?/&-»^ :t SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE LIBRARY. Section No. 113, W.D.S.G.O. NO. 3_J___l.__4__(o 3" ■••'i * * ? l)i\ S. T. jt\jj'£jfus()7ef jckikL &. . •9 ,& AMERICAN FARRIER: ADAPTED FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE FAF,HJBWfei..GENrLEMAN....AND SMITH; BEING A SURE GUIDE TO PREVENT AND CURE ALL MALADIES AND DISTEMPERS THAT ARE INCIDENT TO HORSES, OF WHAT KIND SOEVER J WITH A VARIETY OF OTHER VALUABLE THINGS • RELATING TO THEM : f -- AND ALSO, FOR THE DISEASES INCIDENT TO CATTLE. By AUGUSTUS FRANKLIN. / STRASBU RG: PRIxVTED fc? SOLD BY BROWN & BOWMAV. [COPY-RIGHT SECURED ] ************ '*;#;- r-. './-I V/X/JF* V, "k ^Sh*. Jfc*-*~ : * 0»**» Prefatory Address. FEW subjects in the common affairs of life— relating to property—more immediately con- nects itself with the interest of individuals, than an efficient knowledge of a number of means to repel such a variety of diseases as are incident to horses ; and yet, few there are, who have made themselves acquainted with them, notwithstanding their repeated losses, to the great injury of their circumstances—in mam- instances—and the excruciating sufferings of their poor beasts. How much more does it become necessary to have a knowledge of far- riery, when there are so few professionals, and those who are, perhaps but poorly skilled in it. Were your horse to be attacked with' some desperate disease—as they often are— which threatens immediate destruction—what time then to go in quest of a farrier, who may probably live a very unfavorable distance:— immediate medical interposition must be had, or death is the final issue. Hence it is, that the knowledge of this useful science becomes so indispensibly necessary for every individual ta have, whose circumstances are any way con- nected with it. We ought, then, to avail our- self by every opportunity of obtaining infor- mation on this head, that is worthy of notice, to have done with the losses of beasts, which so much hurts our oecononay, and places us un- der many pecuniary disadvantages. That you may not be at a loss for a remddy in almost every case of disease, you are well supplied in the following pages with the most effective means of cure—laid down simple and plain—free from ^those ambiguities ana physi- * cat terms, used with so much freedom and ostentation, by many of our modern writers on the subject-r-with a view, perhaps, of at- tracting the attention of the people, as having something wonderful couched under them. It is, however, most certain, that he who writes for the benefit of the people at large, must, if he expects to be really useful, have it in such a dress, as can without difficulty, so far as is pos- sible from the nature of the subject, be under- stood. _____~- There are so many prescriptions for each se- veral disease, mentioned in this work, that should the first means fail, another is at hand. Where any surgical or medical operation is necessary for your beast, I would»recommend the most mild course of it. You will observe several diseases, such as ring-bones, spavins, &c. that some of the prescriptions for cure are very painful; therefore, in all cases, in the^V#< place, use the most easy and mild means, as there "ire a sufficiency of them ; and those only that are so painful when all others fail. I have arranged the index in such a manner, under proper heads, as to make an easy direc- tory to find any thing you want:—Besides, there is a Catalogue of the several Diseases which are described and arranged in a metho- dical manner / so that by referring to it, you may know every species of ailment or disease that may come upon your horse ;—and then, by examining the index, you may find directions for the cure ; and also, there will be a Descrip- tion of the different medicines spoken of. A. FRANKLIN.. £tra$burgy Nov.4> 1803. THE AMERICAN FARRIER. OBSERVATIONS ON THE Mait&giMetot of Fforse& when Travelling, 1 H E frequent applications that have been made to me for directions concerning the ma- nagement of horses, previous to, or when on a journey, induces me to give my readers a few short observations on that subject. It ought always to be remembered, that, trhen a horse is intended for a journey of any length, and the prospect of continuing it for some time, that he be properly prepared for it, by good feeding, and that he has been in the habitual practice of regular and daily ex- ercise : for, without a due proportion of the latter, no horse can be in proper condition for travelling, or undergoing any fatigue, without danger of being laid up by some acute disease ; for which reason it will be obvious, that a horse which is too fat, or full of flesh, or that has 6 AMERICAN FARRIER. been kept long on soft feeding, or newly from the hands of a dealer, or running late at grass, or that has been accustomed to stand much at rest in the stable, or those that are too low of flesh,' and are worn out or exhausted by for- mer fatigue, from disease, or from old age, are unfit for this purpose: neither are too young horses fit for a journey, especially when about casting their foal teeth, or before their strength is confirmed, and their bodies seasoned by the habit of labor or exercises. On the other hand, a horse that is rather meagre than fat, and whose flesh is firm from good feeding, and in the habitual practice of undergoing active exercises of labor, has always the best chance of performing a long journey with ease to him- self, and with satisfaction to his owner. For the ease of the horse, and safety of the rider, it is proper to attend particularly to the saddle, that it fit the horse's back properly, that is, it must neither be too wide in the trees, to come forward on the shoulder blades, nor too narrow, so as to pinch and break off or bruise the skin ; and that the bolstering or stuf- fing in the pannel is adapted to the hollow spa- ces on each side of the spine or ridge of the back ; that it lie smooth and equal on every part, the spine excepted, which it ought not to touch or come near in the least, neither on the fore or back part. If it is thus properly fit- ted, there will be no occasion for a crupper, unless it may be the choice of the rider. The rider must likewise take notice, when on the road, that the stuffing in the saddle pannel does not become too thin, which it v. ill be apt to do, and, if needful, to have it repaired. AMERICAN FARRIER. 7 Before a horse sets out on a journey, it will be prudent to have him shoed some days be- fore hand, in case any accident should happen by driving the nails too near, &c. Ther^is another advantage attending this caution, which is, the shoes become firmer seated on the hoofs, and the clenches and nails rusted, which con- tributes greatly to keep them firm in their place. If the horse goes too near, so as to cut his legs, either before or behind, that must be provided against in the shoeing. It is customary to water horses in the morn- ing before they are fed ; but it Avill be found of more advantage to water them after feed- ing, as it then more prpperly dilutes the food that is taken into the stomach ; at the same time it washes the mouth and throat, and pre- vents or restrains the too sudden return of thirst or desire for water, which occasions an incli- nation in horses of stopping at every rivulet that comes in the way on their road. But, as horses that stand in a warm stable through the night, and perhaps feeding greedily on hay, are disposed to drink too much water, when led to a watering trough, it will be proper to prevent them drinking too much, by giving them water in a pail by measure ; about half a pailful at once will be sufficient. On their first setting out on the road, they ought not to be too suddenly hurried on, as the stomach and bowels are then too full ; as this fulness goes off, they will naturally mend their paces of themselves : toward the end of the stage, their motion may be restrained by degrees, and brought in as cool as possible ; after they are thoroughly cool and well dressed, they should AMERICAN FARREIR. £hen be fed and watered as above. The same rules may be observed at the end of every stage. At night, their legs below the knee, and the hoofs, may be washed with water, and well rubbed afterwards, till the legs are thoroughly dry, when they may be fed, and indulged with more water given them at once than they had through the day. It ought alwavs to be ob- served, that, when horses come to the end of a stage, if they are very warm, that they be walked about gently till they cool gradually; and never to wash their legs, or any part of their bodies, till they are cool. In hot wea- ther, when the roads are dry and dusty, the washing of horses legs proves very refreshing; when the roads are dirty and wet, it is the rea* diest method of cleaning them ; but they ought always to be well rubbed afterwards. It may be needful to remind young travel- lers, that they have their horses shoes inspect- ed at every stage, and, whatever is amiss about them, or the clenches of the nails, rectified; likewise to observe that the saddle has kept its proper place, in order to prevent its injuring the back, or coming forward on the shoulder- blades. It frequently happens, that the skin of horses, who have not been accustomed to perform long journeys, becomes scalded by the friction of the girths, and likewise on the under part of the breast, between the fore legs, where the skin is loose and full of wrinkles. This pro- ceeds entirely from neglect, in not cleaning the sand and dirt from those parts, but suffering it to cloat among the hair, it collects in lumps, AMERICAN FARRIER. 9 and, by the continued friction in the horse's moving, it produces the above effect, which is attended with pain to the animal, and causes a contracted step in his going; and when it is not taken notice of in proper time, the parts become inflamed and swelled, which proves a great hindrance to the horse's travelling. When the hair is fretted off by the girths, they should be washed clean from the sand and dirt, and dried thoroughly before a fire, after the horse is done up for the night. At the same time it will be proper to cause the sand and gravel to be picked out from below the shoes, and to washout the smaller particles of sand and gravel that are apt to lodge there, as in weak hoofs it frequently occasions lameness. One great advantage that arises to the hoofs from being v frequently washed and moistened with water, especially in dry warm weather is, that it keeps them cool, a state which is most natural to them, and which is much more beneficial than all the stopping and greasing which at present is so much in use. But, as this simple process of washing the hoofs with water only, dimi- nishes the hostler's fees, at the same time that it creates more labor and trouble, he ought by no means be a sufferer ; the owner will in the- end be a gainer by the exchange. It is likewise proper to observe, that the sad- dle girths be not drawn too tight, especially on the belly ; if the fore or point girths on the breast be drawn tolerably tight, that will be sufficient of itself, if the saddle fits properly, to keep it in its place. The girths*on the bel- ly, however tight they may be drawn, soon 10 AMERlUAJN *AKK1JH.K. slacken as the bowels empty, and they only serve to give pain to the animal, by confining the viscera, and occasion a difficulty of breath- ing on the horse's first setting out, when the belly is distended with food ; besides, in round barrelled or round bellied horses, especially if the belly is big, the back girths, the tighter they are drawn, contribute to push the saddle on the shoulders, in spite of every means that can be devised to Iceep it in its proper place. Road-horses, on long stages, at any halting- place, about the middle of the stage, should get a little oat-meal mixed in about half a pail of water, to refresh them. This not only quenches their thirst, by washing their mouths, &c. when the roads are dusty, but it invigo- rates them to perform the remainder of the stage. The oat-meal prevents any bad conse- quences that might arise to thfem from giving cold water when they are heated, especially in such a small quantity at once. It frequently happens on bye-roads, or little frequented inns and baiting places, especially towards the end of harvest, that horses are fed with green oats in the sheaf, ntwly taken from the field, for want of other feeding; that is extremely hurtful to them, as it occasions faint- ishness, &c. and frequently produces a diarr- hoea or scouring, attended with great weakness. If, possible, in such situations, it would be prudent to get oat-meal for them, and mix. it with a small quantity of water, only as much as is sufficient to moisten the meal, so as to prevent it blowing away by their breath in feeding. When the oats are too new and soft- rsh, oat-meal should always be got for them, i£ possible^ in- their stead, and given as above directed. ;• Bread, of different kindfe^ is like*- wise a good substitute in place of new or bad1 grain, especially the coarse wngaten* bread;, formerly so much used to horses, and known by the name of h&rse bread. But, whatever kind cam be got, if they will not cat it by it* self, it may be rubbed-do Wfr.be tween the hands,, or. .beat in a,trough,, and mixed; with oat*mea^. This will make very gOjOd- feeding for horsey, and, which most of them will eat. A lktle e3*t-> tra trouble and Gare, in such cases,, ought not to be grudged.for the.benefit of so-useful and; valuable creatures,, on such emergencies. Horses on a jp\irney, from the strong, ner- spiratiom they undergo, and the constant ced- ing on dry food, are apt to become too costive. This ought to be guarded' against, by. giving them occasionally a mash of scalded bran, boil- ed barley, or malt, either by themselves, or mixed in. their oats, by way of a double feed. When a horse shew? an inclination to stale on: the road, he should; always be allowed to standi still for that purpose ; and* if he has any dif- ficulty in staling, an ounce of nitre may be given in his food^for a few nights following. It is of consequence to attend to this discharge, and also that by stool, as inattention to either of these frequently proves the source 6f many disorders. ,'■;•' Before I conclude this article on {ravelling; I would beg leave to prefer a petition in favor of the poor animal who is the subject of this treatise, and which is, the allowing him a lit- tle more time to perform the task required! of him -, fifteen minutes more than what is allow- 12 AMERICAN FARRIER. ed at present to perform a stage of as many miles, would save the lives of.a number of horses yearly, besides the numbers that are lamed, and otherwise rendered useless by such severity. When the roads, &c. are covered with "ice, it becomes necessary to have the heels of the shoes turned up, and frequently sharpened, in order to prevent horses from slipping and fal- ling. As this cannot be done without the fre- quent moving of the shoes, which breaks 'and destroys the crust of the hoofs where the nails are drove, to prevent this, I have always re- commended to those who were willing to be at the expence,.to have steel points screwed intothe heels or quarters of each shoe, which might'be taken out and put in occasionally. The method of doing this precisely, is, first to have the shoes fitted to the shape of the hoof, then to make a small round hole in the extremity of each heel, or in the quarters, about three-eighths of an inch in diameter, or more, in proportion to the breadth and size of the shoe; in each of these holes a screv. is to be made ; the steel points are likewise to have on them, exactly fitted to that in the shoes. Care must be taken that the screw on the points is no longer, when they are screwed in- to the shoe, than the thickness of the latter. The steel points are to be made sharp ; they may either be made square,, triangular, or ehi.<*- sel pointed, as may be most agreeable; the height of the point above the shoe should not exceed half an inch for a saddle-horse ; they may be made higher for a draught-horse. AMERICAN FARRIER. 13 General .Observations, Helps and Advertisements, for any Man when he goeth about to Buy a Horse. THERE is nothing more difficult or intricate in all the art of horsemanship, than to set down constant and uncontrolableresolutions,by which to bind every man's, mind to an unity of consent in the buying of an horse : for, according to the old adage, That which is one man's meat is another mail's poison ; what one likes, another dislikes. But to proceed according to the rule of reason, the precepts of the ancients, and the modern practice of our present conceived opi- nions, I will, as freely as I can, shew you those observations and advertisements which may strengthen and fortify you in any hard and dif- ficult choice. First, therefore, you are to observe, in buy- ing a horse, this principal consideration, viz. the end and purpose for which you want him ; as whether for the wars, running, hunting, travelling, draught, ox burthen ; every one hav- ing their several characters and their several faces, both of beauty and uncomeliness. But because there is but one truth, and one perfection, I will, under the description of the perfect horse, that is untainted, shew all the im- perfectionsTind attaintures that either nature or mischance can put upon the horse qf greatest deformity. . £%. Let me then advise you that intepcl to biiv ;* horse, to acquaint yourself well with all the tru*" shapes and excellencies which belong ('» an horse, whether it be in his natural and tni<" proportion, or in any accidental or outward iri- B 14 AMERICAN FAKREIR. crease or decrease of any limb or member ; and from their contraries, to gather all things whatsoever that may give dislike or offence. To begin therefore with the first principles of buying, you shall understand, that they are divided into two special heads : the one gene- ral, the other particular. The general rule of buying, is, first, the end for which you buy, then his breed or genera- tion, his colour, his face and his stature, and these are said to be genera!; because the first, which is the end for which you buy, is a thing shut up only in your own breast. The other, which is his breed, you must ei- ther take it from faithful report, your own knowledge, or from some known and certain characters, by which one strain or one country is distinguished from another; as the Neapo- litan is known by his hoop nose, the Spaniard by his small limbs, the Barbary by his fine head, the Dutch by his rough legs, the English by his general strong knitting together, &c. and of divers others. As for his colour, although there is no colour exempt utter!} from goodness, for I have seen good of all, yet there are some better reputed than others, as the dapple-grej* for beauty, th« brown-bay for service, the black silver-hairs for courage, ^p.d the lyard or true mixed roan lor countenance. **As for the sorrel, the black without white, and the unchangeable iron-grey, they are reputed choleric ; the bright-bay, the Aea-bitten, and the black with white marks, are sanguinists ; the blank-white, the yellow-dun, tliv' kit-.'-glcveed, and the py-bald, are phlegrna- AMERICAN FARRIER. IS tic ; and the chesnut, the mouse-dun, the rec!- ba\ , and the blue-grey, are melancholy. Now for his pace, which is either tret, am- ble, rack or gallop, you must refer it to the end also for which you buy ; as if he be for the wars, hunting, running, or your own private disposi- tion, then the trot is most tolerable. And this motion you shall know by a cross-moving of the horse's limbs, as when the far fore leg and the lar hinder leg move and go forward in one in- stant. And in this motion, the neater the horse taketh his limbs from the ground, the openner, the evenner, and the shorter he treadeth, the better his pace ; for to take up his feet sternly, shews stumbl.ng and lameness ; to tread nar- • row or cross, shews interfering or falling; to step uneven, shews toil and weariness - to tread long, shews over-reaching. Now, if you buy for ease, or long travel- ling, then an amble is required - and this mo- ■ tion is contrary to a trot j for now both the feet on one side must move equally together j that is, his far fore leg, and the far hinder leg : and this motion must go just, large, smooth, and nimble ; for to tread false takes away all ease ; to tread short, rids no ground ; to tread rough, shews rolling; and to tread nimbly, shews a false pace that never continued", as al- so lameness.* If you buy for hunting, for galloppmg on the highway, for post, hackney, or the like, then a racking pace is required ; and this motion is the same that ambling is, only it is in a swifter time and shorter tread ; although it does not travel so quick, yet it is a little more easy. B 2 10 AMERICAN J--AKK1U.K. Now", to all these parts must be joined a gal- lop (which naturally every trotting and racking- horse hath) the ambler is a little unapt there- unto, because the motions are both one, so that being put to a greater swiftness of pace than naturally he hath been acquainted withal, he handles his legs confusedly and out of order; but being tamed gently, and made to know and understand the motion, he will as well under- take it as any trotting horse whatsoever. Now, in a good gallop, you are to observe these vir- tues : First, that the horse which taketh his feet nimbly from the ground, but doth not raise them high, that neither rolleth, nor beats himself, that stretcheth out his fore legs, follows nim- bly with his hinder, and neither cutteth under the knee, (which we call the swift cut) nor crosseth, nor clrps one foot upon another, and ever leadeth with his far fore feet, and not with the near; This horse is said ever to gallop most come- ly, and most true, and is the finest for speed, or any other like employment. If he gallop round, and raise his fore feet, he is then said to gallop strongly, but not swift- ly, and is fittest for the great saddle, the wars and strong encounters. If he gallop slow, yet sure, he will serve for the highway ; but if he labor his feet confused- ly, and gallop painfully, he is good for no gal- lopping service ; besides, it shews some ob- scure lameness. Lastly, touching his stature, it must be re- ferred to your own judgment, and the end for AMERICAN FARRIER. 17 which vou buy him ; ever observing, that the biggest'and strongest are fittest lor strong oc- casions, as great burthens, strong draughts, and double carriage ; the middle size for plea- sure, and general employment .; and the least for ease, street-walks, and summer-hackneys. Now, touching the particular rule of pur- chasing, it is contained in the discovery of na- tural deformities, accidental, outward or in- ward hidden mischiefs, which are so many, yea, infinite, that it is a world of work to ex- plain them ; yet, for satisfaction's sake, I will, in as methodical a manner as I can, briefly, and according to the best conceived opinions, shew what ca-n be observed on this occasion. First, therefore, when an horse is brought unto vou to buv, being satisfied of his breed, his pace and colour, then see him stand naked before you, and placing yourself before his lace, take a strict view of his countenance, and the chearfulness thereof, for it is an excellent glass wherein to see his goodness: as thus, it his ears be small, thin, sharp, pricked, and moving, and if they be long, yet well set on, it is a mark of beauty, goodness, and mettle ; but if they be thick, laved, or lolling, wide.set on, and unmoying, then are they signs of dul- ness, doggedness, and ill nature. If his face be clean, his forehead swelling outward, the mark or feather in his face set high, as above his eyes, or at the top of his eyes ; if he has a w:hite stai*, or a white rach- o'f an indifferent size, and even placed, or a white snip on his nose, all are marks of beau- ty and goodness ; but if his face be fat, cloudy or scowling, his forehead flat as a trencher, 18 AMERICAN FARRIER. which we call mare-faced, the mark in his forehead stand low, as under his eyes ; if his star or rach stand awry or in an evil posture, or instead of a snip, his nose be raw and un- hairy, or his face generally bald, all are signs of deformity : if his eyes be round, bright, black, shining, staring, or starting from his head ; if the black of the eye fill the pit, or outward circumference, so that in the moving none (or very little) of the white appeareth ; all are signs of beauty, goodness and metal; but if his eyes be uneven, and of a wrinkled proportion; if they be little, (which we call pig-eyed) are uncomely, and signs of weakness : if they be red and fiery, take heed of moon- eyes, which is the next door to blindness; if white and walled, it shews a weak sight, and unnecessary starting or finding of boggards ; if with white specks, take heed of the pearl, pin and web ; if they water or shew bloody, it shews bruises ; and if they matter, they shew old over-riding and festered rheums, or violent strains ; if they look dead or dull, or all hol- low and much sunk, take heed of blindness ; at the best the beast is of an old decrepid ge- neration ; if the black fill not the pit, but the white is always appearing, or if in moving the white, the black be seen in equal quantity, it is a sign of weakness and dogged disposition. If handling of his cheeks or chaps, you find the bones lean and thin, the space wide between them, the thropple or wind-pipe big as you can grip, and the void place without knots or ker- nels, and generally the jaws so open, that the *:cck seen- eth to couch within them; "hey are all excellent signs of great wind, courage and soundness of head and body ; but if the chaps AMERICAN FARRIER. 19 be fat and thick, the space between them closed up with gross substance, and the thropple little, all are signf, of short wind, "and much inward foulness ; if the void place be full of knots and kernels, take heed of the strangles or glan- ders, at least the horse is not without a foul cold. If his jaws be so strait, that his neck swel- lcth about them ; if it be no more than natu- ral, it is only an uncomely sign of strait wind about them; if it be no more but natural, it is only an uncomely'sign of strait wind and pur- siness, or grossness : but if the swelling be long and close to his chops like a whet-stone, then take heed of the uvies, or some other un- natural imposthume. If his nostrils be open, dry, wide and large, so as upon any straining the very inward red- ness is discovered ; and if his muzzle be small, his mouth deep, and his lips equally meeting, they are all good signs of wind, heat and cou- rage ; but if his nostrils be strait, his wind is little ; if his muzzle be gross, his spirit is dull —if his mouth be shallow, he will never carry a bit well ; and if his upper lip will not reach his nether, old age or infirniitv hath marked him for carrion ; and if his nose be moist and dropping, if it be clear water, it is a cold ; if foul matter, then beware of the glanders ; if both nostrils run, it is hurtful ; but if one, then dangerous. Touching his teeth and their virtues, they are at large set down in another place. From his head look down to his breast, and look that it be broad, out-setting, and adorned \v:th miny feathers, for that chews strength and AMERICAN FARRIER. eniuranee. The little breast is uncomelv, and shevVs weakness; the narrow breast is apt to stumble, iall and interfere before ; and the breast that is hidden inward, and wanteth the "beauty and divisio-*. of many feathers, shews a weak armed heart, and a breast that is unwil- ling and unfit for any toil or strong labor. Next look down from his elbow to his knee, and see that those fore-thighs be rush-grown, well horned within, sinewy flesh, and without swelling, for they are good signs of strength; the contrary shews weakness, and are unnatural. Then look on his knees, that they carry an equal and even proportion, be clean, sinewy, and close knit, for they are good and comely; if one be biger and rounder than another, the horse hath received mischief; if they be gross, the horse is gouty; or if they have scars, or hair-broken, it is a true mark of stumbling and a perpetual falling. From his knees look down hits legs to his pasterns, and if you find his legs clean, fat and sinewy, and the inward bought of his knee with- out a sear.*., or hair-broken, then he shews good shape and soundness; but if on the inside there are excretions, if under his knee are scabs on the inside, it is the swift-cut, and he will ill endure galloping; if above his pasterns on the inside you find scabs, it shews interfering. But if the scabs be generally over his legs, it is either extreme foul keeping, or a species of the mange; if his legs be fat, round and fleshy, he will never endure labour; if in the inward bought of his knee ycu find seams, scabs, or hair-broken, it shews a malendcr, which is a cankerous ulcer. Look then on his pasterns, the first must be- clean and well knit together, the other must be short, strong and" upright standing; lor 11 the first be big or sweli'd, take heed of the sinew-strain and gurding; if the other be long Weak, or bending, ^ the limbs wni hardly carry, the body without tiling. For the hoofs in gencrul, they would be black smooth, tough, rather a little long than round and hollow, and full sounding : for a white hcol is'tender, and carries a shoe ill; a rough, gross, seamed hoof shews old age or overheating: brittle hoofs will cany no shoe ; an extraordi- nary round hoof is ill for foul ways or deep hunting: a flat hoof that is pummiced shews foundering ; and an hoof that is empty and hol- low sounding, shews a decayed inward part, by reason of some wound or dry founder. As tor the crownet of the hoof, if the hair be smooth and close, and the flesh-fat and even, all is per- fect ; but if the hair be staring, the skin scab- bed, the flesh rising, then look for a ring-bone, a crown-scab,vor like mischief. After this, stand by his side, and first look to the setting on of his head, and see that rt stand neither too high nor too low, but m a di- rect line ; and that his neck be small at the set- ting on, and long, growing deeper, and deeper, till it come to the slioulders, with an high, strong and thin crest-* and his mane thin, long, sott, and somewhat curling, for these are beautilul ' characters'; whereas to have the head ill set on, is the greatest deformity ; tohave any bigness or swelling in the nape of the neek, shews the ■poll-evil, or beginning of a fistu.a. To have a Thort thick neck, like a bull, to have it falling 22 AMERICAN FARRIER. at the withers, to have a low, a weak, a thj-*k or falling crest, shews want both of stven^th and mettle; and to have much hare' on ilu mane, shews intolerable dulness ; to have it too thin shews fur}*, and to hare none,r or to. shed, shewrs the worm in the mane, the itch, or else mange. Look then to the chine of his back, that it be broad, even and straight, his ribs well com- passed, and bending outward, his fillets up- right, strong and short, and not above four fin- gers between his last rib and his knuckle-bone. Let his body be well let down, yet hidden with- out his ribs, and let his stones be close thrust up to hi i body, for all these are marks of good perfection. Whereas to have his chine nar- row, he will never carry a saddle without wound- ing ; and to have it bending, or saddle-backt, shews weakness ; to have his ribs fat, there is no liberty lor wind ; to have his fillets hanging long or weak, he will never climb an hill well, nor carry burthen ; and to have his belly clung -"V up and gant, or his stones hanging down close ; "> or aside, they are both signs of sickness, ten- derness, or foundering in the body, and unapt- ness for labor. Then look upon his buttocks, and see that it be round, full, plump, and in an even level with his body ; or if long, that it be well raised behind, and spread forth at the setting on of the tail, for these are comely and beautiful. The narrow pun-buttock, the hog, or swine-rump, and the falling or downlet-but- tock, are full of deformity, and shew both an injury in nature, and that they are neither fit nor becoming for pad, foot-cloth, or pillow*. Then look to his hinder thighs, or gascoins, that they be well let down, eveji to the middle AMERICAN FARRIER. 23 joint, thick, brawny, full and swelling, for that is a gfeat argument of strength.and goodness j whereas the lean, lank^ slender thigh, shews disability and weakness. Then look upon th« middle joint behind, and see that it be nothing but skin and bone, veins and sinews, is rather a little bending than too strait, then it is per- fect as it should be ; but if it hath chops or sores in the inward bought,or bending, then it, , is a salander. If the joint be swelled generally all over, then he hath gotten a blow or bruise; if the swelling be particular, as in the plot or hollow part, or on the inside, and the vein full and proud; if the swelling be short, it is a blood- spavin ; if hard, it is a bone-spavin ; but if the swelling be just behind, below the knuckle, then it is a curb. Then look to. his hinder legs, and if they be clean, fat, and sinewy, then all is well ; but if they be fat, they will not endure labor ; if they be swelled,-the grease is molten into them ; if they be scabbed above the pasterns, he hath the scratches * if he has chops under his pas- terns, he hath the pains, and none of these but are dangerous and nuisome. Lastlv, for the setting on of his tail, where there is a good buttock, there the tail can ne- ver stand ill, and where there is an ill buttock, there the tail can never stand well, for it ouj'lit to stand broad, high, flat, and a little touched inward. ' Thus I have shewed you true shapes, and true deformities;,you may"in your choice pl-a.:e your own fancy. 24 AMERICAN FARRIER. . .-A G E. How to know the Age of a Horse by his Teeth. YOU must understand that a horse hath in his head just forty teeth ; that is to say, six great wang teeth above, and six below on one side, and as many on the other, which makes twenty- four, and are called his grinders. Then six above and six below in the fore part of his mouth, which are called gatherers, and make thirty-six. Then four tushes, one above and one below on One side, and one above and one below on the other side, which is just forty. Now, the first year he hath his foal's teeth, which are only grinders and gatherers, but no tushes ; and they are small, white, and bright to look upon. The second year he changeth the four fore- most teeth in his head, and they will appear browner and bigger than the others. At three years old he changeth the teeth next. unto them, and leaveth'no apparent foal's teeth before, but two of each side above, and two below, which are also bright and small. At four years old he changeth the teeth next unto them, and leaveth no more foal's teeth, but one on each side, both above and below. At five'years old his foremost teeth will be all changed ; but then he hath his tushes oil each side complete, and the last foal's teeth which he cast, those which come in their place will be hollow*, and have a little black speck in the midst,'which is called the mark in the horse's mouth, and conrinueth till,he. is eight vears old. * AMER1-CAN FARRIER. 2J At six yeats old, he putteth up his new "tush- es, near about which you shall see most appa- rently growing a little circle of new and young flesh at the bottom of the tush ; besides, the tush will be white, small, short and sharp. At seven years old, all his teeth will have their perfect growth, and the mark in the horse's mouth before spoken of will be plainly seen. At eight years old all his teeth will be full, smooth and plain, the black speck or mark be- ing hardly to be discerned, and his tushes will be more yellow than ordinary. At nine years his foremost teeth will shew longer, yellower and fouler than at younger years, and his tushes will be bluntish. At ten years old, in the inside of his upper tushes w*ill be no holes at all to be felt with your fingers, and which, till that age, you shall ever most perfectly feel; besides, the temples of his head will begin to be crooked and hol- low. At eleven years of age, his teeth will be ex- ceeding long, very yellow, black and foul; only he will cut even, and his teeth will stand di- rectly opposite'one against another. At twelve years old, his teeth will be long, yel'ow, black and foul ; but then his upper teeth will overreach and hang over his under teeth. ' At thirteen years old, his tushes will be worn somewhat close to his chaps (if it be a much ridden horse) otherwise they will be black, foul a'.ul long, like the tushes of a bear. 26 AMERICAN FARRIER. • Observation to know the Age of a Horse till he is Seven Tears of Age—with Directions for Buy- ing. EVERY horse has six teeth before in each jaw; till he is two years and an half old, they are all smooth aud uniform on their upper surfaces. At two year* and an half old he sheds the two middle teeth (by the young teeth's rising and forcing the old ones out) which at three years old are replaced by two hollow ones. When he is about three years and a half old, he sheds two others, one on each side of the two middle ones, which at four years old are replaced by two others. The sharp single teeth, by some called tush- es, begin to appear in the lower jaw Avhen the horse is about three years and a half or four years old. When he is nearly six years old, they are full grown, pointed, and concave in the inside. When he is four years and a half old, he sheds the two corner teeth, which at five are replaced also with two hollow ones, grooved on •he inside ; which groove marks the age pre- cisely. At six years of age this groove begins to fill up, and clisappear ; so do the hollows of the rest of the teeth, which continue till near se- ven and a half or eight years old, when all the teeth become uniformly full and smooth. Crafty jockeys will sometimes burn holes in the teeth, to make them appear young, which they call bishoping; but a discerning eye will soon discover the cheat. AMERICAN FARRIER. 27 Try before, you Buy.—If you meet with a horse you like, and are desirous of buying him, don't fall in love with him before you ride him —for, though he may be handsome, he may start or stumble. To discover a Stumbler.—If you go to buy of one that knows you, 'tis net unreasonable to desire to ride him for an hour. If refused, you may suspect he hag some faults: if not, mount him at the door of the stable where he stands ; let him neither feel your spurs, nor see your whip ; mount him easily, and when seated, go gently off with a loose rein, which will make him careless ; and if he's a stum- bler, he'll discover himself presently, especi- ally if the road in wdiich you ride him be any thing rough. The best horse indeed may stumble (a young one of spirit, if not properly broken in will frequently ; and yet if he moves nimbly upon the bit, dividing his legs true, he may become a very good saddle-horse) the best horse, 1 say, may stumble, but if he springs out, when he stumbles, as if he feared your, whip or spur, depend upon it he is an old offender. A horse should never be struck for stumbling or start- ing: the provocation, I confess, is great; but the fear of correction makes him worse. In the purchase of a horse, examine four things, his teeth, his eyes, his legs and his wind. Eyes.—If a horse's eyes are lively and clear, and you can see to the bottom, and the image of your face be reflected from thence, and not from the surface of the body, they are good ; g 3 2fi AMERICAN FARRIER. but if muddy, cloudy, or coal black, they are bad. Legs.—If his legs are not broken, nor stand bending and trembling forward (which is cal- led knuckling) his legs may be good ; but if he steps short and digs his toes in the ground, 'tis a sign he will knuckle. In short, if the hoofs be pretty flat and not curled, you need not fear a founder. Wind.—If his flanks beat even and slow, his wind may be good; but if they heave double and irregular, or if (while he stands in the stable) he blows at the nostrils, as if he had just been gallopping, they are signs of a bro- ken wind. Deceitful dealers have a draught which they sometimes give, to make a horse breathe regularly in the stable : the surest way therefore to judge of his wind, is to give him a good brushing gallop, and 'tis ten to one, if his wind be broke or even touched, that he will cough and wheeze very much, and no me- dicine can prevent his doing so. A Drdught-horse.—A horse with thick shoul- ders and a broad chest, laden with flesh, hang- ing too forward and heavily projecting over his knees and feet, is -fitter for a collar than a sad- dle. A Saddle-horse.—A horse with thin shoul- ders and a flat chest, whose fore • feet stand boldly forward and even, his neck rising semi- circular from the points of those thin shoulders to his head, may justly be said to have a light forehand, and be fitter for a saddle than a collar. As most horses in the hands of far- mers are drawn while they are young, which AMERICAN FARRIER. 29 notwithstanding their make, occasionsthem to move heavily. If you desire a nimble-footed horse, choose one that has never drawni/%, In buying a horse enquire into four other things, viz. biting, kicking, stopping and start- ing. A horse may be sound, though guilty of all four, which a man can hardly discover by barely looking on him; so I refer you to hr$ keeper. When you are buying, it is common for the owner to say in praise of his horse, that he has neither splint, spavin, nor wind-gall, SPLINT. The splint is a fixed callous excrescence or hard knot, growiug upon the flat of the in or outside (and sometimes both) of the shank bone ; a little under, and not far from the knee, and may be seen and felt. • SPAVIN. The spavin is of the same nature, and ap- pears, in like manner, on the instep bone be- hind, not far below the hoof. To take it off,, beat the bone with a bleed- ing stick, and rub it: then anoint it with the oil of origanum, tie a wet cloth about it, and with a hot brick applied to it, soak in the oil, till it be dry. WINDGALL. Windgalls are several little swellings jus t above "the fetlock joints of all the four leg.:; they seeni, when felt, to be full of wind or SO AMERICAN FARRIER. jelly, but they never lame a horse ; the splint and spavin always do. 'I hey all three proceed from one and the same cause, which is hard riding, travelling too far in one day; or carry- ing too great a wreight when young. ORDER HOW TO BREED HORSES. Choice of your Stallion and stud Mares. FIRST and principally you must foresee that your stallion and stud mares be both of good and lively nature, and not subject to any natu- ral diseases. For as heavy horses and mares will breed colts of roilish and heavy nature, so if they be infected with any natural disease, their colts for the most part will be troubled with the same disease. Wild Marts are not best to keep for the Race, IT would be well done to handle all your stud mares, and make them tame and easy, where- by, besides the commodity you may have of their work, which cannot hurt their taming if they be soberly handled, you may be sure at all times to remove them from one pasture to another, to bring them to be covered, and to take their colts from them without great trou- ble, whereas wild mares are not only cumber- spine, to keep, but also oftentimes do destroy the colts in their bellies with their rashness, when vou should handle them or any of their felbwk " . AMERICAN FAKRIER. 31 At what Age your Marc is to be Handled and Co- vered. THE best age to take up your mare to make her tame, and to break her, is when she shall be two vears old and the vantage » and so you may the year following, when she shall be fully three years old and upward, put her to your horse to be covered, which in my opinion is the best age to put her first to the horse, al- though some writers are of opinion, that it is best that she be first covered at two years old. The best Age for Horse.or Mare to get or bear Colts, and how many Tears they will continue go od. THE best age for horse or mare to get or bear colts, is, for the mare, from three years old till ten : and for the horse, from four or five years till twelve ; and after that age the colts of them wax heavy, weak and slothful. What time of the Year is best to Wean the Colts from their Dams. THE best time of the year to wean your colts is at candlemass, or shrove-tide, after the time as your colt is foaled ; wherein you must use much diligence ; for if your colt be not well weaned, well summered, and well wintered, the three first years, and namely the first year when he moaneth for his dam, 'he shall seldom or never come to be a good horse. And there iV*1 e when vou we, n your co-ts, yc-u must bringthem 32 AMERICAN FARRIER. to some house ordained for the same purpose, clean out of the hearing of their dams ; where- in they must be pinned, and not to come abroad the first fourteen days, out of the hearing of their dams : whereunto you must have pasture adjoining, wherein they may play, and feed every day after the fourteen days past, from the time you begin to wean them till grass be fully sprung in May; & put them into some such pasture, as commonly your milk cows are fed in, where they may neither, feeding in high and rank grass, hurt their reins, or grow thick necked, nor for want of feeding hinder their growth, but feeding in a short sweet grass, may prove well till they have forgotten their dams. ■ What Feeding is best for Colts, from and after two Tears old. IT is a general opinion, that wet lying and want of feed in the winter, and old rank feed- ing in summer, from and after two years old, doth mar the most part of our whole breed ; w*hich, in my opinion, well ordered, would breed the best of horses for all kind of service, of the whole earth; for as wet lying and want of good feeding in the winter, doth breed a heartless ill shapen horse, subject to all cold and watry diseases both in his body and limbs ; so over rank feeding in the summer, chiefly from two years old, and after, doth breed an evil reined, and a slothful horse, ever ready (being over laden with fat flesh) to be more foundered, and to catch the glanders and cough upoe ev*e"*y cold. And therefore your best me- thh-- of feeding in the summer, is where he AMERICAN FARRIER. 33 may have a large walk, and hungry short feed- ing, and not yet so bare, but that he may have a sufficiency to keep him in good flesh. Why Horses being taken up so young are not good. THE cause why our horses are taken up so voung, as I have heard sundry of our chief horse-masters say, Is, that our horses being- great and well fed, if they should run till they should come to their fuU strength, would be so sturdy and mischievous to break, that they would rather destroy themselves than be made tame ; which in my fancy is but a vain opini- on. For there was never so sturdy nor so wil- ful a horse, which would not be tame and easy to handle, with watching and hunger, w ithin one month at the farthest, if his keeper will use diligence. The way to Handle a sturdy Horse. THAT mav most conveniently be brought to pass, if at the first coming into the house, be- fore he will suffer his keeper to handle him and to take up his feet, he do put no meat before 1 him, but let him take all his feeding at his keeper's hands, and so shall you make him gentle and tame without stripes or striving; and the order before appointed in his breaking, being the colt of a tame mare, and fed some part of every winter at hand in the home, will acquaint him with the man, and make him al- ways most tame before he be taken up ; whidi U AMERICAN FARRIER. colt shall seldom prove a fearful or a blenching horse. N. B. By handling a colt often before and after it is weaned, till the time it is fit I'd: use, you will not find half the difficulty in breaking it you otherwise would. Vou may also, after it is a year old, often put a bridle and saddle on it, with about fifteen pounds of grain in a bag, and walk him up and down the yard with it on. The using of Horses after they are handled. AND, for conclusion ; Whoever doth use to keep his horse bridled after riding till he be in good temper, and almost cold, and doth not give him water nor meat, being hot, neither doth ride him fast upon a full stomach, shall seldom or never have his horse lame or sick, if he is raised as aforesaid, before he is taken up. What feeding is best in Winter for Mares, and Weanlings, of two Tears old. FOR the winter feeding you must use one or- der for your mares, and weanlings of two years old in several places, which is a hovel or house made for them adjoining to your winter pas- ture, wherein you must sometime in the evil weather, in a rack made for that purpose, give them one fodder, and be sure that they be brought into that house every night that is like to prove wet, but in the frosty days and nights it is best to pin them abroad. jJUfil) ocnr- AMERICAN FARRIER- $5 You must in any w ise keep one pasture nigh to the house that you feed your mare-colts uin the winter time, which pasture may not be fed. in before shrove-tide, because that time and the middle of May (before which, grass is not sufficiently sprung in most places for horses to feed on) is the most time of danger to hun- ger-bane of all the year. In which time, if your colts growing all the summer following, will make your colt-mares so bare, that they shall not be able to foal, nor give their colts sufficient suck. At what Age Colts may be Broke. WHEN your colt hath been raised as afore^- said, the best age in my opinion to take him up to break, is, when he shall be full four years old ; and have good close ground to keep him in, for then will his joints and sinews be strong and well knit, his hoofs ever tough, and not brittle, his eye-sight good, his chine strong, so that you cannot hurt him, neither in break- ing nor in reasonable riding ; besides, he will last a good horse till he be twenty-four or twen- ty-five years old : whereas, if you will take him up at two or three years old, as we commonly do, you shall find him afterwards many times blind, brittle hoofed, weak backed, full of wind- galls and splints,, and shew himself to be an old stiff horse before he come to be ten years old, as the most part of horses do. 35 AMERICAN ^ARRlEft- INFIRMITIES. Certain Infallible Helps and Cures for those In- firmities which are most dangerous, and do commonly attend all Horses, especially the Run- ning'-hdrse. WHENSOEVER upon any occasion you shall find your horse to droop in countenance, to forsake his meat, or to shew any apparent sign of sickness ; if they be not great, you may for* bear to let"blood, because where blood is spent, the spirits are spent also, and they are not ea- sily recovered ; but if the signs be great and dangerous, then by all means let blood instant- ly ; and for three mornings together, the horse being fasting, give him half an ounce of the powder called diahexaple, brewed either in a pint of the purest and finest syrup of sugar, being two degrees above the ordinary molasses, or for want thereof molaeses will serve the turn, or where all are wanting, you may take a pint either of cardus water, or else dragon water, or a quart of sweetest £.nd strongest alervort-, and this must be given him in a horn, and if the horse have ability of body, ride him in some warm place after it, and let hhu h>t near two hours more. At noon give him u sweet mash, clothe warm, and let him touch nothing. Now for the exact and trUe-'-making of this powder, which I call diahexaple, because ho man, that I know*, either apothecaries or others, doth at this clay make it truly, partly because it is an experiment lately, come to ray know- ledge by conference with learned physicians, and partly because our medicine-makers are in horse physic less curious than they should be ; AMERICAN FAKKIER. world abundance of false mixtures ; which both deceive the honest horse-master, kill the harm- less horse, and disgrace the well-meaning tar- rier. To repair all which, I will here set down at laro-e the true manner of making this admira- ble powder, together with the virtues and ope- rations thereof. Take of the grains of paradice, of ivory and murrh, of the roots of enula campana, of tur- meric and gentian, of each a like quantity; then beat and searse them into a subtile pow- der, and give the horse such a quantity, as is before directed. This resisteth the putrefac- tion of humors, comforts and strengthens the inward parts, opens obstructions, helps the lungs, and if taken in time, not only recovers the horse, but preventeth many other distem- pers. How to Order Feed, and Keep any Horse for Pleasure, Hunting or Travel. I WOULD have your keeper of these ordina- ry horses to rise early in the morning, by the spring of day, or before, according to the sea- son of the year, and to sift the horse the quan- tity of three pints of good old dry oats, and to put to them an handful or two of spelted beans, hulls and all, and so give them to the horse. After he hath eaten them, let him dress him according to the order of good horsemanship. That is, first curry with the comb, then dust, then curry with the brush, then dust, then rub D AMERICAN FARRIER. with wet hands, after with a clean woollen bloth, after with a clean linen cloth, then pick all obscure places. Lastly, comb down the main and tail. Then saddle him, and ride him forth to water, then warm him both before and after very moderately, so bring him home dry without sweat. Then clothe him up after you have rubbed his head, body and legs, and let him stand on his bridle more than an hour; then give him the former quantity of provender, and the same kind. After he hath eaten his provender, give him into his rack a pretty bundle of hay, and so let him rest till after dinner. When you have dined, give him the former quantity of provender, and the same kind, and so let him rest till the evening ; only renew his hay, if there be occasion. At evening dress him well, as in the morn- ing ; then ride him forth to water, and do as you did in the morning. When you come home, and have clothed him up let him stand on his bridle as before ; then -rive him the former quantity of provender, and so let him rest till nine of the clock at night ; at which time give him the former quantity o provender, and a pretty bundle of hay, and so let him rest till the morning. This you shall do concerning his ordinary keeping at home, where the horse hath rest, and that you may dispose of hours as you please __but if you be either in travel or sport, or other occasion, so that you cannot observe these particular times, then you must divide AMERICAN FARRIER. 39 the main and whole quantity of meat into few- er parts and greater quantities, and give them at the best conveniency ; ever observing to give the least quantity before travel, as a third part before mounting, and the two others after you come to rest. Nor would I have you to distract your mind with any doubt or amazement, because I pre- scribe you five several times of feeding in one day, as if it should either overcharge you, Lor overfeed your horse ; questionless there is no such matter, when you look into the true pro- portion ; for it cannot be denied, but whosoev- er is worthy of a good horse, or good means to keep a good horse, cannot allow him less than one peck a day : nay, the carrier, carter, poulter and pack-horse, will allow half a peck at a watering, and this allowance, which I set down, comes to no more ; for fifteen pints of oats, and one pint of spelt beans up heaped-, make two gallons, and that is one peck. Now, to give it at twice, fills the stomach more, makes the digestion worse, and the appetite weak; whereas to give less, but more often, the sto- mach is ever craving, the digestion always ready, and the appetite never wanting ; so that health (without disorder) can never be a stran- ger. Therefore, once again, thus much for ordi* nary keeping. But if you intend to give an heat, as to hunt, gallop, travel, or the like, then observe all your former observations, only the night before, give him little or no hay at all* d 2 40 AMERICAN FARRIER. In the morning early before his heat, and before his dressing, give him three or four handfuls of clean sifted oats, washed either in strong ale or beer. Then dress him, saddle him, and give him his heat. But if it be sudden and violent, then let it be when the horse hath emptied himself pretty well. After his heat rub him very well, and bring dry into the stable. Then after he is clothed up warm, let him stand on his bridle at least two hours ; then give him a little bundle of hay to tear out upon his bridle, and an hour after feed him as hath been before shewed ; only with the first oats give him an handful or two of hempseed, well dusted and mixed. At night warm him a little water; then an hour after give him his provender, and a pretty bundle of hay, and so let him rest till the next morning. The next morning do all those things as in his ordinary keeping. Let him stand on litter both night and day; yet change it often, and keep the place clean. If you intend to travel or journey in the morning, then give him no hay, or but little in the morning. In journeying ride moderately the first hour or two ; but after, according to your occasions. Water before you come to your inn, if possible —but if you cannot, then give warm water at the inn after the horse is fully cooled. AMERICAN FARRIER. 41 Trotter's' oil is an excellent ointment, being applied very warm, and well chafed in, to keep your, horses limbs ancl sinews nimble, and to help stiffness and lameness.. Neither wash your horse nor walk him ; for the first-endangereth foundering in the body or feet, and breedeth all surfeits ; the latter is the ground of all strong colds, which turn to glan- ders and rottenness ; but if necessity compel you to either, as foul ways and strong stays, then rather wash your horses legs with pails of water at your stable door, than to endanger him in any pond or river. And for walking, rather sit on your horse's back to keep his spirits stirring, than to lead him in hand, and with dull spirits to receive all manner of mischief. This I think sufficient for clean and ordinary keeping. MILK,--HOW TO PRODUCE. How to breed Milk in Kine. IF your cow's milk, after she has calved, comes not down, take some coriander and anniseeds, (for want of anniseed, fennelseed will do) any quantity you please ; pound the seeds very fine and put them into a quart of strong posset drink, made with beer, and give her a quart two or three mornings ; which thing alone will beget great and wonderful increase of milk. It will assuredly cause it to spring and come down.in abundance. Proved. For Cows that do not Clean well, or a great xvhils before they do. I CAN find no certain remedyas yet laid down by authors in order to provoke and bring away 42 AMERICAN FARRIER. the cleaning speedily. I have been credibly informed that those things underneath are very good and infinitely helpful in these cases : take three rattles from the rattles-nake, pound them fine, and give it in mulled cider, with store of ginger. The eggs must be well beaten, shells and all. This I find the most certain. Or take of tansey roots, what quantity you like, and boil them in spring water, as much as you may think sufficient for a good drench ; then take three or. four eggs, beaten well, shells and all, and add thereto soot and ginger a good quan- tity, mingle all together, and sweeten it with molasses; being blood-warm, give it the cow- in the manner of a drench, which has been found to be very helpful in such cases. Others boil savin, and gives the cow the decoction in a mash of bran and malt, and says it is an im- mediate remedy. WORMS. For the Worms in Cattle. THE signs are, they will look wild in their eyes, run to and fro bawling, also run #at Peo- ple : their veins are large and full, which de- monstrate it to be the worms. The cure is, first bleed in the neck, and catch the blood in a pail; add store of salt to the blood, and stir it well with a stick to keep it from clotting; then take a pretty quantity of melted hog's lard and some molasses, and stir them in the blood and salt ; then give it the beast as a drench ; two hours after the beast has taken the drench, take of rum one gill, of gunpow- der a large spoonful, shake and stir all toge- AMERICAN FARRIER. 43 ther ; empty it into the beast, and this will cure. Proved. SOUND,--TO KNOW IF CATTLE BE. GRIP them on the back with your hand, be- hind the fore shoulder, and if not sound they will shrink back, and almost fall down ; on the contrary, if sound, they will not shrink in the least. Proved. FLUX CHOLIC, &c. For the Disease in the Guts in Cattle, if it be the Flux, Cholic, or any such like thing.. IF at any time your beast be troubled with the cholic or belly-ache, or a gnawing of the guts, the signs will be apparent; it will speedily give ease if you boil good store of sweet oil in the water it drinks. For the bloody flux, give the beast some powder of wood rose seeds well dried and well bruised, brewed with a quart of ale, and it will cure him. Proved. COUGH. For an old Cough in Cattle. A CERTAIN cure is, to steep two pound of hysop in half a gallon of spring water, made thick with ground pease, or good wheat bran, or fine wheat and the roots of leeks, clean washed and beat well together, given the beast fasting. You may also bruise common garlic with dragon water, new ale and butter, any quantity you think proper, and being blood- warm, give it the beast, and repeat it as you see occasion requires. Proved. AMERICAN FARRIER. INWARD DISEASE. For any inward Disease in Cattle. TAKE a handful of wormwood, and as much rue, boil them-in a quart of ale,'\et it be strain- ed, put into it two spoonfuls of the juice of garlic, as much houseleek,- and as much London treacle1; make it blood-warm, mix them well together, and give it the beast, and you shall in a short time see the virtue of it against any inward disease in cattle. MILK,--HOW TO PRODUCE. For a Cow that hath newly calved wanting Milk. ANNISEEDS boiled and given in a warm mash to a cow that has newly calved, being poor and without milk, is very good for the increase thereof. Volewort leaves, boiled or raw, will do the like. Also, barley and fennel- seeds, boiled, is exceeding good. Proved. OVERFLOWING OF THE GALL. For the overflowing of the Gall in Cattle. IF the skin and eyes of your beast look yel- low, it is a true sign of the overflowing of the gall; the cure is, first bleed in the neck ; take about'two quarts of blood ; afterwards for three mornings fasting, give this drench: Take of sweet milk two pints, of saffron and turmeric a middling quantity, mix all together, and give it, and it will speedily help. Proved. GRAVEL OR STONE. To help Cattle that cannot Piss. TAKE cardus a good quantity, and steep it in white xvine a whole night; then strain it and AMERICAN FARRIER. 45 give it your beast. You may* also take sow- thistle and anniseeds, or fennelseeds, a good quantity, bruise the seed well, two or three onions sliced, steep all together in clear cider, or white wine, all night or longer ; then strain it and give it your beast. It will force urine and increase appetite. Proved. POISON OR VENOM. For an Ox or Cow that has accidentally taken Ve- nom. YOUR ox or cow will commonly gape and eat no meat, stand and hold their heads down and mourn. If they have eaten any venomous grass or such like, give them to swallow down a middling large white onion, bruised well, mix- ed with vinegar ; but before you give it, be sure you rub their mouths and tongues well with it —you may add salt to the onion and vinegar.. Proved.* SWELLED, OR GOURDED LEGS. For Swelled or Gourded Legs, whether it be by reason of the Grease falling into them, or other. accident, as Scratches, Pains, Mules, £s?c. IF your horse's legs be swelled only, because the grease is fallen into them, and that there is no other outward ulcer, neither, will the bath- ing with cold water and other outward helps assuage it. Then you shall take a piece of strong course* woollen'cloth,, and thereof mak**t him a hose a pretty deal larger than his legs, to reach from the lower part of his pastern, up to the cambrel, or to the knee ; and make it close and strait at the pastern, and wide above. Then take a pottle of xvine lees (if you can 46 AMERICAN FARRIER. get them) or else the grounds of lees of strong ale or beer, and set them on the fire, and boil them well; then put to them a pound of clari- fied hog's grease, and when it is melted and stirred well together, take as much wheat bran as will thicken it, aud bring it to the body ot a poultice ; with this poultice as hot as the horse can suffer it (only you must not scald) fill the hose or hoses, and then close the hose at the top. With this hose let the horse stand two days ; then the third day open the hose at the top, but stir not the poultice, only take molten hog's grease, hot as the horse can suffer it, and with j a spoon pour it into the poultice on every side, till it will receive no more ; for this will renew the strength of the poultice. Then close up the top of the hose, and so let the horse stand other two days or three. Then you may open the leg and rub it down, and if you find strong 'occasion, you may apply another new poultice ; if not, your cure is wrought. Now, if besides the swelling of his legs, your horse hath ulcers or chaps, or scratches, pains, mules or the like. Then you shall first apply the former poul- tice, in all respects as aforesaid; then after five or six days application, when you take the poultice away, you shall take a quart of old ' urine, and put to it half a handful of salt, as much of allum, and half an ounce of white cop- peras, and boil it till all be mixed and incorpo- rated together ; then with this water very hot, wash the sores once or twice a day, and after a little drying, anoint them with the ointment called egyptiacum, and is made of vinegar eight ounces, of honey twelve ounces, of verdegrease AMERICAN FAirvrvxi£R. - of allum; boil them all together; then h.ivl:^ E 50 AMERICAN FARRIER. cleansed the sores, and opened the poultice, if there be any, with this salve anoint the griefs and it is a speedy cure. BLEEDING. To stop bleeding at the Nose. THE chief cause thereof is the thinness of the. vein in the head ; you must let him blood in both the plate-veins, and then wind a thumb- band of wet hay about his neck, and throw cold water upon the thumb-band till you see the blood to staunch ; the thumb-band must be so long, that it may be wound from his ears to his breast very lightly. FEBULA, OR PESTILENCE. For a Febula, or Horse-pestilence. TAKE one ounce of storax, one ounce of ben- jamin, one ounce of betony, a quarter of an ounce of English saffron ; these being beaten all to a powder, put them into a quart of new ale, and give it to the horse to drink. Let him not have any warm water, but keep him as be- fore from any drink two days, and let him eat grass, if to be had. SCOURING. A gallant Scouring to make a Beast thrive Winter or Summer. TAKE a handful of groundsel, called by some scj-ticn, half • a handful of red sage, half a handful of dried or green wormxvood stript ; jou must shred them all small, and boil them in a pint and an half of strong beer ; and when it comes oil the fire, put in a piece of butter, AMERICAN FARRIER. 51 as big as an egg. You may put in as much of the powder of Mechoacan as will lie upon a shilling at three or four times. I know it pur- geth slime and molten grease in lumps, and works very kindly ; give him warm water to drink, evening and morning for three or four days after. A mash of malt once a day, or once in two days, if your horse do not fill well, and that his coat stand right up staring, or be hide-bound, give him this. Proved. COUGH. For a Cough cf the Lungs. TO know this, the horse will cough hollowly and gruntingly; he will hang down his head when he coughs ; his flanks will beat, he will fetch his breath short. For remedy, let him stand in the night before ; the next day in the morning fasting, give him a spoonful of the tyrup of horehound, and a spoonful of the flour of brimstone, and put these into a pint and a half of strong beer heated blood warm, and give it to him fasting : take him and ride him three or four miles presently upon it, till he sweat well: ride but a foot pace within a mile of home ; be careful to set him up warm: lit- ter and clothe him warm : let him stand in not above two or three nights, if it be in sum- mer ; after that turn him out from ten o'clock to' three o'clock, for two or three days, and then turn him out for altogether :. the more moderate you work him, the better he will thrive. It will take away his cough, clear his pipes, and make him thrive much after it. If there be a white, thick, clayey water near, let him drink there * it is a warmer and more fat-* e2 AMERICAN FARRIER. tening water than any other ; give warm wa- ter not above twice. This drink will clear his pipes, and drive it from his lungs. W may put in as mueh of the powder of machoachan, as will lie upon a shilling at three times. 1 Proved. STAR. To make a Star in an Horse's forehead. FIRST, with a pair of scissars cut away the hair close to the skin, in such a place as you would have the form of a star to be ; then take a piece of red brick, and rub it hard upon every place, where vou have dipt away the hair ; rub it till it be" at the roots of the hair, then wipe it clean with a linen rag ; then make a plaister of Burgundy pitch, and spread it upon a linen cloth, no longer nor wider than the form of the star itself; then, a little before you lay it on, lay a hot iron upon the pitch to soften it, that it may stick on the better ; then clap it to the place, as a plaister fit for the star, and lay a hot iron on the back of the plaister to heat i*; then over the first plaister lay ano- ther plaister a little broader, heating the second as you did the first, and so let it stick on till it come off of itself, which may be a month ; when these plaisters come off, then to make the hair come white in the place where you would have the star be, take a little honey and butter, more honey than butter, and mix them together, and anoint the star once in three days, and do so for that distance of days four or five times, and in a quarter of a year you shall see the thing desired: he may stand in the house or run abroad: you may work him AMERICAN FARRIER. 53 or ride him; I know nothing to the contrary but that a man with this course taking, may make a mark in any form, what he pleaseth, and where he pleaseth, about the beast, whe- ther in his buttocks, sides, or any other place, as well as the forehead. HUNGRY EVIL. THE hungry evil is an unnatural and over ha- sty greediness in an horse to devour his meat faster than he can chew it, and is only known by his greedy snatching at his meat as if he would devour it whole. The cure is, to give him to drink milk and wheat meal mixed to- gether, a quart at a time, and to feed him with provender by tittle and little till he forsake it. STRANGULLION. For the Strangullion. THIS disease is a soreness in the horse's yard, and an hot burning when he pisseth. The signs are, he will piss oft, yet but a drop or two at once. The cure is, to boil in the wa- ter he drinketh good store of the herb hogfen- nel or loveage, and it will cure. POCKY FARCION. To cure a Foul, Rank, Pockij Farcion, which runs all over an Horse, or in any partioular part of his Body. AN horse that hath the farcion, if his breath smell very strong, and stink, then do not med- dle with him, for his lights are rotten, and there is no cure for him, for he is as full of them within as without. But if his breath be 54 AMERICAN FARMER. sweet, there is no question of the cure. First, for all knotted, budded farcions, separate the sound from the sick, for this disease is infec- tious ; they will take it one of another. This disease cometh first of colds and surfeit; for remedy do as followeth: Give him but a little hay over night to keep his jaws from falling; the next day morning, let him blood on both?*-, sides of the neck, and let him bleed well, then give him this drink : one ounce of aristolochia, an ounce of turmeric, one ounce of anniseeds: beat your turmeric and anniseeds small, and grate the root of aristolochia, and put them all together, with one handful or two of lung- xvort or liverxvort, rue, one good handful of red sage, a handful of green or dried xvorm- xvood, one handful of green fennel: and if it be winter that you cannot get it green, then instead thereof take two ounces of fennel seeds, cut the herbs small, and beat the seeds, and put them all to steep in three pints of running- spring water, and let them lie in steep all night. The next day morning before you give it him, ride him a mile till he be warm ; at his return give it him cold as it stood all night; then ride him gently a mile after his drink, set him up, warm clothed and littered ; let him stand upon the bit seven or eight hour3, then unbit him and give him a little sweet hay, and at night warm w~ater, with some wheat bran in it: the next day morning vide to the water, and let him drink, but let him drink but once a day, but-ride him well upon his watering, and at the end of three days give him his former drink ag:/in,' and order him as before. Work h:in mod^rat-Iy all the lime of his cure, be it. ;'•• -".-'.i-ey make his pills to work the more kindly that day ; then let him fast till night, during which time he will purge freely; then at night give him xvhite water, after pats and bran, and give him for all night hay sprink^; led with water. If he be? strong bodied, it. may be he will not purge the first day, but thfc- second day he surely **vill;. in the mean time 66 AMERICAN FARRIER. give him mashes, white bran boiled, w\a\ white water, or clean oats, and after his purging keep him warm and well littered ; keep him to white water for two or three days after, or longer, and when you give him cold wrater, let it not be with excess. This is an excellent purge. Proved. FALLING OF THE CREST, &c. For the falling of the Crest, Manginess in the Man,e, or Shedding of the Hair. ALL these diseases proceed from poverty, mis- like, or over-riding ; and the best cure for the falling of the crest is blood-letting, or good keeping, with gook store of meat: for strength and fatness will ever raise the chest. But if the mane be mangy, you shall anoint it with butter and brimstone ; and if the hair fall away, then take southern wood and burn it to ashes : then take the ashes, and mix them with com- mon oil; anoint the place therewith, and it will bring the hair presently, both smooth, thick, and fair. BONES BROKEN OR OUT OF JOINT. IF you have placed the bones in the true place,' take the root of osmond and beat it in a mor- tar with the oil of swallows, and anoint all the member therewith ; then splent it, and roll it up, and in fifteen days the bones will knit and he strong. AMERICAN FARRIER. 6t ,\\ MOLTEN GREASE. For a sudden grkdt 'Heat, as in Hunting, Pac- ing, or hard Riding, that the Horse's Grease is melted. THIS you shall know by the panting of the horse -that night he comes in so hot; for if he be over-ridden and his grease melted, you shall know it by the panting at the breast and girting place, and heaving at the flank : you shall see the night he comes in, and the next clay morn- ing, that his body will be mighty hot. For re- medy, take and give this, to purge him and cleanse him, and to qualify the heat and work- ing of his body: Take one pint of sack, and put to it oneounce of diascordium, beaten small —mix them together, and give it to the beast at any time cold, but in the morning fasting, is the be*:t; give him warm water for three or four aa\ .-.■ after: give him burs ted oats, boiled barley, and mashes made of ground malt, keep him well littered, and clothed warm. If he forsake his meat, and you see he hath lost his 9tomach, to bring him to his stomach again give him two ounces of honey, and half a pint of white wine mixed together, and heated blood warm. In the morning after he_hath drunk cold water, you may give it him with a horn : it will make him piss, clear his bladdery and bring him to his rtomach again. After you have given him it, ride him a mile or two gently, aud set him up warm ; at night ride him a mile or two again, and litter him well, and keep him warm. Thus do for three or "four days, or a week ; at three days end, give him the wine and honey as-you were before di- rected. If you see notwithstanding all these 68 AMERICANIFARRIE& means used, -that he will-not fall to his meat, and that hevis bound.in his belly, and dungp yery small; then give him this cordial two or three times, two or three days betwixt each cordial giving. Take three pints of stale beer, houshold brown bread, the quantity of half a penny loaf; boil these two well together, then take it off the fire, and put into it a quartei* of a pound of honey, and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter: give him this cordial blood- warm fasting,! and ride him a mile or two every evening and morning, as well when you do not give it to him, as when you do; ride him fairly, and clothe and litter him up warm : this cordial will bring him to his stomach, and cause hi-m to be loose bodied, and dung soft, although he be weak, and have little or no sto- mach. Four or five hours after his cordial, the first thing you give him, boil him half a peck of oats, and a pound of fennugreek toge- ther in water till they be burst, and the water wherein these were boiled, pour it from the oats into another pail, and put some cold wa- ter to it, and when he drinks let him drink of this water ; for the cats and fennugreek, throw some of them into the manger hot, and if he hfx jpth to eat ±hemT then strew some wheat bran upon it, and it is very likely he will'eat all together. This course taken in every par- ticular, will bring your horse to a ftomach, and raise him suddenly. A fortnight or 'three weeks after he is thus melted,- and that you have given him the former things, to give him this purge of aloes, will do the beast a rreat-, deal of good in this case : I am ■ confidentTit is good. Or.give him as much of the powder of mechoacan, as will lie Upon a shilling at three AMERICAN FARRIER. 69 or four times ; that is very gopd' in a pint of *ymc, or a quart of strong.ale* Proved. y. GRIPES. For the Gripes. AFTER the first attack there is very rarely any . cessation of symptoms, on the contrary they . almost invariably increass, in proportion- to,the time,they haveeontinued without coun-r terae*ion.. _ The subject js in.such extreme ago- ny, th.it Jje becomes insensible to every degree of danger, and totally disobedient even to those he is most accustomed to ; he is alter- nately up and down, rolling over from one side to the other, beating his head and legs against the ground, sta-1, or wall, and continues in such state of extravagant distortion as seems nearly allied to madness or convulsions. The wild fulness of his eyes, the pricking of his ears, the heaving of his flank, the involuntary groan- ings and strainings to dung and stale without effect, (in.addition to the profuse sweat that the excruciating pain occasions,) are a collec- tion of symptoms sufficient to demonstrate the, species of disease without a probability of be- ing deceived. Let two or three incisions with the phleme be made in the fourth and fifth bars of the mouth, sq as to occasion a plentiful bleeeing, which will not only contribute to a reduction of the general stricture, but in its effect upon the internal passages constitute a prelude to the relaxation that is to ensue. ^1 This case is one of those where the probable extrication from impending danger depends entirely upon the expeditious mode of commu-. AMERICAN FARRIER. nicating alleviation : to take off the pamfid spasms from the intestines, by an immediate solution of their contents is the instantaneous object of consideration. This point must, if possible, be carried by an accumulation ot the most energetic efforts, without waiting hour after hour for the effect of any single admini- stration: To promote this by every possible means, let the following laxative glister be prepared, and thrown into the rectum without delay: Thin gruel, two quarts ; common salt, four ounces ; tincture of jalap, and of senna, each one ounce ; olive oil, a quarter of a pint; mix and give of a moderate waimth. During this operation let there be going on in preparation the following purgative drink, which may also be given with a horn, so soon as the various circumstances and concurring difficulties will permit: Boil senna leaves, one ounce and a half; race ginger and car r away seeds bruised, each half an ounce with cream of tartar, one ounce, in a pint of water for a few minutes, in which dissolve glauber salts, six ounces, then strain and add tincture of ja- lap, one ounce. . To give the greater and more expeditious effect to these endeavors, as well as to keep the horse standing, four persons (two on each side) should be employed in severe and incessant friction, on the back, sides, flank, under the belly, and between the fore legs, to keep him in such motion as may forward the wished-for evacuations, as well as to keep him from falling to the ground, or laying down, when a scene# of distress instantly ensues. He may also be trotted occasionally in hand, an attendant fol- lowing brisk with a whip to keephim in action. AMERICAN FARRIER. a work of some care and trouble, for if not strictly attenJxd to he cannot be kept upon his legs.' A mash made of bats and bran, an equal quantity of each, and tolerable thin, and well boiled, and given him to eat in such a warmth as the state or severity of the case may justify, will be very proper, after the medicines have all done operating. STUB IN THE FOOT, &c. -- ■• ■ For a Stub in the Foot or Heel, an overreach with the Toe of the after-foot, upon the Heel of the fore-foot, a Tread or Cut above the Hair, or when a Stone hath cut a Horse's Leg. FIRST wash the wound with fair water, or with water and. salt; whei*-. the wound is dry, take a big onion, or two or three small ones will answer the end as well,, a spoonful of pep- per beaten small, as much croxvn soap as the bigness of an egg ; these three things must be beaten to a salve, and laid upon a linen cloth, and laid to the wound twenty-four hours, and at the end of that time dress it as you did be- fore ; and so continue doing every twenty-iour hours till it be whole. If this quantity of me- dicine be too little, make more. As you see it heal, dress it but once in two or three days. This onion salve will prevent a quitter-bone, if you lay it to before it break. This salve is good to heal and cure all these hurts. Proved. 72 AMERICAN FARRIER. HORSE PRICKED. b- For a Horse that is Pricked in the Shoeing, and afterwards Festered-. FIRST open it well, and take out all the cor- ruption to the very bottom, so far as the nail did go: 5 then take three or four house-sn>ail's, a little salt, as much soap as a walnut; beat them all together, and lay it to the place that was pricked twenty-four houi*s, till you see it begin to heal ; then dress it but once in two days ; and in three or four dressings it will be whole. When you lay this medicine to the bottom of the foot, lay some fax, hards, or tow, over it, and over that a .piece of leather, or splinters to keep the hards and medicine in. And if it break out, or be soft at the top of the hoof, lay some of this medicine to, and bind it on with a linen rag. Proved. HEAD-ACHE. For the Head-ache. TRICK in the mouth, between the second and third bar, with the end of your cornet-horn, or with a pen-knife ; let him bleed well, and let kim stand twelve hours ; then pour into his nostrils wine or vinegar, having before some frankincense ; let his diet be moist and cooling, and he will soon recover. If it be in the win-, ter keep him warm. Proved. SWELLING IN THE HEAD. For a Swelling in any part of the Head. TAKE some of his own dung, as soon as he maketh it; clap it on hot, and bind it fast, and" it will take it down. If it require, renew it twice a day. AMERICAN FARRIER. 73 SURFEIT. For a moist, hot, running Surfeit, that falls out of his Body into his Fore-legs, and sometimes, into his After-legs, and sometimes into all four. THIS surfeit comes with colds and heats*which are divers ways taken ; when it falls out of his body into his legs, and runs hot, moist, white, yellow, thin, thick, stinking water or matter; in this case the horse's breath will stink and smell very strong, and his legs will swell and stink extremely ; when this surfeit breaks in his body and falls down into his legs, at his first going out the stable, he will hardly draw his legs over the threshold, and he will be so stiff that he can hardly stir in the stable, but will hold up his legs to his midribs. Although thia disease be ever so violent in breaking out, or causing his legs to swell and run, yet you need not fear remedy for him, if you observe these directions following. First, keep him fasting all the night before, or give him but a very lit- tle meat, to keep his jaws from falling; the next day, in the morning before he drink, let him blood on both the neck-veins, and let him bleed well: then uncord him, and give him this drink following, which will much purge and dr\" up the gross humors in his body, and cleanse his blood : Take one ounce of aristo- lochia, one ounce of turmeric, one ounce of an- niseeds dry, and beat the turmeric and anni- seeds small, and grate the root of aristolochia; put all these together, with one handful of rye, and a handful of wormwood green or dry, and one handful of red sage, one handful of green fennel. If it be winter, that you cannot get green, then take two ounces of fennel-seeds, G 74 AMERICAN FARRIER. and beat them small, and put to the rest of the things, and put all into an earthen pot or pan, and put to them three pints of running or spring water, and there let them lie in steep all night: the next morning before you give it to him, ride him a mile till he be a little warm, and give it to him cold as it stood all night; then after that ride him a mile again, and let him stand upon the bit six or seven hours, and then give him a little hay, and after that warm wa- ter and bran ; the next morning ride him to the river, let him drink but once a day, and ride him two or three, miles after it: at three days end give him the former drink fasting, and fol- low the directions before named in this receipt, and so continue doing, by giving the former drink at every three days end, till you see you have dried up the gross humors in his body, and caused them to cease running and swel- ling ; you may work him three or four hours in a day to get him a stomach : let it be in win- ter oir summer, keep him in the house with dry meat. When he is cured you may turn him out. Wash his legs in some water up to the hams, and keep them as cool as you can all the time of the cure. One or two of these drinks given at three days distance, will dry up the humors in his body, which feed the swellings in his legs, cods, or elsewhere ; these drinks will make him run at the* nose white or yellow. If he fall from his meat, you may the third day after his drink give him a cordial, and then a drink, and then a cordial of white wine and honey. Now*, if there be great chaps or crannies in his legs, as it is an hundred to one but there will, by reason of the extreme heat aed continual running of the moist fret- AMERICAN FARRIER. 75 ting motion, to heal them up, although «vet so big, yea, though the sinews were almost rot- ted with the filth ; to prevent which, and to heal it also, take this excellent receipt following, which is for pains and scratches, and if it were ever so ill, in a short time it will heal it. The way to order the horse and make the salve is thus : in this case you must not ride him into the water, or water at all, but you must first take two or three pails of fair water and wash his legs clean, then clip away all the hair close to the skin, so far as his legs are crannied or scabby ; then wash his legs clean with another pail of fair water, and let him stand till his legs be dry ; then take half a pound of honey, an ounce of beaten pepper, and ten heads of garlick ; beat them well all together in a bow] till they come to a salve ; divide this salve in* to two parts, spread the one half upon half a' sheet of grey paper, and the other half upon the other half sheet of paper ; then take abroad piece of linen cloth and lay it upon the paper, and so lay the plaister to the crannied place, and the cloth over it, and sew it on fast, that it may not come off. Let this plaister lie on two clays. Make a small thumb-band of hay, and wind it about his legs and over the plais- ter for two days ; at the end of which take all off, and take a linen cloth and wipe the chaps of every cranny in his legs or heels clean, and then lay on a fresh plaister, and do as you did before. In three or four times dressing it thu-, it will be whole. He must not come into the water all the time of his cure. If you have an horse whose sinews are rotten, broken or cut, or much putrified, then apply none but this medicine to it, and it will draw, cleanse, g 2 76 AMERICAN FARRIER. and knit them together again. It is for a si- new in this nature, the best cure in the world. After you have thus drenched him inwardly, and cured the swelling of his legs outwardly, if you see he looks gaunt, and hath no stomach to his meat, and do not fill and thrive well, if he be sick and weakly, give him white wine and honey, to bring hini to his stomach again, then ana not before give the purge of aloes. But if your horse be gaunt, and girt up in his body, if he be in any heart, and will eat his meat, in this case give the purge first, and then 1 your xvhite xvine and honey, and your cordials, as you are directed, to bring him to his stomach. If you do as you are here directed, all along throughout the whole receipt in every particu- lar, you need not question but, through God's blessing, you shall have the desired success jou look for. Proved. COLD. For an old Cold. IF yo.u see cause, take blood from the neck- vein, otherwise not; then instead of giving him oats, give him wheat bran boiled in water after this manner, viz. set a kettle over the fire almost full of water, and when it begins to boil, put in your bran, and let it boil a quarter of an hour: then take it off, and let it stand till it be almost cold, and about four or five of the clock in the morning, give it him as hot as he can eat it, and for his drink give him the same water, and at night give him oats and white water to drink, «.nd let him be covered and littered up warm. If it be in summer, let not the stable be too hot, for that will take AMERICAN FARRIER. 77 away his stomach, and make him faint. And when you give him this water at night, always give him as much of this powder as an egg? shell will hold amongst his oats, to which you must keep him eight days together, or longer if you shall see cause ; the boiled bran is that which drieth up all his corrupt and gross hu- mors, which was the cause of dis cold. Now, the powder is this, viz. Take of cummin-seeds fenugreek, silerus montani, otherwise called si- silers, nutmegs, cloves, ginger, linseed, of each of these two ounces, quick-brimstone six ounces, make all these into fine powder, and mix them all well together ; it must be given him in his oats the quantity that was prescribed before * but he must first be watered with white water; and then presently let him be well rubbed all over, and clothed and littered warm : and an hour before you give him his oats, put into his rack a litde sweet wheat straxv, and let him eat thereof an hour or better, and then, and not before, give him his oats mixed with powder; which having eaten, give him hay at your plea- sure, and with doing thus his cold will be gone in a short time, and still sooner, if you air him an hour before sun-set, and an hour after sun- rising, if the sun shine, mark that; keep up his stomach with xvhite wine and honey, and the cordials, and with what else you think best of. Froved. Now, if this cold bring with it a violent cough, as often seen, then use this re- ceipt following. For a Cold xvith a violent Cough. FIRST, give him the xvheat bran boiled, to- gether with the powder with his oats, as i* di- 78 AMERICAN FARRIER. rected in the foregoing receipt, but not above three or four days, or till you see he hath purg- ed sufficiently, for that the said powder dis- persed the corrupt and gross humors that are in his body, which do occasion the cough ; and when you perceive that he hath purged suffici- ently, keep him notwithstanding to his white water, which is no other thing than water made hot in a kettle, and then put in some xvheat bran or barley meal; let him eat the bran as hot as he will, and drink the water a little warm. But always an hour before you water him, take a stick a little bigger than your thumb of very nigh a foot long, and wrap a linen cloth about it four or five times, first dipped in oil of bays, and put into his mouth ; and with some leather thong or piece of small cord, fasten it to either end of the stick, and so fas- ten it over his ears like the head-stall of a bri- dle, like as smith's derwhen they burn a horse for a lampras. Let him drink with this stick thus in lus mouth,and so stand with it an hour after at the least, that he may lick and suck up the said oil; and after three or four days are expired, and that you see he hath purged suf- ficiently, which is a little before mentioned ; then when you give him the oats^ give him amongst them this other powdcrJfollowing, -/it*". Fennel-seeds four ounces, fenugreek two ounces, and cardamum one ounce ; beat them but a lit- tle, or else he w~ill blow them away when he eat-> his oats. Put one spoonful into his oats, and keep him warm, and use him as is pre- scribed in the foregoing receipt, and ycu will find, it t'*- do him much good. Proved* AMU.Rl^Aie' r/iivxvIER. 79 STRAIN. ~ ' A speedy Cure for a Sinew-strain old or new, FIRST, let blood in the shackle-veins, which are in the pastern, for it will much further the cure ; then take the fattest cat you can get, kill her, and flea her as soon as you possibly can ; then bruise the flesh and bones of the cat small, and lay it upon a cloth, and bind it close to the sinew-strain, from the pastern up the legs, as far as it will go, and as warm as you can. You must take out her guts before you bruise her flesh, or lay it to : and you must after you have let blood in the shackle-vein, bathe the sinew-strain with aqua vita:, and rub it in cold with your hand, and then afterwards lay the flesh of the cat on a cloth to the place. Of all cures for a sinew-strain this is the best •and speediest; roll a cloth two or three times about the leg, when you have laid the cat on, to bind it on, because a cat draws and knits mightily. Let him not come into the water till he be cured. Proved. STALE. to make a Horse Stale free, and constantly. TAKE half a pint of white wine, one ouncfe of ivy berries beaten to powder, and put to the white wine ; let it lie in steep all night, then give it to the horse next morning fasting. Do not heat it all, but ride him after it a mile or two, then tie him up to the rack, two, three or four hours after it. This is Very good for the wand cholic, and to make a horse piss free- ly ; do this every morning till you see him piss free ; thi * will cleanse the kidneys of all sand 80 AMERICAN FARRIER. and filth ; it is very good for the stone and gra- vel. These berries you must gather when they are black ripe, which is about Lent or Shrove- tide. If you gather them green, or when they are full ripe, put them in a platter, and dry them in the sun till they be fit to beat to pow- der, and give them as you were directed. It is as good for a man as for a horse. Nettle- seeds is a great provoker of urine. You may put a handful to the berries and wine. COLD. For an old Cold which causeth the Horse to run sometimes at one Nostril, and sometimes at both, and hath done for a year together, and is knoU ted with Kernels under his Throat between his yaws. THE cure is thus : Take an ounce of turmeric, an ounce of anniseeds, beat them small, one ounce of lignum vita, you shall have it at the apothecary's, a quarter of a pint of aqua vitas, a quarter of a pint of white wine vinegar, one handful of unset leeks beaten small in a mortar, wash the mortar with beer ; put all these toge- ther with a pint and a half of strong beer ; give them to the beast fasting blood-warm, ' and litter and clothe him up warm ; at the end of that time give him a little sweet hay, and a* night give him some warm water and bran ; the next morning give him warm water and bran again, and presently after give him twro ounces of honey, and half a pint of xvhite xvine blood warm : then ride him three or four miles after it, clothe and litter him warm when he comes in ; whilst he is abroad, boil him half AMERICAN FARRIER. 81 a peck of oats with two ounces of fenugreek, and two ounces of coriander-seeds, burst them all together, and give it him : the third day morning, give him a cordial made of three pints of stale beer, a quarter of a pint of ho- ney, as much butter, a good piece of household bread: put in the honey and butter after the bread and beer is boiled together, and give him this cordial fasting blood-warm ; the fourth day morning, give him this drink, viz. one ounce of polypodlum, one ounce of Bay berries, an ounce of long pepper, one ounce of brown su- gar-candy ; beat them all small, and put them into a quart of mild strong beer, heat it blood- warm, and before you give it him, ride him a mile, and then give it him, and ride him two or three miles after it; clothe and litter him up warm. After he hath fasted for four or five hours, give him bursten oats, with two ounces of fennugreek, and two ounces of coriander, as before ; if you have no coriander, then take two ounces of carraway-steds, and give him. that night of the oats and seeds, and put the water where the oats and seeds were boiled, into some cold water, and let him drink that aud no other. When you have rested him a week, then give him the first drink mentioned in this receipt, and follow him as you are di- rected every day ; in the third week give,him the same things again, in the same manner, and at the same distance of days, in all points, as vou did the first week, and in three or four weeks it will be a cure. The first drink doth loosen the filth, and open the lights, and set them a running. The cordial, white wine, and honey, will keep him to his stomach, help him to void.filth at the nose and mouth, and will 82 AMERICAN FARRIER. much nourish him within ; they do cleanse the Stomach, breast aud bowels, and do much waste the squinsy in the throat; they do cut the tough thick phlegm. If you order these things as you are in many places directed, and air him moderately once or twice a day, the horse will soon be.sound again. The last drink of poly- podium, long pepper, Bay-berries, is a purger of the veins, blood and liver, and will stay the wasting of the body. That day morning you give him the first drink, apply the charge of soap and brandy, made in a salve, to the ker- nels between his jaws, and in a week's time it will be fallen flat, and not break. Lay the • charge on scalding hot, and heat it well in. If you see the yellow matter to become white, there will be the greater hopes of the speedi- ness of the cure. Proved. FARCION. For a Farcion that lies all over the Body of a Horse, FIRST, bleed those buds that do not die, wash them with the water you have for anyT old ul- cer, and this will cure them and kill them. ' Wash them Jonce a day, then take a pottle of running water, and boil it in two spoonfuls of hemp-seed beaten to powder, and two handfuls of rue cut small ; boil all these together, till it come to a pint and an half, and give it the horse fasting ; do this once in three days, or three times in nine days, let him stand in the night before, and not drink ; you may give him three or four hours after it a mash, or warm water, then hay. This very drink given to a cow or bullock, after letting blood in the AMERICAN FARRIER. neck, will make them thrive exceeding fast, if it be given them at the spring of the year, and then turned out to grass. If a cow or bullock do not thrive, but is lean, scurvy, hide-bound, and her hair stand right up, do but let blood, and give her this drink, and she will mend pre- sently upon it. Proved. FARCION. For a Farcion only in the Neck or Head of a Horse. FIRST let blood in the neck-veins, then take two spoonfuls of the juice of hemlock, and two spoonfuls of the juice of houseleek, and mix them together, and put the one half into one ear, and the other half into the other ear; you must mix tw*o spoonfuls of sallad oil with the houseleek and hemlock, and put them all to- gether into his ears. Put a little wool, flax or tow after it, stitch up his ears, and at the end of twenty-four hours, unstitch them and take out the stuffing; give him a mash two or three hours after, and warm water to drink. \ou may give him any meat to eat, only wash the buds with the water for an old ulcer, till he be whole. Proved. OF ROWELS. THERE is a wrong-judged custom amongst our professors, concerning rowels. If a horse is'sick, they bleed him, right or wrong, give him a drench and put a rowel under his belly ; without enquiring of his master or keeper, what usage he hath lately had which might oc- casion the illness. Rowels are absolutely ne- cessary in some cases, but are absolutely un- 84- AMERICAN FARRIER. necessary in others, and serve only to disfigure and torment a horse. As for example, The rowel in the navel for the grease (which vou may see in almost all the coach and cart horses about town) is very wrong, because rowels in a horse that is greased, promote too great a discharge from the blood and animal spirits, which weaken him to a degree of ir- recoverable poverty. I have put five rowels in a horse at one time, thinking thus to let the grease run off"; but the more the rowels ran, the more he ran at the heels, till the texture of his blood was so broken, that I could not reco- ver him. WOUND. An infallible Method of curing any Wound what- ever, by THREE HAZEL STICKS. IF your horse, or any beast, should be wound- ed in any part whatever, the cure is thus : Take three hazel sticks of the last seasons growth, each one a foot long, made smooth at the ends —with each one of which search and probe the wound to the bottom, and then again, be- ginning with the one first used, and thus go thro' three several courses of probing in all. Remember to lay each one, in their courses of operation, after probing, on clean paper. Hav- ing thus done, lay the sticks beside each other on the paper, with the bloody ends together ; then spread tar on so much of the paper, and of them as are bloody, and lap them thus up in the paper ; after which, if it is winter, place it in the coolest part of a stove-room, but if summer, in any place you please out of the damp or sun, with that part which has been used, towards the east. Proved infallible. AMERICAN FARRIER. 85 PISSING,—RED. For a Horse or Coxv that maketh Red Water. TAKE three Or four onions, one pound of lean beef, roasted on the coals till you may beat it to powder, bole-armoniac as much as the big- ness of an egg, one handful of grey salt: chop and beat them all together, and put them all into a quart of strong beer : take ale, if you can get it, and give it to the beast, and pre- sently after it, give her a dishful of cheese-run- nets of almost a pint; do but this once or twice fasting, and let the beast fast two or three hours after it, and it will cure. Proved. SINEW-STRAIN. A SINEW-STRAIN is always upon the si- news which grow behind on the fore leg, and behind upon the sinews of the after leg, above the fetlock joint, upon the back part of the fore leg, and upon the back part of the after leg, much about the ancle-bone; it will be swelled and knotted when it is thus overstrain- ed : you may see and discern it by his going, and by the swelling, if you nip it between your fingers and thumb, he will quinch at it very much. For the cure : take nerve-oil and tur- pentine, of each a penny-worth, and mix them together, and lay it on at two several times, or more, till it be well; and always dry it in well with a hot bar of iron when you lay it on, and anoint it two or three days distar.ee ; you must rest him in the time of the cure. GARGET. For a Coxv that hath a Garget in her Dug or Ud- der. YOU shall, know when she hath the garget iu 86 AMERICAN FARRIER. her dug, for then she will not give down her ''milk : For remedy, let her stand in some house or yard the night before you let blood ; the next day in the morning fasting, let her blood on both sides of the neck, then give her this drink —take a handful of higtaper, by some called mullin, and cut it small ; it groweth by the sides of dikes, and in highways ; it hath a long stem with a broad woolly leaf; and afterwards boil it a little in a pint of beer, and give it her blood warm fasting. This, with once giving, will make her let down her milk freely. Proved. COWS,--ORDERING OF. Observations concerning the Ordering of Cattle, as Coxvs, £s?c. in the time of feeding, when there is great fulness of Grass, as in the Months of May, June and July. IN those months must be your care to let them blood ; for at that time of the year they never digest their meat so well as in winter : and those raw digestions do hinder many inward passages, which causeth bad blood. Which to help, you must let them blood in the month of Mav, and let them stand in some close yard the night before. And the night after, give them a handful of hemp-seed a piece. Now,.for the pestilence, gargil and murrain, they are in- fectious, contagious diseases, none like them ; they proceed many times from hard driving, heats and colds, hunger, or any other thing breeding corrupt humours, as by drinking when they are hot, or feeding upon grass, foul and corrupted foods, as in low grounds after floods, when the grass is unpurged. and the like. And sometimes it cometh from some evil influences AMERICAN FARRIER. 87 of the planets, corrupting the plants ann-fruits of the earth. And sometimes from cattle too, and from divers such like causes. But, how- ever, when these diseases begin, certain it is that they are most infectious, and if there be net great care taken, they will leave but few alive of a great many, for the one infects the other. These diseases are easily known, they will hang down their heads, and run water at the eyes,1 will swell on the lips, and all on one side of the cheek, and under the tongue, and sometimes at the roots of the ears. The cure is, to separate the sound from the sick, a good distance from the air where the sick breathe, then let them blood on the neck-veins, and give everv one a spoonful of diapente ; take a spoon- ful of treacle-jeau, and give it in a pint of ver- juice : thus give them a good quantity of old urine, and a handful of new hen's-dung; stir the urine and hen's-dung well together, and give it to the beast blood-warm ; keep him in the house a week after. These, for cows or bullocks, are prime receipts. Proved. LICE. To kill Lice in Horses and Coxvs. TAKE two penny-worth of quick-silver, and work it well with fasting spittle upon the palm of vour hand till the quick-silver be killed: theu - take the whites of two eggs and bray them with the quick-silver and spittle, till they be as an ointment; spread these upon a list that will go round about the beasts neck, let it be as broad as your fingers ; first cut away the hair, and then tie your list round about, and sew it up; they will come to it, and it will kill abundance M2 88 AMERICAN FARRIER. of them. And in several places about the beast daub on some train-oil. GARGET. For the Garget in the Threat of a Coxv. IF you have an ox, or cow, or bullock, that hath the garget in the throat, it comes for want of water ; it will cause a swelling under the . sides. The remedy is, first to cast the beast, then cut the skin through in the midst of the swelling, and flea the skin from the flesh so far as any swelling goes : then take of the whitest wood-ashes that you can get, sifted fine ; mix them with some mouldy, stale, old piss: stir them well together, and wash the sore there- with. GARGET. Another for a Garget at the root of the Tongue of a Coxv, A GARGET at the root of the tongue, is a certain swelling under the root of the tongue, which causeth his head and face to swell also, and to froth at the mouth ; he will then forsake his meat, with often gulping at his throat. The remedy is, first cast him in soft straw, from bruising his body; then take his tongue in }our hand, and pull it out as far as you can, and with the point of a sharp pen-knife slit down the middle vein an inch, light under the tongue —and there will come forth black blood and water, which comes from the gall ; then rub the place with salt and vinegar mingled toge- ther, and it will cure. Proved. AMERICAN FARRIER. 89 GARGET. For the Garget in the Gut of a Cow or Bullock, THE signs are these : the beast will run at the eyes, drivel and slaver at the mouth, with a sad heavy countenance. For remedy, take an egg-shell full of tar, and put it down her throat —then take two handfuls of salt, and put it in- to a pint of verjuice, and put it down the beast's throat with a horn, then drive her to and fro till she dung. Keep her fasting four hours af- ter. Proved. GALL,--OVERFLOWING OF. For the over-flowing of the Gall, in a Cow or Bullock. THE signs are, extraordinary foulness of the body, and slavering at the mouth. The reme- dy ; take an egg-shell full of tar, and put it down her throat, having before a pint of ver- juice of vinegar, and a penny-w*drth of cloves beaten ; boil the verjuice and cloves together, and when you take it off the fire, put in. two good handfuls of salt, and give it her blood- warm with a horn immediately after the egg- shell full of tar, and drive her to and fro. Proved. PISSING RED. For a Horse or Cow that makes Red Water. TAKE a red herring with a hard row, and cut it as small as you can, and put it into a quart of strong beer, and give the beast it blood warm, and in twice giving it is a cure. Proved. 90 AMERICAN FARRIER. MANGE. For a dry scurvy Mange, although it be fror: the Head to the Tail, of Horse, Cow, Dog, or any thing else. FIRST scrape off all the scurf with an old cur- ry-comb or piece of knife ; then take two ounces of the oil of turpentine, and as much strong beer: mix them together, and shake them well in a glass vial; then anoint the horse where he is peeled and mangy : a week after dress him again if you see any mattery run- ning places, else not: tie him up with a strong halter, till it hath done working, for it will smart terribly. When you have killed the mange, to make the hair come again, wash it two or three times with a little strong beer, now and then, and it will make the hair come quickly and thick. Let the beast stand in at dry meat the time of the cure. This is a rare receipt. Proved. STRAIN. For a Strain in the Pastern, Back or Sinews. A CHARGE of crown-soap and brandy-xvine applied hot, and heated well in with a hot iron, is marvellous good : keep him out of the water for a week after, 'till you see him go well. This soap and brandy-wine is an excel- lent cure for a strain newiy taken, or new swelling, or soft swelling; but if it be old, done, and the swelling as hard as a bene, then you must first anoint it with the oil of turpen- tine and beer, and two or three days after ap- ply the charge of sop and brandy, and it will take it quite down. Proved. AMERICAN FARRIER. 91 COLD. For a Swelling that comes by reason of cold 6r xvind getting into the wound, whether it be in the head or any part of the body. IF the swelling in the head cause a thick film over the eyes, then follow the directions under •written. If the swelling comes by reason of wind or cold getting into the wound, to take out the heat and rankness of the swelling, you must anoint it all over with an ounce of the ointment of populcon, or more if the swelling be great; anoint it twice a clay at first, and as it falls fewer times will serve; in the mean time do nothing to the wound, till the swelling be almost gone. When the swelling is almost gone or down, wash the wound with chamber- lie and salt, or vinegar and salt, and heal it up with your healing salves. If he get a wound in his face or head, and the wind get in and cause it to swell, when you have taken away the swelling by anointing it with this popideon, it may be vou shall see your beast to have lost his sight, by reason of some thick film that hath covered his eyes. For remedy, when you have first taken down the swelling, do thus : slit a little hole upon the bone of the cheek with a sharp pointed pen-knife, and then put in your cornet-horn, and work up the point thereof between the skin and the flesh, close up to the eye : then take a little bit of new can- vass, and cut it three-square, and roll it up round the length of your thumb ; mix some tali and fresh butter together, and strew some salt upon the butter, although the butter be s--.lt, and r-prcad it on both sicks the canvass; then roll it*up round, and thrust it up into the 92 AMERICAN FARRIER. hole, and there let it be : over it lay a little piece of canvass, with some Burgundy pitch spread upon it, to keep out the cold and wind, and it will draw and drain the eye very clean and clear. This being done, put a little piece of fresh butter, with a corn or two of salt into the eye ; and put in a piece of butter into the hollow hole above the eye : anoint and rub it well in, that it may drain down the eye. For a blow with a cudgel, whip, stick, or a haw in the eye, though you think the horse will lose it, this course taken, will remedy it in a short time. Let blood in the temple-vein for a hot rheum —and likewise when a [horse's eye-sight fails with hard riding or much straining; neverthe- less you must strike the fleme cross the vein, j and then the rheum will stop, and the vein w~ill I knit up of itself. This is a great means to stop | a hot rheum that comes down to a horse's eye. When you let a horse blood on this vein at any • time, you must cord him about the neck, and s when he hath bled as much as you think good, to keep the cold and w*ind out of the vein, you would do well to pitch and flock it. For a hot rheum, hard riding, or over much straining, give this drink fasting, to clear the stomach, j and cleanse the blood and lights, viz. one ounce of turmeric, half a quarter of aqua vitcc or brandy, two or three spoonfuls of white-wine vinegar, a quart of the best beer ; give it blood- warm. But if there be a kind of white glass in his sight, then it can be no cure. Likewise, if you have a young Horse that you think will be moon-blind, then you must take up the temple-vein in the wane of the moon, do*ing with your cornet-horn as before AMERICAN FARRIER. 93 you were taught, and put a piece of butter m his eye, and a piece in the hole of his eye. If it be a hot rheum, his eye will water and look red below. Let him come into the cold wind as little as vou can. If it be a film, if it be thick, white, blue, though it hath been for half a year, then do as ye were just directed in this receipt, and no otherwise. Proved. COWS THAT CANNOT CALVE,— FOR. THE.signs are apparent; they will look dull about the eyes, and seem to be almost dead, which shews the time of calving is then; and they will not at all strive for themselves. If they have been a while so, their milk will near- ly dry up, and seems to look full of inward sickness, and wanting to calve, but cannot. To help them, if they are lying, raise them, and when you have them very fair, you then may perceive, about an inch within their bear- ing, a sort of a string or membrane that binch very tight ; then take a very sharp pen-knife and cut that string right above and below, so that the calf may come forth, for you may then draw K from her easily. Be sure that you take no more of the cleaning away than what is loose —lest you do harm to the cow, perhaps the remainder will soon follow; then take rosin finely powdered, and dust it well on the calf- bag, and what remains of the cleaning, and thrust it up to its place again ; but let it be re- membered, that, before you begin, you give, in order to ssrengthen, nourish and comfort her, a quart of strong beer or cider, mulled 94 AMERICAN FARRIER. with eggs, ginger, butter, and molasses, and after you have drawn the calf away, a good mash made of malt, and let her be kept warm, with nourishing food for some time * r ~d by* this doing she will recover and do weir Proved.; COUGH. For a Cough in Oxen. A NEW cough may be soon removed. Put one gallon of spring xvater in a vessel, and take barley malt a double handful, bean four better than half as much, stitchxvort an handful, bruise the stitchwort, and put all together into the wa- ter, and stir it; let it stand twenty-four hours, then either morning ."or evening give it your beast with a horn, half at a time, one day after another. When you perceive he mends, you may give it him four or five times every day. INWARD DISEASES. For the cure of most Inxvard Diseases in Cattle. TAKE of the roots of the tall rattlesnake weed, a good quantity thereof; some wash them, others does not; I rather think to shake the eath from them to be best, however bruise them well, and put them into a gallon or two of spring or running water, and let it steep twelve hours or more. When you use it pour off half a gallon thereof and give it your beast cold ; you may repeat it three mornings, and you will find it excellent to relieve those disorders. If your cattle are very poor, it wi'l help them much to bleed in the neck the first morning you begin to drench. Proved. AMERICAN FARRIER. 95 N. B. Those drinks are exceeding helpful to poor cattle in the spring. You should not boil these roots on any account, for when boil- ed they are poison .and immediate death to cat- tle; but for a horse you may. CUD. For Cattle that have lost their Cud. AN ox, or any other beast, will mourn and eat nothing, because he cannot digest what he has already eaten, if he happens to loose his cud, as perhaps by some occasion it may fall out of his mouth ; to remedy this, take part of the cud out of another beast's mouth of the like kind. If it be a cow that wants her cud, they take part of the cud of another cow, giving it her to swallow down, and she will be well ; and so the like of other beasts. Others bruise a quantity of the herb called cud- ■wort, and put to it a quantity of hog's fat, or butter, and so makes the beast that hath lost its cud, swallow it, and it will mend. Others put a piece of leaven, (rye is better than wheat) into the beast's mouth, and thereby it will re- cover. But if it be of a long standing, so that the creature is far spent and wasted, take out its tongue, prick the vein under it with an awl in two or three places, so that it bleed plenti- fully, and it will get well. Proved. «! SWELLED. For Cattle that are Swelled by eating green Corn, or such like. YOUR cattle will be in clanger of death, with- out a speedy remedy, if through the negligence- 96 AMERICAN FARRIER. of the keeper they eat of corn, barley, wheat, or rye, before it be ripe. To help them, some people drive them up and down, and jump i them over a fence, backward and forward, un- ^ J til the swelling assuage, which is very good, I and they often recover thereby. Others throw a new laid egg, shell and all, into the" beast's mouth, and break it therein, making it swal- low.it with ale or beer. Some take a handful , of nettle tops, well bruised and strained, with wine or honey water. Others stamp or strain juniper leaves or green berries, with wine, and gives it the beast; some give the beast, in ale or beer, soot and the hard roe of a dry her- ring, well bruised ; but let it be remembered, with either of these remedies, all which are , approved, that you be sure to rake your beast well for the better opening of the passage. Proved. PALATE DOWN. For the coming down of the Palate of the Mouth in Cattle. THE palate of the mouth of a beast, by hard -jJB work, will be apt to come clown, but seldom*4''! otherways. Signs are, they will often sir;1.", and would fain eat, but cannot. The cure h*, first throw the beast on some soft place, then \ with your hand put it up again ; when up, then prick or cut the palate so as it bleeds ; then rub its mouth and palate well with honey and ia/t, well mixed, and turn the beast to pasture, for he must not eat hay nor dry meat. If it should happen in the winter, let his food be wet bran, or green corn. Proved, AMERICAN FARRIER- FRETTING, or GRIPING. For Fretting or Griping in an Horse s Belly. THIS disease will make the horse to tumble and wallow with all four feet upwards, with a griping wind in the guts. You may see some horses in such extreme pain, that they will swell therewith as if they would burst, and will en- danger the breaking of their bladder, and m this case they cannot dung. For remedy, take a quart of cold salt beef, or pork brine; it you cannot get a quart, get a pint; put it into a horn and pour it down cold. After this brine is down, anoint your arm with sallad oil or but- ter, and rake him, and pull out as much dung as you can, to give him all the ease you can; then take a good big onion, and peel off the outward rind, then cut it length-ways and cross- ways in many places, then roll it up and down in a handful of salt, and what salt it will take up, put it into a hollow pie of butter ; but be- fore you put it into his fundament, anoint your hand and arm with butter and sallad oil, and run up the onion thus rolled in the salt and put into the butter, as soon as you can, and there leave it; then tie up his tail as close to his rump as you can : being tied with a chord, fasten the cord to his girths, that it may keep in the onion and butter; then lead him out and walk him, and in a quarter of an hour's time it will purge exceedingly. It will cleanse his maw much, and cleanse his guts and kill the worms. Let his tail be tied but a little while, that he may purge freely: prick him in the mouth with your cornet-horn the first thing you do. The next day morning give him a comfortable drink, made of an ounce of horse-spice, a quarter of a pint of white-wine vinegar, with a pint! m,d a 9$* AMERICAN FARRIER. half of strong beer; put them together, and give it to the beast blood warm fasting, and he will do very well after it. Give him bursted oats, or a mash for two days after it, and warm water the day you give him this drink. Proved. BLEEDING AT THE NOSE, &c. to stop. To stop bleeding at the Nose, or in the Mouth,, where the Fleam or Knife hath cut a great gash : or at another place, even a vein. FOR any of these, when nothing will stop it, this following will: First, take a chafing-dish of hot coals, laying them one upon another, and let the horse's mouth be over the smoak all the wrhile, as the blood doth fall out of the horse's nose and quench them, so you must blow them up with your breath again, till the coals have burnt the rags as black as a coal, which when you perceive, take them as they are burnt black and bled upon by the horse, and put them up into each nostril an hand high* —then hold up his head, and have in readi* ness three or four quarts of strong beer, and pour it down his throat, to wash down the smoak and clotted blood which lies in his throat. If he snort the burnt rags out, have other burnt hot rags in readiness to put up his nostrils. And you must remember, as well when you fume him, as when you have stopped his nos- trils with burnt rags, to be often pouring down his throat cold beer, because the blood return- ing a contrary way will choak him. This course will stop bleeding at the nose of a man. If an horse's mouth be cut w ith a fleam at any time when you let him blood in the mouth, and the AMERICAN FARRIER. 99 fleam glance and cut a gash in his mouth, and that it bleed so that you know not how to stop it, then take some of these burnt rags, and lay them as hot into the "Jvound as you can, and af- terwards take another clean rag and lay it over the wound to keep in the burnt rags, and tie on each side his teeth a small string overthwart to keep it close to for 24 hours ; at the end of which time you may take off the cloth, but let thejjurnt rags lay in the wound as long as you pl«ase, for they will draw* and heal mightily: when they come out you may put in more, and do as you did before : and so for a quitter-bone, if you cut it till all the veins bleed, and you cannot staunch the blood, then take of these hot burnt rags and fill the hole full, and they will stop the blood in a very short time ; and let it lie there for twenty-four hours, and they will draw it as white as can be, so that you may see what to do afterwards. This will stop the blood either at nose, or in any wound. Proved, SUPPOSITORY. Suppository to supple the Guts, to dissolve and * send forth all dry and hot Excrements. FIRST rake him, then take a great candle of fom in the pound, and cut off three inches at the smaller end, then anoint the other part, being the bigger end, with sallad oil or fresh butter, and so put it up into his fundament; then hold his tail to his tewrel half an hour, or tie it close to his tewel with a strap of leather, and fasten it to his sursingle, and in half an hours time it will be dissolved: then let loose his tail and leap his back, and trot him up and 1.2 100 AMERICAN FARRIER. , down till he do begin to empty and purge him- self, for by this means it will work the more kindly. This is the most gentle of all suppo- sitories. Proved. ANOTHER Suppository to be given, when you dare not with- out peril of his life give him any thing else inwardly. TAKE of common honey six ounces, of salt nitre one ounce and a half, of xvheat four and of anniseeds in fine powder, of each one ounce —boil all these together to a stiff thickness, tand so make it into suppositories : anoint these as you did the former, and your hand also, znd so put it up into his' fundament the length c£ your hand ; then tie his tail between his lege, for an half hour, in which time the supposito- ry will be dissolved, then ride him and order him as before. This is very good, especially in case of surfeits or inward weakness: rake him first, and keep him warm. Proved. ANOTHER Suppository to purge Phlegm TAKE a piece of Castile soap, pare it and bring it into the fashion of a suppository, put it into his fundament, and order him as before. Proved. DROPSY. The Dropsy, or evil Habit of the Bodi). THE dropsy is an evil habit of the body, which is engendered by surfeits, and unreasonable la- bour, altereth the colour and complexion of an horse, and changeth the hairs in such an unna- AMERICAN FARffcjjiER. tural sort, that man shall hardly know the beast with which he hath been most familiar. The cure is, take a handful or two of wormwood, and boil it in ale or beer a quart or better, and give it the horse to drink blood warm morning and evening, and let him drink his water at noon. ' ' i MARES,--DISEASES IN. Of the particular Diseases in Mares, as Bar- renness, Consumption, Rage of Love, casting Poles, hardness to Fole, and how to make a Mare cast her Foal. IF you would have a mare barren, let good store of the herb agnas castus be boiled in the water she drinks. If you would have her fruit- ful, then boil good store of motherwort in the water. If she lose her belly, which sheweth a consumption of the womb, you shall then give her a quart of brine to drink, mugwortbe- ing boiled therein. If your mare through high keeping go into extreme lust, so that she will v neglect her food through the violence of fleshy appetite, as it is often seen amongst them, you shall house her for two or three days, and give her every morning a ball of butter and agnus castus chopped together. If you would have your mare cast her foal, take a handful of betony and boil it in a quart of ale- and it will deliver her presently. If she cannot foal, take the herb horse-mints, and either dry it or stamp it, and take the powder or juice, and mix it with strong ale, and give it the mare, and it will help her. If your mare, from former bruises, or strokes, be apt to cast her foLs, as many aH, you sha". keep her at gras; very 102 AMERICAN FARRIER. warm, and once a week give her a warm mash of drink. This secretly knitteth beyond ex- pectation. VENOM,--OF DRINKING. Of drinking Venom, as Horse-leeches, Hen's- dung, £s?c. IF ypur horse have drank horse-leeches, eat- en hen's dung, feathers, or such like venomous things, which you shall know by his panting, (swelling or scouring, you shall take the herb sow-thistle, and drying it beat it into powder, &nd put three spoonfuls thereof into a pint of ale, and give it to the horse to drink. LAMPAS. EXTIRPATION by burning is the regular practice, and when both neatly and expediti- ously performed, is the only best and sure me- $od of cure. Proved. LAMENESS. v Tor lameness in the Joints or other parts, rvhert there is no outward mark. THERE is only one way of fixing, to a cer- tainty, upon the seat of defect, without a great chance of being deceived, where there is no outward distinguishing marks: To know ex- actly in such cases where the lameness lies, you must see the horse go all paces (if he is able) of walk, trot, and gallop, with the strictest at- tention ; during which let your eye always drop to the hoof of each leg, and come observantly up every joint in succession, when you will, nine times out of ten, instantly perceive the past that is lame. • Such lameness is generally AMERICAN FARRIER. 10S brought on by sudden j erics, twists, or extreme pressure on the different joints. The first step to a speedy relief, is to bleed, by way of un- loading the vessels, and to assist in taking off the painful sensations of the affected part; 'af- ter which rub every where about the part whefe the pain lies with a sponge dipt in white wine- /vinegar j as hot as;it can be used without scald- ing, for twenty minutes night and morning, fol- lowing up that operation with ten minutes ba- thing with extract of saturn, and camphorated spirits of xvine, each half a pint, mixed: 6r .'this—take wormwood, lavender, rosemary leaves, ■camomile, and elder flowers (for want of which the bark J tif each four ounces: boil these in three gallons of -water for half an hour, keep- ling them stirred below the surface'; with this Water bathe and rub the affected part with a sponge as hot as the beast can bear it; and then let the part be covered with a double piece of flannel of sufficient length and breadth for it— the horse having the advantage of a loose sta- ble (if it can be obtained) in preference to a stall. *■ Proved. STRANGLES. THIS is a disorder very common to colts and . young horses, by obstructions arising from an encreased circulation of blood when brought into use, that hardly one in an hundred is known to escape. For a remedy immediately on its appearance, take blood from the neck vein, fully proportionate to the strength and con- dition of the creature. You will find at the same time a glandular swelling under the jaw, t•.- which put a poultice made with bread, milk, wh'tc lilly root pounded to a paste (with a little 'JraHR i(H'■' .y AMERICAN FARRIER. filive oil in addition, which you will get at the •apothecary's or doctors) ; this put daily to it until it discharges matter ; then it may be a little opened with a lancet,, in such way as will be most likely to make it run plentifully—after this (the poultice having been repeated seve- ral days) wash the part well with water, blood warm, and apply the horse-ointment to heal it, mentioned in page 205. Proved. SPLENTS. LET the splent be bathed with a sponge wet with the ho- decoction of wormwood, &c. men. itioned in the. foregoing receipt, for at least ten minutes daity -. then the part moistened with the following solvent, wetting a small piece of toxv with the same, and binding it slackly on the part with a small flannel roller; remem- bering when the horse goes out, or to his ex- ercise, that .the application is renewed (after being dressed) upon his return to the stable : Take extract of saturn, and oil of origanum, each half an ounce, camphorated spirits of .xvine two ounces and a half; shake thetwolast well together, and add the extract: letting the bottle be well and constantly shaken at each' time of using, if which precaution is not inva- riably used, the oil of origanum will, by dis- uniting itself from the other articles, swim upon the surface, and by coming out alone oc- casion loss of hair, which never does happen when the composition is properly shaken and applied. Proved. SPAVINS. For the Blood and Bone Spavins. FOR either blood or bone spavin proceed in the following way: For three days let the part AMERICAN FARRIER. 105 affected be substantially bathed with the fol- lowing BATHING DECOCTION: TAKE xvormwoad, lavender, rosemary leaves, camomile and elder fexvers (for want of the flowers take the bark J of each four ounces —boil these in three gallons of water for half an hour, keeping them stirred below the surface ; this done let the affected parts upon all occa- sions be bathed with sponges or flannels for full half an hour night and morning as hot as the horse can possibly endure it; this to be suc- ceeded by patiently rubbing it in downward"? with your hand for a considerable time, wrap- ping the parts immediately round with a flannel roller; which done apply the horse-ointment (see page 205.) ^ Proved* QUITTOR. THE sooner the swelling is ripened the more expeditious is the cure ; for which make poul- tice, of bread and milk, a small portion of bar- ley meal, and pi Li-iiully mixed with white lilly root, pounded to a paste, with about half an ounce of common turpentine.dissolved.in each, this should be placed apon the centre and sur- rounding parts (of a very considerable heat) every night and morning. When you find the matter begh*. to. come from the affected part, after poulticing it, then it may be opened suffi- ciently large to let it run freely : this becomes the more absolutely necessary, as the longer it remains in the humor the greater is its proper- ty of hardening, and powers of devastation in 106 AMERICAN FARRtER. forming sinews in every direction. Daily rub ') it with a very small quantity of compound tine-- { ture of myrrh to cleanse the .round.and strength- en the vessels to throw off the load that .sur- rounds them ; after having thus done once in three successive days, take yelloxv basilicon, one :■ ounce and a half, red precipitate, three drachms, M reduced to powder, then mixed together : this spread thinly upon a piece of linen large enough for the part, and lay it on ; then cover the whole with a poultice of the aforemention- ed ingredients ; after these have been on two days, take them off and apply the hore-ointment to heal it (for which see page 205) and then give him a purge. STRAINS. For a Back Sxvanckt in the Flliet of the Loin : or for a Wrench in the Back-bone, about the Navel-place: or for a Strain in the Kidneys, by being over-burthened in the Hinder-parts, or overstrained in the Kidneys in Race-run- ning. IF you see any of these mischances to fall up- on the back or hinder parts of your beast, then do thus, and no otherwise, for all those mis- chances above written : Take a hot sheep-skin fleaed off a sheep newly killed, apply it as hot as you can, with the fleshy side from his rump, I all over to the midst of his back-bone, if it will reach so far: let it lie on twenty-four hours, and at the end of that time, lay another hot '1 sheep-skin in the same manner to it, if need ] require, and you see the first will not do. Let the grief be ever so great, two hot sheep skins will do it, with the help pf the drink next \m«. AMERICAN FARRIER. ior, der written; but if the hurt be not great, the sheep skin will do it alone. It will make ethe horse to sweat much, it will draw out all* the bruise, and strengthen the back of the :hors*e exceedingly in a short time. But if your horse be so weak that he cannot, stand nor go, then take a sack or two, and ropes, and throw them over a balk, and hang him for nine or ten.days —when you first-hang him, clap a hot sheep- skin to his rump and back for tweptv-four hours —and at the end of the time, lay another hot sheep-skin to, and then no more. In the time of this cure, give him this drink if the strain be great; if itbebut small, this drink can do no hurt, but a great deal of good : Take po- lygonatum, commonly called Solomon's seal: vou may have it at the apothecary's, but it" is dear : take ten roots of it that may weigh three ounces, polypodium, of the oak, a quarter of a pound, two handfuls of wood-betony, or for want thereof, as much garden-betony; cut it small, and if the roots be dry, beat them to powder. If they be green, cut them thin; then take a gallon of strong beer, or somewhat more, put it into a kettle, and put the other three things to it, and let them boil till the beer be boiled half away ; then take them off the fire, and put into it a quarter of a pound of butter, and a quarter of a pound of honey, and give the horse of this to drink three times in nine days, in the morning fasting, and give him warm water to drink all the while, with a hand- ful of bran put into it; give him of the drink a quart at a time. Buy of these roots green, dry them, and beat them small, and ;