thin sharp and always in motion but when they hang flagging and motionless it is the infallible symptom of heaviness and bad nature A swelling forehead a white star a white rach neither too big nor too little with a white snip on the nose are tokens of comliness goodness but if the rach stand awry the forehead flat and the nose be raw instead of a white snip no greater marks of deformity In like nature little eyes Pig ey'd as they call it are uncomely signs and discover weakness whereas on the contrary black bright round large eyes starting as it were out of his head are the signs of a good natured mettlesome Horse red and fiery eyes are little better than Moon-eyes and not far from blindness Wall-eyes are ever bad weak sighted and do declare a base nature if with white speeks they are next door to the pearl pin or web if watry and bloody the Horse hath susteined bruises and if they matter they are signs of old over-riding and lastly if the eyes be black yet fill not the pit so but that in every motion the white glearingly appears you may conclude that Horse weak and of an untractable disposition If the Thropple or Wind-pipe be large and the Jaws very open they are signs of soundness of head and that he hath great wind with courage if the Thropple be small and kernels thereabout you may then judge the contrary and that the Horse is inclined to the Glanders or is seised with a very soul cold Now as to the teeth be careful of buying an Horse that wanteth any for it is the opinion of the expert he were as good want all as lose one See that his breast be broad and out swelling which shews he hath great strength and will hold out a long time the little breast shews weakness and is the sign of uncomeliness the narrow breasted Horse is most commonly a stumbler and the inwardly hidden breast will not indure hard labour Let his fore thighs be Rush-brown well sinewed and horny but have a care they be not swel'd otherwise they are certain signs of strength the contrary are signs of weakness His legs must be clean and the bought of the knee without a seam or hair broken if you find scabs under his knee on the inside it is the swift-cut and very unfit to Gallop and if his legs be round fat and fleshy the Horse is altogether unserviceable and unfit to take pains So that one pastern be clean and well knit and the other short strong and upright standing for if the first be swel'd you have cause to suspect sinew strains and gurding if the other be long and bending that Horse is most subject to tire Good Hooves ought to be black not quite round but smooth yet tough a white hoof is naught being tender not carrying a shoe well an hoof that is rough and gross seemed denotes old age or that the Horse hath been over-heated a brittle hoof will not carry a shoe a very round hoof is bad for deep dirty ways a flat hoof shews foundering The Crownet of the hoof is sound if the hair be smooth and close and the flesh even but if the flesh rise the skin mangy and the hair staring you may then expect a Ring bone a Crown scab or something every whit as bad Look now to the Chine of his back and see that it be broad even and straight his ribs large and bending outward his buttock round and plump his stones close truss'd up to his body his Gascoyns well let down to the middle joynt very full thick his hinder legs lean and sinewy if they be swel'd the grease is molten into them if scabbed above the pasterns he hath the scratches if chaps under his pasterns he hath the pains and these are both noisome and dangerous To conclude his tail must stand broad high flat and somewhat tauched inward but a good buttock will produce a good tail and a bad one can never have a tail to sit well thereon CHAP. IV. Of the several Complexions of Horses Take this as a certain rule an Horse Complexion is ever judged by the Colour Now as in men so in Horses what element is predominant and prevalent in him from thence is drawn the complexion so that if he participate more of the water than of fire then he is to be looked on as a phlegmatick Horse If on the other side he partake of Fire more than any other Element he is to be adjudged â—holerick the colour that denotes a Cholerick Horse is either a Bright-Sorrel a Coal-Black or an Iron-Gray unchangeable These are light hot and fiery but at the best but weak and feeble the diseases they are most incident to are Inflammations of the Liver Pestilential Feavers and the Yellows to prevent which distempers Choler in them ought to be purg'd but gently because at their best strength they are weak of constitution so that without having this consideration by the imprudent administration of too strong a potion instead of curing an Horse may be confounded An Horse of a â—anguine complexion is known by having Air abounding in him and the Colour that attends this complexion is either a Bright-Bay or a Dark-Bay having no white flank White-Flea-bitten Black with a white star or white foot The nature of these Horses is to be pleasant of great strength nimble and free the diseases concomitant are Consumption of the Liver Glanders Leprosie with other infectious Distempers As their natures are strong so they will indure the application of strong medicaments especially such as cool the blood which are most suitable to his nature and disposition As I said before if â—ater be more redundant in any Horse than any other Element then is he said to be â—hlegmatick and the colour thereunto belonging is either Pide-Ball Milk-White Kite-glew'd or Yellow-Dun these beasts are much inclin'd to sloth and are very washy the diseases which accompany this Complexion are Rheumes Staggers Colds and Head-Ache c. By reason of the great quantity of Flegm which doth infest their bodies strong medicines will not hurt them having so much matter to work upon The fourth complexion is called Melancholy and that hath more of Earth in it than Fire Air or Water his proper colour is a Mouse-Dun Ash-Gray Dark-Bay with Mayly mouth Red or White Flank a Reddish-Bay Russet and Chestnut They are naturally dull and cowardly they are afflicted with the Dropsie Frenzy and Spleen and such like all dry or cicatrizing Medicaments are injurious to their natures but cold and moist are beneficial There is a fifth Complexion held by Farriers being as they say an equal composition or commixture of the four Elements and this constitution they highly applaud in that one Element is not more predominant than another being so equally temper'd that there is no overflowing in either and this Temperament participates of all colours as Brown Bay Dabled or not Dabled the Black full of
silver Hair Dable-Gray or a fair Roan Red or Black these they affirm are most healthful gentle strong and temperate and inclinable to no disease all this any man would believe if there were any such constitution to be found for I think it impossible that the four Elements should be so evenly and equally temper'd in any body but that one must be more powerful than the rest and so consequently the Horses Constitution must incline to that Element which most aboundeth in him But of the temperaments of an Horse I shall speak more particularly when I shall come to give you an account of the frame or composition of an Horse dissecting every part as a necessary introduction to the knowledge and cure of those diseases which infest every particular member But before I shall enter upon that subject which is the main scope of my intention Give me leave to lay you down some new Experiments which may tend much to the benefit of him that is desirous to be perfect in the Art of Riding and Feeding Race Horses CHAP. V. Instructions for the accomplishing a Rider TO incourage you in the noble Art of Riding I have in brief discovered to you what a pleasant and profitable Creature an Horse is to mankind and that you might at no time want a good one I have indeavoured to instruct you how you should so breed them that you should not fail in your expectations or if you did then how to buy a good one both by marks shape and Colour and having obteined your desire let us now consider the office and duty of a Rider Some there are so opinionative that being able to sit a rough unridden Colt a few plunges by holding Monkey like with both hands to the Mane and Pummel clinging with both legs to the side of the Horse as if they would clip him in two which puts the poor beast into so great a disorder that by his violent flinging and flounsing he agitates the poor Beast clear out of wind having made him thus breathless nothing will serve his turn but the appellation of a compleat Horse-man In the first place let me perswade you not only to lay aside vain glory but cholerick impatience for no man let him love the Art never so well can make a compleat Horse-man if he be rash and hasty neither will an Horse learn his precepts if he be not otherwise inclined and therefore if he prove bad his faults and defects must not be imputed so much to his ill nature as his indiscreet Rider Wherefore avoid severity to your young Horse for it is a Maxime laid down by that compleat Horse-man Thomas de Grey Esq He cannot be a good Horse-man who wanteth knowledge how to bring his Horse to perfection by fair sweet and gentle means rather than by correction and severe chastisement however the whip must not always be neglected if he doth amiss if well let him be cherished by stroaking and otherways to incourage him in well doing for an Horse is a creature of great understanding Let your Groom frequently toy and play with him be continually talking to him in some odd phrase or other for this pleaseth a good natur'd Horse let him morning and evening ride him a little way abroad but he must have a care he do not heat him too much he must duly curry curb and dress him wipe pick and cleanse him feed and cherish him keeping him sweet and warm be often imployed about him tampering with his legs and heels frequently taking up his feet rapping him gently on the soles and softly knocking him on the Coffins by this means he will be brought to lift up his foot at first bidding Before you put your Horse to grass if you have rid him a journey take some small quantity of blood from him three or four days before you turn him out but I would not advise you to put him forth till about the tenth of May. If your horse hath been pampered in a warm stable I would have you use him to some hardness before you put him to grass for otherwise he may be subject to take cold and when you take him up from grass let it be about the latter end of August for then the season will be troubled with cold dews and the heart of grass beginneth then to fail but in the taking of him up have a care of heating of him because that fat he got at grass is not firm but somewhat tender two days after you have him in the stable then blood-let him again which will prevent a great many diseases which are occasioned by the Gaul and Spleen Make frequent inspection into your Horses mouth for fear of Barbes Cankers Bigs Blisters and these you may discover by the spots of the Gums Tongue and Mouth and accordingly make speedy applications for their cure And to this end both wash and rub his mouth with Verjuice and Bay-Salt mingled together and all the better if you let some pass down his throat If your Horses eyes look dull and drowsy more than usual you may justly suppose him to be ill and to prevent the growth of his distemper give him the drink of a Diatesseron If you find your Horse halt or favour one foot more than the other let his foot be immediately examined let him take off the shooe and search for Gravel or a Nail if you find none yet perceive the foot warmer than the rest then search the heel and frush if all well there then higher to the pastern joynt in the leg or back sinew having found the fault let the Farrier be instantly acquainted with his malady When you are to take your journey with him let him be water'd in the house giving him an indifferent quantity of good clean Oats then tying him up to the rack curry dress and saddle him leaving his girts loose and do not draw them strait till you are going to mount him then ride him softly for the first three miles that you may prevent crudities and that he may digest his meat the better three miles before you come to your journeys end ride him into some River if any near you up to his belly but not deeper and so let him drink not all at once but by degrees then ride him an indifferent pace to warm his water in his belly which will so refresh him that forgetting his weariness he will fall to his meat with the greater appetite Having brought him to the stable tye him up to the empty rack and litter him up to the belly and be sure that after you have caused him to be well rubbed both belly legs back neck face and head also the breast then upon a cloth let his saddle be clapt on and so let him stand almost an hour As for those Lessons you intend to teach your Horse which are fit for his practice and the purpose for which you intend him as if it be for Hunting Running Travail Hackney or the like then
the liquor three hours standing over the hot embers then add thereto half a pint of Sallet-Oyl give your Horse this blood-warm four days before the full and change of the Moon Clyster for any desperate sickness Take of Oyls of Dill and Camomile of Violets and of Cassia half an ounce of each and of brown Sugar-candy powdered three ounces of Mallow leaves half an handful boil the Mallows first to a Decoction in fair water then strain it and put therein all the aforesaid ingredients This Clyster is a sovereign help against all Feavers the Pestilence all languishing Distempers or Surfeits and will corroborate and strengthen in a very short time Clyster for the Plague or Pestilence Take half an Ounce of the pulp of Coloquintida the seeds and skins exempted three quarters of an ounce of Dragantium of Centaury and Wormwood of each half an handful a quarter of an ounce of Castoreum boil all these in three quarts of water to a quart then strain it and dissolve into it three ounces of the broth of Gerologundinum and of white Salt three drachms of Sallet-oil half a pint and so administer it being blood-warm Clyster lenitive against Convulsions Cramps Costiveness Surfeit or Foundring Take four ounces of Butter or half a pint of Sallet-oil and put it to the Decoction of Mallows and give it him Clyster-wise blood-warm it is a great Cooler of the body and doth infinitely asswage pain Clyster for the Cholick Take salt water or new made brine a quart dissolve therein a pretty quantity of Soap and so blood-warm administer This Clyster is not only good against the Cholick Griping of the Guts but any other distemper Dropsie This disease is known by an universal swelling of all the body in general but especially the legs through the abundance of water lying between the skin and the flesh the Belly will swell like to a Mares with Foal a swelling also betwixt the great Bag and the Kell this disease is farther known by shortness of breath loss of natural colour want of appetite and a continual christ This disease which is an evil habit of the body is engendered by surfeits and unreasonable labour and is cured by taking two handfuls of Wormwood and boil it in Ale or Beer a quart or better and give it the Horse to drink luke-warm morning and evening at noon let him drink his own water But the best and most approved remedy is to take a Gallon of strong Ale and settling it over the fire scum off the froth which ariseth then take a handful of Wormwood with the stalks and put them therein and let it boil to a quart then take it off and strain it well then dissolve into it three ounces of the best Treacle and put in also an ounce and a half of long Pepper and Grains beaten to a fine powder then brew them together till it be luke-warm and so give it him to drink the next day let him blood in the Neck-vein and anoint his Fore-legs with Traine Oil then turn him into good grass and do not doubt his recovery Drenches general for all Diseases in Horses If for colds take half an ounce of the powder called Diapente the way how to make it I have already discovered in a Chapter foregoing and brew it with a pint of Sack if for sickness at heart brew it in Muskadine and give it the Horse fasting in the morning give him this to drink as soon as ever you see him begin to droop and so continue doing for three or four mornings Another Drench you may make by taking two handfuls of Celandine root and leaves chop them and bruise them then take of Rue red Sage and Mint as much of Aloes half an ounce boil these in a pottle of Ale to a quart and give it the Horse luke-warm Or take four ounces of Diapente and mix it with four ounces of Honey clarified and keep it close in a Glass then take a pint of sweet Wine and put half an ounce thereof into it and it is an excellent Drench Take of Liquorish an ounce of Anniseeds Cumminseeds and Elecampane roots of each half an ounce of Turmerick and Bays of each a quarter of an ounce of long Pepper and Fenugreek of each two drachms beat these small and sierce them and put five spoonfuls into a quart of Ale warmed with a little Butter or Oyl The powder of Brimstone mixt with sweet Wine is a very good Drench The root of the Sea-onion the roots of Poplar mingled with common Salt given in water preserveth health a long time Garlick and Housleek beaten together in a Mortar and then boiled in Ale from a pottle to a quart and mixt with Liquorish Anniseeds and Sugar-candy with a pretty quantity of Sallet oil is an incomparable Drench for any internal maladies proceeding from hot causes Of Drenches and their uses let this suffice Diseases commonly infesting the Spleen The Spleen is the receptacle of Melancholy and the dregs of blood there is no part of the body more subject to diseases than this is for through its Sponginess it is inclined to suck in all manner of filth and communicate it to the whole body The diseases of the Spleen usually afflict Horses in the Summer most proceeding from the greedy eating of green food The signs of these Maladies are Heaviness Dulness pain on the left side hard swellings short breath much groaning The speediest way to cure him is to make him sweat then take the leaves of Tamarisk bruised a good quantity of Cumminseed beaten to powder and boil them in a quart of white wine and so give it him luke-warm This last is not the least nor a despicable remedy Take Cumminseed and Honey of each six ounces of Lacerpitium as much as a Bean of Vinegar a pint and put all these in three quarts of water and let it stand so all night in the morning give him a quart to drink having fasted all the night Diseases of the Gall. If the Liver be troubled with many diseases so is the Gall which is a long slender little greenish Bladder fixed underneath the Liver which receiveth all the Cholerick bitter moisture which would otherwise not only be offensive to the Liver but likewise the whole body Now if the passage of this necessary Vessel be stopped there will certainly follow many diseases as the Lax Bloody-flux Yellows and the like Or if the way whereby such Choler should issue forth of the Bladder of the Gall down into the Guts and Excrements is closed up and so aboundeth with too much Choler hence proceedeth Suffocation heat thirst and a disposition to rage and fury and for certain in any beast there is not a more dangerous disease than the overflowing of the Gall. The Symptoms of these Maladies are yellowness of the skin yellow Jaundice with costiveness of body The Cure is to boil good store of Saffron in Milk or Ale Saffron and Anniseeds mixt together But I am of the opinion
French for its cure it is thus effected There is an Herb which goeth by three or four names viz. Emanuel All-good Bonus Henricus or good King Henry take of the roots hereof and boil them in water and give him a Drench hereof blood warm in an horn this will remove the Red water and then you may cure the old Ulcer as you are prescribed in the Section of Fistulas Repercussive Medicaments Repercussive Medicines are such as repel or drive back evil and malignant humours Farriers call them Plaisters Defensative these are to be used in great wounds or Ulcers the best Repercussives are Vinegar Salt and Bole Armoniack beaten together and spread round about the Sore or else white Lead and Sallet Oyl beaten together or Red Lead and Sallet Oyl or else Vnguentum Album Camphoratum with a many more your own experience will indagate and discover Ring bone A Ring bone is at first a certain slimy humour and viscous which resorting to the bones of their own nature cold and dry cleave thereunto and become hard gristly nay absolutely bony its scituation is ever upon the Cronet of the hoof The causes hereof are twofold either natural or accidental naturally when either the Mare or Stallion have it from whom the Colt proceedeth and though I never saw a Colt bring a Ring-bone into the World with it yet Mr. Markham avoucheth he hath seen many Foals foaled with Ring bones on the feet wherefore I shall advise you not to breed upon any such Stallion or Mare that either have had or have this Malady Accidentally this happens several ways first by some blow or stroak on the foot or else from some evil humour descending and setling upon the Cronet The Symptoms hereof are apparent to the eye the Cronet of the hoof will be much swoln especially that part which is next adjoining unto the lower part of the Pastern the hair thereabout will grow bristly and stare and the Horse will go lame The Cures are several but I shall prescribe you none here but what have been many times experimented with welcome success First scarifie the skin above the Ring bone with a Lancet then take a great Onion and pick out the Core then take Verdigrease and unfleckt Lime and put them therein then cover up the hole and in hot embers roast it till it be soft then take it and bruise it well and being very hot lay it to the sorrance do thus five days together you will not miss of a cure Another way to cure it First cast your Horse or tye up his contrary leg with a strong rope till you strike five or six holes in the Ring bone at the very edge of it let the holes be equally distant from each other then take Arsnick and upon the top of your Fleim put some thereof into every hole then bind up his foot for a night and a day But that which Esq Grey prescribeth as infallible is this take unfleckt Lime newly taken from the Kill well burned which you may know by its lightness pulverize this Lime and lay it thick upon the place swelled with a linnen cloth bound about it to keep it on then let him stand in cold water an indifferent while then taking him forth unbind the foot and he is certainly cured for the burning of the Lime doth kill the Ring bone even to the very root thereof this is a truth throughly experimented Rats tails how to cure Take green Vitriol half a pound and boil it in a pint of running water with Alom Mustard Sage and Hysop the night before you apply this anoint the sores made raw with strong Mustard the next day wash them with the water afore specified and it is a cure Rowels how to put them in whether French or English If you are to place a Rowel in the breast make it lean to that part of the shoulder which is grieved then take a Lancet and only cut the skin through not cross but down right then put in your finger between the skin and the flesh raising the skin from the flesh round about the Orifice the breadth of a Tester then take a piece of the upper leather of a shooe and cut it round with an hole in the middle then put a Needle and Thread through it then take a quill and put one end into the Orifice of his breast upwards and so blow in the Wind having blown it three or four times run the Needle and Thread once through the Rowel and once through the skin and draw the Rowel into the cut when you have thus placed the Rowel in the cut with the hole of the Rowel right against the hole in the skin of the breast so that it may not move then with your Needle and thread run a stitch or two overthwart the cut to keep in the Rowel when you have thus done anoint it with Butter and so let it stand five or six days this is the best method can be prescribed Saddle bruised or Swellings on the Back You must first take some wet Hay but rotten Litter is better and lay it on the swelling this will make it soft very quickly then with a Lancet let out the putrefied matter and let the cavity be filled with the powder of Rozen then lay on a Plaister of Shoomakers Wax and it is a Cure Swift cut Take a pint of White-Wine and put to it three spoonfuls of Honey stir these and boil them to a Salve then take it from the fire and put to it half so much Turpentine as there was Honey stir these all together with this Salve anoint the Sorrance twice a day and it will heal it quickly Stanching of blood Some ignorant Farriers have let an Horse blood when the sign hath been in that place from whence he hath taken blood by which means there hath followed so great an efflux of blood that by reason it could not be stopped it hath indangered the Horses life Wherefore if any such thing should happen by this ignorance aforesaid or by wounds or any other accident take presently some new Horse dung and temper it with Chalk and Vinegar and lay it to the wound letting it remain there three days or else lay thereunto wild Tansie bruised Sage bruised bruised Hysop or hot Hogs dung but if these fail this will not take of the soft Down of Hare or Conies skin and stop the bleeding place therewith holding it to with your hand first a pretty while if it be to a great wound then spread over it a Plaister of Vinegar and Bole Armoniack incorporated together Slaves very good for the healing all sorts of Sores and Wounds I shall here of some hundred sorts of Salves only insert three or four which I have found the best of any I have tried in above 45 years practice 1. Take of the buds or tenderest tops of Elder-leaves one handful first shred then pound them in a Stone-mortar very well till you bring them to a
it into the same form the Bodkin is of and having withdrawn your Bodkin let the Lead in the same hole supply its place then thrust in the Bodkin cross-wise underneath the Lead and put in some more Lead into that place in such sort that it may represent a perfect cross then take Pâ—ck-thread and put it underneath the four corners of the Lead and by drawing it strongly you will contract the hollow skin to a purse having drawn it well together let it rest a day and a night in which time the skin will be so deadned that it will not when loosned return to its former place after this remove the Leaden pins and with your hand close the skin to the forehead in a little time after this you will perceive the hair to fall off but assure your self the next hair which appeareth will be white This I know true likewise by my own experience take a Crab and roast it and being excessive hot bind it to that part of the Horse which you would have white this will infallibly scald away the old hair and the new hair that cometh will be white Secondly how to make a black Star This black Star you are to understand is to be made on a white Horse which will be very remarkable and thus you must do it Take the rust of Iron Galls and Vitriol and pound them in a Mortar with Sallet-oil and herewith anoint the place and it will convert white hair into coal black colour I have been told that this will do as well though I never tried it Take four scruples of the wood of Oleander beaten to powder and one scruple of Ink then with an indifferent quantity of Sheeps-suet work them together and herewith anoint the designed part and this will effect your purpose Thirdly and Lastly how to make an artificial red Star in the forehead of an Horse Take of Aqua Vitae one quartern of Aqua fortis one Ounce and a half and of Silver to the value of one and twenty pence put them into a Glass and shake them well together and therewith anoint the place very well this in an instant will convert what ever the colour of the hair be into a perfect red but this will continue no longer than till the casting of the hair so that if you desire a continuance you must renew it Sit-fast The Sit-fast or Stick-fast is called by the French Mal de la Cron it is an hard horny knob growing in an Horses skin under the Saddle and is dead like a hard piece of Leather It proceedeth from some old Saddle-gall or bruise which not impostumating the skin falleth dead and sticketh to the flesh That you may effect the Cure take the green outward leaves of a Cabbage then take tried Hogs-grease and stamp them together making thereof an Ointment herewith anoint his back very well chafing it in and it would not be amiss to clap on his Saddle and immediately ride him But in my opinion this is the best and speediest Cure first anoint this dead skin with Hogs-grease to supple and mollifie it then pull up this skin and with a sharp Pen-knife cut it away from the sound flesh if after this the cavity appear deep pour every morning and evening into it Butter melted hot and this will eaven the flesh then dry and skin it with the powder of Honey and Lime mingled together Swaying in the Back Swaying in the back is occasioned by great burthens slip or wrench in the lower part of his back below his short Ribs and directly between his Fillets The signs are when the Horse is laid he will rise with much difficulty besides his going will be uneaven swaying sometimes backwards sometimes sidelong The Cure is first to cover the Horses back with a Sheeps-skin newly fleyed off laying the fleshy side on then lay thereon a good warm cloth letting the Sheep-skin lie so long till it begin to corrupt then apply a fresh one continuing so to do twenty days this I have tried but have not found it so successful but that I was forced to use this Remedy which never failed me First draw his back on both sides of the ridge from the pitch of the Buttock unto an handful within the Saddle and so again overthwart let the lines be an inch distance one from the other and let not the strokes be otherwise burnt but only to look yellow having so done lay on this Plaister Take of Pitch half a pound of Tar half a pint of Rozin and Bole-armoniack of each a quarter of a pound beaten into fine powder boil these together stirring them till they are throughly incorporated then being luke-warm daub all the burning therewith very thick after this take flox of the Horse's colour and daub as many on as will stick remove it not but let it fall off spontaneously if the season will permit turn him to grass Spurgalling how remedied Spurgalling to be sure happens no other way than by the indiscretion of a digging Horseman The signs are plain to be seen and felt the Cure is not difficult only take Urine and Salt Water and Salt or warm Vinegar alone or bind unto the Spur-gall the tops of Nettle-leaves and any of these will perfectly cure him Swelling of the Cods This swelling is always accompanied with an inflammation and happens to the Stones of an Horse several ways viz. either by the bite of an Horse or some venomous beast by a blow or by a strain nay it hath been found to have happened after sickness or surfeit with cold being a sign of his recovery if so the usual way of curing it is by taking of Bean-flower Wheat-meal Cummin and Hogs grease of each an equal quantity and therewith Plaister his Cods or Stones Sometimes again this swelling proceedeth from rankness of seed and the Symptom thereof is the great sliminess of his Yard if so then get any Mare and let him first cover her then keep him without Provender and bleed him above the great Vein which is between his lips having so done take three or four hard Eggs and some of his own dung and pound them together making thereof a Plaister with which cover his Cods but be sure that every day you wash them with cold water till the swelling come down But if by accident as by stroke strain c. his Cods and Stones do swell then follow this Rule which the French prescribe Take the roots of wild Cowcumber and Salt and boil them and with the water bathe the Cods after this anoint them with an unguent made of Oil Goats-grease and the white of an Egg or an ointment made of Chalk potters-Potters-earth Ox-dung cummin-Cummin-water and Vinegar mingled together after this let him blood in the Flank-veins Selender There is very little discrepancy between the Selender and Malander only that the Selender breedeth on the bending of the bough in the Leg behind whereas the Malander afflicteth the bending of the Leg before the Symptoms of
the one bear an analogy with the signs of the other and to speak the truth there is no difference in the Cure however for variety sake take this one Receipt more Take fresh Butter Bay-salt and Frankincense both pulverized very finely and boil these together then take a stick and tie a rag about it and dip it into this Ointment scalding hot and apply it to the Selender three mornings together after this heal it up and renew the hair by anointing it with Mallows and fresh Butter Surfeited and Grease-molten In the first place my advice is to take blood from the Horse then give him this Purgation Take of Trisora magna and Filonio Persico of each half an ounce Cassia one ounce Syrop of Violets two ounces dissolve these in Mel Rosarum four ounces then put these well mixed together into an Horn and give it him in a morning fasting then ride him gently two or three miles bringing him into the Stable let him stand upon the Trench somewhat better than an hour after this give him a sweet Mash having swallowed that then give him drie Oats clean and well sifted and lastly give him some sweet Hay Be sure to give him no cold water in eight or nine days after that time you may but with this caution when ever you let him drink cold water that you immediately exercise him with moderation so far as not to make him sweat String-halt The String-halt is a Malady that is most incident to Horses of the greatest metal and by some it is called the Mary Hinchcho It is an ill-favoured distemper and frequently happens by an Horses taking sudden cold after a great heat and most commonly happens to the hinder Legs this cold comes by washing him too soon whereby the blood and sinews being stupified the Horse is deprived of the sense and feeling of that member it seizeth The signs are apparent to the eye and very uncomely it appeareth for he snatcheth up his leg much higher than the other twitching it up in such manner as if he trod on needles or that the ground was so hot it scalded his foot The Cure is to take up the middle Vein above the Thigh and underneath the same under which Vein there lieth a string which with a sharp Knife cut away then anoint him with Butter and Salt or anoint him with this Ointment following Take of the Oil of Worms and Oil of Petroleum of the Oil of Nerval of Piece-grease made of the shreds of Shooe-makers Leather and of Oil of Spike of each one ounce of London-Treacle two ounces and of Hogs-grease one pound melt all these together then take it off the fire and stir it till it be cold with this anoint the string-halt once every day then wisp him up with a soft thumb-band of Hay from the Pastern to the top of the hoof do thus eight days together and when you anoint him hold an hot Fire-pan to the grievance that the ointment may sink in the better after this keep him warm and do not ride him in a month after so as to make him sweat this will make him both do well and go well Stripe or blow upon the Eye of an Horse A mischance may so happen that the Eye of an Horse by a rod or whip may sustain very much detriment and I have known the like evil proceeding from Horses playing with each other or fighting There are abundance of Receipts for the Cure of this accidental Malady in an Horse's Eye wherefore to avoid prolixity I shall only nominate some of the best Remedies First let him blood on the Eye-vein then take strong Nettles with a little Beer bruising them strain them and squirt a little of the liquor into his eye twice or thrice together then take the fine powder of Sandevoir and blow some thereof into his Eyes then cloath well his Eye that no cold or air may come at it if there be a necessity that you must ride him then put before his Eye a warm woollen cloth and it will do him not much harm Now if the Horses Eye-brows be very sore then take Soap-water and cold water mixt together and wash the Eye-brows therewith but if you perceive but little amendment by that means then bleed him in the Temple-veins if he rub his Eyes then bleed him in the Veins under his Eyes and wash his Eyes with cold Soap-water The best way I think is to anoint the sore Eye three or four days together with Capon-grease which will mollifie then take live Honey and with a feather wipe the inside of the Eye or joyn the juice of Plantain with your live Honey Lastly if his Eye look red by the stripe or blow then take red Lead and Sallet-oil and having mingled them well together apply it Plaister-wise unto it Swelling of the Neck after Phlebotomy There is a four fold cause of the swelling of an Horse's Neck after breathing a Vein 1. When the Vein is struck through so that some of the blood getting between the flesh and the Vein it there putrefieth and corrupteth and by that means is ingendered an Impostumation 2. It hapneth sometimes by the carelesness of a slovenly Farrier who without looking on his Fleim having not let blood in a pretty while never observed that it was rusty and so striking the Vein therewith the Vein rankleth and this I can assure you is very dangerous 3. This may come by cold suddenly striking into the Orifice 4. And lastly by permitting the Horse too soon after blood-letting to hang down his head to feed or graze this will cause an attraction or resorting of humours to that place which in a very short time will turn to an Impostume You need no other Cure for it but this take Oil of Camomile and warm it then therewith anoint the swelling then lay upon it some Hay wet in water so binding it that it may not easily fall off put fresh wet Hay or Litter every day for six or seven days in which time it will be either discust or brought to suppuration if brought to an head and throughly ripened then with your Lancet lay it open and let out the corruption having cleansed it very well take flax and dip it in Turpentine and Hogs-grease melted together tenting it therewith and by dressing it thus every day it will be whole and perfectly cured Screw This Screw is no more but a puzling name for the Splint and indeed is no more in its nature and qualification only with this difference as to their location the Splint being ever on the inside of the Leg and the screw on the outside which is less dangerous than the other Now by reason that several Horses have been found and known by several to have had at one and the same time and upon the same leg Leg both these Splints diametrically opposite one to the other some have entertained an opinion so absurd and ridiculous that they have thought they have gone through
cloth till you have made it suck in all the moisture from the Wind-gall so that the Wind-gall be completely dry then take of Pitch Rozin and Mastich of each an equal quantity and being very hot daub it all over the Wind-gall clapping good store of flox upon it of the same colour the Horse is of then either let him run to grass or stay at home it is indifferent so that you let the Plaister stay on till it fall off by its own accord and the Cure will be completed By way of caution take this for a safe Rule which if not observed will prove dangerous use neither Arsnick nor Resalgar to a Wind-gall for if you do the Wind-gall may disappear for a time but it will return again neither must you burn much and pray forbear to make any great Incision for any of these will so convert into hardness the soft substance of the Wind-gall that the Horse will become incurably lame White-water how to make it Because in several places of this Book the white Water is made mention of and prescribed to be drunk in physicking when other Waters are forbidden unless a warm Mash or so I thought good in this place to give you an account what it is to say the truth it is nothing else but insipid water made hot in a clean Kettle and being hot enough it is my custom to put therein a quantity of Wheat-bran or Barley-bran will do as well Now the reason why I would have this white Water used in the administration of Physick is upon a triple account first to prevent giving cold water to drink which may prove dangerous next Mashes are not always to be had or not so proper for the Malady and lastly to keep his bodily heat from being disturbed and therefore you must give him this white Water blood-warm Weakness in the Back I have already treated of some sort of weaknesses hapning to an Horses back but what I shall now speak of differs from them all for this weakness is a kind of biting or fretting of the Reins occasioned by the conflux of many malignant humours flowing abundantly to that place depriving the hinder parts of the Horse both of feeling and strength in such grievous manner that the Horse cannot keep his feet but will immediately fall to the ground when they overflow very much they will make resort to the Heart and will so suffocate the same as to procure sudden death or at least death in four hours time The most approved Remedy that I can hear of is to take good store of blood from the Neck-vein after that draw his back with an hot Iron right out on both sides of the Ridge of his back from the pitch of the Buttock unto an handful within the Saddle and then again overthwart and let every line be an inch one from the other but do not let the strokes be deep and no more burnt than that each may look yellow having so done cause him to swim in some deep pond or river then rowel him upon the Haunches near unto the Huckle-bones after this anoint the Sorrance with Hogs-grease and three-leaved grass stamped together you must continue anointing him herewith till his Back be perfectly cured Water-farcion An Horse comes often to be troubled with the Water-farcion by his mere feeding only that is to say in low Marshy watry grounds and by his grazing in places where the grass grows but a little above the surface of the water whereby he cannot but lick up the water as he feedeth and hence comes the swelling that is so often seen about an Horse's chaps and belly The Cure must be wrought thus Take an Iron made into the fashion of a Fleim and heating it red hot strike through the skin and no further upon the swelling but no where else and let those pricks be several from each stroke or prick you shall see issue a great quantity of yellow grey oily water having let it run a while wash it with Chamber-lye and Salt as hot as the Horse can indure it thus wash the water Farcion but four or five times and it will certainly cure it This washing serves for an ordinary swelling but if the swelling be very great as it often happens then take strong stale Urine Salt and Bolearmoniack the quantity of a large Nutmeg and having boiled them together wash the Sorrance therewith The Signs to know this Water-farcy from a Pocky-farcy are these the swelling will be in great bags as big as a two-penny Loaf sometimes under his belly at other times under his jaws and about his chaps Where note the more you work any Horse that is troubled with any sort of Farcy the sooner you shall complete the Cure and the Horse will thrive the better And you need not to fear working your farcied Horse with another but let them neither stand nor feed together There is besides this Water-farcy a Button-farcy and the signs to distinguish it from any other sort are bunches and knots lying in burbles in the skin some as big as Cherry-stones others as big as Hazel-nuts The Cure must be effected after this manner first take good store of blood from both sides the Horses Neck having so done take some Housleek beat it and strain it through a fine linnen cloth and the juice thereof convey into his ears then take an ounce of Aristolochia and beat it small or grate it the tops of Rew one handful Hogs-grease the quantity of an Egg beat these three last into a Salve and after the Housleek dividing these into two equal proportions put the one part into one ear and the other part into the other ear and having put some wool after it to keep in the Medicine stitch up the ears with a needle then with the point of your Incision-knife make a small hole in his forehead and then with your Cornet raise the skin from his forehead the breadth of your hand round about the hole then take a red Dock-root and slice it and put three pieces thereof into the hole which will draw a great deal of putrefaction from it and that very putrefaction or corruption that comes from it will scald the hair away where it runs when the strength of the root is gone it will drop out of it self and when it is dropt out anoint the place with fresh Butter and then clap thereon a Paister of Burgundy-pitch to keep out the wind let him after this stand upon the bit seven or eight hours and then shall you see him foam and champ as if he were ridden let what you put into his ears stay there eight and forty hours taking this course the knobs or knots will fall in a very little time and the hair will come again on the forehead Wens in the Neck I have treated somewhat already of Wens but nothing of Wens in the Neck these Wens are bunches or kernels upon the skin being a superfluous excrescence the inside whereof is
hill drive your Horse before you lest you run the hazard of losing the reputation of a prudent Horseman If your Horse be fiery and full of metal do not fret or be angry with him but win him by patience and fair means but if you find him dull and sluggish quicken him with your Spur with this proviso that having spur'd him much you will when you find conveniency rub his Spur-galls with water and salt Now as as to Horses several Countries produce Horses of different natures as for example as Mr. Markham observeth the Greek or Turkish Horse is of an excellent constitution being swift bold well-headed tall and strong The Arabian Horse is as swift as the wind and very beautiful to the eye The African or Barbary is full of courage swift and nimble and will not with the Turkey Horse either deserve or endure much beating The Friezland Horse is fiery yet not well conditioned but as for your Flemish Horse he is the worst of any I cannot but approve of the Spanish Jennet being very good swift and light of foot but the Neapolitan for all uses is most excellent and beautiful now for great burthens constant labour and long travel the English Horse exceedeth all that have been named hitherto Your Irish Horse is generally well breasted but I never saw any but what had thin and very uncomely buttocks being evil-natured very sullen weak and unfit for much labour those that are tolerably good are very scarce through the whole Country The most experienced Horsemens observations Your Horse being in health feed him with such dry meats as shall not swell his body as Straw which is excellent good to take up the belly of a running Horse Hay Oats sometimes a little Wheat Beans Barley bread made of Beans or Pease neither are Fitches to be despised and in the giving them observe this order first give him some hay then water and lastly his grain or provender When you are upon a journey look first to your Horse before you look to your self seeing that he be well rub'd down well littered with fresh straw and be sure that you feed your Horse betimes for all night that it may the better concoct and that he may the sooner take his rest I would not advise you to give him of Provender a greater quantity than three pints at a time there is nothing that feeds better and fattens more speedily than bread made either of Beans Pease or Fitches well cleansed If you would have your Horse to feed with an extraordinary appetite take Wine and Salt and rub his mouth therewith In a journey whether at baiting or at night coming to your Inn let not your Horse either eat or drink whilst he is hot but first let him be reduced to his proper temperament In the extremity of heat and cold the labour of your Horse must be always moderate Take not after travel the Saddle off your Horses back too suddenly What-ever you do let no Poultry come within your Stable for should your Horse lick up a feather or swallow any of their dung which casually fell into the Hay or Provender it is of a dangerous consequence Make it frequently your business to ride your Horse on stony ground for by so doing you will reap the benefit of hardening his Hoofs which will the better enable him to travel Have a care of letting your Horse stand near any Mud-wall for I have known Horses not a few which have coveted to eat thereof to their very great prejudice and let his bed be made not of Barley-straw for some Horses love to eat thereof which is unwholsome but let it be of Wheat or rather of Oaten Straw for that is soft and if eaten very wholsom It is the opinion of all that to sprinkle water upon the Hay you give your Horse is wholsom and most sovereign to mingle Fenugreek with his Provender the first is good for the wind and the latter for the worms If your Horse happen to be brought very low and much impoverished by too much labour or some great surfeit get Mares-milk and give it him eight days together and you will perceive a very sensible recovery The best hours for watering are between seven and eight in the morning and four and five in the evening You are to take notice that an Horse takes much delight in rubbing and combing and therein he seems to be sensible what is good for himself for it preserves his health and keeps the strength of body and legs In the Canicular or Dog-days you must have a special care that you do not ride your Horse frequently into the water to qualifie or allay his natural or any other contracted heat Be mindful of often picking and cleansing the bottoms of your Horses feet and stuff them well with Oxe or Cow-dung and now and then anoint his hoofs with fresh Grease and Turpentine When you ride forget not to look often to your Saddle and see that it wring or pinch him not and that his shooes be fast on and that there be no Gravel Stub or Nail got into his foot Lastly according to Northern observation use no other walking than your self upon your Horses back that is to say you must ride him gently to his Inn so cooling him by degrees when in the Stable shake Litter under him and see that every part of his body be rubbed till it be drie not omitting his head then unbridle him and give him Hay but slack no girt in two or three hours and when he drinks let it be but little for fear of too hasty cooling his Stomach Some general Observations on a Smithfield-Jockey The Smithfield Jockeys as some sort of Horses are much the better either for the breed or Country from whence they came There are several Jockeys in every Country of England but none so expert as such as were spawned in York shire who have generally such a natural love for their Horses that their inclinations lead them to ride before they can well go this makes them generally more knowing in Horses than others not only as to riding but as to the several humours and constitutions It is proverbially said that Shake a Bridle over a Yorkshire-Tike's grave and he will rise again I dare not justifie the truth hereof but this I may That many of them will not long be without an Horse if they have but money enough to purchase a Bridle as for a Saddle they can make that themselves so little and yet so commodious that they can carry it in their breeches without discovery Further to prove them Horsemen even from their Cradles look into the Inns especially of London and for one Hostler of any other Country you shall find ten either of York-shire or Lancashire and they are naturally very subtle and crafty To give you a particular account of the humours and practices of these Jockeys and their Hostlers would be a task which would take up too much time and would