 lbs. ; price, about $700. 
 
 The Rockaway. — A Rockaway proper, has a plain 
 square or straight body, with standing top and leather 
 curtains, to roll up ; for either four or six persons ; all 
 seats on a level. Of late years, all vehicles with standing 
 
880 CAERIAGES. 
 
 top and seats on a level are called Eockaways. Some are 
 made for six persons, with panelled sides and glass windows, 
 wliicli approach nearly to a coach in weight and cost. The 
 following styles of Eockaways are in general nse : 
 
 The square four seat Rochaway^ for one horse. Weight, 
 about 500 lbs. Cost, from $200 to $300. 
 
 The same for six persons and two horses. Weight, about 
 700 lbs. Price, $350 to $400. 
 
 The six-seat Oermantown Rockaway has the body slightly 
 curved. Weight, say 800 lbs. Cost, $450. 
 
 The Conine Rochaioay^ for four persons, with a partition ; 
 having windows to divide the front and back seats ; body 
 curved, with windows or curtain in sides. Weight, about 
 700 lbs. Price, from $350 to $500. 
 
 The Brett. — A Brett proper, is a French half-top 
 Barouche, with all the lines of the body at right angles. 
 They are generally made with four inside seats, and elevat- 
 ed coachman's seat. Weight, about 800 lbs. Cost, $650. 
 
 The form more familiarly known in this country as a 
 Brett, resembles that of the English Barouche, except it 
 has only a half-top. Of this style we give an illustration 
 in Fig. 61. 
 
 The I H^TON. — There is an infinite variety of PhjBtons. 
 As originally made, they have seats for four, with a port- 
 able half-top, or without a top. Some are hung on j^lat- 
 form springs without a perch ; others on two springs with 
 a perch. They are also made with a comfortable front 
 seat, having a leather top, and a smaller seat behind for a 
 servant only. The varieties in use are : The " Mail 
 Phaeton,'' the ''Park Phcdon,'' the ''Sylph PAce/o??," the 
 " Copcut,'' the ''Victoria^" and the " Pony Phoiton:' Price, 
 from $350 to $650. 
 
 A form of Phaaton, very common and popular, has seats 
 for two. The Queen's Photon (Fig. 62) is a good carriage 
 
VARIETIES. 
 
 381 
 
 for old people, or for ladies' use, being wide and roomy, 
 hung low, and the top coming well over the seat. Price, 
 $250 to $300. There is a form of this buggy-phaeton, with 
 a close Boston top, well adapted for Physicians' use. 
 
 The Buggy. — Of this kind there is a great variety. 
 All, however, have four wheels, and seats for two persons. 
 They are made of every conceivable form, both with and 
 without a top ; at all prices, varying from $75 to $400. 
 
 The Yictoria Buggy (Fig. 63) is one of the prettiest 
 styles, showy and of graceful form. As usually finished, 
 it sells for $150 to $175. 
 
 Our Figure 64 represents a plainly finished but fine 
 vehicle, costing from $175 to $225. 
 
 Figure 65 is \vhat the Messrs. Cook call the World's 
 Fair Buggy, having taken the medal there, and can be 
 made for from $250 to $500. 
 
 For buggies without tops we give Fig. 66— a very light 
 trotting wagon of 145 lbs.; Fig. 67, the light Concord 
 
 Fig. 68.— Skeleton Wagon. 
 
 buggy ; and Fig. 68, a skeleton wagon for use upon the 
 track. 
 
 The Dog-Cart, is made with two or four wheels. The 
 original English Dog-Cart is on two wheels. Fig. 69, the 
 body being nearly square, and carrying four persons. The 
 
382 CARRIAGES. 
 
 back end of the body is made to drop and form a foot- 
 board ; tbe persons on the front and back seats riding back 
 to back. The sides are generally made with blinds or lattice 
 work, to accommodate dogs, when used for sporting pur- 
 
 Fig. 69.— Dog Cart. 
 
 poses. Two-wheel dog-carts weigh about 450 lbs. Cost 
 about $275. On four wheels they weigh about 600 lbs. 
 Cost about $450. 
 
 The Jagger Wagon is for two persons. The body 
 is attached to axles without springs. Weight, 200 lbs. 
 Price, $100 to $125. 
 
 construction — the wheel. 
 
 The Hub of the wheel being at once its centre and foun- 
 dation, mechanically speaking, should be particularly strong 
 and of well-seasoned wood. Red elm, white elm, and 
 particularly the gum, are good timber for this part, as 
 they are not liable to crack in seasoning, or to split by the 
 pressure of the spokes. The modern form of the hub 
 is much shorter than that used even a dozen years ago, 
 and though it may have some advantages in crowded 
 thoroughfares, where, as on Broadway, New York, col- 
 lisions are frequent, it is undoubtedly a change for the 
 worse, so far as strength is concerned, as it gives a shorter 
 hold to the axle. 
 
CONSTRUCTION. 
 
 The Spokes should, for heavy work, be made of white 
 oak of clear grain, and free from checks or knots — for 
 light carriages hickory is preferable — fourteen in the fore 
 wheel and sixteen in the hind wheel, except in vehicles of 
 the lighter kinds, when two less in each wheel will answer. 
 If the tenon or '' tang," which is inserted in the felloe, is 
 square instead of round, it will greatly add to the strength, 
 though few makers are found who will take this trouble. 
 Every spoke which is discovered to be defective, in any- 
 way, should be scrupulously rejected by the carriage- 
 maker; for one bad spoke will spoil the wheel. In a 
 business wagon, the spokes should be set in the . hub in 
 range, or in a straight line, while in a buggy or light car- 
 riage, they should be placed alternately, in and out, that 
 the weakness caused by their light construction may be 
 compensated for by the bracing position, Avhich this zig- 
 zag position affords. 
 
 The Felloes or Rim. — This part of the wheel should 
 be of the best eastern white ash or hickory (the western 
 growth is softer and less tough). Oak is often used for 
 this purpose, but is much more liable to sun checks, and 
 will split more easily, and is more apt to break in at the 
 joints. For pleasure carriages, which are kept well 
 painted, and, for the most part, secure from the weather, 
 the bent rim is better than the short pieces or sawn, 
 felloes ; but for business wagons, or those much ex- 
 posed to the sun and rain, with the paint not always in 
 the best condition, and which require a more frequent 
 resetting of the tire and the consequent cutting of the ends 
 of the felloe-sections, it is better not to be obliged so often 
 to cut the same ends, as is the case when there are only 
 two pieces. There are always, when the felloes are sawn^ 
 two spokes to each section. 
 
 The wheels should, in all cases, be dished, as this adds 
 
384 CAERIAGES. 
 
 much to their strength and durability. A light wheel for 
 road wagons, 4 feet in diameter, should dish about f to I 
 inch ; and coach wheels, 3 ft. 6 in. in diameter, should dish J 
 inch, the measurements being taken, in both cases, after the 
 tire has been set. 
 
 The Tire. — It is upon this part of the wheel that most 
 of the wear comes, and if defects exist here, no excellence 
 in the other parts will be of any avail. The important 
 points in a good tire are, that it should be made of good 
 iron, that it should be the size best adapted to the vehicle 
 on which it is to be used, and that it be "set" well, nei- 
 ther so tight as to draw the wheel out of shape, or so 
 loose as to allow any racking of the spokes. The tires 
 should be made of Ulster iron, or the best English re- 
 fined iron. Ordinary steel tires, though thrice as durable 
 as iron, are apt to snap in frosty weather. Imported 
 *' homogeneous" steel is now being successfully used in 
 light vehicles; but its cost (16c. per lb.) precludes its 
 use on heavy wheels. It is very durable, and remarkably 
 tough. 
 
 Flat tire is the best for all purposes ; convex tire is 
 satisfactorily used on the flat, hard roads of Europe, but 
 they are not adapted to American use. Heavy tire on 
 light rimmed wheels is objectionable, for the reason that it 
 breaks down the felloes. All tires yield, more or less, to 
 sudden concussions; if heavy, it retains its bent form, 
 while, if light, it is forced back to its proper position by 
 the spring of the felloes. Wide tires are desirable on soft 
 roads, being less likely to cut in (causing the carriage to 
 run heavily, and injuring the road,) than narrower tires. 
 All tires should be fastened on with bolts, one between 
 each two spokes. 
 
THE AXLE. 385 
 
 THE AXLE. 
 
 Since the general introduction of the iron axle, the 
 wooden axle has gone out of use, except for the heaviest 
 description of wagons for the farm, or other heavy work. 
 
 Axles may be either straight, arched, or cranked ; the 
 arched form, which is essential for all very light axles, 
 being stronger than straight ones, though a very slight 
 arch answers the purpose. Cranked axles are adopted for 
 the purpose of allowing the body to hang low. Particu- 
 lar care should be given to setting the axles exactly at 
 a right angle to the line of travel. Any deviation from 
 this rule causes undue friction to the arm of the axle and 
 the hub, and places the wheel in a position to receive more 
 injury from concussions, and to be more easily wrenched 
 out of its proper shape than when properly directed.* 
 
 The Patent Axle, or as it is sometimes called the Mail 
 Axle is represented in Figure 70, 
 a is the arm of the axle, around which 
 the hub revolves ; 6 is a shoulder 
 which serves to keep the hub in 
 place ; c is a circular iron plate, 
 having through its centre a hole to 
 fit the arm of the axle, behind the 
 shoulder, where it revolves ; it is B' " ^ 
 
 secured to the inside end of the Imb 
 by the long bolts, e e, which run 
 through the entire hub and the plate 
 d. There is a washer, which should 
 be of hard sole-leather, nicely a']- Fw. to. -The Patent Axie. 
 
 *Thes'i remarks do not refer lo the slight "gather" which is IVequently 
 given to wheels, to cause them to crowd slightly toward the carriage, 
 rather than to run against the nuts at the end of the axle. 
 
 17 
 
386 
 
 CAREIAGES. 
 
 justed to t"he proper thickness, on eacli side of tlie 
 shoulder, to prevent the wear of the boxes and plate against 
 the shoulder. On taking off the wheel, the nuts, before- 
 mentioned, are removed with a wrench, and the hub is 
 drawn off the end of the axle, leaving the plate c remain- 
 ing upon the axle. The leather washers require to be 
 occasionally renewed, if they wear so thin as to give too 
 much lateral motion to the hub. 
 
 This form of axle has many advantages, among which 
 are : that it prevents rattling, or the lateral motion of the 
 wheel ; it is safer, for if the axle break at any point be- 
 yond the shoulder, the wheel is still retained in its place 
 by the plate behind the shoulder ; it forms a tight space 
 about the ajm of the axle for the lubricating oil, excluding 
 grit or other substances which would cut away the axle. 
 Its great disadvantage for small hubs is, that it is necessary 
 to cut away so much of the hub in boring for the bolts 
 that it is weakened. This is, however, very greatly obvi- 
 ated by the patent of E. M. Stratton, the gentlemanly 
 
 Fig. 71.— a longitudinal section of Stratton's Patent Axle and Box. 
 
 a The ax'e ; b The box inserted on the hub c ; d-^ are spaces for lioldin- the oil ; ^ The 
 
 shoulder of the axle; /The plate attached to the inner end of the hub; r/ The 
 
 bolts winch pass through the hub and the plate f, and are secured by 
 
 tbe nuts h. 2 & 3 are leather Avashers on each side of the shoulder. 
 
 editor of the Coach Maker's Magazine. The form of hub 
 for this axle is given in Fig. 71, and its peculiarity con.sists 
 
Fig. 64. A Plain Buggy. 
 
 Fig. 65. The World's Fair Buggy. 
 
THE SPRINGS. 
 
 887 
 
 in having tlie bolts run in a groove made in the surface 
 of the hox, taking in one half the diameter of the bolts. 
 This lessens the amount which is necessary to be cut from 
 the substance of the hub. 
 
 The Half-Patent Axle is similar to the foregoing, 
 but does not retain the bolts and plate. The wheel is 
 secured by a nut upon the end of the axle. 
 
 Fig. 
 
 -C Spring. 
 
 THE SPRINGS. 
 
 These are of many kinds. The old C spring (Fig. 72), 
 the cradle spring (Fig. 73), the elliptic spring, (Figs. 74 and 
 75), the shackle spring (Figs. 76 
 & 77), and the platform spring. 
 That in most common use, and 
 by far the best for ordinary pur- 
 poses, is tlie elliptic spring, of 
 which those shaped like Fig. 74 
 are better than those like Fig. 75. 
 It is of the first importance 
 that the springs should be <)f 
 the proper degree of 
 stiffness required by the 
 weight of the carriage, 
 and the number of pei-- 
 sons they are intended 
 to bear ; if too stiff, they 
 will "ride hard" and 
 cause great discomfort ; 
 or if they are not stiff 
 enough they will col- 
 lapse or break. The 
 stiffness is regulated by 
 the thickness of the steel 
 
 used, the length of the Fig. 75.— ElUptic spring -bad shape. 
 
 Fig. 73. — Thu Cradle Spring. 
 
 Fig. 74.— Elliptic Spring— good shape. 
 
888 
 
 CARRIAGES. 
 
 r (.. 
 
 .- 1) c nriiu 
 
 Fig. 77.— Shackle Spring. 
 
 little higher than the hind end. 
 
 spring, and the width 
 and n amber of leaves or 
 plates. The bod}- should 
 be set on the springs 
 a little inchned back- 
 wards as the tendency is 
 to "run forward" in use. 
 And in the coach, the 
 forward end of the 
 springs should, for the 
 same reason, be set a 
 
 TABLE OF DIMENSIONS OF PARTS OF THE WHEELS OF 
 DIFFERENT VEHICLES. 
 
 
 ■^ 
 
 "S 
 
 o 
 
 
 t 
 
 ■o 
 
 c 
 
 ai ^ 
 
 .5 
 
 
 
 
 » 
 
 
 f=^ 
 
 K 
 
 o !^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 '^G 
 
 Jl 
 
 r^ 
 
 o 
 
 =3 
 
 o 
 
 «^ i^S 
 
 < 
 
 Kind of Vehicle. 
 
 
 t^x; 
 
 ■-« 
 
 ^ 
 
 'zja 
 
 ^ « 
 
 S Is^d 
 
 "o 
 
 
 o _i 
 
 2 <» 
 
 ^ S 
 
 'o 
 
 o 1 
 
 E^ 
 
 
 P 
 
 .a . 
 
 
 5°= 
 
 ^~ 
 
 X^ 
 
 
 S^ 
 
 1^ 
 
 3 
 
 !25 
 
 5 = 
 
 J« 
 
 
 inch. 
 
 inch. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ins. 
 
 Coach 
 
 5 
 
 11 
 
 * a 
 1^- 
 
 
 3 ft. 4 
 3ft 4 
 
 4 ft. 2 
 4 ft. 2 
 
 14&16 1^ 
 14&16' U 
 
 9 
 
 Rockaway 
 
 8 
 
 Buffffv 
 
 4f 
 
 u 
 
 1 . 
 
 X 1 
 
 3 ft. 10 
 
 4 ft. ■' 
 
 16 1^ 
 
 6-^ 
 
 Trotting wagon or 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Light Buggy. . . . 
 
 1 
 
 im 
 
 ii 
 
 IH -»• 8 
 
 4ft. 
 
 4 ft ' 
 
 16 1 I 
 
 6 
 
 Doctor's Gig 
 
 ; 5^ 
 
 u 
 
 1| 
 
 X 1 
 
 3 ft. 4 
 
 4 ft. 
 
 14&16 1| 
 
 8 
 
 Sulkey 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 w 
 
 Is 
 
 |x 1 
 
 4 ft. 10 
 
 
 18 1 
 
 6', 
 
 
 
 
 
TABLE OF DIMENSIONS. 
 
 TABLE OF DIMENSIONS (iN INCHES) OF SPRINGS FOR 
 DIFFERENT VEHICLES. 
 
 Kind of Vehicle. 
 
 Coach , 
 
 Kockaway .... 
 
 Buggy 
 
 Trotting Wagon or 
 Light Buggy 
 
 Length. 
 
 Width. 
 
 No. of 
 Leaves. 
 
 44 incs. 
 
 2i 
 
 6 
 
 40 " 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 38 '' 
 
 Ij 
 
 4 
 
 8; " 
 
 M 
 
 3 
 
 Size of 
 Steel. 
 
 No. 2 & 4 
 " 3&4 
 
 " 4 
 
 The bodies of town carriages with low wheels, should 
 be hung low ; for country use bodies should be hung high, 
 and high wheels used. The draught is less when so 
 hung. When the diameter of the wheels will permit, the 
 springs are best hung on the under side of the axle, as in 
 this position they keep better in place, having less ten- 
 dency to pitch forward. The use of springs on even the 
 heavier description of wagons, except where subjected to 
 excessive loads or very rough usage, is desirable, as it 
 lessens the wear on all parts of the vehicle, and makes a 
 lighter draught. 
 
 Shafts. — The best wood from which to make shafts is 
 hickory. It is, however, more affected by wet than ash 
 or oak. Second growth eastern ash makes very good 
 shafts ; but oak, except for heavy work, in which a con- 
 siderable amount of timber is allowable, will be deficient 
 in stiffness. For such heavy work it is the best, as it is 
 the most durable, wood used in carriage-making. Shafts 
 for light wagons are generally steamed and bent to such 
 form as is required. They should be bowed out widely at 
 
890 
 
 CARRIAGES. 
 
 the rear, and in front should turn well out, away from the 
 horse's shoulders. 
 
 The Pole for light wagons should be of hickory, 
 steamed and bent ; coach poles, of second growth eastern 
 ash, — oak, when made up in this size, being apt to warp. 
 But for farm wagons, omnibuses, stages, &c., which admit 
 of more material being used, oak is very m^uch the 
 best. 
 
 For the attachment of the Shafts or Pole to the Axle there 
 have been very many devices to prevent rattling and ac- 
 cident ; but none of them, for simplicity and cheapness, com- 
 pare with that of Mr.Chapman, of Cincinnati. This is 
 simply a piece of vulcanized india-rubbei-, (see Figs. 78 and 
 
 Fios. 78 & 79.— Chapman's Patent Shaft -Fasten 
 
Fisr. 67. A Light Concord Wa":on. 
 
chapman's patent shaft fasten. 391 
 
 79,) about 1 inch square, grooved on one side, and intended 
 to be placed between the end of the shaft-iron, and the back 
 part of the clip which is on the axle. The shaft is then 
 forced back into its place and the bolt inserted. The con- 
 stant pressure prevents all rattling of the jack-bolt, and, 
 even if the nut should be lost off, which is unlikely, the 
 bolt cannot rattle or slip out. It can be applied to car- 
 riages of the ordinary construction after they are worn ?o 
 as to become loose. 
 
 For Coaches. — The body frame work should be made 
 of soft western ash ; the top ribs of hickory, ash, or maple ; 
 the panels of white wood ; and the roof of pine- wood deal. 
 The ribs should be of ash, maple or cherry, and the 
 frame of ash : hickory rots if much wet. The roof should 
 be covered with canvas, or, which is better, with ordi- 
 nary bed-ticking of the best qualit}^. Before this is put 
 on, the roof should receive a coat of pure white lead, 
 and the canvas then stretched tightly over it and tacked 
 fast. It should on no account be sized, (as was formerly 
 the custom,) but should be heavily painted with pure 
 lead and oil. 
 
 For Tops, Falls, etc., enamelled leather is now almost 
 universally used, and, though less durable than the old 
 fashioned " oiled top-leather," it looks better, being black 
 and brilliant, and is not so apt to shrink. It works 
 smoother and better than oiled leather. It is sometimes, 
 however, badly enamelled, and then is apt to crack and 
 scale off — especially if moved or rolled up in very cold 
 weather. It will then crack beyond restoration and will 
 look badh^ Enamelled leather, which has been tanned 
 with hemlock, is apt to stain the lining of the top, or 
 fall when it gets very wet : the best quality is tanned 
 
892 CARRIAGES. 
 
 with oak bark. Enamelled clotii is made to represent 
 leather in appearance, and is used for some purposes ad- 
 vantageously, — saj for carriage curtains not intended to 
 be rolled up often. Its chief recommendation is its cheap- 
 ness compared with leather ; it is for no purpose so good. 
 
 For the Dash., "grain" patent leather is best. Its quality^ 
 may be determined by its pliability. Hard, stiff leather 
 will crack when exposed to heat an^l cold. The enamel 
 should be smooth and brilliant, and show no "pitting," or 
 unevenness in polish. Good dash-leather is jet black, — 
 not greyish or reddish black. 
 
 Yarnish. — For the under coats, to be " rubbed," Amer- 
 ican varnish answers every purpose, but for finishing 
 coats, English varnish is universally esteemed as the 
 best. There "s no way of testing the durability of var- 
 nish until it is used on the vehicle. English varnish will 
 not crack, and expose the paint and wood to the action of 
 the weather, — American varnish will do so. Finishing 
 coats are now "flowed" on, not polished, as formerly, and 
 they are, in consequence, more durable. 
 
 Plating. — Xone but a professional man can determine 
 the quality of plating. The seams of good plating should 
 not show prominently ; "two and half quality" silver — • 
 its technical term — is the poorest quality that should be 
 used on carriages ; " three quality" is the best. Electro 
 plating, when well done, is desirable on hub-bands made 
 of German silver or composition metal, as the bands will 
 not rust when bruised, nor does the silver shell break, as 
 close plate on iron bands will do. Iron cannot be electro- 
 plated with advantage. 
 
 TRIMMING AND PAINTING. 
 
 Trimming. — The most durable material for trimming is 
 cloth; if in high colors, it should be of English manufac- 
 
HINTS ON COLORS. 393 
 
 ture, as, in the grade of cloth used for carriages, its colors 
 are more durable than those of French and German man- 
 afature. High colors in American carriage cloths will not 
 stand the sun. 
 
 The most elegant material for coaches is " coteline," a 
 silk and cotton fabric, the best of which is made at Tours, 
 in France. The greater portion of that impoited to this 
 country is made at Lyons, and it is inferior in quality to 
 that made at Tours, — the colors being bad, and wearing 
 badly. These goods are well adapted to warm latitudes, as 
 they do not, like cloths, harbor moths. AVhen style and 
 elegance are chiefly desired, these goods are the most satis- 
 factory; and when durability alone is consulted, cloth is best. 
 
 For stuffing seats and backs, nothing but the best curled 
 hair should be used. If hair of inferior quality be mixed 
 with it, it will breed vermin, especially in damp situations. 
 Curled hair keeps the seats elastic. 
 
 HINTS ON COLORS. 
 
 A carriage body painted green should never be lined or 
 trimmed with blue, — it produces a disagreeable effect. 
 Drah, crimson^ brown and clarets, harmonize well with green 
 painting. 
 
 Blue bodies should never be trimmed with green. Drab 
 and blue, and blue and grey, harmonize with blue bodies. 
 
 Claret or Lake bodies may be trimmed with almost any 
 color, — blue being the least desirable. 
 
 Carpets should harmonize in color with the trimmings, 
 — as for instance : 
 
 Blue linings require blue and claret, blue and grey, or 
 two shades of blue in the carpet. Ked is objectionable. 
 
 Drab linings look best with blue crimson or green car- 
 pets. 
 
394 CARRIAGES. 
 
 Green linings harmonize with carpels of crimson, or 
 crimson and green. 
 
 Brown linings require brown and blue, brown and green, 
 or green and black carpets. 
 
 Claret linings require green and crimson, crimson and 
 black, or crimson and claret. 
 
 In carriage laces the same arrangement of colors as 
 has been suggested for the carpet and linings, will be found 
 to produce a pleasing effect. 
 
 STRIPING THE RUNNING GEAR. 
 
 On Black, stripe with orange, blue, carmine or green. 
 
 On Blue, with black, white or grey. 
 
 On Green^ with black, red or white. 
 
 On Orange or Yellow, with black. 
 
 On Vermillion, with black. 
 
 On Lakes, with black, carmine or green. 
 
 HARMONY OF THE COLORS IN THE TRIMMINGS, WITH 
 THE COMPLEXION AND DRESS OF LADIES. 
 
 To those who are desirous of doing no violence to 
 the laws of harmony in even the smallest particulars, 
 the following " hints" will be appreciated. 
 
 Blue, in the trimmings, harmonizes with the complexion 
 of a blonde, while it impairs the beauty of a brunette ; and 
 with a crimson dress or shawl, blue is decidedly inharmo- 
 nious. 
 
 Crimson, in the trimmings, suits well the complexion of 
 either a blonde or a brunette, but the dress should not 
 have blue as a predominating color. 
 
 Brown trimmings are suitable for a brunette, and agree 
 with green drapery on the person. 
 
RULES FOR PURCHASING. 895 
 
 Green^ in the carnage, demands warm tints in the dress, 
 and is then harmonious with all complexions. 
 
 Drah agrees well with all colors in the dress, and with 
 all complexions. 
 
 We would sum up, then, the following 
 
 RULES TO BE OBSERVED IN PURCHASING VEHICLES. 
 
 First. Choose for your carriage-maker one who has a 
 character for fair dealing and good work. 
 
 Second. Never purchase a vehicle made for two horses 
 with the hope that it will "do" for one horse. Your 
 mistake will be apparent when jou find your horse failing 
 from over-work. 
 
 Third. Always insist upon "case-hardened," or steel 
 converted axles. If you have any doubts of their quality, 
 try a file on them. K " hard " it will make no impression. 
 
 Fourth. Insist upon "tempered" springs, made from 
 English steel. Test your springs by loading the carriage 
 before you buy it, and ascertain what weight they will 
 carry when in use on the road. 
 
 Fifth. Examine all iron plates, clips and bolts. If the 
 iron- work is not fitted to the wood with exactness, don't 
 buy the carriage : a poor workman has been spoiling good 
 material. 
 
 Sixth. See that the "jacks" or irons connecting the 
 pole or shafts with the axles, are well fitted and sufficiently 
 heav}^ If badly fitted they will rattle ; if not strong, 
 they will endanger your life, if you use the carriage. 
 
 Seventh. See that the axles are "set" with exactness. 
 Ko carriage will be durable, or run with ease, if the axles 
 are not "set" with mathematical precision. 
 
 Eighth. Never select a carriage because it is elaborately 
 finished with silver plate, — it soon looks shabby, and re- 
 
396 CAKRIAGES. 
 
 quires a great deal of care to keep it in order. Carriages 
 are often elaborately finished to cover up serious defects 
 in tlie workmanship. 
 
 Ninth. Examine closely the painting : a few years owner- 
 ship of a carriage will show a greater outlay in making 
 good original defects in painting, iihan for any other item. 
 If the varnish is dull, it generally argues that the painting 
 has been hurriedly done. The varnish will "strike in" 
 on bad painting, and a little exposure in bad weather will 
 crack the paint to the wood. 
 
 Tenth. Never permit, in the cushions or backs, any ma- 
 terial but pure curled hair. Moss soon becomes hard. 
 
 Eleventh. If you desire cloth linings in high colors, 
 always insist upon English cloths. French and German 
 cloths, in high colors, for the qualities used in carriages, 
 will soon fade. In drab' cloths, the American twilled is 
 the best in use. 
 
 Twelfth. See that the cloth on the glass frames has been 
 shrunk before it was put on : if not shrunk, the first rain 
 to which it is exposed will draw it off the frames. 
 
 Thirteenth. See that the door locks and handles work 
 with ease, and do not rattle. Nothing is more annoying 
 than bad door locks, or even good locks badly fitted. 
 
 Fourteenth. In purchasing a carriage for road use, see 
 that it is made to "track " in the ruts in the district where 
 you intend to use it. There are at least a score of differ- 
 ent tracks in different parts of the Union — varying from 
 4 feet 4 (from centre to centre of the wheels, measured on 
 the ground,) to 5 feet 4^ inches. 
 
 THE CAEE OF THE CARRIAGE. 
 
 Having procured a carriage which has a fine lustre, 
 which runs easily and smoothly, and which is generally 
 
CARE OF THE CARRIAGE. 397 
 
 well iinislied, it is desirable to maintain it in this condi- 
 tion as long as possible. This requires it to be properly 
 cleansed, oiled when necessary, kept free from dust in the 
 carriage-house, and to have its bolts tightened whenever 
 they have worked loose. 
 
 The appurtenances necessary for this purpose are a pail, 
 a watering-pot, (the water should never be thrown through 
 a hose, as it ruins English varnish, and penetrates all the 
 crevices in the springs, &c., causing rust,) two large soft 
 sponges, free from grit, two full-sized chamois skins, an un- 
 limited supply of water, a wisp-broom, a feather duster, 
 (a cloth one will ansAver), a sheet for covering fhe whole 
 carriage, a can of sweet oil, or, which is better, pure sperm 
 oil, and a screw wrench. Soft water is much better than 
 hard, as the latter is injurious to the varnish. 
 
 All of the fine carriages now made being varnished with 
 English varnish, it may be well to call to mind that it 
 has these pecuUarities : it will become spotted whenever 
 the mud is allowed to remain long upon it, and the more 
 frequently it is washed, the more lustrous will it remain 
 — hence it is necessary, in order that it may be kept in 
 the best condition, that the carriage should be washed 
 every time it comes in, and at least once a month whether 
 it is used or not. 
 
 All freshly varnished carriages should be nicely washed, 
 with soft cold water, four or five times before being used ; 
 it hardens the varnish and prevents its spotting by mud. 
 
 Never place a carriage near a stone or brick wall ; the 
 dampness destroys the varnish. Yarnish requires a well 
 ventilated room. 
 
 Ammonia from the stable will also destroy varnish in a 
 short time. 
 
 The washing should be done in the following manner : 
 
 1. Supposing the top to be sufficiently clean, the cush- 
 
398 ^CARRIAGES. 
 
 ions, and whip removed, the inside of the carriage wiped 
 out, and the curtains fastened down, sprinkle water on the 
 body of the carriage with the watering-pot until all of 
 the mud is washed off, by the action of the water alone, 
 without having recourse to rubbing, and until you are 
 sure that no grit remains. 
 
 2. "Wash the whole body with the sponge w^hich is kept 
 for this purpose, using as much water as possible, and rub- 
 bing very lightly, continuing the operation until the water 
 runs from the body perfectly clear. 
 
 8. Wet the chamois skin which is used for the body, 
 and wring it out as dry as possible. This will soften it so 
 that it cannot scratch the varnish. Use this to absorb the 
 water which has been left after washing, wringing it out 
 as often as may be necessary. Continue this until the 
 bod}^ is dry. Do not rub it with the chamois skin, and 
 do not use the skin, nor any substitute for it, when dry 
 and stiff. 
 
 4. Pursue the same course with the running gear, (the 
 wheels, springs, etc.,) as has been specified for the body, 
 but la}^ aside the sponge, and the chamois skin which were 
 used for the body, and use for this portion the ones de- 
 signed for it. Be careful to wash the wheels in such a 
 manner as to throw as little water as possible on the body, 
 and, whenever any does strike it, remove it at once as 
 before directed. Do not apply soap to any part of the car- 
 riage, or even a sponge which has been used with soap, as 
 it will destroy your varnish. 
 
 6. Having removed all the dirt, and thoroughly dried 
 the carriage, pajdng particular attention to those parts 
 where iron is likely to rust if any water is left, rub up the 
 plate with a bit of dry chamois skin kept for the purpose, 
 adding a little dry whiting where necessary, though if the 
 plate is never allowed to become much tarnished there will 
 
CARE OF THE CARRIAGE. 399 
 
 be little occasion to do more than to rub it with the 
 leather, 
 
 6. The top may, when necessary, be washed by the 
 same process as has been recommended for the body, and 
 with the same care. 
 
 Having cleaned the carriage in every part, replaced the 
 cushions, and rolled up the curtains, throw a muslin sheet 
 over it to keep dust from it. 
 
 If the carriage has not been out since it was washed 
 before, it will only be necessary to wet it thoroughly, and 
 to dry it as directed. 
 
 This is the best method for washing the best carriages. 
 It may be, and in most instances it probably will be, mod- 
 ified to suit the purposes of those who do not care to de- 
 vote so much labor to this work ; and in all such questions 
 of object and expense, the judgment of the individual 
 must establish the compromise. 
 
 At least once a month place a wrench on every nut on 
 your carriage. You will thus prevent the loss of nuts and 
 bolts, and preserve your carriage ; a loose bolt frequently 
 leads to serious breakages. 
 
 As often as once a month, and oftener if necessary, the 
 wheels should be taken off, and the axles and boxes should 
 be thoroughly cleaned, by scraping them with a sharp- 
 edged piece of hard wood, covered with flannel or 
 woollen. They should then, if full-patent axles, receive 
 as much sweet oil, or pure sperm oil, as they will retain 
 without allowing it to work out over the wheel. One 
 tablespoonful to each wheel will be a good quantity. 
 
 When your leather washers are worn out, replace them 
 with new ones. A patent axle running with worn out 
 washers will soon be good for nothing. 
 
 For the half-patent axle, clean lard, or other grease, or 
 any of the patent wagon-greases, will be found as effective 
 as oil, and more permanent. 
 
400 CAEEIAGES. 
 
 In lubricating tlie axle we can use for the heavy wooden 
 or the plain iron axle a mixture of one-third tar and two- 
 thirds lard, or some of the patent wagon-grease now offered 
 for sale everywhere. 
 
 If from want of oil, or other cause, the friction of the 
 axle in the box should cause the wheel to " stick" on the 
 road, it will be necessary to stop until the iron becomes 
 entirely cool, and contracts to its proper size ; this can be 
 facilitated by pouring cold water on the axle at the rear of 
 the hub. The wheel may then be knocked off, and the axle 
 suf&ciently filed to remove the roughness caused by the 
 slight welding which occasioned its sticking. It may then 
 be oiled and the wheel put on again. If you have occasion 
 to use a carriage when it probably needs oiling, you should 
 take the precaution, as often as possible, to feel of the axle 
 near to the wheel. If it is at all warm, it is unsafe to pro- 
 ceed without oiling it. 
 
 REPAIRS. 
 
 Tire Setting is the most important repair which will 
 be necessary in the case of well-kept carriages, unless they 
 become accidentally broken or worn from long use. This 
 operation should, unless rendered necessary by accident, 
 or improper construction, be performed only in the dryest 
 summer weather, when the wood of the wheel is shrunk 
 to its narrowest limits. 
 
 Injuries resulting from Loose Tires are : they cause the 
 spokes to work loose, (technically, "churn out,") at the 
 hub ; they do not properly confine and support the felloes ; 
 and they are liable to be broken, or to become bent. The 
 most certain indication of looseness of the tire is, that when 
 struck on the fiat with a hammer, it will give a dead, fiat 
 sound ; a tight tire will give a clear, ringing sound when 
 
REPAINING. 401 
 
 SO struck. A ''creaking" noise indicates a loose tire on 
 an inferior w heel. 
 
 In every case in which it becomes necessary to re var- 
 nish, replate, or otherwise rejuvenate a good carriage, it is 
 best to send it to a competent carriage-maker. Many 
 persons, actuated by penny- wisdom, attempt to make many 
 of these repairs themselves, but they almost invariably 
 leave a permanent "botched" appearance, and lose, in 
 durability and appearance, much more than they save in 
 cost. Even the varnishing and the oiling of leather will 
 be almost as cheaply, and much more satisfactorily per- 
 formed, by a professional man than by one entirely unac- 
 quainted with the business. 
 
 In the preparation of this chapter, on the Selection and 
 Care of the Carriage, we most cheerfully acknowledge our 
 indebtedness for valuable aid, to Mr. J. W. Brittok, of the 
 firm of Brewster k Co., 372 & 374 Broome St., New York, 
 whose tasteful and reliable suggestions have greatly enrich- 
 ed our pages ; also, to Mr. E. M. Stratton, editor of " The 
 Coachmakers^ Magazine^'''' 106 Elizabeth street, New York, 
 whose well-sustained and elegant journal is indispensable 
 to every member of the '•^ craft '^'' and to Messrs. C. and D. 
 Cook, New Haven, Ct., from whose extensive establish- 
 ment we have procured most of the drawings of vehicles 
 which illustrate our descriptions ; and to W. L. McDonald, 
 Esq., of Beekman street. New York. We can only wish 
 that our readers, in their search for an honorable and 
 reliable firm of whom to purchase, may be so fortunate as 
 to find one like unto these gentlemen whom we have men- 
 tioned. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV, 
 
 HARNESS. ITS SELECTION AND CARE. 
 
 THE QUALITY OF LEATHER — QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP— THE COLLAR — THE 
 TRACES— THE BRIDLE— THE BIT— THE SADDLE — THE GIRTHS— THE CRUPPER 
 — THE BREECHING- -THE HOLDBACKS— THE REINS AND MARTINGALE -THE 
 MOUNTING— HOW TO HARNESS AND UNHARNESS THE HORSE— THE CARE OF 
 HARNESS — CLEANING THE PLATING- 
 
 All who drive are interested in tlie subject of harness — 
 ifbt only those who, keeping their own carriages or busi- 
 ness wagons, have to procure and maintain one or more 
 sets of harness, but, in a less degree, those who have to 
 trust their valuable persons to the fidelity of strap and 
 buckle. The horse-keeper, from motives of economy, 
 should acquire such knowledge of the quality of leather' 
 and workmanship, and of the best means of preserving 
 harness in sound condition, as will enable him to purchase 
 as wisely, and as seldom as possible. While those who 
 ride in hired vehicles should be able to assure themselves 
 of the safety of the harness by which they are drawn. 
 
 It is the object of this chapter to give as much informa- 
 tion concerning harness, as can be comprised within its 
 limited space, by general remarks on the quality of mate- 
 rials and workmanship ; descriptions of the various parts 
 of the harness ; and directions for keeping the leather, 
 bits, buckles, &c., in the best possible condition for safety, 
 durability, and good appearance. 
 
 Note.— Ill preparing this chai'tcr wo have been greatly aided by Messrs. J. T. Smith 
 & Co., of 342 and 344 Broadway. The saddles, harness, bits, etc., ilhistrated in this 
 work, were naainly selected from th-.ir extensive stock. 
 
k^. 
 
thp: leather. 403 
 
 THE QUALITY OF LEATHER. 
 
 There can be given no very definite rules for judging of 
 the quality of leather, but the following hints are not with- 
 out value : — 
 
 All harness-leather of good quality is made from the 
 hides of neat cattle, and is tanned either with oak or hem- 
 lock bark ; that tanned with oak bark being very much, 
 the best. 
 
 Leather which has been tanned with oak bark alone, 
 lias, when cut, a yellowish drab color, without the least 
 tinge of red, while that tanned entirely, or in part, with 
 hemlock bark, has a reddish tinge, more or less decided in 
 proportion to the quantity of hemlock bark which has 
 been used. This reddish tinge is sometimes visible on the 
 " wrong " or flesh side of the leather, though it is often 
 disguised by subsequent coloring. By cutting a piece so 
 as to show the inside of the leather, the red hue may be 
 distinguished. If it has this appearance in an}^ consider- 
 able degree, it should be discarded as not of the best 
 quality. Leather which has been sufficiently tanned, is of 
 the same color throughout its entire thickness ; while, if it 
 has been only imperfectly tanned, the middle will appear 
 darker than the part near the outside. Hence if leather, 
 on being cut across and having its newly cut surface 
 moistened by the tongue, shows a dark streak in the 
 centre, it may be fairly assumed that it has net been prop- 
 erly tanned. 
 
 Kearly all harness-leather has, on its black side, a 
 wrinkled appearance. These wrinkles run from the back 
 of the animal around to the belly ; and, in this direction, 
 the leather is weaker and more liable to stretch, than in 
 the direction of the length of the animal's body, or across 
 the wrinkles. The purchaser should, therefore, see that 
 
404 HARNESS. 
 
 evei:y strap of the harness has the wrinkles running across 
 it, and not in the direction in which its strength is to be 
 tested. No saddler with a regard for his reputation would 
 cut his straps in the direction of these wrinkles, and it is 
 chiefly in purchasing ready made harness, of a cheap 
 quality, that this caution is necessary. Poor leather is 
 sometimes varnished, to give it a bright appearance. This 
 can be detected by comparing it with leather known to be 
 of good quality. Yarnished leather should be rejected 
 in all cases when good quality is desirable. 
 
 The softness and pliability of leather is a pretty good 
 test of its quality, inasmuch as a skin is never so soft and 
 pliable when rotten, or half tanned, as when fully tanned 
 and of good stock. The fact that the best tanned sole- 
 leather (English Bend) is very hard, seems to be opposed 
 to this idea, but this hardness is due, in a great degree, to 
 compression. 
 
 Beyond these, and, possibly, a few other similar indica- 
 tions, there is nothing which can be said on this subject, 
 which would be of. any practical value to those whose 
 only interest in learning the character and quality of 
 leather is based on their occasional necessity to purchase 
 harness. Important differences between two tannages of 
 leather appear, to the uninitiated, as subtle as those be- 
 tween two vintages of old wine, and they can be detected 
 only by men cunning in the craft. 
 
 THE QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP. 
 
 Of course the most casual observer will perceive great 
 differences between the style of manufacture of different 
 harness. Aside from ornamental stitching, and scrolled 
 edges, there is a certain air of neat and dexterous work- 
 manship apparent in the stitching and trimming of well- 
 made -harness. 
 
THE COLLAR. 
 
 405 
 
 If the stitches be somewhat wide apart (or long) they 
 are stronger, supposing good thread to have been used, 
 than those which are very close together. Again, if the 
 awl, which is dagger-shaped and not round, has been so 
 inserted as to make the greatest length of its puncture in 
 the direction of the stitching, the work is not nearly so 
 strong as if the holes have their longest diameter extend- 
 ing diagonally across the line of the stitching. This differ- 
 ence is a very important one. Especially in cheap harness, 
 the improper style of piercing is frequently adopted, from 
 its greater rapidity. The reason why it is not so well is, 
 that it weakens the leather by a too continuous line of 
 cutting. When the proper plan has been pursued, the 
 ends of the slit-like awl-holes can be seen on either side of 
 the stitches. 
 
 PARTS OF THE HARNESS. 
 
 The Collar. — The best for heavy work is the English 
 Collar^ which is shown in figure 80, as it distributes the 
 draught over the whole surface of the breast and shoulders. 
 Its size and weight should be regulated by the nature of 
 the work to be performed. If for light work, too great 
 weight should be avoided, as it increases the heat about 
 the shoulders. For heavy work, it should be broad and 
 full, especially at the point where the most direct strain 
 comes, viz: where the traces are attached. 
 
 The proper fitting of the collar is an important matter, 
 and should receive the especial attention of the horse- 
 keeper. If it is too loose, it will gall the shoulders and 
 cbafe the neck by its motion ; or if too tight, it will obstruct 
 the breath by its pressure upon the windpipe. When in 
 its proper position, snug against the shoulders, there should 
 be space enough between the collar and the windpipe 
 to allow the insertion of the fingers. With horses of 
 
406 HARNESS. 
 
 stylish carriage, holding their heads high, and having 
 very sloping shoulders, the collar is liable to work too 
 much against the windpipe. This may be obviated by 
 selecting hames, with the attachment of the traces very 
 low down, and by the use of a breast strap, or false mar- 
 tingale, passing from the collar, between the fore legs, to the 
 girth. A collar which is open at the top, fastened by 
 straps and buckles, does not afford so firm a resistance to 
 the draught, and for light harness is not so desirable as 
 one solid-made, though it allows the size of the collar to 
 be regulated to the neck. 
 
 For fine harness, collars are usually made with patent 
 leather on the outside, because this has a more finished 
 appearance, but a strong quality of common leather is 
 more durable. The lining for the collars of fine harness 
 should always be of leather. This is also best for work 
 harness, but woollen cloth is generally used, because it is 
 cheaper. The stuffing in an English collar, for light work, 
 may be soft ; but for heavy work it should be hard and 
 perfectly even. It should be of some material which will 
 not become matted together. For a buggy harness it may 
 be of long straw, bound together, and covered with woollen; 
 while for heavy harness there is no material so good as 
 rye straw, cut as short as possible, so that it may be 
 packed away in the collar, like sand. This will always 
 give an even bearing on the shoulder, and will remain dry 
 and cool. 
 
 The Breast or Dutch Collar^ which is represented in 
 figure 81, is better than the English collar for any light 
 work, (in single harness) and it has the advantage of 
 showing off a fine shoulder, which the other style would 
 only conceal. The construction of the breast-collar is very 
 simple. It should be lined on the inside with a wide, 
 double fold of soft enamelled leather, under the breast-strap 
 
THE COLLAR AND BRIDLE. 
 
 407 
 
 Fig. 81.— The Breast or Dutch Collar. 
 
 or plate, as well as 
 •under that which pas- 
 ses over the neck. The 
 plate should be so 
 long as to bring the 
 trace buckles over the 
 ^■j line of the back part 
 " of the fore leg. The 
 plate, in front,- should 
 be furnished with a 
 loop, to hold the mar- 
 tingale in its proper 
 position. 
 
 The TpvACES should 
 be of a size propor- 
 tioned to the weight 
 to be drawn. Square 
 traces look unwieldy, and round ones are apt to rip. The 
 best form is oval, — that is, a narrow, flattened trace, thick 
 in the centre, and rounded at the edges. Coach traces are 
 cut seven feet long, and are usually supplied with an ar- 
 rangement by which they are secured around the end of 
 the whiffle-tree, while the traces of buggy harness are six 
 feet three inches long, and are fastered by a slit at the end, 
 to an iron in the end of the whiffle-tree. 
 
 The Bridle may be, with propriety, more ornamented 
 or more highly finished than the rest of the harness (except 
 perhaps the saddle) ; for a neat, plain harness, the bridle 
 should be especially neat, with some slight ornament, as a 
 rosette, or with a very little modest stitching ; for a more 
 highly ornamented harness, it may be covered with a pro- 
 fusion of fine work, and have a fair allowance of plated 
 ornaments and buckles. In its general construction, it 
 consists of a head strap, cheek pieces, throat-lash, and bit- 
 
408 HARNESS. 
 
 Blinkers, or Blinders, (as they are very appropriately 
 termed,) are, fortunately, growing more and more un- 
 popular. There is no earthly reason why they should be 
 generally used, except that they afford a good field for 
 the display of initial letters and family crests. They are 
 a frequent cause of blindness, resulting from an undue 
 pressure against the eye ; they cause horses to be frightened 
 by the sudden appearance before them of objects which, 
 without blinkers, they would have seen slowly approach- 
 ing ; and their use for the mere purpose of ornament is as 
 unfortunate as is the use of green spectacles by fine-eyed 
 men. It is not, of course, to be recommended that they 
 be at once discarded in the case of horses on which they 
 have always been used, though many such would go better 
 without them : it is on young horses that their use is espe- 
 cially to be deprecated. 
 
 There are, now and then, to be found cunning horses, 
 who regulate their pace to the indications of danger from 
 behind. They will watch the driver, and go fast or slow, 
 according to the probability of his using the whip. Such 
 animals should wear blinkers, to prevent their looking 
 back to the carriage. Even in these cases it would be 
 better to substitute the "half-blinker," which consists of a 
 narrow piece back of the eye, preventing the horse from 
 looking back, while it allows him to see directly to the side. 
 
 Where it is considered necessary to use blinkers of the 
 ordinary form, great care should be paid to their shape, 
 and their position on the bridle. They sl^ould be very 
 much hollowed out over the eye, and should be so placed 
 that the greatest concavity will come directly over it. If 
 placed a little too high or too low, their edges are liable to 
 bruise and chafe the parts. 
 
 The Check, or Bearing Rein, is another unaccountable 
 mistake in harness invention. While it holds the horse's 
 
THE BIT. 409 
 
 head in an uiinatural, ungraceful, and uncomfortable posi- 
 tion, it gives the mouth a callous, horny character, and 
 entirely destroys all chance for fine driving. The check- 
 rein is considered valuable, especially to prevent horses 
 from grazing, or from lowering the head. The same end may 
 be equally attained by substituting a simple bridle rein, 
 to be fastened to the saddle without passing tlirough the 
 loops of the throat -lash. 
 
 The Bit. — The bit is the most important part of the 
 bridle ; in fact, the chief use of the latter is to hold the bit 
 in its place in the horse's mouth. Bits are of various 
 devices ; that most commonly used is the snaffle^ figure 27, 
 and for ordinary mouths, it should be large, plain, and 
 easj' to the mouth ; the smaller it is, the more severe it will 
 
 be. The bar bit is 
 a simple bar of 
 iron, without a 
 joint ; it is easier 
 to the mouth than 
 the snaffle, and is 
 FiG.82."Th. ],>. "^ much used for 
 
 fast ti-otting horses, which are to be driven with a strong 
 hand. A still easier bit is that represented in figure 82, 
 which is made of leather, covered with India-rubber ; it is 
 useful for very tender mouths. All of these bits should 
 be supplied with long branches, or large rings, or with 
 large discs of leather, to prevent their being drawn through 
 the mouth, when either rein is drawn in turning. For car- 
 riage teams tiiere is often employed a species of curb bit, 
 called the Hanoverian, which does not differ, in principle, 
 from the Hanoverian bit, shown in figure 28. Its form is 
 somewhat modified by liaving its branches straight, and 
 supplied with holes for attaching the reins at greater or less 
 distances from the mouth-piece, according to the amount 
 18 
 
410 HARNESS. 
 
 of leverage required. The mouth-piece is usually made 
 plain, — without the port or curve which is used in the 
 Hanoverian bit, for riding. 
 
 Whenever a curb-chain is used, particular attention 
 should be given to its length. If too tight, it chafes the 
 horse's chin ; if too loose, it does not act with snfhcient 
 power. It should be so adjusted that, when the branches 
 are perpendicular, and the horse's head in its proper posi- 
 tion, the finger may be easily passed between it and the 
 chin. 
 
 The Body. — The body part of the harness consists of the 
 saddle, with girths, the back-strap, and crupper, and the 
 breeching and hold-back. 
 
 The Saddle. — The saddle may be either heavy or light, 
 according to the character of the harness. For buggy har- 
 ness and for light double harness, it shoukl be very narrow 
 and light, (in all cases, it should be stuffed on either side 
 of the spine), with a piece of heavy felt, or leather plate, 
 of somewhat greater width attached to it, to prevent it 
 from injuring the horse's back, — this is entirely separate 
 from the saddle, and is attached to it by two small straps 
 passing around it, one at either end of the saddle. The 
 terrets are two standing rings at the sides, and a hook in 
 the centre, to which the check -rein is fastened. 
 
 The Girths should be made in the same manner as the 
 shoulder-piece and plate of the breast-collar, — that is, of a 
 piece of ordinary leather, protected on the side next to the 
 horse, by a pad of softer leather of greater width. Single 
 harness has two girths — one to hold the saddle, and one 
 to hold down the "tugs," (through which the shafts are 
 passed,) while double harness has but one girth, the traces 
 being passed through a loop on the lower part of the sad- 
 dle-straps on either side. 
 
 The Back-strap and Crupper. — The back-strap passes 
 
THE BREECHING. 4il 
 
 from a ring at the back of the sadrlle to the crupper, and 
 has an opening over the horse's hips, through which the 
 strap, supporting the breeching, is passed, and the continua- 
 tion is divided at its end so as to buckle into either end of 
 the crupper. 
 
 The Crupper is that part which passes under the horse's 
 tail, and which serves to hokl the sacklle back to its proper 
 place, and to prevent its yiekling to the tension of the 
 check-rein, when one is used. It should be very large (as 
 being less likely to hurt the horse), and filled with some 
 material which will not become hard and stiff; a very 
 large crupper will prevent the horse from holding his tail 
 hard down over the rein, and thus removes a serious diffi- 
 culty incident to driving. 
 
 The Beeeching. — The breeching is the strap which 
 passes back of the horse's thighs, and which sustains the 
 weight of the carriage in descending hills, and moves it in 
 backing. It is indispensable in single harness, but is not 
 necessary in double harness, except for heavy work or in 
 hilly countries. On tolerably level roads, and with mod- 
 erately light loads, horses will work equally well and more 
 comfortably without it, while their appearance is very 
 much improved by its absence. The breeching should bo 
 made in the same manner as the plate of the breast-collar, 
 having at its ends strong rings instead of buckles. It 
 should not be too long, the rings coming very little for- 
 ward of the horse's stifle. It is supported by a strap pass- 
 ing over the horse's hips, to the divided ends of which, on 
 either" side, it is attached at the ring and at a point further 
 back, which should not be less than six inches from the 
 ring. This supporting strap may be either split up nearly 
 to the back-strap, or it may be connected by a ring with two 
 short straps which pass to the two points of attachment of 
 the brcechingf. 
 
412 
 
 HARNESS. 
 
 The Holdbacks are tlie straps which connect the rings 
 at the ends of the breeching with the shafts. In these very 
 essential parts of the harness, strength should never be 
 sacrificed to appearance. They should be made of the 
 best quality of leather, cut straight at the sides, stitched 
 coarsely at the fastening on of the buckle, and be of good 
 size. They will be stronger and more durable if made of 
 one thickness of stout leather, than if made of an equal 
 weight of two strips of tliin leather stitched together. 
 
 The Reins should be so strong that, if the traces or 
 whiffle-tree break, the horse may draw his load by the bit ; 
 their rounded part, which should ex- 
 tend well back of the saddle terrets, 
 should be smooth and not twisted: and 
 the hand-pieces, which are best made 
 of soft russet leather, should be of a 
 size suited to the driver's hand, and 
 very pliable. The reins ma_y be sup- 
 plied with buttons to prevent the hands 
 from slipping, and the end next to 
 the bit should be enlarged, as in fig. 
 S3, to prevent the martingale rings 
 from slipping over the buckle. 
 
 The Martingale may be of either 
 
 the standing or ring sort, according to 
 
 the taste of the purchaser. It is not a 
 
 very important part of the harness, if 
 
 the horse has been trained to carry 
 
 his head in its, proper place. If he 
 
 persist in running out his nose, he will 
 
 probably be most effectually cured by 
 
 the use of the standing martingale, 
 
 while, if h.e have a trick of tossing his head, a rather short 
 
 ring- martingale will ennl ]> his driver to resist or punish 
 
 16 
 
 Fig. 83. 
 
HARNESSING. 413 
 
 the attempt. The martingale, in its passage from the girth 
 to the re-ins, should be securely attached to the collar 
 (if the English collar be used); and if there be no martin- 
 gale, the collar should be connected with the saddle girth 
 by what is called a false martingale. This is very impor- 
 tant, especially in double harness without breeching, when 
 fully one-half of the weight of the load, in going down 
 hill, comes upon this false martingale. 
 
 The Mounting. — The finest bits are of polished steel ; 
 and the terrets and buckles of plated metal, orcovered wdth 
 leather. The steel bits should be smooth, and entirely free 
 from flaws and dull spots ; the brilliancy of the polish is 
 of no consequence. Plating is of two sorts, — electra-plat- 
 ing, and close-plating ; the latter is the best, and may be 
 distinguished by breathing on it, and examining it while 
 covered with moisture, when there will be found, on some 
 part of it, the joint where the two edges of the leaf of 
 silver or gold come together. When no such joint can be 
 found, reject the mounting as electro -plated. The plating 
 should be free from little cracks. Covered buckles and 
 terrets are a vanity. They look well at first, but they are 
 never strong, and the leather in time wears off and looks 
 shabby. Even plain japanned buckles are to be preferred 
 to covered ones. 
 
 HOW TO HAENESS AND UNHARNESS THE HORSE. 
 
 Lead the horse out from his stall to where the collar has 
 been conveniently hung, and, with the large end upper- 
 most, put the same carefully over his head, having first 
 widened it by pulling it over the knee. After it has passed 
 his head, turn it (in the direction in which the mane falls) 
 to its proper position. The breast-collar may be passed 
 
414 HARNESS. 
 
 over the head, of course, without these precautions. Kow 
 tie your horse securely, and fit the collar to its place, that 
 it may become warm before work commences. Examine 
 the hames to see that neither the strap at the top nor the 
 connecting links of the traces are twisted; then put them 
 over the collar, and buckle them at the bottom. If fast- 
 ened by an iron at the bottom, they should not be unfast. 
 ened at the top, but the iron may be put in its place while 
 they are over the horse's neck, and then they may be put 
 in their place on the collar and drawn up at the top. In 
 either case they should be drawn snugly to their place, 
 without being made so tight as to press the collar too tight- 
 ly against the neck. Take the body of the harness from 
 its peg, hold the saddle in the left hand, and with the 
 i-ight properly adjust the various parts ; then, taking hold 
 of the back -strap near the supporting strap of the breeching, 
 place the whole quietly on the horse's back. Standing by 
 the side of the horse's hip, raise the tail with the left hand, 
 and, with the right, put the crupper in its place under the 
 tail, being careful to free it from the hairs of the tail. 
 Buckle the crupper to the back-strap, and then draw the 
 saddle forward to its place ; the back-strap should be short 
 enough to keep it well back of the withers. Pass the girth, 
 which holds the saddle, through the loop of the martingale, 
 and fasten it pretty tightly, leaving the other girth buckled 
 to the terret on the off-side of the saddle. Now adjust the 
 parts of the bridle, hang its head-piece over the thumb of 
 the left hand, and remove the horse's halter, slipping the 
 right hand over the top of his head and holding him by 
 the forelock. Take the top of the bridle in the fore finger 
 of the right hand — the others still retainir.g their hold of 
 the f 3relock — and with the left insert the bit in his mouth, 
 drawing it quickly to its place, and passing the head-piece 
 over the horse's ears. Now arrange the bridle, drawing 
 
HARNESSING. 415 
 
 the forelock under its front piece, and fitting the bridle 
 about the ears. Buckle the throat-lash long enough to 
 allow it to fall down against the cheeks. If you use a 
 check-rein, pass it over the terret hook of the saddle ; see 
 that it is not so short as to unnaturally confine tlie horse's 
 head. 
 
 In putting the horse to the wagon^ if you are not sure that 
 he is well trained to stepping into the shafts, either have a 
 second person to hold up the shafts while you back him 
 into them, or stand him before them and raise them up so 
 as to draw them over his hips. Pass the shaft through the 
 near-side tug about 6 or 8 laches, and then go around to the 
 off-side and put the end of the other shaft through the tug 
 and the loop of the second girth, which is buckled through 
 it. Unfold the trace of the off-side and pass it first 
 under the tug, and then through the loop on the shaft, 
 fastening it, without a twist, to the whiffle-tree. Then 
 come back to the near-side and fasten the other trace; 
 after which unfold the holdback and pass it down be- 
 tween the horse and the trace, through the loop under the 
 shaft, and again over the top of the shaft, forward of the 
 loop, then down between the shaft and the trace, up again 
 outside of the shaft, and then between the shaft and the 
 turn which has been made over it, and back to the buckle. 
 Fasten the other holdback in the same manner, and adjust 
 the buckles of both so that when the horse is stand- 
 ing back squarely against the breeching, there shall be a 
 slack of 3 inches in each trace ; this will give him room 
 to work. See that the breeching is high enough^ — not more 
 than 12 or 14 inches below the setting on of the tail. Un- 
 fasten the second girth from the terret of the off-side, pass 
 it through the martingale loop, and buckle it aroaud the 
 shaft and through the tug on the near-side. Uncoil the 
 reins, pass them through the martingale rings and the ter- 
 
416 HARNESS. 
 
 rets of the collar and saddle, and, carefully avoiding twisls, 
 buckle their ends together, and your horse is geared. Be 
 sure that you have ev^ery strap only sufficiently tight : do 
 not emulate the example of that distinguished Hibernian 
 who drew taut all of the straps, buckled them in the last 
 hole, and then cut off the ends " to make it look nate." 
 
 To unharness^ pursue the following order : — Unbuckle 
 the reins and coil them to the rings of the bit ; let down 
 the check-rein ; unbuckle the second girth and fasten it to 
 the terret ; unfasten and fold up the holdbacks ; unfasten 
 and coil the traces ; slip the tugs from the shafts ; lead the 
 horse out of the shafts, lowering them easily to the ground; 
 lead the horse to the place of unharnessing and remove 
 the bridle, holding him by the mane until his halter is 
 made fast; unbuckle the crupper and the saddle-girth, 
 slipping the latter free from the martingale loop ; take the 
 saddle in the left hand, and the back-strap in the right, 
 drawing the body part off over the hips, and remove the 
 harness, — hanging each part of the harness in its place as 
 taken off. Now unfasten the halter-tie ; move the collar 
 to the upper part of the neck, widen it by drawing its sides 
 apart, and turn it upside down (turning in the direction in 
 which the mane falls); stand in front of the horse's head, 
 and draw off the collar, squarely and slowly, holding the 
 sides as much as possible away from the horse's eyes.* 
 
 The work of putting on and taking off harness is done 
 as much as possible on the near-side of the horse, and 
 special care should be taken to do everything with the ut- 
 most quietness and gentleness. 
 
 In harnessing the double team, the same general plan is 
 to be pursued as with the single horse, deviating from the 
 
 '•' If the collar can conveniently be left in its place until the neck is cool, 
 the skin will be less liable to become sore from its pressure than if it Vie 
 immediately removed. 
 
CARE OF THE HAENESS. • 417 
 
 above described system only so mucli as is required by 
 the different character of the harness, — and bearing in 
 mind the remarks on couphng-reins, and occasionally 
 changing sides with the horses, which will be found in 
 chapter XIX., (How to Drive a Horse.) 
 
 THE CARE OF HARNESS. 
 
 Fine harness should not be kept where it will be con- 
 stantly surrounded by an atmosphere saturated with 
 ammonia, as in the stable, or so near to it as to be within 
 reach of the fumes of the manure of the horses. The am- 
 monia would be absorbed by the imperceptible film of 
 moisture on it, and would "eat up" the oil of the leather. 
 For the same reason it should not be hung against a white- 
 washed wall, as the lime would get on the leather, and in- 
 jure it by the same action. 
 
 For each harness there should be two long pegs, five or 
 six feet from the floor. On one, hang the bridle, next to 
 the wall ; and the collar, the small end up, outside of the 
 bridle. On the other, hang the body of the harness, by 
 the saddle, letting the back-strap and breeching hang down, 
 and the hames outside of the saddle. Thus arranged they 
 will be in the proper order for putting on to the horse. 
 
 When the harness is taken from the horse, take a 
 woollen cloth or chamois skin, kept for the purpose, and 
 Avipe off the dust, and all moisture from rain or perspira- 
 tion ; and when the harness is nearly dry, rub its damper 
 parts very thoroughly with a second cloth or skin, until it 
 is quite soft and pliable. 
 
 The bits and plated mounting should be cleaned and 
 rubbed with a slightly oiled rag before the harnass is 
 18"^ 
 
418 HAKNESS. 
 
 finally hung in its place. It is well to protect tlie harness 
 from dust by covering it, on its pegs, with a sheet, or, 
 better still, by hanging it in a closet. When the leather 
 of the harness becomes dry and hard, it should be cleaned 
 and oiled. The best published directions for these pro- 
 cesses are contained in the following, Avritten to the N. E. 
 Farmer, by Mr. J. Hart, of Portsmouth, N. H. : — 
 
 First, I take the harness apart, having each strap and 
 piece by itself; then I wash it in warm soapsuds. I used 
 to soak it in cold water for half a day, as others did, but I 
 find that warm water does no harm, and much facilitates 
 the job. When cleaned, I black every part with a harm- 
 less black dye which I make thus : — One ounce of extract 
 of logwood, twelve grains bichromate of potash, both 
 pounded fine; upon that I pour two quarts boiling rain- 
 water, stirring until all is dissolved. When cool it may 
 be used. I keep it on hand all the time, in bottles. It 
 may be applied with a shoe brush, or anything else con- 
 venient. K any one objects to the use of this blacking, 
 fearing that the bichromate of potash it contains would in- 
 jure the leather, I would say, that this kind of potash 
 will not injure leather, even when used in a much larger 
 proportion. The blacking generally used contains cop- 
 peras, sulphate of iron, and it is found that it will eat out 
 the life of leather, unless used with great caution. When 
 the dye had struck in, I go through with the oiling pro- 
 cess. Some have a sheet-iron pan to oil in ; but I have a 
 sheet of iron nailed to a board ; it is about two by three 
 feet square. This I lay upon a table ; I lay a piece or part 
 of the harness upon this, and with neat's-fbot oil applied 
 with a paint-brush, kept for the purpose, I go over it, oil- 
 ing every part. The traces, breeching, and such parts as 
 need the most, I oil again. For the last oiling I use one- 
 third castor oil, and two-thirds neat's-foot oil, mixed. A 
 
•CLEANING THE ilAKXESS. 419 
 
 few hours after, or perhaps the next day, I wipe the harness 
 over with a woollen cloth, which gives it a glossy appear- 
 ance. AVhy I use some castor oil for the last coat is, be- 
 cause it will stand the effects of the atmosphere and the 
 rain much longer than neat's-foot oil, — consequently the 
 harness does not require oiling so often. One pint of oil 
 is sufficient for one harness. 
 
 The common way of oiling a harness is, to apply as 
 much neat's-foot oil containing lamp-black as the leather 
 will take up ; then washing off with castile soap and water. 
 This way is not so good as mine, because it makes the 
 harness smutty, and also the soap that is used contains 
 barilla, — a strong alkali, — which cuts up and feeds upon the 
 oil in the leather, and the weather, especially if rainy, soon, 
 renders the harness stiff and unyielding as before ; the wax 
 in the threads is also destroyed, and the stitching gives 
 way. I have experimented with different kinds of oil, 
 and find that the kind, and the process I now use, is the 
 best. 
 
 A French work, "Ze Bourellier et le Sellier^''^ gives the fol- 
 lowing recipe for restoring old and stiff leather : 
 
 Melt over the fire, in a metallic vessel, eight pounds 
 of very pure beeswax, stirring it until it is all melted ; 
 then introduce one pound of litharge, which has been pul- 
 verized in water, dried, and passed through a fine sieve. 
 Leave it on the fire, and stir it until all of the soluble part 
 of the litharge is incorporated with the wax ; remove the 
 vessel from the fire, and when the mixture shall have lost 
 a portion of its heat, incorporate with it, little by little, one 
 pound and a half of very fine ivory black, of the best 
 quality ; replace it on the fire, and stir it incessantly until 
 the wax commences to boil again ; then remove it and 
 allow it to get nearly cool. Then add to it spirits of tur- 
 pentine, until it is of the consistency of a paste. More tur- 
 
420 . HARNESS. 
 
 pentine may from time to time be added, as may become 
 necessary. 
 
 ApPLiCATioisr. — If the leather is old and stiff, or covered 
 with gum, wash it with a brush with weak potash-water 
 or soap, and then with pure spring-water ; leave it to dry, 
 and then blacken it with ink. When that is well absorbed, 
 wipe it with a cloth, and then grease it abundantly with 
 fish oil of good quality, (neat's-foot oil is probably prefer- 
 able.) When the grease has been thoroaghly imbibed, 
 pass over it a sponge moistened with spirits of turpentine, 
 to remove the grease from the surface ; then give it, with 
 a shoe-brush, a layer of the above preparation ; finish by 
 polishing with a soft and dry brush. 
 
 This process will restore the leather to a soft, pliable 
 condition, and give it a beautiful appearance. 
 
 Cleaning Plate. — If the plated portions of the harness 
 become tarnished, they may be cleaned by rubbing first 
 with whiting and water, and then with whiting alone. 
 Polished steel mountings should be kept clean and imper- 
 ceptibly oiled, by the use of a cloth which contains only a 
 suspicion of sweet oil. Use no acids in cleaning the plate, 
 as it will soon destroy the. coating. 
 
II^DEX 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Accidents in Ladies' riding. . . 302 
 
 Adaptation of Sire and Dam . . 35 
 
 African Jack 91 
 
 Age of the Horse 101 
 
 Age of a Horse, How to tell. . 115 
 
 Amble, the 279 
 
 American liorses rarely savagely 
 
 vicious 151 
 
 Andalusian Jack 91 
 
 Approaching the horse 324 
 
 Arab Blood. 58 
 
 Axle, the 385 
 
 Axle, the patent 385 
 
 Axle, Stratton's Patent 386 
 
 Axle, the Half-patent 381 
 
 Back-strap of the Harness 410 
 
 Backing 253 
 
 Balls, how to administer. . 178, 210 
 
 Barbadoes aloes 178 
 
 Barouche, the 378 
 
 Bars of the Foot 222 
 
 Baucher's Method of Train- 
 ing 152, 241 
 
 Baulking '329 
 
 Bit, the 409, 267 
 
 " Pelham 267 
 
 " Hanoverian 267 
 
 " plain Snaffle 268 
 
 " for Ladies' riding 295 
 
 " and Bridoon Bridle 246 
 
 Bladder, Diseases of 181 
 
 Blanketing 147 
 
 Bleeding 193 
 
 '• instrument for 175 
 
 how performed 177 
 
 PAG» 
 
 Blindness, inherited 23 
 
 Bhnkers, the 408 
 
 Blood, quantity contained in 
 
 the horse 167 
 
 Blood-spavin 114 
 
 •' Blood," its definition 19 
 
 '■ what it gives to the 
 
 horse 20 
 
 Blood, should be on the side 
 
 of the Sire 21 
 
 Blood less important in the 
 
 Mare 26 
 
 Blood from the Sire, beauty 
 
 from the Dam 26 
 
 Bloods which " hit" 41 
 
 Body of the Carriage 391 
 
 Body of the Harness 410 
 
 Bog-spavin 114 
 
 Bones of the Foot 223 
 
 Breaking a horse, what it im- 
 plies 151 
 
 Breast-plate 265 
 
 " Breeding up," definition of . . 39 
 
 Breeching, the 411 
 
 Brett, the *. 380 
 
 Bridle, the 266, 407 
 
 " the pulley 268 
 
 " for Ladies' riding . . .. 294 
 
 Broken lOiees 107,185 
 
 Bronchitis 180 
 
 Brood-mare, points of 27 
 
 Brougham, the 379 
 
 Buggy, the 381 
 
 Caleche, the 378 
 
 Canadians ■ 45 
 
 [421] 
 
422 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Canter, the 278 
 
 Carriages, chapter on 374 
 
 Carriages, varieties of 377 
 
 Carrots for food. 126 
 
 Castor Oil, dangerous 179, 175 
 
 Castration 188 
 
 Catarrh 354 
 
 Catch weights 337 
 
 Chapman's Shaft-fasten 390 
 
 Check-rein, the 408 
 
 Clean legs 113 
 
 Clicking 218 
 
 Clipping 203 
 
 Clothing for the horse 147 
 
 Clyster, how to administer — 213 
 
 Coach, the 377 
 
 Cold 354 
 
 Colic, spasmodic 168 
 
 Colic 170 
 
 Colic, Homoeopathic remedies. 360 
 
 Collar, the 406 
 
 Collar, the Breast or Dutch. .. 406 
 
 Colors for Carriages 393 
 
 Colors, harmony of 393 
 
 Colt, management of the 153 
 
 Construction of the carriage. . . 382 
 
 Contracted Feet 239 
 
 Corns 214 
 
 Corns, remedied by proper 
 
 Shoeing 238 
 
 Corn-meal, food for horses 137 
 
 Costiveness, treatment for. . . . 179 
 
 Cough, treatment for 180 
 
 Cough 355 
 
 Coupe, the 379 
 
 Cracked heels 202 
 
 Crossing the breeds 40 
 
 Crupper, the 265 
 
 Crupper of the Harness 410 
 
 Cut hay 137 
 
 Damaged back sinews 112 
 
 Dark Stables 140 
 
 Defects detected 101 
 
 Depression of the neck 248 
 
 Description of a good shoe. . . . 231 
 
 Diarrhoea 362 
 
 Diet for Sick Horse 348 
 
 Diseases, Causes of 162 
 
 Diseases of the Foot caused by 
 
 bad shoeing 237 
 
 PACK 
 
 Dismounting 270 
 
 " from the Side-sad- 
 dle 299 
 
 Distemper 180 
 
 Docking 189 
 
 Dog-cart 381 
 
 Doors for stables. . . .* 141 
 
 Drench^es, how to administer 178, 211 
 
 Dress for gentlemen riding 269 
 
 " '' ladies " .... 296 
 
 Driving, chapter on 304 
 
 " a single horse 306 
 
 " a pair 306 
 
 " four-in-hand 308 
 
 " working horses 311 
 
 Ear, dressing the 208 
 
 Economy of proper stable ar- 
 rangements 140 
 
 Education of a Horse . 152 
 
 '• should commence ■ 
 
 when young 153 
 
 Enclosure for Training Horses . 323 
 
 Epsom Salts, effect of 173 
 
 Examining the Horse 100 
 
 Eyes, how to Examine 104 
 
 Falling, the art of 284 
 
 Farcy 349 
 
 Farm Horses, how to use ...... 1^8 
 
 Farriery 187 
 
 Feeding a Horse 122 
 
 Feet, Diseases of 182 
 
 Felloes, the 383 
 
 Fittina: the Shoe 234 
 
 Flesh Vounds 200 
 
 Flexions of the Jaw 246 
 
 Flexions of the Neck 249 
 
 Flexions of the Croup 251 
 
 Floor for Stables 141 
 
 Foal, Food of 124 
 
 Food of the Race-horse 122 
 
 Foot, Anatomy of 219 
 
 Fomentations 213 
 
 Forging...- 218 
 
 Founder 351 
 
 Fresh Legs 113 
 
 Frog of the Foot 222 
 
 Gag-bit 322 
 
 Galloways 12 
 
INDEX. 
 
 423 
 
 Gallop, the 254, 278 
 
 Galls of the Skin 198 
 
 General Rules for choice of 
 
 Stallion 24 
 
 General Kules for choice of 
 
 Mare 34 
 
 Girths, the 263 
 
 Girths of the Harness 410 
 
 Glossary of Diseases 367 
 
 (Jrease 350, 203, 182 
 
 Green Food 129, 126 
 
 Gripes 360 
 
 Grooming 149, 144, 139 
 
 Grooming, importance of 145 
 
 " necessary for Work- 
 Horses 145 
 
 Halt, the.. 280 
 
 Handicapping 342 
 
 Hands, position in riding 274 
 
 Hands, position of tlie Lady's. 300 
 Harmony of Color in Trim- 
 mings, with Dress and 
 
 Complexion of Ladies .... 394 
 
 Harness, chapter on 401 
 
 Harness, parts of the 405 
 
 Harness, the care of 417 
 
 Harness, to clean 418 
 
 Harnessing the Horse 413 
 
 Hay rooms 142 
 
 Hay, Amount fed to Omnibus 
 
 Horses, 138 
 
 Heats 338 
 
 Hereditary, defects which are . 23. 29 
 
 Hidebound 351 
 
 Hinnv. the 84 
 
 Holdbacks, the 412 
 
 Homoeopathy 344 
 
 Horny Crust of the Foot 219 
 
 Horse, how to buy 94 
 
 " how to breed 17 
 
 Hub, the 382 
 
 Icelandic Pony 65 
 
 Indian Pony 76, 67 
 
 Indigestion 36 
 
 Inflammation of the Kidneys . . 365 
 Inflammation of the Bowels ... 363 
 Inflammation of the Brain. . . . 353 
 Inflammation of the Lungs. .173, 357 
 Inflammation of the Bowels 172, 168 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Influenza 359 
 
 Interfering 215 
 
 Instructions for practising Ra- 
 
 rey's Method 322 
 
 Jagger "Wagon 382 
 
 Jibbing 329 
 
 Kicking 327 
 
 Knee-pad 323 
 
 Landau, the 378 
 
 Laying the Horse down 325 
 
 Leaping 258, 282 
 
 Leather for Harness, quality of 403 
 
 Leather, in carriages # 391 
 
 Legs, defects in 107 
 
 Legs, to examine the 108 
 
 Legs, use of, in riding 275 
 
 Lightness of Hand 275 
 
 Lotions 213 
 
 Lubricating the Axle 399 
 
 Maiden Horse 337 
 
 Maltese Jack 87, 92 
 
 Mane, dressing the 207 
 
 Mange 349 
 
 Mare, choice of the 25 
 
 Mare, Food for, during Gesta- 
 tion 122 
 
 Mare, Care of, during Gesta- 
 tion 31 
 
 Martingale, the 266, 295, 412 
 
 Medicines, Caution in Admin- 
 istering 163 
 
 Medicines, how to Administer 208 
 
 Medicines, list of 345 
 
 " Administering Ho- 
 moeopathic 346 
 
 Megrims 352 
 
 Metallic IMangers 130 
 
 Mexican Pony 76 
 
 Modern Arabian inferior to 
 English or American 
 
 thorough-bred 59 
 
 Mounting the Horse 269 
 
 Mounting, the ?ide-saddle 298 
 
 Mountmg of the Harness 413 
 
 Mouth, Examination of 339 
 
 Mules, how to Breed 81 
 
 Mules, their use in the U, S. . . 88 
 
4:24 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Mustang Pony 67 
 
 Naragansetts *^2 
 
 Navicular Disease 113 
 
 Nicking 180 
 
 Norman Blood 51 
 
 New Corn Injurious 127 
 
 OmnilDUS Horses in New York 135 
 
 Over-reach 186 
 
 Over-reaching 218 
 
 Paces, the 253,2^6 
 
 Pace, the 219 
 
 Painting the Carriage 392 
 
 Panels of the Carriage 391 
 
 Paring the Foot for Shoeing . . 227 
 
 Percheron Norman 52 
 
 " Importation to New 
 
 Jersey 53 
 
 Phsetou, the 380 
 
 Physic a Horse, how to 162 
 
 Plating on the Carriage 392 
 
 Plating, cleaning the 420 
 
 Pleasure driving 304 
 
 Pleasure Horses, how to use. . 159 
 
 Plowing 314 
 
 " three-a-breast 315 
 
 Pole, the 390 
 
 Ponies 63 
 
 Pony not a Dwarf Horse 64 
 
 Points of the Horse 99 
 
 Position of the body in riding. 272 
 
 " hands 274 
 
 Positions of the lady 299 
 
 Preparation of the foot 226 
 
 Pricking by a nail 216 
 
 Pulling on the halter 328 
 
 Punishment of the Horse 16Q 
 
 Purchasing a Carriage 375 
 
 Purchasing the Carriage, rules 
 
 for 395 
 
 Purgatives, the Horse very sen- 
 sitive to... 166 
 
 Quittor 216 
 
 Eace-horse, food of 122 
 
 Racing 333 
 
 Racing, laws of 337 
 
 Rarey's System of Horse-taming 318 
 
 Rearing 282, 327 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Reins, the, for Harness 412 
 
 Reins, how to hold. . . 311, 300, 305 
 
 Remedies for specific diseases. 349 
 
 Repairing Carriage 400 
 
 Riding, chapter on 261 
 
 Riding with Ladies. . . ., 285 
 
 Riding, Ladies' 288 
 
 Ring-bone 113 
 
 Roaring 105 
 
 Rockaway, the 379 
 
 Roof of the Carriage 391 
 
 Rules for purchasing Carriage. 395 
 Rye Bran to prevent scour- 
 ing 138 
 
 Saddle, the 261 
 
 Saddle, the Somerset 263 
 
 Saddle, the Hunting 262 
 
 Saddle of the Harness 410 
 
 Saddle-Cloths 264 
 
 Saddle Galls 199 
 
 Scottish Ponies 65, 67 
 
 Scratches 182, 203, 350 
 
 Scratches caused by filthy 
 
 stables 139 
 
 Seat in the Saddle 271 
 
 Seat in the Side-saddle 299 
 
 Shafts, the 389 
 
 Shetland Ponies 65, 67 
 
 Shoe, preparing the 231 
 
 " form of 233 
 
 Shoeing 218 
 
 Shying 329 
 
 -Sick animal, treatment of. ... . 3-18 
 
 Side-saddle, the 291 
 
 Side-bone 113 
 
 Sit-fests 199 
 
 Size of Sire and Dam 37 
 
 Sore 'Ihroat 356 
 
 Spanish Jack 91 
 
 Spavin 113 
 
 Special cases in riding 281 
 
 Speed necessary to excellence. 19 
 
 Speedy-cut 215 
 
 Splents.." Ill 
 
 Spokes, the 383 
 
 Springs, the 387 
 
 Spurs, the 257, 268 
 
 Stabling the Colt 323 
 
 Stallion, choice of 17 
 
 " points of 21 
 
INDEX, 
 
 425 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Stalls, size of 142 
 
 •' Stopping" the feet 218 
 
 Strains 186, 195 
 
 Strangles 180 
 
 Stirrups 264 
 
 Stirrup, the Lady's 293 
 
 Stirrup-leather 263 
 
 Striping the running gear 894 
 
 Stabling the Horse 139 
 
 Style of Carriages in the Unit- 
 ed States 3*75 
 
 Summering Horse 133 
 
 Table of dimensions for parts 
 
 of Carriage 388 
 
 Tail, dressing the 207 
 
 Teeth of the Horse ] 01 
 
 Teeth, "mark" in 116 
 
 Temperature of Stable 148 
 
 Thick Wind 105 
 
 Thorough-pin 114 
 
 Thrush 184, 214, 352 
 
 Tire, the 384 
 
 Tire Setting 400 
 
 Traces, the 407 
 
 Training Horses, Baucher's 
 
 method 241 
 
 Training-Stables 334 
 
 Training Racers 334 
 
 Travelling, feeding while 131 
 
 Trimming the mane and tail. . 207 
 " hair of the legs. 205 
 
 Trimming Carriage 392 
 
 Trot, the " 254, 276 
 
 Tying np the leg 325 
 
 Unharnessing the Horse 416 
 
 Use a Horse, how to 157 
 
 Varnish for Carriages 392 
 
 Ventilation of Stables 139, 142 
 
 Vices and bad habits 327 
 
 Walk, the 244, 276 
 
 Watering the Horse 129, 161 
 
 Washing the Carriage 397 
 
 Weights, table of, for Racers. . 341 
 Weight of rider, in racing. ... 337 
 
 Welsh Ponies 65 
 
 Wheel, the 382 
 
 Wheezing • 106 
 
 Whip, Ladies' 302, 295 
 
 Whistling ' 106 
 
 Wind, defects in, detected 104 
 
 Windows for Stables 142 
 
 Working Horses, food for. . . . 126 
 
 Workmanship, quality of 404 
 
 Work-horses, how to use 157 
 
 I Worms 181, 364 
 
 i Wounds 195, 200 
 
All the Books on this Catalogue sent by Mail, to any part of the Unions 
 free of postage, upon receipt of Price. 
 
 CATALOGUE OF BOOKS 
 
 ON 
 
 AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE, 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 j^. O. liv^OOIREl <Sc OO., 
 
 (Late C. M. Saxton 8,- Co. ,) 
 No, 140 PULTON STREET, NEW YORK. 
 
 SUITABLE FOR 
 
 SCHOOL, TOWN, AGRICULTURAL, & PRIVATE LIBRARIES. 
 ». - • » .< 
 
 AMERICAN FAEMER'S ENCYCLOPEDIA, $4 00 
 
 As A Book of Reference for the Farmer or Gardener, this 
 
 Work is superior to any other. It contains Reliable Information for the Cultivation of 
 every variety of Field and Garden Crops, the use of all kinds of Manures, descriptions 
 and figures of American insects ; and is, indeed, an Agricultural Library in itself, con- 
 taining twelve hundred pages, octavo, and is illustrated by numerous engravings of 
 Grasses, Grains, Animals, Implements, Insects, &c., &:c. By Gouvernedr Emersos of 
 
 PEjrNSYLVA>1A. 
 
 AMERICAN WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS, 1 50 
 
 An Illustrated Edition of Agricultural Botany ; An Enu- 
 meration and Description of Weeds and Useful Plants which merit the notice or 
 require the attention of American Agriculturists. By Wm. Darungtox, M. D. Re- 
 vised, with Additions, by George Thurber, Prof, of Mat. Med. and Botany in the New 
 York College of Pharmacy. Illustrated with nearly 300 Figures, drawn expressly for 
 this work. 
 
 ALLEN'S (R. L.) AMERICAN FARM BOOK, 1 00 
 
 Or A CoMPEND OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE ; being a Practical 
 
 Treatise on Soils, Manures, Draining, Irrigation, Grasses, Grain, Roots, Fruits, Cotton, 
 Tobacco, Sugar Cane, Rice, and every Staple Product of the United States ; with the 
 best methods of Planting, Cultivating and Preparation for Market. Illustrated with more 
 than 100 engravings. 
 
 ALLEN'S (R. L.) DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS, - - 75 
 
 Being a History and Description of the Horse, Mule, Cattle, 
 
 Sheep, Swine, Poultry and Farm Dogs, with Directions for their Management, Breeding, 
 Crossing, Rearing, Feeding, and Preparation for a Profitable Market ; also, their 
 Diseases and Remedies, together with full Directions for the Management of the Dairy, 
 and the comparative Economy and Advantages of Working Animals, — ^the Horse, Mule, 
 Oxen, '&c. 
 
 ALLEN'S (L. F.) RURAL ARCHITECTURE, 1 25 
 
 Being a Complete Description of Farm Houses, Cottages and 
 
 Out Buildings, comprising Wood Houses, Workshops, Tool Houses, Carriage and Wagon 
 Houses, Stables, Smoke and Ash Houses, Ice Houses, Apiaries or Bee Houses, Poultry 
 Houses, Babbitry, Dovecote, Piggery, Barns and Sheds for Cattle, &c., &c. ; together 
 with Lawns, Pleasure Grounds and Parks ; the Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Garden ; 
 also, the best method of conducting water into Cattle Yards and Houses. Beautifully 
 illustrated. 
 
 ALLEN (J. FISK) ON THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE, - - 1 00 
 
 A Practical Treatise on the Culture and Treatment of the 
 
 Grape Vine, embracing its History, with Directions for its Treatment in the United 
 States of America, in the Open Air and under Glass Structures, with and without 
 Artificial Heat 
 
MooJcs published by A. O. Mooke & Oo. 
 
 AMERICAN ARCHITECT, 6 00 
 
 Comprising Original Designs of Cheap Country and Village 
 
 Residences, with Details, Spaciflcations, Plans and Directions, and an Estimate of the Cost 
 of each Design. By John W. Ritch, Architect. First and Second Series, 4to, bound in 
 1 vol. 
 
 AMERICAN FiaRIST'S GTJIDE, 75 
 
 Comprising the American Rose Culturist, and Every Lady 
 
 her own Flower Gardener. 
 BARRY'S FRUIT GARDEN, 1 25 
 
 A Treatise, Intended to Explain and Illustrate the Physi- 
 
 ology of Fruit Trees, the Theory and Practice of all Operations connected with the 
 Propagation, Transplanting, Pruning and Training of Orchard and Garden Trees, as 
 Standards, Dwarfs, Pyramids, Espalier, &c. The Laying out and Arranging dififerent 
 kinds of Orchards and Gardens, the selection of suitable varieties for diflerent purposes 
 and localities. Gathering and Preserving Fruits, Treatment of Diseases, Destruction of 
 Insects, Description and Uses of Implements, &c. Illustrated with upwards of 150 
 Figures. By P. Barry, of the Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, N. Y. 
 
 BEMENT'S (C. N.) RABBIT FANCIER, 50 
 
 A Treatise on the Breeding, Rearing, Feeding and General 
 
 Management of Rabbits, with Remarks upon their Diseases and Remedies, to which are 
 added Full Directions for the Construction of Hutches, Rabbitries, &c., together with 
 Recipes for Cooking and Dressing for the Table. Beautifully illustrated. 
 
 BLAKE'S (REV. JOHN L.) FARMER AT HOME, - - - - 1 25 
 
 A Family Text Book for the Country ; being a Cyclopedia 
 
 of Agricultural Implements and Productions, and of the more important topics in 
 Domestic Economy, Science and Literature, adapted to Rural Life. By Rev. John L. 
 BiJVKE, D. D. 
 
 BOUSSINGATTLT'S (J. B.) RURAL ECONOMY, 1 25 
 
 Or, Chemistry Applied to Agriculture ; presenting Distinctly 
 
 and in a Simple Manner the Principles of Farm ilanagement, the Preservation and Use of 
 Manures, the Nutrition and Food of Animals, and the General Economy of Agriculture. 
 The work is the fruit of a long life of study and experiment, and its perusal will aid the 
 farmer greatly in obtaining a practical and scientific knowledge of his profession. 
 
 BROWNE'S AMERICAN BIRD FANCIER, 25 
 
 The Breeding, Rearing, Feeding, Management and Peculi- 
 
 arities of Cage and House Birds. Illustrated with engravings. 
 BROWNE'S AMERICAN POULTRY YARD, ------ 1 00 
 
 Comprising the Origin, History and Description of the 
 
 Different Breeds of Domestic Poultry, with Complete Directions for their Breeding, 
 Crossing, Rearing, Fattening and Preparation for Market ; including specific directions 
 for Caponizing Fowls, and for the Treatment of the Principal Diseases to which they are 
 subject, drawn from authentic sources and personal observation. Illustrated with 
 numerous engravings. 
 
 BROWNE'S (D. JAY) FIELD BOOK OF MANURES, - - - - 1 25 
 
 Or, American Muck Book ; Treating of the Nature, Properties, 
 
 Sources, History and Operations of all the Principal Fertilizers and Manures in Common 
 Use, with specific directions for their Preservation and Application to the Soil and to 
 Crops ; drawn from authentic sources, actual experiejice and personal observation, as 
 combined with the Leading Principles of Practical and Scientific Agriculture. 
 
 BRIDGEMAN'S (THOS.) YOUNG GARDENER''S ASSISTANT, - - 1 50 
 
 In Three Parts ; Containing Catalogires of Garden and Flower 
 
 Seed, with Practical Directions under each head for the Cultivation of Cu nary Vege- 
 tables, Flowers, Fruit Trees, the Grape "Vine, &c. ; to which is added a Calendar to each 
 part, showing the work necessary to be done in the various departments each month, 
 of the year. One volume octavo. 
 
 BRIDGEMAN'S KITCHEN GARDENER'S INSTRUCTOR, K Cloth, 50 
 
 " « « « Cloth. 60 
 
jBooJcs published by A. O. Moore & Co. 3 
 
 BRIDGEMAN'S FLORIST'S GUIDE, K Cloth, 50 
 
 " " " Cloth, 60 
 
 BBIDGEMAN'S FRUIT CULTIVATOR'S MANUAL, - - K Cloth, 50 
 " *' *' " . - Cloth, 60 
 
 BRECK'S BOOK OF FLOWERS, 1 00 
 
 I\ WHICH ARE Described all the Various Hardy Herbaceous 
 
 Perennials, Annuals, Shrubs, Plants and Evergreen Trees, with Directions for tht^ir 
 Cultivation. 
 
 BUIST'S (ROBERT) AMERICAN FLOWER GARDEN DIRECTORY, 1 25 
 
 Containing Practical Directions for the Culture of Plants, 
 
 in the Flower Garden, Hothouse, Greenhouse, Rooms or Parlor Windows, for every 
 iXcOnth iu the Year ; with a Description of the Plants most desirable iu each, the nature 
 of the Soil and situation best adapted to their Growth, the Proper Season for Trans- 
 planting, &c. ; with Instructions for erecting a Hothouse, Greenhouse, and Laying out 
 a Flower Garden ; the whole adapted to either Large or Small Gardens, with Instruc- 
 tions for Preparing the Soil, Propagating, Planting, Pruning, Training and Fruiting the 
 Grape Vine. 
 
 BUIST'S (ROBERT) FAMILY KITCHEN GARDENER, - - - 76 
 
 Containing Plain and Accurate Descriptions of all the 
 
 Different Species aud Varieties of Culinary Vegetables, with their Botanical, English, 
 French and German names, alphabetically arranged, with the Best Mode of Cultivat- 
 ing them in the Garden or under Glass ; also Descriptions aud Character of the most 
 Select Fruits, their Management, Propagation, &c. By Robeut Bcist, author of the 
 "American Flower Garden Directory," &o. 
 
 CHINESE SUGAR CANE AND SUGAR-MAKING, .... 25 
 
 Its History, Culture and Adaptation to the Soil, Climate, 
 
 and Economy of the United States, with an Account of Various Processes of Manu- 
 facturing Sugar. Drawn from authentic sources, by Charles F. Stansbury, A. M., late 
 Commissioner at the Exhibition of all Nations at London. 
 
 CHORLTON'S GRAPE-GROWER'S GUIDE, 60 
 
 Intended Especially for the American Climate. Being a 
 
 Practical Treatise on the Cultivation of the Grape Vine in each department of Hot- 
 house, Cold Grapery. Retarding House and Out-door Culture. With Plans for the con- 
 struction of the Requisite Buildings, and giving the best methods for Heating the same. 
 Every department being full}- illustrated. By William Chorltox. ^ 
 
 COBBETT'S AMERICAIT GARDENER, 50 
 
 A Treatise on the Situation, Soil and Laying-out of Gardens, 
 
 and the Making and JIauaging of Hotbeds and Greenhouses, aud on the Propagation 
 and Cultivation of the several sorts of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits and Flowers. 
 
 COTTAGE AND FARM BEE-KEEPER, 60 
 
 A Practical Work, by a Country Curate. 
 
 COLE'S AMERICAN FRUIT BOOK, 60 
 
 Containing Directions for Raising, Propagating and Manag- 
 
 ing Fruit Trees, Shrubs and Plants ; with a Description of the Best Varieties of Fruit, 
 including New and Valuable Kinds. 
 
 COLE'S AMERICAN VETERINARIAN, 50 
 
 Containing Diseases of Domestic Animals, their Causes, Symp- 
 
 toms and Remedies ; with Rules for Restoring and Preser\ing Health by good manage- 
 mc-nt ; also for Trainijig and Breeding. 
 
 DADD'S AMERICAN CATTLE DOCTOR, 1 00 
 
 Containing the Necessary Information for Preserving the 
 
 Health and Curing the Diseases of Oxen, Cows, Sheep and Swine, with a Great Variety 
 of Original Recipes and Valuable Information in reference to Farm and Dairy Manage- 
 ment, whereby every Man can be his own Cattle Doctor. The principles taught in this 
 work are, that all Medication shall be subservient to Nature — that all Medicines must be 
 sanative in their operation, and administered with a view of aiding the vital powers, 
 instead of depressing, as heretofore, with the lancet or by poison. By G. H. Dadd, M. D., 
 Veterinary practitioner. 
 
3oolcs published by A. O. Moore & Co. 
 
 DADD'S MODERN HOESE DOCTOE, 1 00 
 
 An American Book for American Farmers ; Containing Practi- 
 cal Observations on the Causes, Nature and Treatment of Disease and Lameness of 
 Horses, embracing the Most Recent and Approved Methods, according to an enhghtened 
 system of Veterinary Practice, for the Preservation and Restoration of Health. With 
 illustrations. 
 
 DADD'S ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE HORSE, Plain, . 2 00 
 '* *' *' " «' Colored Plates, 4 00 
 
 With Anatomical and Questional Illustr a.tions ; Containing, 
 
 also, a Series of Examinations on Equine Anatomy and Philosophy, with Instructions in 
 reference to Dissection and the mode of making Anatomical Preparations ; to which is 
 added a Glossary of Veterinary Technicalities, Toxicological Chart, and Dictionary of 
 Veterinary Science. 
 
 DANA'S MUCK MANUAL, FOR THE USE OF FARMERS, - - 1 00 
 
 A Treatise on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Soils 
 
 and Chemistry of Manures ; inchiding, also, the subject of Composts. Artificial Manures 
 and Irrigation. A new edit)ou, with a Chapter on Bones and Superphosphates. 
 
 DANA'S PRIZE ESSAY ON MANURES, ------ 36 
 
 Submitted to the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for 
 
 Promoting Agriculture, for their Premium. By Samttel H. Dana. 
 DOMESTIC AND ORNAMENTAL POULTRY, Plain Plates, - - - i 00 
 " " *' Colored Plates, - - 2 00 
 
 A Treatise on the History and Management op Ornamental 
 
 and Domestic Poultry. By Rev. Edmuot) Saul Dixon, A. M., with large additions by 
 J. J. Rerr, M. D. Dlustrated with sixty-five Original Portraits, engraved expressly for 
 this work. Fourth edition, revised. 
 
 DOWNING'S (A. J.) LANDSCAPE GARDENING, 3 60 
 
 Revised, Enlarged and Newly Illustrated, by Henry Win- 
 
 throp Sargent. This Great Work, which has accomplished so much in elevating the 
 American Taste for Rural Improvements, is now rendered doubly interesting and 
 valuable by the experience of all the Prominent Cultivators of Ornamental Trees in the 
 United States, and by the descriptions of American Places, Private Residences, Central 
 Park, New York, Llewellyn Park, iVew Jersey, and a full account of the Newer' Decidu- 
 ous and Evergreen Trees and Shrubs. The illustrations of this edition consist of seren 
 sujKrb steel plate engravings, by Smilue, Hinshelwood, DuxfflB and others ; besides one 
 hundred engravings on wood and stone, of the best American Residences and Parks, with 
 Portraits of many New or Remarkable Trees and Shrubs. 
 
 DOWNING'S (A. J.) RURAL ESSAYS, 3 00 
 
 On Horticulture, Landscape Gardening, Rural Architecture, 
 
 Trees, Agriculture, Fruit, with his Letters from England. Edited, with a Memoir of the 
 Author, by George Wm. Curtis, and a Letter to his Friends, by Frederika Bremer, and 
 an elegant Steel Portrait of the Author. 
 
 EASTWOOD (B.) ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE CRANBERRY, 60 
 
 With a Description of the Best Varieties. By B. Eastwood, 
 
 " Septimus," of the New York Tribune. Illustrated. 
 ELLIOTT'S WESTERN FRUIT BOOK, - - 1 25 
 
 A New Edition of this Work, Thoroughly Revised. Em- 
 bracing all the New and Valuable Fruits, with the Latest Improvements in their Cultiva- 
 tion, up to January, 1859. especially adapted to the wants of Western Fruit Growers ; 
 full of excellent illustrations. By F. R. Eiiiorr, Pomologist, late of Cleveland, Ohio, now' 
 of St. Louis. 
 
 EVERY LADY HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER, - - - - 60 
 
 Addressed to the Industrious and Economical only ; containing 
 
 simple and practical Directions for Cultivating Plants and Flowers ; also. Hints for the 
 Management of Flowers in Rooms, with brief Botanical Descriptions of Plants an4 
 Flowers. The whole in plain and simple language. By Louea Johnson, 
 
Books published by A. O. Moore & Co. 5 
 
 FASM DRAINAGE, 1 00 
 
 The Principles, Processes and Effects of Draining Land, 
 
 with Stones, Wood, Drain-plows, Open Ditches, and especially with Tiles ; including 
 Tables of Rainfall, Evaporation, Filtration, Excavation, capacity of I'ipes, cost and num- 
 ber to the acre. With more than 100 illustrations. By the Hon. Henry F. Fre.\cu, of 
 New Hampshire. 
 
 FESSENDEITS (T. G.) AMERICAN KITCHEN GARDENER, - - 50 
 
 Containing Directions for the Cultivation of Vegetables and 
 
 Garden Fruits. Cloth. 
 FESSENDEN'S COMPLETE FARMER AND AMERICAN GARDENER, 1 25 
 
 RuKAJ. Economist and New American Gardener ; Containiug 
 
 a Compendious Epitome of the most Important Branches of Agriculture and Rural 
 Economy ; with Practical Directions on the Cultivation of Fruits and Vegetables, includ- 
 ing Landscape and Ornamcnt<al Gardening. By Thojus G. Febsenden. 2 vols, in 1. 
 
 FIELD'S PEAR CULTURE, - - 1 00 
 
 The Pear Garden ; or, a Treatise on the Propagation and 
 
 Cultivation of the Pear Tree, with Instructions for its Management from the Seedhng to 
 the Bearing Tree. By Thomj^ W. Field. 
 
 FISH CULTURE, - - - - 1 00 
 
 A Treatise on the Artificial Propagation of Fish, and the 
 
 Construction of Ponds, with the Description and Habits of such kinds of Fish as are most 
 suitable for Pisciculture. By Theodatus Garuck, M. D., Vice-President of the Cleveland 
 Academy of Nat. Science. 
 
 FLINT ON GRASSES, - - - - 1 25 
 
 A Practical Treatise on Grasses and Forage Plants ; Com- 
 prising their NaturalHistory, Comparative Nutritive Value, Methods of Cultivation, Cut- 
 ting, Curing and the ^lanagement of Grass Lands. By Chakus L. Flint, A. M., Secre- 
 tary of the Mass. State Board of Agriculture. 
 
 GUENON ON MILCH COWS, 60 
 
 A Treatise on Milch Cows, whereby the Quality and Quantity of 
 
 Milk which any Cow will give may be accurately determined by observing Natural 
 Marks or External Indications alone ; the length of time she will continue to give Milk, 
 &c.,&c. By Jil. Francl-5 Guenojj, of Libourne, France. Translated by Nicholas P. 
 Trist, Esq. ; with Introduction, Remarks and Observations on the Cow and the Dairy, 
 by John S. SkinXer. Illustrated with numerous Engravings. Neatly done up in paper 
 covers, 37 cts. 
 
 HERBERT'S HINTS TO HORSE-KEEPERS, - - - - - - 1 25 
 
 Complete Manual for Horsemen ; Embracing : 
 
 How TO Breed a Horse. How to Physio a Horse. 
 
 How TO Buy a Horse. (Allopathy axd Homoeopathy 
 
 How TO Break a Horse. How to Groom a Horse. 
 
 How TO Use a Horse. How to Drive a Horse. 
 
 How to Feed a Horse. How to Ride a Horse. 
 
 And Chapters on Mules and Ponies. By the late Henry William Herbert (Frank 
 Forrester) ; with additions, including Rarey's Method of Horse Taming, and Baucher'3 
 System of Hoj^emanship ; also, giving directions for the Selection and Care of Carriages 
 and Harness of every description, from the City " Turn Out" to the Farmer's " Gear," 
 and a Biography of the eccentric Author. Illustrated throughout. 
 
 HOOPER'S DOG AND GUN, - - 50 
 
 A Few Loose Chapters on Shooting, among which will be 
 
 found some Anecdotes and Incidents ; also Instructions for Dog Breaking, and interest- 
 ing letters from Sportsmen. By A Bad Shot. 
 
 HYDE'S CHINESE SUGAR CANE, 26 
 
 Containing its History, Mode op Culture, Manufacture of 
 
 the Sugar, &c. ; with Reports of its success in different parts of the United States. 
 
JBoohs puhlishtd by A. O. Mooee & Co. 
 
 JOHNSTON'S (JAMES F. W.) AGEICULTURAL CHEMISTRY, - 1 25 
 
 Lectures on the Application of Chemistry and Geology to 
 
 Agriculture. New Edition, with au Appendix, con kiiuing the Author's Experiments in 
 Practical Agriculture. 
 
 JOHNSTON'S (J. F. W.) ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURAL CHEM- 
 ISTRY AND GEOLOGY, -------- l 00 
 
 With a Complete Analytical and Alphabetic.m. Index, and an 
 
 American Preface. By Hon. Simon Brown, Editor of the " New England Farmer." 
 
 JOHNSTON'S (J. F. W.) CATECHISM OF AGRICULTURAL CHEM- 
 ISTRY AND GEOLOGY, - - 25 
 
 By James F. W. Johnston, Honorary Member of the Eoyal 
 
 Agricultural Society of England, and author of "Lectures on Agricultural Chemistry 
 and Geology." With an Introduction by .John Pition Norton, M. A., late Professor of 
 Scientific Agriculture in Yale College. With Notes and Additions by the Author, pre- 
 pared expressly for this edition, and an Appendix compiled by the Supo-rintendent of 
 Education in Nova Scotia. Adapted to the use of Schools. 
 
 LANGSTROTH (REV. L. L.) ON THE HIVE AND HONEY BEE, - 1 25 
 
 A Practical Treatise on the Hive and Honp>y Bee, Third 
 
 edition, enlarged and illustrated loith numerous engravings. This Work is, without a 
 doubt, the best work on the Bee published in any language, whether we consider its 
 scientific accurac}'-, the practical instructions it contains, or the beauty and completeness 
 of its illustrations. 
 
 LEUCHARS' HOW TO BUILD AND VENTILATE HOTHOUSES, - 1 25 
 
 A Practical Treatise on the Construction, Heating and 
 
 Ventilation of Hothouses, including Conservatories, Greenhouses, Graperies and other 
 kinds of Horticultural Structures ; with Practical Directions for their Management, in 
 regard to Light, Heat and Air. Illustrated with numerous engravings. By P. B. 
 I^ucnAR,«, Garden Architect. 
 
 LIEBIG'S (JUSTUS) FAMILIAR LECTURES ON CHEMISTRY, - 60 
 
 And its relation to Commerce, Physiology, and Agriculture. 
 
 K^litL'd by John Gardener, M. D., 
 UNSLEY'S MORGAN HORSES, 1 00 
 
 A Premium Essay on the Origin, History, and Characteristics 
 
 of this remarkable American Breed of Horses ; tracing the Pedigree from the original 
 Justin Morgan, through the most noted of his progeny, down to -the present time. 
 With numerous portraits. To which are added Hints for Breeding, Breaking and Gene- 
 raT Use and Management of Horses, with practical Directions for Training them for 
 Exhibition at Agricultural Fairs. By D. C. Linslet, Editor of the American Stock 
 Journal. 
 
 MOORE'S RURAL HAND BOOKS, 1 26 
 
 First Series, containing Treatises on — 
 
 The Hokse, The Pesto of the Fakm, 
 
 The Hog, Domestic Fowls, and 
 
 TuE HoNBT Bke, The Cow. 
 
 Second Series, containing — - . - - - 1 25 
 
 EvtRY Lady her own Flower Gardener, Essay on Manures, 
 Elkments of Agriculture, American Kitchen Gardener, 
 
 Bn;D Fancier, American Rose Culturist. 
 
 Third Series, containing — 1 25 
 
 Miles on the Horse's Foot, Vine-Dresser's Manual, 
 
 'i'liE RABBrr Fancier, Bee-Keeper's Chart, 
 
 V.'eeks on Bees, Chemistry Made Easy. 
 
 Fourth Series, containing — - > . . 1 25 
 
 Persoz on the Vine, Hooper's Dog and Gun, 
 
 Ijj;jnG's Fajultar Letters, Skillful Housewifk, 
 
 Browne's Memoirs of Indian Corn. 
 
 i/ 
 
Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine 
 Cumnnings School of Veterinary Medicine at 
 Tufts University 
 200 Westboro Road 
 North Grafton. MA 01536