the horse bloode and then to giue him to drinke a pinte of Malmesie brewed with Sinamon Lycras and the shauings of Iuory for fiue mornings together Of the tyred horses Chap. 58. EVery one knowes both the cause and signe of this euil the cure therefore is to bath his limbs with pisse and salt Peter and to giue him to drink eight spoonfuls of Aqua-vitae wherin hath bin infused for the space of xii houres halfe an ounce of strong Tobacco and after straind Diseases of the midriffe or stomack Chap. 59. DIseases of the my driffe or stomack are loathing of meat casting vp of his drinke surfeits or the hungry euil and though there bee longe discourses made seuerally of each one of them yet this cure will helpe any of them when they happen first let your horse be wel ayred then wash his mouth with vineger salte then giue him to drinke a pinte of Malmesie mixte with the powder of Sinamon Anni-seeds and Cloues and after to giue him his meat by little at once with good leisure betweene meale and meale Of the diseases of the liuer Chap. 60. DIuers diseases are supposed to proceede from the Liuer but that which wee most generally find is the consumption thereof it coÌ„meth by the grossenes of humors or inflamation of the blood being broght to putrifaction the signes are dislike of meate losse of flesh continually stretching out of his body the cure is onely to poure into his Nostrils for a weeke together the oyle of Oats and sweet wort mixt together if that do not stay the coruption which comes from his nostrils the griefe is incurable Of diseases in the gall Chap. 61. HOw euer other men imagine yet I haue not found any disease to proceed from the gal more then the Yellowes yet that it may sometimes be pained I denie not and it is to be knowne by the yellownes of his water for cure whereof there is nothing better then the ordure of a goose being infused in white Wine and ginen to the horse to drinke Of diseases in the Spleene Chap. 62. THe spleene of a Horse is troubled with no disease but a litle swelling which comes of too proud keeping the cure is after you haue made him sweat to giue him in a pinte of white wine the leaues of the â—amariske brused and Cummin-seede beaten to powder mixt together and warmed vpon the fire Of the yellowes Chap. 63. THe Yellowes is a disease of the gal and it is mortal if it bee not preuented the signes are yellownes of his eyes lips tonge and other parts and the cure is first let him blood in the pallat of the mouth then giue him to drink a pint of strong Ale mixt with a quarter of so much of the iuice of Selladine and an ounce of Saffron luke warm for three mornings together Of the Dropsie Chap 64. THat which is calld the Dropsie in horses commeth of raw foode and sore riding when a horse is fat the signe is the swelling of his legs and the cure is to purge him wel with milk and Sallet-oyle and to bath his legs daily with Len-seed oyle Of the diseases in a horses guts Chap. 65. THere belonges to a horses guts many diseases as costiuenes orbely-bound which you may cure with any of the scouringes in the booke of hunting or els feeblenes or loosnes which may be cured by giuing him beane-flower and Tanners barke boiled in a quart of milke or the bloody flixe which you may cure by giuing him about a pinte of Redde Wine boiled with the Hearbe called Sheapheardes Pursse or Lastlye he wormes which you may kil of what kinde soeuer they be if you giue him three mornings together three slipps of Sauen and then to make him fast two houres after Of paine in the kidnies Chap 66. The greatest disease beloÌ„ging to the kidneys is the stone which you may cure by giuing the horse to drinke a quart of stroÌ„g Ale in which hath been steept for 24 houres two pound of radish rootes slit in quarters and to giue it three mornings together Of pissing blood and all diseases blonging to the priuities Chap. 67. To the priuites of a horse belongs sundrie diseases as the pissing of blood which comes either by a straine or by ouer riding the cure is take halfe a pinte of milke halfe a pinte of white wine boile therein a pound of daffadill rootes two ounces of wheat flower giue it the horse to drink seauen mornings But if he bee troubled with the Colt-euil which is only the swelling of the yard stones if either you swim him in colde water or bath him in cold water it wil help him if there come any putrifaction from his yarde you shall either squirt into his yarde white wine and Allome mixt together or when the horse pisses with your hand stop his sheath make him pisse in his sheath it wil help him If hee shed his seede you shall wash Turpentine and mixing it wel with Sugar make the horse euerie morning for a weeke swallow downe three bals as big as a Walnut If his yarde fall and will not lye within his sheath then you shal bathe it with vinegar and Salt and he will draw it vp but if his cods swell only and not his yarde then you shal bathe theÌ„ with vinegar Salt-peter boilde together and it wil help them Lastly if the horse be incorded or bursten so that his guts fal into his cods though the Auntients talke of remedies yet I could neuer find any did good only the best is to annoint his cods with May-butter and with listes made like a trusse to binde his stones close to his bodie Of the botch in the groine chap 68. The botch in the groine of a horse comes of pride of blood or sore labour it resembles a great bile and is cured either with rosted sorrell or a plaister of shooe-makers waxe Of mangines in the taile chap 69. If a horse be scabd or mangie about the taile the cure is first to let him blood then to wash his taile twice a day with olde pisse and copporas boilde together then annointed with narue oyle and quicke siluer beaten together till the quicke siluer be kild Of pinching splatting or straines in the shoulder chap. 70. The worst pinch or straines that happens to a horse is that in the shoulder which if at any time it chance you shal take of oyle petrolium of oyle of Cipres and of linseede-oyle of each like quantite and being mixt together bathe the horses shoulder therewith if that take not away his halte then put a rowell betwixt his shoulder and his brest Of swelling of the legs chap 71. If your horses legs swell at any time vpon any occasion you shall bathe them with warme traine oyle and it will helpe them Of foundring chap 72. Foundring comes by suddaine heate after violent labor the signe is
are of equall age and strength there may be no disorder or tumult the great ones beating the lesse or robbing them of their foode or nourishment And thus much for the weaning of foales and the partition of pastures CHAP. 17. Of the gelding of Colts and Horses and the cause the age the time of the yeare and manner of gelding I Cannot finde in any Author whatsoeuer that the vse of gelding of Colts is in any nation whatsoeuer of so great antiquity as with vs heere in England from whence as I imagine the first originall of that practise began and I am the rather induced so to thinke because I neither know nor haue heard of any counttie whatsoeuer that can boast of so many good goodly and seruiceable Geldings as EnglaÌ„d at this houre can shoe the cause wherof I think â—ath proceeded from our continuall vse of trauelling winter SuÌ„mer in which men desire to ride easily fast â—nd quietly Now for as much as stond horses naturally out of the pride of their courage doe most coÌ„monly trot therwithal are exceeding raÌ„mish vnruely especially in the companie of mares and other horses there sprung from some inuenting brayne both the â—euice to make horses amble which is the pace of ease and the practise of gelding horses which is the meanes of quietnes Now wheras one of our English writers â—aith that a stond horse wil not trauell so farre in a day as a Gelding in that he is infinitlie deceiued and I impute his error onely to his want of experience for all Horsemen knowe this especially those whose practise consists in hunting Horses or running Horses that the good stond horse will euer beate and ouer labour the good Gelding nay more whereas the Gelding if once â—e be ouer laboured or tyred doth neuer againe recouer his first goodnes the ston'd horse on the contrarie part if he be neuer so sore tyred with a little refreshing getteth againe his strength and is againe as good as eâ—er he was for new labour the reason whereof I take to be this that the Geldings wanting that natural and liuelye heate which a stond Horse inioyeth are of more abiect and deiected spirits so that when their labour comes to exceed their strength their faintnesse and cowardlines of their dispositions makes them yeeld to tyring the sence whereof they neuer forgoe all their liues after but to returne to our purpose howsoeuer this practise of gelding of Colts was beguÌ„ yet for as much as we finde a profit therein both in our trauell and also in our light seruice in the wars it shal be requisite that I set downe the age time of the yeare and moone which is most fit for the gelding of Colts And first for the age although some of our late Authors would haue Colts gelded when they are two yeares old which in truth is a very good sure and tollerable time because at that age a Coltes stones will be come downe and hee is of good strength and abilitie to indure both the griefe and torment yet I doe not holde it the best and choycest time of all for that purpose because the longer that a Colt goes vngelt the thicker and fatter his head will growe his crest also will be thicke and heauie and the act it selfe by reason of the toughnesse and hardnesse of the strings and cordes will be both more dangerous and more painefull Now therefore the onely choice and best time of all for gelding of Colts is euer when the foale is iust nine daies olde for at that time nature hath so little force in those partes and the cords and stringes of those instruments are so tender and easie to be broken fluxes of blood and other grosse or impostumating humors are so little incident to foales of such youngnes that there is no more danger at that time in gelding of a Foale then in gelding of a Lambe neyther is there greater labour for to foales of such youngnesse there needes no caulteryzing with hot yrons stytching or other implastering which elder Colts must of necessitie haue besides a Foale of such youngnesse sucking vpon the Damme eates no bad or vnwholsome meate but liuing onely vppon milke keepes that dyet which preserues the sore from ranckling swelling or rotting insomuch that my selfe haue gelt a foale at that age when â—ine experience was almoste in that matter as young â—s the foale and haue had him souÌ„d whole in seauen â—aies applying nothing to the sore but sweete butter which is an euident proofe to confute those which say â—at the gelding of a foale young decayes the growthe â—f the foale for sure the paine being ended in lesse then â—auen daies the griefe therof can neither lose growth â—or strength but if they meane that the depriuing the â—oale of those instruments so earelye doth decay his â—owth then by all reason to geld at two yeares old â—ust decay it much more both because the foale at â—at age hath more sence vse and strength in those instruments then at the former age by meanes whereof â—he losse of them is by a thousand degrees more painfull greeuous the cure therof is neuer finished in 〈◊〉 month many times not in two and sometimes not â—n three monthes which teadiousnes of griefe cannot â—huse but abate both growth strength and courage Now the benefit which is gotten by gelding Foales thus yong is First besides the safenesse no danger in the cure it maketh your Gelding haue a delicate fiine leane head of comely shape well fauorednesse and proportion many times not vnworthy to be compared with the choycest Barbarie it makes him to haue 〈◊〉 gallant crest high thinne firme and strong it is a great cause of swiftnesse nimblenesse and courage by which it is certaine they will not tyer so soone as those which are gelt of elder age But if it bee so that your Foale haue not let downe â—is stones so soone neither that you can by chafing or towsing his codde compel him to let theÌ„ come downe which none but some fewe dull Foales will doe you must then of necessitie let him ouer-slippe that time and stay till the fall of the leafe after for by no meanes I can allow gelding of Foales in Summer both because of the excessiue heate and the crueltie of the flye both which are dangerous and sometimes mortall to young foales but if at the fall of the leafe hee doe not let downe his stones then you must stay till the Spring for the extremitie of the cold in Winter is as euill as the heate in Summer occasioning inward swelling canker and putrification so that the time to geld Foales is eyther in the Spring or at the fall of the leafe the age from nine daies olde to two yeares olde and the state of the Moone euer when it is in the weane If after your foales bee gelt their cods and sheathes happen to swell exceeding much as there is no question but
strike they will defend the blowes but if the stable be for hunting horses or else running horses then I would haue you to boorde euerie seuerall particion from the great poste vp to the manger euen so hie before that the horse may not looke ouer it as well for the warmenesse thereof as also that one horse may not gaze smell ney or trouble one another all for hunting horses and running horses you shal line also the walles which are before their face with boords so that they may not gnaw vpon the walles or licke vpon the lime which is suffocating vnwholsome vpon the outside of each post you shall haue placd strong hookes of iron on which you shall hang euery seuerall horses bridle his cauezan watring snaffle then you shall haue vpoÌ„ each side of the post fastned in with staples round rings of iron to which wheÌ„ you put on your horses watring snaffle you shall tie him vp whilest you dresse him then all alongst the other side of the stable betweene the windowes shal be placed stroÌ„g peeces of timber on which you may hang euery horses ordinatie saddle theÌ„ shall you haue in another place great presses in which shall be stored all better furniture then shall you haue shelues whereon to lay your curry combs maine combes dressers rubbers hairecloathes other clensing cloathes both wollen and linnen in other conuenient places of the stable shal be placed close binggs or hutches for the keeping of prouender the stable would be seeld ouer head either with plaister or lime and haire in the middest of the stable or according to the largenesse of the stable I would haue either one two or three lanthornes to hang so as they may giue a sufficient light ouer all the stable Now for the generall vse of your stable whatsoeuer Vegetius or other auntient Italians write to disswade you from keeping it close and warme as supposing that it breeds raw disgestion hurts nature and ingenders many diseases yet I would haue no English Gentleman to hold the rule imitable for we dayly find out of our experiences in keeping hunting and running horses that there is nothing more healthfull or breedes in a horse greater strength or abilitie to performe much then the keeping of the stable in a temperate and proportionable warmnesse but whereas they say noysome vapors and smels in a stable are vnwholsome to that I agree and woulde wish euerie groome that loues his reputation to keep his stable as sweete and as neate as is possible by any labour to bee effected and to that ende I would haue all those which are keepers of running or hunting horses whose stronger kind of foode makes their ordure to smell so much the vileder neuer to be without Storax and Beniamen and twise a day at least by burning some vpon a Chaffingdish and coales to perfume the stable which to the horse is both wholsome and delightfull It is the part of euerie diligent and carefull keeper to haue all his implements and whatsoeuer he shall neede about his horse to be placed in fit and conuenient places that when he shall stand in need of anie of them hee may readily finde them hee shall not suffer any thing whatsoeuer to be throwne amongst the prouender or to lie vpon his hay for a Horse will finde dislike at the least sente whatsoeuer Many other obseruations there are for a diligent keeper all which shall in their proper places be amplie prescribed vnto him CHAP. 2. Of a trauelling horses meate and the seuerall kindes and vses ACcording to the opinion of the ancient Italian writers whom I did euer read more for knowledge then practise the foodes which beloÌ„g to horses are very many diuersly coÌ„pounded as grasse hay straw oates barley wheat and fitches or peace fitches beanes wheat-bran mixt all togither or common hors-bread which is made of ordinarie chissel or branâ—knodden with water and the loaues in some places are rould in spelted beanes Now for the propertie of these foodes first the Grasse questionlesse is nourishing during the time of sommer whilest the strength of the Sun abides within it is food good inough for ordinary trauelling horses but for stoâ—d horses of great pride and courage it is somewhat too cold and moyst and therefore onely to be giuen phisically as for a month together in the beginning of sommer only to scowre them which is called the soyle time and if when you giue them grasse you giue them blades of greene corne it is passing good also Hay is nourishing and filâ—s out the bodie yet it must haue some other prouender ioyned with it or else by reason of the drinesse thereof it will neither nourish sufficiently nor disgest in conuement time but lying in the horses bodie make his bellie greate and vnfashionable Straw is a hot drie food and neither nourisheth nor filleth therefore it is onely to be giuen but seldome as when a horse is new taken from grasse or when hee is in strait diet for running more for the clensing and scowring of their teeth then for any other sustenance Oates are exceeding nourishing light of disgestion and ingendreth the best blood and whatsoeuer either Galen or any of the Italians write wee finde it by dayly proofe the best food that can bee continually giuen to a horse Now of Oates there bee three kindes one is a great white Oate the other a great blacke Oate and the third a short yellow Oate called a cut Oate and although some of our English authors prefer the black oat for the best yet I assure you the great white Oat which is full and heauie is the best and most nourishing of which kinde I haue seene in Darbishire some which haue within a verie little waide as heauie as wheate next the greate white Oates the yellow cuâ— Oate is to bee esteemed and the last is the blacke Oate for of all the three kindes it is the lightest and least substantiall Now there is a fourth kinde of Oate which is a Skeg Oate which is a small light naughtie Oate and indeede is fit for pulien rather then horses for it is but one smal degree better then Chaffe Barley is colde and drie in the opinion of Phisitians but according to the naturall working of horses wee finde it hot drie and vnsauerie it nourisheth not at all but makes a horse thirstie full of heart burning and subiect to faintnesse Now if any man demaund if it haue those faults why it is vsed so much in Italy I answere that their Barlye and ours is of a contrary nature and doth not offend so much yet neither of them both to be esteemed for good prouender where oates are to be got Wheat is the greatest nourisher but yet a foode that of all other a horse will soonest loath and forsake for it suffocates and cloâ—es the stomack I haue not knowne it vsed in any place but in Spaine amongst the Ienets
nor wold I haue it to be vsed at all for it is neither needefull for the horse nor profitable for the owner if it bee not onely in the time of sicknes Fitches are a ranke grosse foode ingendering corrupt blood and vnwholsome humors and if they bee not well dride before they be giuen to a horse they will breed the pestilence burning feauers Pease are a pursie stopping foode filling vp the wind-pipes and disabling the horse in trauell if they be not exceeding well dried they breede in a horse the bots grubs and all sortes of wormes together with paine in the stomacke lunges and generally all ouer a horses intralles Beanes are nourishing and strong and highly to be preferd before Pease or Fitches because if they be giuen to a horse when they are well dryed they breed good blood and are more light of disgestion yet whensoeuer they are giuen they must be mingled with Oates for to giue them simply of themselues they are somwhat too cloying and offend a horse in his eating Now for mingling Pease Beanes Fitches and wheate branne together it is a moste vnwholsome prouender for there is corruption in the Fytches pursiuenesse in the Pease fulsomenesse in the Beanes ioynd vnto a moste scalding and vnnaturall heate in the Bran so that I would wish all that loue their horses not to loue this kinde of foode Now lastly for common horse breade which is made of nothing but chissell or branne backt it is neither nourishing nor yet wholsome but is the originall cause of many filthie diseases as I haue shewd at large in a former treatise so that were all Horsemen and trauellers of my mind either Bakers should compound their breade better or neuer sell any to Inne or Stable for I will stande to it that bread made of a the dust of a milne or a barne-flore is as wholsom as any that I haue seene come from a common Baker Now out of these seueral prouenders to shew you which is best for which purpose you shal vnderstand that for your horse for seruice in the warres or the horse kept for hye way trauelling or long iourneyes your best prouender is Beanes and Oats wel kilne dride mingled together as thus to euerie bushell of Beanes two bushell of Oates For the hunting or running horse clean Oats well kilne dride or breade made of cleane beanes as is shewed in the booke of hunting For the cart or plowe horse Pease Beanes Fitches mixt with Barley chaffe as thus to a pecke of Pease Beanes and Fytches at least a bushell of Barley chaffe For the horse that is kept for sale and is in the hands of the Horse-courser if he be fat the best foode is a fewe pease or Beanes mixt with oate hulles which are taken from oates when you make Oate-meal but if he be leane olde or lacke teeth then either boilde barley whilst it is sweet or else boild bucke for both these feede suddainly though corruptly Now for the quantitie which you shall allow I thinke for great Horses or Princes or Gentlemens priuat saddle hoâ—ses which euer should be kept as fat and faire as may be that two pecks a day is the best proportion for the ordinarie trauelling Gelding a pecke a day is sufficient and for the Cart or draught horse your measure must be to fil his bellie before his worke and after his worke or else he will giue ouer his labour Now if there happen into your charge eyther Turkes Ienets Arabians or other countrie horses which haue beene vsed to other foodes then these which we imploy in England you shall first as neare as you can either by inquirie of those which formerlye had the keeping of such horses or by proofes in your owne practise learne what foode the horse best likes and in what sorte he hath beene before kept and if you dislike either his food or keeping you shall not alter him suddainlye but by little and little bring him to that dyet you shall finde best for his bodie CHAP. 3. Of the seuerall kindes of Waters which is best and which is worst HAuing in mine imagination tolde you sufficientlie what foode or meate is best and moste naturall for a horses bodie it resteth now that wee tell you what drinke also is fittest which by the opinion of all men the rule both of kinde and custome is onely water Now for as much as there be diuers and sundry kindes of waters as namely the cleare spring or fountaine the Pond and the running riuer and for asmuch as euerie one of these according to their scituations so doe alter in their properties as the fountaine which dooth come from the rocke is smallest and moste scowring that which comes from chalke limestone or salt-water moste nourishing that which comes from brimstone or Sulphure most corrupt poysonous so of Ponds that is fed by afresh spring is smallest that which is fed by the land flood best nourishing and that which is onely maintaind by rayne water is most infectious Lastly of riuers that which come from a cleare spring and runnes vpon sand or pibble beeing verie shallowe is euer the sharpest that which in his running clenseth common shoares and beares away corruption is the best feeder but that which is deep muddy comes from bogs and runnes slowest is naught and offenciue Wherefore if your horse be fat or subiect to grosenes your best water is either the Spring which comes from the rocke the Pond which is fedde by a fresh fountaine or the shallowe brook which runnes vpon pibble for they clense the bodi and reines purge the kidneys and coose the blood if it bee inflamed but if your horse be leane olde or tender then your best water is either the fountaine which comes from chalke limestone or from the seas saltnesse The ponde which comes of the land flood being cleared by standing or the riuer which clensing cities or great townes makes himself cleare with his running for these hauing in them a mixture or compounded strength are the pleasantest and most nourishing In the sommer season your running fountaine is the best for it is the coolest and in the winter your deepe Well water is best for it is the warmest Now there bee of our English writers which would haue your horse to drinke verie much and if hee bee not naturally inclined thereunto to rubbe his mouth with salt and wine to make him thirstie but it is a most vilde precept for the lesse a horse drinkes at one time the better it is for many surfeits are taken by drinke but few or none for want and therefore if you see your horse subiect to drinke much you shall then water him the oftner that he may not drink much at once To gallop and chafe a horse gently after his water is the wholsomest motion that may be for it keeps him from cold and dropsies and disperseth the cold vapor of the
the day is troublesome both to the horse and man yet I know these baytings are much more troublesome neither would I haue any man to vse them for wheÌ„ the horse hath his limbs chaft and heated with his trauell and then is set vp till they be growne stiffe and staâ—ke and so presently put to his labour againe then I say the verie paine and griefe of his limbes do so trouble him that except he be of an extraordinarie spirit he wil be much subiect to faintnesse in trauell besides to make your horse iourney continually vpon a full stomacke is both painfull and bredes sicknesse wherfore I conclude these baits are good for none but Carriers Poulters Iades whose labours not being aboue foote pace may euer like Asses haue their prouender bagges at their noses And thus much touching a horses exercise and labour CHAP. 6. Of sleeping waking fulnesse and emptinesse SLeepe in a horse as in euerie other beast which hath moouing is a most necessarie and especiall thing neither can a horse liue without it wherefore it is the place and office of euerie good keeper to haue a careful regarde to the rest of his Horse and to note both after what manner he sleepeth and how long hee sleepeth for if a horse sleepe verie muche it is a great signe of dulnesse and fluxe of grosse and colde humours in the braine but if he sleepe for the most part standing it is a token that he hath some inward paine in his backe or bodie and feareth to lie downe lest he cannot rise againe without much torment if a Horse lie much yet sleepe but a little it is a signe of weake ioynts frettized feete or limbes beaten with trauell if the horse neither sleep nor lie much but as it were wake continually it is a signe the horse hath both a pained bodie and a troubled mind insomuch that he can not possiblie liue long both because hee wantes that which giueth the greatest strength to Nature and also the chiefest meanes both of blood and disgestion sleepe being indeede nothing else but certaine sweete vapors which ascending from the heart numbes the braine and keepes the bodie for a time sencelesse so that euery keeper should haue a carefull eie ouer his Horse to see how hee sleepes when and how long time then how hee wakes when he wakes and after what manner hee wakes for if he wake much his brain is diseased if he wake often or sodainlie his heart liuer or stomache is grieued and if hee wake seldome or with much adoe then his whole powers are ouercome with some colde humor Next vnto these obseruations the carefull keeper shall looke to his horses fulnesse or the filling of his bellie I do not meane those phisicall fillinges which consist in humors either generallie or particularlie distributed ouer the bodie consisting in quantitie or qualitie for they are obseruations fit for the farryer but to that fulnesse which onelye consisteth in the excesse of meate wherefore the keeper shall note well the temper of the horses feeding that is whether he fill sodainly or slowly and according to his filling so to temper his dyet and to giue him the lesse or the more meate according to his appetite keeping the grosse horse emptie the longer before his trauell and the tender horse with meate till your foote be readie to be thrust into the stirrop for the full horse with suddaine labour wil soone burst the emptie horse with much fasting will not bee able to indure anye violence through faintnesse Next to your horses filling you shall note his manner of emptying that is the state of his bodie whether he be costiue or sollible or whether his vrine haue a free or troublesome passage by the rule of them you shal feede your horse more as lesse as thus if your horse be sollible or free of vrine you through that helpe of nature may aduenture to feede him the harder for albe hee fill much yet he holdeth not that fulnesse any long season but hauing an easie disgestion bringes his bodie soone to a temperate emptinesse but if hee bee costiue or haue straite passage for his vrine although fasting be the greatest cause of costiuenes yet when you prepare your horse for a iourney you shall not neede to feed him so extreamely neither shall your meate bee for the moste part any drie food but rather moiste washt meate of which foodes I shall haue cause to speake more largely in the book of running Horses Now you shal vnderstand that fulnesse and emptinesse are phisicke helpes one for another the full horse being to be cured by emptinesse as fasting purgation letting blood or such like and emptinesse to be cured by fulnes as by restauratioÌ„ or renewing of those powers which are decayed so that the keeper carefully obseruing these rules shall so quickly perceiue anie imperfection in his horse that a sleight preuention shall quickly auoide the greatest mischiefe And thus much for sleepe and feeding CHAP. 7. Of the soile or scowring horses with grasse and of other foodes TOuching the opinions of Horsemen for the scowring of Horses with grasse they be diuers and intricate some holding forrage which is the blades of green Corne as of wheate or barley to be the best some three leaued grasse some young thistles and such like so also there is a difference amongst them for the time in scowring one alowing but fifteen daies another a month and another the whole summer neither are they certain in the place where the Horse should be scowred for some would haue it in the stable some in a large parke or fielde and some in a little wald plot of ground not aboue the quantitie of one or two Akers Now to reconcile all these and to bring them to as orderlie a coÌ„formitie as is fit for a reasonable vnderstaÌ„ding I will declare mine opinion First if your horse bee either Hunting horse running horse or one that hath been vsd to much trauell or iourneying I holde it verie necessarie that he be scowred with grasse either in some parke close or other spacious ground where he may haue sweete feeding fresh springs or riuers to drinke at and good shelter both to defend him from flies and Sunneshine the time to bee for foure monthes that is to say from the beginning of May to the end of August in which time he will not onelie scower and purge himselfe of grosse and corrupt humors but also after such cleusing grow strong fat and full of health and liuelinesse recouering by such rest and libertie that weakenesse stiffenesse and numbnesse of ioynts which his labour before had brought vnto him But if your horse bee a beast of great courage and onely wantonlye kept eyther for your mornings exexrcise in riding or for seruice in the warres so that hee will neither indure with anye patience abroad nor hath beene put to anie such extreamitie that he standeth neede of recouerie then I wold haue you
a day for nine dayes together it will knitte his backe prouided that you let him run at grasse without labour for at least two months after the cure Of weakenesse in the backe Chap. 50. VNto the backe is incident another weakenesse besides these strainings which proceedeth not from any casualty or mischance but only from the confluence and fluxe of moyst and cold humors which bee nummed and dull the vitall parts of the backe bringing the horse to such a weakenesse that he many times fals downe flat to the ground and cannot rise againe Our best Farriers call it the fretting of the reines hold it generally to bee mortall For mine owne part I haue not seene the disease aboue twice my cure thereof is thus Take of Venice-Turpentine and after you haue washed it well take iust so much of Honny and mixt with it beating them very well together then take as much refined Sugar beaten to powder as will make it as thicke as Paste then roule it in round Balles as big as a little Wall-nut and couering them ouer with sweete Butter giue him euery morning for fiue Morninges together three of those Bals and it will restore and strengthen his back Of Hide-bound Chap. 51 HYde-bound is when a Horses skinne is so strained and bound vnto his bones that a Man can with no possible strength pull it vp with his hands it proceedeth onely from the weakenesse of the body and pouerty of flesh the signes to know it is the handling of the Horse his leanenesse and the clinging vp of his belly to the Chine of his backe The cure although many of our best Farriers make it very curious and haue sundry drenches and drinks to little purpose is of al other cures most easie for you shal no more but let him blood in his neck veine for a month following â—eed him with nothing but sweete Hay and boyled Barly hauing care that you boyle not so much together but that your Horse may eate it whilst it is sweet and fear not the loosenesse of his skin nor the swelling of his flesh with fatnesse Of the Strangle or Glanders or the mourning of the Chine Chap. 52. THe Strangle is a disease for the most part incident to Foales or young Colts and somtimes to Horses of elder age it is a fluxe or ingendring togither of many humors about the roots of the toong between the two nether chaps inflaming impostumating those Kernels which naturally grow about the rootes of the tongue which kernels are called Glandes from whence some Farriers suppose the name of Glanders came first and I am of that mind also For betwixt the Strangle and the Glanders is but this difference that when those kernels do swel and impostumate outwardly that is to say when they riâ—e betweene his Chaps like a huge Bile so that they hinder a Horse from swallowing his meat and as it were strangle and Choake him with tough and vndisolued matter and in the end breakes outwardly forth like an ordinary impostunation and so vanisheth then wee call it but the strangle but if it doe not breake outwardlie but that the inflamation ImpostumatioÌ„ exulcerates inward and so like a foule Fistula avoyds all the foule matter at the Horses Nosthrils then we call it the Glaunders and it is a much harder cure But that the Strangle should be as some of our English Authors suppose the same disease which wee call the Squinancy or Quinzie I canot immagine it for it hath no semblance of such an infirmitie onely I take the Viues to besomewhat a kin to that sicknes Now for the Strangle it proceedeth either of cold and raw disgestion as that which is in Foales or else of some sodaine cold taken and lingâ—ing without remedy in a Horse groweth in the end â—o this euil The cure of the strangle is thus assoone as you perceiue the swelling to rise you shal take a wax candle and holding it vnder the horses chaps close to the swelling burne it so long til you see the skin bee burnt thorough so that you may scarifie it and raise it from the flesh which done you shal take a broad peece of leather and spread the reupon a good thicke quantity of blacke shoomakers wax and lay it vpon the sore and it wil not onely breake the fore but heale it also but if eyther by some extreame colde or other disorder in keeping this disease breake inwarde and so turne to the Glaunders you shal first perfume his head with Brimston and Frankensence mixt together and burnt vpon a chafing dishe of coales and then you shal poure into his Nosthrils half a pint of sallet oyle an ounce of Niter and sixe spoonefuls of the iuice of Leeks and doing thus but four mornings together it stil cure any Glaunders if it haue not beene aboue halfe a yeares continuance but if you can get the oile of Oates and poure it into his Nostrils iâ— is most certaine it both cureth this disease and the mourning of the chine also Of the Cough and the seueral kinds Chap. 53. COughes come either by chaunce or infirmitity by chaunce as by eating a feather dust or suchlike the helpe is to giue him a crust of hard breade and a little Water after it if by infirmity then it is either a wet cough a drie cough or a rotten cough if it be a wet cough it comes onely of moist rheume and is knowne by the clearenes of the water which comes from his nostrils if it be drie he auoids nothing if it be rotten he auoids nothing And thogh euery one of these haue seueral cures yet if for three mornings together you wil but giue your horse a pinte of sacke halfe a pint of salet oile an ounce of the oile of Anni-seeds and three ounces of Sugar-candy it wil both take away the cough and heal any putrifaction of the lungs whatsoeuer Of the shortnes of breath and the causes Chap. 54. SHortnes of breth or pursines comes by soden riding after a horse is fild or new fed the signe is his panting and inability to trauel and the cure is to giue him either a coupple of new laid Egs shels and al or els a pint of milke and sallet oyle mixt togither Of a consumption Chap. 55. A Consumption is nothing but an exulceration or putrifaction of the lunges and the cure is for fiue morninges together to giue him the same drinke prescribed for the wet or dry cough Of griefe in the Brest Chap 56. THis disease comes by the coruption of loode or the abundance of humors gathred togither about the brest accasioning swelling the cure is to slit the swelled part and to put in a trowel and anoint it with a little sweet butter til the sore be whole Of the Anticor Chap 57. THe Antichor is a disease proceeding of corruption of blood and spirits it onely paineth the heart and is ofte mortall the cure whereof is to let
Then you shall start your horse into a reasonable speede and according to his winde and strength so you shal make him runne the course eyther swifter or slower once in the course at least making him runne for tweluescore or there about at the best of his speede but immediately you shall take vppe your bridle againe and fauour him that preseruing him within his strength you may make both his winde and strength the better After that by this manner of trayning you finde that he wil run his course with a good ordinarie speede and that for the twelue-score which is all the space you straine him in you feele he runs both swiftly and strongly you shal then each day you course him by little and little seeke to augment his violence by drawing twelue-score to twentyescore and twentie to fortie till in the end you finde hee will runne a myle with his best speede then you shall bring that mile to two myle and two myle to three till in the end he will runne the whole course at the height of one entire speede After that you shall once in a fortnight make vse of your spurs and make him runne the whole course thorough vpoÌ„ the spurs drawing blood soundly vppon both his fides and then if you feele that in his course hee doth not faint but maintaines his speede wit a good courage then you may presume he is a horse of great vertue and worthie estimation Now you shall obserue that at the end of euerie course after you haue with gentle gallopping vp and downe a little coold him you shall light from his backe and stoppe both his Nostrils with your hand for a little space making him holde his winde then you shall throwe his cloathes vpon him and making them hansomely fast about him you shall ride him vp and downe till all his sweate be dryed vp then ride him home and set him vpon good store of litter in the stable dyeting scowring feeding and dressing him as you are taught in the last fornight for hunting horses for al the while you traine a running horses you shal not exceed an ordinary hunting dyet your vttermost ayme being but to make him inwardlye cleane and to bring him to a perfect stroake and a quicke deliuerance of his feet and that whatsoeuer he doth he may doe with great courage and liuelyhood And thus much for the running horses first order of trayning CHAP. 3. Of the making of a Match and the obseruations therein WHen you haue after a month or two traind your horse brought him to some good perfection in running if then you please either to put him to any Bell-course or to match him against some other horse for any greate wager you shall carefully obserue many aduantages and circumstances which are needefull in that businesse as first the nature property of your horse as whether he be of a fierce and coragious spirit dooing althings out of violence of his nature or whether hee bee of cooler temper yet exceeding durable for vnto the first the playnet and shorter course is the best and to the latter the longer the deeper is most aduantage yet if the fierce horse haue in his skelping course eyther vpwithes inwithes or downewithes which is that hee may eyther runne within the side of hils vp hils or down hils it is much auailing to his winde and makes him recouer his breath strength much better for this wee many times finde by proofe that a fierce horse running vpon a plaine leuel if his ryder start him suddainly or holde his hankes too straite the Horse out of his furie will choake himselfe in his owne winde others I haue knowne that hauing libertie of hand haue runne theÌ„selues blinde both which the climbing or discending of hilles doth preuent for nature and the toyle makes him ease himselfe vp the hill and downe the hill his owne danger makes him take leasure but if your horse be of coole temper startes slowly yet in his whole course throughout rather augments and increaseth his speede then either abates or diminisheth such a horse is meete for a long and deep course where not nimble footemanshippe but truth of winde and bloodynes of sides only must winne the wager for where speede and spirit failes there truth and toughnesse are the onely conquerors you shall also in his trayning note what kinde of earth he takes moste delight to runne vppon as if he loue a hard smoothe greene swarthe a beaten hye-way a rotten groundful of letches or an ouerthwart broken swarth ful of foule treading according to his best ruÌ„ning so to frame your wager You shal also note in what state of bodie your horse runnes best as some Horses will runne best when they are fat and ful of flesh pride some when they are exceeding poore and moste vnlikely some when they are of an indifferent state of bodie neither too hye nor to lowe but of a competent fulnesse and according as you finde him nearest to his best perfection so you may be the boulder to hazard your wager for if your horse that runnes hye be low you must then feede hard and exercise little till hauing gotten him into his true temper and then you may aduenture him vppon labour or if your horse that runnes lowe bee fat and hye then you must neither spare exercise nor ayring till you haue brought him to that state of bodie which best fits him Lastly you shal obserue to make no match but you shal reserue at least sixe weekes for the dyeting of your horses because it is a generall rule amongst all Horses that the first fortnight they are brought â—ostrict dyeting they will fall away and growe a little sickish so that necessarilie you had neede to haue a month after to bring him to lust life and delight in his manner of dyeting And thus much for present obseruations in match making CHAP. 4. Of the seuerall kindes of ayrings and foodes belonging to a running Horse OF all the particles or best members belonging to this dyeting or ordering of running Horses there is none of more force or efficacie then this which wee call ayring for it hath a diuers kinde of workinges as one while it abateth flesh weakeneth and bringes lowe another while it feedes strengthens and procures appetite sometimes it cheares the blood and sometimes it appeales the spirrit working according as it is ordered yet at all times and how euer it is vsed it purifies breath and is the best fortifier of the wind wherefore you shall vnderstand that if your horse be too fat and either for feare of old straines or the short time you haue to diet him you cannot by exercise make abatement of his flesh then you shall not faile but euening and morning at least two houres before day to ayre him after this â—er Assoone as you come into the stable and haue put away his dung and made all thinges sweete and cleane you shall
then take a haire cloath and rubbe his head face and necke all ouer then you shall turne vp all his cloathes and rub downe his bodie belly flanks buttocks legs then take his bridle and wette the snaffle eyther in Beare or Ale and put it on his head then trusse his cloathes warme and close about him and so lead him forth in your hand vp to the toppe or height of some hill where the winde blowes sharpest and the ayre is purest and both as you goe to the hill and when you are vppon the hill let the horse goe at his owne pleasure standing still and gazing when he list stretching himselfe forth gaping yawning tumbling and vsing what other gesture he pleases your selfe euer helping and cherishing him in whatsoeuer he dooth bseruing principally to giue him the libertie of his bridle and to intice him to smell to the ground and to the dung of other horses as you goe vp downe and you shall purposely seek out where other horses haue dung'd and leade him vnto it that he may smell thereon for it will mightily prouoke him to emptie his belly you shall if there be any tussocks of long grasse rushes or dead fogge leade him thereunto both that he may bathe his legges in the dewe which is verie wholsome for his limbes also prouoke him to pisse After you haue thus led him vp and downe for the space of two houres and more euen till you see the day begin to breake then you shall leade him home to the stable in the selfe same sort as you led him forth but by the way if whilst you thus ayre your horse you doe now and then spirte a little Vineger into his nostrels or sometime stop his nostrels with your hands it is passing good for it will both make him sneare and neese and also it will procure him a stomacke and make him hungrie if as you walke vp and downe you doe now then with your hand gripe him gently about the winde pipe betweene his chaules and compell him to cough it will bee exceeding good and you shall thereby finde if there bee anye grosenesse about the rootes of his tongue which stops or hinders his winde as thus If hee cough roughly it is a signe of grosenesse if hee cough roughly and after his coughing chawe with his chappes it is then both a signe of grosenesse and that he hath some disolued and loose matter which he breakes with coughing which if you finde you shal then vse to gripe him the oftner but if he cough cleare and without hoarnes then he is cleane and you shall gripe him the more seldome After you haue brought your Horse into the stable haue chaft and rubd his legs well you shall then feede and order him as shall bee heereafter declared Now looke how you ayred your horse in the morning before day in the selfe same manner you shall also ayre him at night after the day is departed onely instead of leading him vnto the height of some hill you shall leade him downe to some valley or meddowe neare to some riuer or running water that the coldenesse which comes from thence may enter and pierce him if at any time whilst you ayre your horse you finde him wantonly disposed you shall runne with him vp and downe and make him scope and play about you This ayring before and after day doth abate a horses flesh dries vp pursiuenesse and grose humors cleares the blood and makes his vitall spirrits more actiue Now if your horse be exceeding leane weake and in pouertie then you shal ayre him in the morning an houre or more after sun-rise in the same sort as you did before and also at night an houre or two before Sunne-set the pleasantnesse of which two seasons will prouoke such delight in the horse that hee will take pride in himselfe it will get him such a stomacke that you shall hardly ouer-feede him store of foode brings euer store of flesh and strength it will make him that he shall not take loath vnto his foode which is the onely impediment that attends a running horse but the sorer you feede the better shal be euer his disgestion and nature being pleasd with what she receiues will soone againe become strong and powerful But if your horse be of a right state of bodie that is neither too fatte nor too leane but of a full strength and perfection such as you knowe is fittest for the exercise whereunto you intend him then you shall ayre him euerie morning after day and before Sunne rise and euerie euening after Sunne-sett and before the closing in of the night for these indifferent and temperate times doe neither take so sore of nature that they bring it to any weakenesse neither adde so much to strength or appetite that they bring the flesh to any greater lust or increasment but holding one certaine stay keepe the bodie strong the winde pure and the inwarde spirrits full of life and chearefulnesse therefore euerie keeper of running Horses must knowe that by no meanes whilst his Horse is in strict dyet hee may not faile to ayre his Horse morning and euening after one of these th◠seuerall waies according to the state and constitution of the Horses bodye excepting onelye those daies wherein his Horse takes his breathing courses being assured that hee were better to forgett a meale of the Horses foode then an houre of his ayringes and since I haue thus shewd you the diuersity of ayrings I wil now proceede and shew you the diuersitie and natures of euerie seuerall foode meete for a Horses bodie First therefore you shall vnderstand that the principal foode whereupon a running horse is to be fedde most as the verie strength and cheefe substance of his life must be breade for it is of all other foodes most strong cleane healthfull of best disgestion and breedes the best blood wherefore for breade you shall make it after this manner Take of fine Oatemell well dryed foure pecke of cleane dride beanes two peckes of the best wheate two pecks of Rie two peckes let all these graines bee well mingled together groūd if possible vppon a paire of black stones thē boult the meale through a fine boulting cloath and kneade it with new Ale and the Barme well beaten together with the whites of at least an hundred egges Now if your horse as for the moste part running Horses are bee subiect to drynesse and costiuenes in his bodie then to these former quantities you shall adde at least three pound of sweet butter but not otherwise these you shal knead work together exceedingly first with handes after with feete by treading and lastly with the brake then couering it close with warme cloathes you shall let it lye two or three houres in the trough to swell then take it fourth and moulde it vp in greate loaues at least halfe a pecke in a loafe and so bake it like vnto
sundrie opinions some saying it should be done at the beginning of euery quarter in the yeare as the spring summer autumne and winter others wil let bloud but three times in the yeare that is the beginning of May when bloud springs the beginning of September when the bloud is warmed and setled and the beginning of December when the bloud is grosse thickned others would haue a horse blooded but once a yeere and that is in May onely because when bloud springs if the new bloud should mixe with the olde corrupt bloud it cannot choose but soone inflame and ingender sicknesse all these reasons are probable inough and wee see few horse-maisters at this day but doe follow either one or other of these obseruations yet for my owne part I cannot be induced to become any of their imytators as houlding this opinion not by any meanes to let my horse blood but when vrgent necessitie and apparent reasons draw mee thereunto for aboue all things I hate to doe any thing for fashion sake and I must confesse I doe euen contemne and enuie to see euery Smiths shop in Christmas holy dayes looke like a butchers slaughter house not one Farriar being able to giue me a reason why he hath blouded any two of these horses more then it is an old custome and that the holy dayes is a time of rest wherein the horse may recouer his bloud again not cōsidering how pretious a thing bloud is nor what euills such customes bring vnto a horse as weaknesse of body imperfection of sight crampes conuulsions and palsies besides when a horse is let bloud by the rule of custome if at any time you breake or omit that rule there presently followes disease and infirmitie Againe oft letting of bloud makes the bloude fall into the inwarde parts cloying the heart stomake and guts and leauing the outward parts makes them goutie grosse vnnimble wherfore if your horse be in health and good state of body by no meanes let him bloud except it be now and then with the point of your knife aboue the second and third barre in the roofe of the horses mouth by which meanes the horse may chewe and licke vp his owne blood which is most wholesome for many diseases as you shall perceiue hereafter or now and then in his eye veines which is comfortable for the head and cleereth the sight but for letting bloud in any long or more fluent veines I would not haue it vsd but vpon necessitie as for any obseruation of the tyme of yeere houre of the day and state of the moone or signe when there is cause of bloud letting I haue euer set those cautions behind the doore respects of little vallew because the forbearance of a quarter of an houre may bee the losse of the horse and indeed they are but bugbeares only to scarre the ignorant but for obseruing the clyme wherein a horse is bred the age strength and disposition of the horses bodie they are notes worthie regard onely touching the quantitie of the bloud you take away for horses bred in hot countryes olde horses and flegmatique horses would not haue so much bloud taken from them as horses bred in colde regions yong horses or chollerike horses Now that you may know when a horse stands neede of bloud letting if you perceiue that hee hath any extraordinary itch so that hee now and then rubbeth his necke or buttocks or if his skin begin to pyll or the hayre either of his maine or taile shed if you haue giuen him any violēt exercise aboue his strength so that he hath either taken surfeit or bin tyred if he bee brought to an extreame pouertie of flesh or if his eyes looke redd and his vaines swell if you find in him the effects of any Feuer the Yellows or Anticor or any inward sicknes proceeding either of inflamation or corruptiō of the bloud in any of these cases it is necessary to let blood and if the infirmity be not growne to any strength then the best time to let bloud in is somwhat earely in the morning the horse hauing beene kept fasting al the night before let your horse as neere as you can stand vpon euen ground when he is let bloud and let the cord wherewith you bind his necke straite be strait twound so that by no meanes it may retch out but keepe the straitnes it holdeth you must in any wise bee most carefull that when you strike with your fleame or instrument of blood-letting that in stead of the vaine you strike not the arterie which lies closse by the vaine or setting the point of your fleame by the side of the vaine that the skinne slippe and so you misse the vaine and hitte the arterie either off which may indaunger the horsses life which to preuent it is good when you haue raisd the vaine to spit vppon it or wet it that making the haire lie close and smooth you may at a haire see howe to place your fleame in the right place whilst your horse bleeds you shall put your finger in the side of your horsses mouth and by rubbing and tickling his vpper barres make him chewe and mooue his chapps which will make him bleede much more freshly but if hee will not suffer you to put your finger in his mouth then you shall giue him a little hay or a little grasse only to make him mooue his chappes if hee will not as many old Iads are of that qualitie suffer you after his necke is bound to come to set on your fleame you shall then either put a paire of close spectackles ouer his eies or else blindfould him with somthing else so that you may without daunger approch him It is very good to saue the blood you take from him and whilst hee bleeds to stir it about for lumping then to mingle it with bean◠flower and boale Armonicke and being made thicke like a plaster to spreade it vpon his backe and loines for it is exceeding good both for his legges feete when your horse hath bled sufficiently you shall loose the binding corde with it stroake downe the vaine twice or thrice and it will staunch of it selfe after the horse is let blood you shall cause him to be set vp in the stable and to fast at least two howers after and then giue him what meate you please if he bee fat and in strength but if he be leane and weake then you shall giue him a warme sweete mashe made of water and ground malte well mingled together And thus much for letting of blood CHAP. 5. Of Sicknes in generall SIcknes is by diuers auncient writers diuersly defined and as diuersly deuided One saies it is an euil affection contrary to nature hindring some action of the body and deuids it into three kinds the first parts that are a like the second parts instrumentall the third both these ioyned together the first consisteth in the predominance of the elementes as when
I haue seen theÌ„ in young sucking foales the signes are the visible appearance of them and the cuer is to slit them with a small rasor and then thrusting out the corruption to wash the sore place three or foure times a day with running water reasonable warm wherin hath formerly beene boild good store of Allome Sage and a little honey till it be whole CHAP. 32. Of the Lampas THe Lampas is a great swelling or excression of the flesh in the roofe of a horses mouth in the very first furrow adioining to the formost teeth which swelling as hie as the teeth and somtimes ouer the teeth make that the horse can neither gather vppe his meate well nor chewe it when it is gathered it proceedes onely from pride and aboundance of blood the signes are the visible sight thereof and the cuer is first to put a peece of wood as bigge as a great rouling pinne betweene the horses chappes and then with a crooked iron to bourne away all the superfluous flesh to annoint the sore place onely with salte CHAP. 33. Of the Canker in any part of the mouth THE Canker in the mouth is a venemous and fretting vlcer which proceedeth from the wearing of rustie bittes or from the vnnaturall heate either of the braine or stomacke which distilling in salte rhumes into the mouth doe breede rawe and fretting vlcers the signes are rawnes of the mouth or tongue blisteringes white furringes and such like The cuer is take strong vineger two spoonefulles and as much of the powder of Allome as will make the vineger thicke and with it rubbe the sore place three or foure times a day for two or three dayes together till it bee rawe and bleede then take a quarte of running water fiue ounces of Allome of honey sixe spoonefulles of woodbine leaues Sage leaues and collobine leaues of each halfe a handfull boile all these together till one half be consumed and wash the sore therewithall three of foure times a day till it be whole CHAP. 34. Of Heate in the Mouth and Lippes A Horsse will haue in his Mouth sometimes an extraordinary heat when he hath no vlcer which will make him forsake his meate and it proceedeth from the stomacke the signes whereofare the immoderate heate of his breath and the whitenesse of his tongue which when you perceiue the cure is first to let him bloode in the roofe of his mouth after he hath likt and chewed off his blood a good prettie space then you shall wash his mouth tongue all ouer with vineger and salt and then anoint it with the sirrop of Mulberies doe but thus twice a day for two or three dayes and the horsse will doe well CHAP. 35. Of the tongue being hurt with the Bitte or Snaffle A Canker which commeth by wearing a rusty Bitte and the hurt which comes of the rude haÌ„dling of a chain bit are two contrary diseases for the one doth impoisen the other doth but only seperate wherfore if your horses mouth or tongue be but only brused or hurt with a len bit the cure is first to wash the sore place with Allome water and then to anoint it with life honey and english saffron well beaten and mixt together and when you ride your horse to haue a cleane cloath foulded aboute the Bitte or snaffle and to annoint it with the same salue and this you shall doe twice a day till the sore be whole to choppe the leaues of a blacke bramble and swines larde together and binding it in a fine cloth then dipping it in honey and annointing the horsses tong therewith as some of our Smithes doe is good but nothing neare so speady a medicine CHAP. 36. Of the Barbbs or Pappes vnder a Horsses tong EVery horsse naturally hath vpon his neither chaps vnder his tonge two long wartes like pappes which we call Barbs which how euer some horse-men doe hold will hurt a Horsse yet for mine own part I could neuer perceiue it in all my practise nor would I haue them taken away yet if any one either out of strong belief in the paine or out of curiositie or will will haue them taken away as I haue seen smild at many that would you shall not as our common Smithes do clip them away with a paire of sheeres for there doth followe them such fluxe of blood that in so doing I haue seen them put beyond their skiles how to staunch them but the cure is to hold vp the tongue and taking hold of the barbe with a small payre of mullets with a fine yron made of purpose to feare them away and then to annoint them with the oile of bitter Allâ—ons till they be whole CHAP. 37. Of paine in the Teeth and of the Woolfes PAine in a horsses teeth commeth either from pride and corruption of blood or els from cold rhums if from bloode the signe is his gooms will swell and haue as it were blebbes about them if froÌ„ rhume he will continually slauer and that which commeth from him will be thinne and waterish the cure is with a sharp knife to race him alongst his gummes close vnder his teeth both of the inside and outside and then to rubbe them all ouer either with pepper salt wel mingled together or with claret wine and pepper heated vpon the fire or else with chalk and vineger or after they are washt to strow vpon them the powder of pomegranat pils Now for the woolfes which are two sharp teeth more then nature allowes growing out of the vpper iawes nexte to the great teeth which pricketh the neether chappe so that the horsse is not able to eate his meate although for mine owne parte I haue not seeâ—e such an vnnaturall accident yet if you bee acertaind thereof you may if you will vse ould Martins medicine which is after the horsses head is tide to a post and his mouth opened so as you may looke therein to haue a long instrument of yron made lik a Carpenters gouge and setting the edge thereof close to the bottomme of the tooth by the gumme and with a mallet in your other hand to giue a good knocke vpon the instrument which not onely entring into the tooth but also loosening it and setting it awry you shall then by holding the instrument firme and hard still and resting it vpon the chappe of the horsse wrest the tooth out of his head and then putting falte into the hole close it vppe but in my conceipte it were a much better and more safer cure if when your horsses mouth is opened you find the horsses teeth to be very extraordinarily sharp that then you take a long sharpe file made for the purpose and therewith reasonably to blunt all his iawe teeth for that would bring your horsse ease without any vnnaturall torment CHAP. 38. Of the Cricke in the Necke THe Cricke in the necke is a kind of conuultion or sorenesse of the sinewes it commeth either by the
ouer loading of a horsse vpon the fore shoulders by some great cold taking or when a horsse hath layne with his necke awry as either ouer the gruppe-tree behind the planchers or in the field ouer some moale hill or in some hollowe furrow the signes are a horse can sometimes not stirre his necke any way some times but one way and from these Crickes many times come Feuers and other inward sicknes The euer is not according to the opinion of old Martin drawe him alongst each side of the necke from the roote of the eare to the brest a straw bredth deepe and then to put a rowell in his forehead annointing it with hogs-grease for it is grosse sauors nothing of good arte but you shall first purge the horse with the scowring of butter and garlicke then holding a panne of coales vnder him you shall al to chafe the nape of his necke the temples of his head and his whole neck with sacke and the oile of Cipresse mixt together and made hotte vpon a chafing-dish and coales then cloath him vp warme and ride him in some warme place gently for an hower and more this if you doe three or foure dayes assuredly the Crick wil vanish CHAP. 39. Of Wennes in the neck WEnnes are great or little rounde swellings like tumors or pustules ōly there is not in thē any inflamatiō or sorenes their insides are tough and spungie yet in coulour yellow like resed bacō they proceed frō corruptiō of blood cold humors and the euer is thus first apply vnto it rosted sorrell or the plaster of Pitch and Hogs-grease mixt together for the space of seuen daies to see if you can bring it to a head or rottennes which if it doe then you shall launce it and after the filth is come forth you shal heal the wound with the salue made of Turpentine wax and Deare suet But if by no meanes it will come to any head or rottennes then you shall oner night apply round about the wenne Bole-armonike and vineger mixt together then the next morning after you haue set fresh butter to boile vpon the fier and put a calterising iron in the fier also you shall then take off the plasters and the horse beeing fast helde first you shall first with a rasor and warme water shaue all the haire from the wenne then you shall note how the veines runne that as neare as you can you may misse them then with an incision knife you shall cut the wenne cleane away and with spunges taking away the blood leaue not any part of the yellow substance which done you shall calterize the sore with scalding hot butter but if that will not stay the fluxe of blood you shal then calterise the heads of those veines which bleede most with the hot Iron then making a plegant of soft to we as broad as the sore dip it in fresh butter molten very hotte and laye it vppon the sore then couer it ouer with the plaster of waxe turpentine and Deares suet and so let not the sore bee stirrd for eight and fortie hours then vpon the second dressing if you see any of the substance of the wenne be left vncut away you shal then take hogs-grease and vardigrease molten together and with it dresse the sore till it haue eaten away all the grosse matter and then heal vp the sore with the salue before prescribed CHAP. 40. Of Swelling in the necke after blood-letting SWelling after-after-blood letting proceeds from diuers causes as if the Orifice be made too great and so the subtill winde strike sodainely into the wounde or if presently after a horse is let blood you turn him to grasse and so by thrusting downe his head too sooue to eat his meate the blood revert backe and fester about the wounde or if the smith be negligent and strike him with a rustie or venome fleame The cuer whereof is thus you shal take wheate flower two or three handful as much sheeps suet shreaded small and as much Camomile shredded small likewise boile them altogether in three pintes of newe milke till they be very thicke then take it very hotte and lay it vnto his neck this pultis will in once or twice laying to either dissolue the humor or drawe it to a head and breake it which if it do then you shall heale vp the sore with a little Turpentine Waxe and Hogs-grease molten together made into a soft salue some Farriers vse to breake the sore with the oile of camomile or with old rotten lit ter or with wet hay and then to taint it with Turpentine and hogs-grease only till it be whole but it is not so good a cuer for it wil be both longer in ripning when it is broken the tainting will bring downe such a fluxe of humours that I haue oft seene such sores turne to Fistulas which had they beene but ordinarily delt withall nature it selfe would haue cured CHAP. 41. Of staunching of blood whether it come by blood-letting or by any wound receiued IF either by disorderly blood-letting as when the veine is striken cleane thorow or the orifice by the vnstaidnes of the Farriers hand is made too great or if by any casuallyty a horse receiue a wound amongst the principall veins so that the flux of blood will not be staid for as touching that opinion that the veine will not bee stopt which is strooke when the signe is in that parte it is both idle and friuolous the cuer thereof is thus take bole-armonike and vineger and mixing them thick together dip flaxe therin lay it to the wound it wil stanch the blood a sod of new erth laid to the wound wil stanch blood also hot horse dung being applied wil do the like or if you temper with the dung chalk vineger it is good also yet to apply any of these medicins in case of any sore or grieuous wound they are dangerous for making the wound gangrean so that I allow the powder of blood to be much better then any of them but if it faile in extreamity to worke the effecte you desire you shall then garter or binde your horse very straite aboue both his foreknees also vnder his fore-knees aboue both his hinder cambrelles and vnder the spauen ioints you shall then draw a sursingle very strait about his body also and so letting him but stand a little space you shall presently see his blood staunch which assoone as it doth you shall apply to the wound sallet oile hogs grease molten together boyling hot and then vnbinding him let him abide with that dressing the space of 48. houres at the least and then you shall not need to feare any more the flux of blood CHAP. 42. Of the falling of the Crest THe falling of the Crest is when the Crest or vp per part of the neck on which the mane grow eth which naturally shold stand vp strong firmely doth either laine to the
either choller bloode fleame or melanchollie doe super abound the second in composition of the body when the members are diseased or deformed the third in the deuision of members as if it be in a fleshie part then it is called a wound or an vlcer if in the bones then it is called a Fracture Another saith sicknes is a maladie or greefe proceeding from the corruption and weaknesse of the vitall parts and deuids it into foure braunches as moist malladie drie malladie malladie of the ioynts and malladie betwixt the skinne and flesh the moist malladie springs from fleame and melanchollie as strangle glaunders and other fluxes the drie mallady springs from choller and blood as consumptions drie coughes and such like the malladie of the Ioynts is all griefes incident to Ioynts as splents spauens excressions swellings and such like and the malladie betwixt the flesh and skinne is the Farcion scab mangiues or such like Others make other definitions deuisions but all tending to one end they are needlesse to be repeated and it shall be inough for the diligent farrier if hee but retaine in his memorie that all inward infirmities are called sicknesses or diseases and all outward infirmities are called grieues and sorances and that he apply and moderate his medicines according to the violeÌ„ce of the disease increasing the streÌ„gth of his receites as the disease increases in power thus much for sicknes in generall As for the signs Characters by which diseases and sorances are to be known because I set them downe at large in the beginning of euery infirmity I will at this time forbeare to write or trouble you with them CHAP. 6. Of Feuers and the diuers kinds thereof together with their cures FEuers although our ordinary Farriers neither know them nor can cure them and therefore hold opinion there is no such thing yet for mine own part I haue had such experience and haue so certain ly found the effects of them in many horses that I dare auouch the disease to be common and in daily knowledge wherefore to speak generally of Feuers a Feuer is an immoderate heate or inflamation of the blood disturbing and hindering al the motions of the body and of these Feuers there are diuers kindes a Quotidian or continuall Feuer Tertians as euery other day a fit Quartans which are euery third day pestilent or or burning Feuers the first three proceeding from hu mors and spirits the last from putrifaction and inflamation of the blood ingendred by either too extream and violent exercise or by sursâ—it of rawe foode as of vndried pease or oates or of vncleanly food as chaffe pease pulse and such like The extreame heate of the Sunne or extreame coldnes of the aire will either of them ingender Feuers Now the signes to know a Feuer is you shall see him hang downe his head his eies being heauy and waterish his lippes will hang from his teeth and his flesh wil be loose his stones wil hang downe and his breath will be hotte he will gape oft and stretch out his limbes he will haue a kind of shiuering in his flesh and an extraordinary heate and beating of his pulses vpon the temples of his head he will drinke much and eate little and his vrine will looke of a high color bright cleare like aÌ„ber Now if you find these signes not to alter or cease but to coÌ„tinue in one strength and violence then you shall bee assured it is a Quotidian or coÌ„tinuall Feuer but if the motions alter and he bee one day wel and the next day il then it is a Tertian but if he be one day ill and two daies well then it is a Quartan for cure whereof some haue vsed this Phisick first to let him bloodin his teÌ„ple veins and pallat of his mouth and sometimes in the neck veine and to giue him the first day no meat but warm drink then after to giue him grasse or hay wet in water and to keepe him warme and walke him in a temperate aire and then vpon his amendment to giue him sodden Barley the huske being beat of as you beat wheat before you boile it Others vse for the cuer of this Feuer first to purge his head by squirting into his nostrilles either the vrine of a Man oâ— of an Oxe then giue him this drink take of IermaÌ„der 4. ounces of 〈◊〉 dragon and dride roses of each an ounce beate them to powder then put them into a quarte of old ale and adde thereto of sallet oile and hony of each foure ounces and giue this drinke luke warme Others haue prescribed other medicines some stronger some weaker some for Feuers in autumne some for Feuers in sommer some for spring and some for winter but I haue proued them yet neuer could find much profit by them the onely meanes that euer I found for these Feuers hath beene this as soone as you haue perceiued the visible signes of these Feuers first to note how the fits come and goe then to keepe the horse fasting for at least a doozen houres before the fitte come that nature wanting wherevpon to worke shee may onely worke vpon the diseased humour and so consume and weaken it then when you doe perceiue the fit to approach you shall take of strong ale a quart and boile therein of wormewood halfe a handfull of long pepper and graines two ounces of strong treakle two ounces of the powder of dride rue one ounce and when the third part of the ale is wasted take it from the fier and straine it and giue it the horse luke-warme to drinke or if you will you may in stead of this drinke take the yolkes of foure new laid egges beate them in a dish then put thereto eight spoonefull of Aqua vitae and mingling it well together giue it the horse to drinke then beeing warmely cloathed ride him vp and downe in some faire warme place till he begin to sweat and then set him vp in the stable lay more cloths vpon him and giue him litter inough vnder him and let him so sweate at least two or three howrs then abate his clothes with discretion Thus doing but twise at the most will assuredly mend any of these kind of agues as for the drinke which he shall drinke during this cuer let it be warme water wherin hath beene boiled Mallows Sorrell Pursline and Endiue and for his food let it be well dride oates and bread made of cleane beanes if during his sicknes he proue drye or costiue in his body you shall then giue him now and then halfe of a Rye sheafe eares and all to eat This manner of cuer is not onely good for these feuers but also for any other inward sicknes proceeding from inflamation of the blood or corruption of humors There is also an other Feuer which is called the pestilent or bourning Feuer and it hath all the signes and faces before shewed onely they are
perceiued more violently and haue greater shoes of paine sicknes differing absolutely but in this effect which is the horse neuer shiuereth or shaketh as hauing the effect of coldnesse but continually bourneth as being vniuersally distempered with heat glowing which you shall plainely perceiue by his continuall desire to drinke and sciple neuer satisfied till the colde water be in his mouth and by laying your hands vpon his fore leggs vnder his knees or vpon the temples of his head which two places will bowne more then any other parts of his body The cuer of this pestilent Feuer though our Farriers hold it incurable is thus First you shal let him blood in the neck vein theÌ„ you shall lay to the â—eÌ„ples of his head this plaister Take of the iuice of Camomile 4. spoonefulls of Goats milke 4. spoonefulles of the iuyce of Sage foure sponefulles and of sallet oile foure spoonefulles then take a handfull of dride rose leaues whethér of a rosecake or otherwise and be ate all these in a morter till it be made one substance then take foure spoonfulles of strong wine vineger and with it stirre them altogether and if it be very thinne then take as many moe rose leaues and beat with them till it be as thicke as a plaister then spred it vpon a cloth and strow vpon it the powder of three or foure nutmegges then warme it hote vpon a chafing dish and coales and apply it to the horse as aforesaid then you shall gine him to drink water boild with Violet leaues Mallowes and Sorrell but if the fit hold him violently you shal take three ounces of lane treackle and dissolue it in a pinte of Malmsey and put thereto the iuyce of two or three Lemans and giue it him in a horne to drinke and it will presently put away the fit the nature of this Feuer beeing so pestilently hotte is to furre the mouth and to breed vlcers and sorenes both in the mouth and throat wherefore you shall carefully euery day looke in his mouth and if you perceiue any such thing take but the sirrop of Mulberries and with a small squirt strike it into his mouth and it will heale the sore immediately for it is of such vertue that a man once knowing it will hardly be without it but if you cannot get the sirrop of Mulberies then take a pinte of running water boile therin two ounces of allom and halfe a handfull of Sage and with that wash the sore place and it will heale it If the heate and drines of this disease keepe the horse so costiue that he can by no meanes dung you shall then onely giue him this Glyster Take of new milke halfe a pint of sallet oile a pinte and halfe a pinte of the decoction of Mallowes and violet leaues and to them put an ounce of sence and halfe an ounce of ceÌ„tuarie administer it luke warme with an elder pipe made for the purpose and these remedies I assure you will not onely helpe this Feuer but also many mortall and dangerous diseases also diuers other medicines are prescribed for this Feuer by other authors but the simples are so strange and the compositions so phantasticall that for mine owne part I haue carried the receits to skilfull Apothecaries who haue vtterly disavowd the knowledge of such simples so that after I could neuer giue credit to the practise The last Feuer is called the Feuer accideÌ„tall because it is a Feuer which comes by the violence and paine of some grie uous receiued wound and of all Feuers it is most coÌ„mon and most dangerous for when wounds are accoÌ„ panied with Feuers the horse seldome escapes death and for mine owne part I cannot boast of any great cure I haue done in this case onely my rule hath been to keepe the vitall parts as strong as I coulde with coÌ„fortable drinks made of Ale aniseeds sugercandie to giue him to eat half a doozeÌ„ sops or tosts steept in Muscadine according to the forme before shewed in the book of running-horses this I assure my selfe if the wound be curable will take away the Feuer thus much for the cuer of Feuers CHAP. 7. Of the Pestilence or Gargill THe Pestilence howsoeuer other authors do seriously write both of it and the causes froÌ„ whence it springes as from labour hunger sodaine motion after rest surfeit corruption of humors corruption of aire vapors exhalations influence of planets and such like yet I say if I knowe the pestilence it is plainely that which we call amoÌ„gst men the plague amongst beasts the murreÌ„ amongst horses the gargill it proceedes from surfeit and rawe disgestion after proud keeping ingendring corrupt poysonous humors or els from the infection of the aire or the foode whereon the horse feedeth it is ofal diseases most infectious and mortal and for mine own part I haue had no perfect experience of it but onely in young foales which are apt to take it especially if they be wained too yong the signes to know it is the sides of their heads euen to the rootes es their eares so downe all vnder their chaps will swell exceedingly and be wondrous hard their eyes the inside of their lippes wil be very yellow and their breathes will bee strong and noysome Now you must vnderstand that when these outward signes appeare then the disease is incurable so that to set down theresore any cuer is a thing impossible only this is the best preuentioÌ„ to giue your foales for 3. daies together both at the fall of the leafe and the spring euery morning 3. or 4. slipps of Sauen as is shewd in the book of breeding but if this disease happen to horses of elder age which is surest knowne by the losse of that horse which first dyeth then you shall seperate the sound from the sicke and putting them into a fresh aire after they haue beene let blood both in the necke veines and their mouthes you shall then giue ech of them to drinke halfe a pinte of sacke and halfe a pinte of sallet oile mingled together the next morning after you shall giue euery one of them a pinte of strong ale and the shauings of the yellow tips of the old staggs horne or the shauings of the yellow tippe of the sea-horse tooth both which if you cannot readily get then you shall giue theÌ„ strong ale and treakle boild together to ech a good draught and doubt not but it will both expell and preuent the force of the infection As for Aristoloch Gentian Mirh and such like which some prescribe to bee giuen for this disease I do not thinke the authours thereof euer sawe the practise nor will I counsaile any man to trye them knowing the former to be sufficient CHAP. 8. Of the inward diseases of the head and first of the head ach THe head of a horse is subiect to diuers diseases according to the inward compositions thereof as from the pannickle