HORSES.
The average weight of artillery horses is 10 cwt. 2 qrs.
An allowance of 27 square feet is generally made for each horse standing at picket, or three feet in breadth, and nine feet in depth.[20] A horse should seldom be made to draw more than three cwt. besides the weight of the carriage. With great burthens, less weight must be allowed for each horse to draw than with medium burthens; as with a team of horses, the leaders cannot draw so much as the horses nearer the carriage, and the disadvantage must increase in proportion to the lengthening of the team.
| { 4 | horses may each draw | 6 cwt. | Total, | 24 cwt. | ||
| A Team of { 6 | do. | do. | 5 do. | 30 do. | ||
| { 8 | do. | do. | 4 do. | 36 do. | ||
| { 12 | do. | do. | 4 do. | 48 do. | ||
These weights include the carriages. It is usual, however, in heavy carriages, to reckon all their weight exceeding twelve cwt. as part of the load.
The most useful mode of applying a horse’s power is in draught, and the worst is in carrying a load. This is owing to the structure of the animal. It has been found that three men, carrying each 100 lb., will ascend a hill with greater rapidity than one horse carrying 300 lb. When a horse has a large draught in a waggon, however, it is found useful to load his back to a certain extent, this prevents him from inclining so much forward as he would otherwise do, and consequently frees him from the fatigue of great muscular action. The best disposition of the traces in draught is when they are perpendicular to the collar; when the horse stands at ease, the traces are then inclined to the horizon, at an angle of about 15°; but when he leans forward to draw, the traces should then become nearly parallel to the road. The most proper inclination, however, is determined from the relation which subsists between the friction, and the pressure, in every particular case.
When a horse is employed in moving a machine, by travelling in a circular path, the diameter of the path ought not to be less than twenty-five or thirty feet, and in most cases forty feet should be preferred: at all events, it must not be less than eighteen feet.
The following table shows the maximum quantity of labour, which a horse of average strength is capable of performing at different velocities, on canals, railways, and turnpike roads; but in comparing this table with practice at the higher velocities, it is reckoned necessary to add one-third more than the useful effect for the total mass moved.
| Velocities per hour. | Day’s work. | Force of traction. | Useful effect per Day for a distance of one Mile on a | |||
| Canal. | Level railway. | Level road. | ||||
| Miles. | Hours. | lb. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | |
| 2½ | 11·5 | } | { | 520 | 115 | 14 |
| 3 | 8· | } | { | 243 | 92 | 12 |
| 3½ | 5·9 | } | { | 153 | 82 | 10 |
| 4 | 4·5 | } | { | 102 | 72 | 9 |
| 5 | 2·9 | } | 83⅓ { | 52 | 57 | 7·2 |
| 6 | 2· | } | { | 30 | 48 | 6 |
| 7 | 1·5 | } | { | 19 | 41 | 5·1 |
| 8 | 1·8 | } | { | 12·8 | 36 | 4·5 |
| 9 | ·9 | } | { | 9 | 32 | 4 |
| 10 | ·75 | } | { | 6·6 | 28·8 | 3·6 |
Result of experiments with a light four-wheeled cart, weighing with its load 1000 lb., drawn upon different sorts of roads, (12½ lb. having been deducted from the force of traction for the friction at the axles, which were of wood).
| Turnpike-road, | hard, dry | 18 | } Force of traction |
| Do. | dirty | 26½ | } required to move the |
| Do. | new gravelled | 130½ | } carriage, independent of |
| Loose sandy road | 191½ | } the friction at the axles. | |
| Note.—An ox can draw about 4 cwt., and a pair of oxen 9 cwt., on a level road. | |||
MANAGEMENT OF DRAUGHT HORSES.
Whatever the difficulties of a road or ground may be, ten horses are as many as can be harnessed with effect to one carriage. It is difficult for a greater number to act at the same instant, even if the pull be straight.
Before a carriage moves, the traces should be equally stretched out, that at the word “March” every horse may act steadily at the same instant on the carriage, and not by jerks.
The distance of one horse’s length between the carriages is always to be maintained on the best road, to prevent fatigue and unnecessary stoppage to the horses. In bad or difficult roads it may be necessary to increase the distance to double, or perhaps more, according to the nature of the ground.
After going up a short steep hill, the horses should be halted, but when that cannot be done, they ought to move slowly to recover their wind. Should the ascent be long, and steep, the road in a bad state, or when from any other cause the exertion is likely to be very great for the horses, a part of the carriages should halt, the leaders of them be hooked on to those in front, and when they arrive at the top, as many leaders sent back as may be necessary.
In going up a hill, a carriage may be halted to rest the horses, by bringing them across it, and locking the limber.
Whenever the ruts are very deep, the carriages must quarter the road, and if the road is narrow, and sunk between banks, the horses should be left to themselves, and not be hurried.
In passing over deep furrows, or small ditches or drains, the carriages should cross them obliquely: when they are crossed perpendicularly, the horses not only encounter greater difficulty, but they, as well as the harness, suffer much from the jerks. The former line of march should be resumed as soon as they are passed.
HORSE-SHOES.
NEW PATTERN.
There are three sizes of horse-shoes in the service, and also a smaller size made for mules.
| Size. | lb. | oz. | ||||
| Weight | { 1st | } (not including the weight of nails) | 7 | 0¼ | ||
| of | { 2nd | } | do. | do. | 6 | 4½ |
| set. | { 3rd | } | do. | do. | 4 | 8½ |
| { Mules | } | do. | do. | 2 | 14 | |
NAILS.
LENGTH, WEIGHT, NUMBER, ETC.
| 1st size. | { No. of nails* | 8 | 9 | 10 } | 5½ oz. | } |
| Largest. | { No. of each required | 16 | 8 | 8 } | } | |
| } Weight | ||||||
| 2nd size. | { No. of nails* | 7 | 8 | 9 } | 4½ oz. | } of set. |
| { No. of each required | 8 | 12 | 12 } | } | ||
| } 32 Nails. | ||||||
| 3rd size. | { No. of nails* | 5 | 6 | 7 } | 3½ oz. | } |
| { No. of each required | 8 | 8 | 16 } | } |
| No. of Nails. | Length of Nails. | Weight of 1000 Nails. | |
| 188 | 2¾ | inches. | 10 lb. |
| 187 | 2½ | — | 9 — |
| 186 | 2⅜ | — | 8 — |
| 185 | 2¼ | — | 7 — |
| 184 | 2⅛ | — | 6 — |
| 183 | 2 | — | 5 — |
*Note.—These several nails are known by farriers according to their No.—viz., when they say shoes require nails, Nos. 8, 9, 10, this implies nails of 8, 9, and 10 pounds per thousand nails.
FORAGE.
Method observed in carrying one day’s forage.
Non-commissioned Officers, and Trumpeters.—One feed of oats in the nose bag, and buckled to the near-ring of the saddle. Three feeds in the corn bag, and carried across the saddle. Twelve pounds of hay twisted, and rolled up into two bundles, each nine inches long, carried at the ends of the kitt, and made fast with the forage cord, one end to pass in front, and the other in the rear of the kitt, making it fast by two hitches.
Drivers.—One feed of oats for each horse, carried in the nose-bags, and made fast to the rear staples of the off-horses’ saddles. Three feeds for each horse (six feeds) in the corn bag, carried across the saddle of the near horse. The hay is twisted and rolled up into two bundles of twelve pounds, each eighteen inches long; carried on the off-horse at the ends of the kitt; the end of one forage cord passing in front of the kitt, the end of the other forage cord passing in rear of the kitt, both ends being made fast by two half hitches.
If a waggon accompanies the battery, the officers’ horses’ forage will be carried in it; if not, the oats are to be divided between the sub-divisions, and the hay carried on the foot board in front of the body of the waggon.
In heavy marching order, when forage is not ordered to be carried.
Non-commissioned Officers, and Trumpeters.—The nose bags are rolled up and buckled to the near-ring of the saddle. Forage cord, currycomb and brush, mane-comb, picker, and sponge, are made fast to the off-ring.
DAILY RATION FOR ONE HORSE.
| Oats. | Hay or Grass. | Straw. | ||
| lb. | lb. | lb. | lb. | |
| In Quarters | 8 | 18 | .. | 6 |
| In Barracks | 10 | 12 or 36 | 8 | |
| A load of Hay, or Straw | 36 trusses. | |||
| A truss of Hay | 56 lb. | |||
| Ditto Straw | 36 lb. | |||
VETERINARY DIRECTIONS.[21]
MASSES.
The ordinary dose of every Mass is One ounce (Avoirdupois).
No. I.—Cathartic Mass.
One ounce of this Mass made into a ball is a Dose of physic.
A Ball contains seven drams of Aloes, the remaining dram being made up with Ol. olivar, Ol. carui, and water.
Any horse to which a dose of physic is given, should be fed on bran mashes, in lieu of corn, until its operation has ceased. If there be no cause for its immediate administration, let ample bran mashes be given, by way of preparation, in lieu both of hay and corn, during one day, and the ball administered the following morning, after the horse is sufficiently watered, and a couple of hours at least before his bran mash be given him. Exercise also, during the day, is advisable. The following day, early in the morning, after the horse has had water, with the chill taken off, offered him, till he refuses to drink more, let him be walked out briskly for one hour, unless he purge; in which case let him be returned to the stable, littered down, frequently watered, and plentifully supplied with bran mashes. But should the physic not operate at the expiration of his exercise, nor after he has remained four succeeding hours in the stable, let him be exercised for another hour; and he may be gently trotted at this time should he still show no signs of purging; let it be here understood, however, that in no case is a horse in physic to be galloped. To insure purgation, water is no less requisite than exercise.
Should the animal continue to purge on the third day, let his bran be eaten dry, and let him be kept short of water, and without exercise, until the physic be set. As soon as his dung shall have put on its natural appearance and consistence, the usual ration of provender may be restored, and he may return to duty.
If the horse has been lately taken up from grass, or be low in condition, or light-carcassed, six drams of the mass is generally a sufficient dose; but if he be of large size, and in high condition, even nine drams may be occasionally required.
Horses of a costive habit, whose dung-balls are small and not of their natural colour—whose coats are rough and skins tight upon their ribs, and who do not thrive, require physic. Purging balls are also given with benefit to horses that have mange, or itchy skins—swelled legs, or grease—fever in the feet—inflamed eyes—staggers—locked jaw—any swellings from blows or wounds, &c.
When a sick or lame horse requires physic, to whom exercise would be injurious, let the dose be increased by one or two drams; and to him the ball may be given at any time—either day, or night—he may stand in need of it; in order that its operation may be as speedy as possible.
To a horse not labouring under active disease, a second dose of physic is not to be administered prior to the seventh day; but to a sick one, should the case be urgent, the dose may be repeated at the expiration of twenty-four hours.
Horses suffering from coughs, discharges from the nose, or inflammation of the lungs, are not to have full doses of purgative medicine given them, but the febrifuge, or sedative mass should be given.
No. II.—Febrifuge Mass.
A ball contains—Aloes one dram, Antim. tart. one dram, Nitre two drams, and Common Turpentine three drams.
In fever, also in cough or discharge from the nose in which fever is present, this mass is especially useful; and if the fever be violent, the horse ought to lose three or four quarts of blood before the ball is given. Let the animal be warmly clothed—a hood be worn in catarrh—be littered down, have bran mashes in lieu of corn, and be kept still and quiet in a well-ventilated box. The ball may be administered once or twice a day according to the symptoms; but it must be discontinued whenever it seems to affect the appetite, or should purging appear to be coming on. The appetite being restored, and the dung in balls again, should it be required, the ball may be repeated.
No. III.—Sedative Mass.
A ball contains—Digitalis one scruple, Antim. tart. one dram, Nitre two drams, Linseed meal three drams, and Treacle three drams.
In case of inflammation of the lungs, these balls are especially beneficial—a disease in which colds and coughs not unfrequently terminate. After having drawn four or five, or even six quarts of blood, according to the violence of the symptoms and the apparent strength of the animal, give a sedative ball three times a day at regular intervals. Let the sides of the chest be well rubbed with some of the blistering liquid, clothe warmly and hand-rub the legs, making use of the turpentine liniment from time to time until they become warm; and bandage them with flannel. Keep the stable well ventilated.
Should the symptoms continue unabated, four or five quarts more blood must be taken away at the expiration of four or five hours from the first bleeding, and the operation may be repeated again in six should the animal continue unrelieved.
Let the horse be littered down, and have bran mashes. No exercise.
No. IV.—Diuretic Mass.
A ball contains—Common Turpentine half an ounce, Nitre two drams, and Sulphur two drams.
Diuretic or urine balls may be given in all cases in which they may be required, one every third night: seldom is it necessary to administer one every other night, and still more rarely every night.
Should the flow of urine prove abundant—the horse frequently making efforts to stale, and groaning in so doing; or if he cannot stale, but appear to experience pain about the loins and hips, and to be stiff in moving those parts, diuretic balls must on no account be given.
Diuretics are beneficial in recent swelled legs; linen bandages and walking exercise being had recourse to at the same time. They are also useful in watery farcy, dropsy, and puffy or watery swelling of all kinds.
No. V.—Alterative Mass.
A ball contains—Aloes one dram, Calomel a scruple, Sulphur half an ounce, and Treacle three drams.
To ill-conditioned horses that do not thrive, notwithstanding they eat and appear otherwise in health—to horses that rub themselves, or that have small lumps or bare places upon the skin (not mange), balls made up of this mass are serviceable; one may be given every day for a week, or every other day for a fortnight, unless the horse should purge, when they are to be omitted, and had recourse to again in the course of a week or ten days.
Bruised corn, hay cut into chaff, and frequent and full supplies of water, contribute to restore such horses to condition. Walking exercise once or twice a day, according to the strength and thrift of the horse, is also recommended.
No. VI.—Tonic Mass.
A ball contains—Blue Vitriol one dram, Verdigris half a dram, Linseed meal four drams, and Treacle two drams.
These balls may be administered with advantage to horses affected with farcy, or under suspicion of glanders, after the swelling and inflammation attendant upon those diseases have been abated by bleeding, purging, and diuretic medicines.
Not more than one ought to be given in the space of twenty-four hours; nor on any account should the dose be continued unless the horse’s appetite is good; as soon as he refuses any part of his provender, or appears to be in any manner affected by the medicine, let the ball be omitted.
No. VII.—Anti-spasmodic Draught.
This draught is prepared for horses that become griped, after the following manner:—
Mix together two ounces of Spirits of Turpentine, and one ounce of Tincture of Opium, and add a pint and a half of warm water.
In mild cases of gripes this single draught will generally suffice; but in violent attacks, four or five quarts of blood ought to be immediately taken away, and the draught, after an interval of a couple of hours, repeated; also two or three ounces of the turpentine liniment should be well rubbed upon the surface of the belly. If no dung is passed, let the horse be raked, and have clysters of salt and water (about four ounces of salt dissolved in four quarts of water) thrown up every hour until the bowels be relaxed. When the horse continues to lie down and rise in the stall, and to roll upon his back, relief will frequently be given by walking exercise for ten minutes.
Those cases, in which the symptoms do not intermit, and in which the pulse and breathing are much quickened, are not gripes, but inflammation of the bowels. Take away five or six quarts of blood without loss of time, and give a draught composed of eight or ten drams of aloes dissolved in a pint and a half of hot water,[22] with the addition of an ounce of tincture of opium, inject clysters frequently, rub a blister upon the belly, composed of equal parts of oil of turpentine and blistering liquid, wrap the legs in flannel bandages, making use of the turpentine liniment to the legs if cold, and clothe warmly. Water, with the chill taken off, should be plentifully given; or, what is better, water-gruel.
If the symptoms do not speedily subside, draw three or four quarts of blood again, and repeat the blister to the belly, and clysters and turpentine liniment to the legs if not warm.
No. VIII.—Vermifuge Powder.
Three drams of this powder, containing one dram of Calomel and two drams of Tartarized antimony, form a dose.
To be given in a bran mash at night to a horse having worms, and to be followed up by the administration of a dose of physic the following morning—paying attention to the directions already laid down under the head—Cathartic Mass. The powder and physic may be repeated in the course of a week or ten days.
No. IX.—Anti-purgation Powder.
This powder is composed of prepared Chalk half a pound, Cinnamon four ounces, Tormentil three ounces, Gum arabic three ounces, and Long pepper half an ounce, reduced to a fine powder, and mixed together, with the addition of Gum opium.
An ounce of the powder, which contains only a scruple of gum opium, may be administered in a quart of gruel, in cases of continued purging or scouring, every four or five hours, or as circumstances may require, but its use is to be discontinued when the purging is checked.
No. X.—Discutient Powders.
This powder is composed of Zinc vitriol three drams, and Bole armen. one dram.
A lotion, composed of half an ounce of this powder, and one quart of water, is a proper application to sore backs, and to recent swellings from blows or injuries of any kind.
Bandages may be used, wetted with this lotion, in sprains of the back sinews.
No. XI.—Astringent Powder.
This powder is composed of Linseed meal half an ounce, Powdered alum half an ounce, Blue vitriol half a dram, and Bole armen. two drams.
This powder is prepared principally for grease and thrushes, but it is also a good dressing for unhealthy sores—or sores in which there is proud flesh.
In cases of grease, when the discharge is but little, and not very offensive, besprinkle the affected parts with this powder; let the horse be exercised in the morning and afternoon; and, if the legs be swollen, let a diuretic ball be occasionally administered.
But should the discharge be copious and fetid, apply to the heels, by means of pledgets of tow and linen bandages, a liniment composed of this powder and oil. This dressing ought to continue undisturbed for two or three days; during which time a dose of physic may be administered with considerable benefit. Let his food consist of bran mashes. As soon as the dressings shall have been removed, the animal ought to be exercised for two hours, the heels afterwards wiped dry, and the liniment again applied, unless the discharge have ceased; in which case the powder sprinkled upon the part, as above recommended, and a diuretic or two will complete the cure. Should the case require a repetition of the liniment, purging balls are preferable to diuretics.
Of horses that have thrushes, lower the heels, that the frog may be upon a level with the heels of the shoe, pare out the cleft with a small drawing-knife, so as to cut away the ragged parts of it, and introduce a little of the astringent powder daily, at the evening stable hour. If heat be perceptible in the foot, a dose of physic may be given at the same time.
No. XII.—Ophthalmic Powder.
This powder is composed of Sugar of lead two drams, Turmeric half a dram.
So long as the eyes appear red and angry, nothing but cold water should be made use of to them, with which they ought to be continually wet. At the same time, if there be much inflammation, take four or five quarts of blood from that side of the neck corresponding to the affected eye, or from both sides, should both eyes be bad.
When the inflammation is abated, sponge the eyes and eyelids with a lotion, made by dissolving a quarter of an ounce of this powder in a quart of cold spring water, several times in the course of the day.
In every case in which it is found advisable to draw blood, a dose of physic is recommended.
No. XIII.—Blistering Liquid.
This liquid is composed of Cantharides four ounces, and Linseed oil a pint and a half.
For sore throat and jugged swellings, in glanders, or farcy—for inflammation of the lungs, and inflammation of the bowels, the blistering liquid is a proper application.
For spavins, splints, old strains, curbs, ringbones, windgalls, thoroughpins, and other enlargements of joints that have no heat in them, and swellings in general which will not yield to simple remedies, this liquid may likewise be used.
Let a small quantity of it be well rubbed in with the hand—without the hair being cut off—and let the same be repeated at the expiration of six hours, should it not have taken effect.
About one table spoonful of this mixture is sufficient for the throat, two for the leg, three for the side or the chest, and so on.
No. XIV.—Turpentine Liniment.
This liniment is composed of equal parts of Spirits of turpentine, and Linseed oil.
In cases of sore throat and cough, this liniment will be found very useful, as well as in cases of inflammation of the lungs, and fever, where the legs are cold, making use at the same time of flannel bandages, and repeating the liniment every two or three hours, until they become warm.
Half an ounce will be found sufficient for a leg, or for the throat, and requires to be well rubbed in.
No. XV.—Turpentine Ointment.
It is composed of equal parts of Common turpentine, and Hog’s lard.
This ointment is the best application that can be made use of in case of treads or wounds on the coronet, between hair and hoof; a small quantity is to be spread upon a pledget of tow, and bound on with a bandage. It is likewise a good dressing for broken knees, or cuts, and to promote the action of rowels.
No. XVI.—Black Oil.
It is composed of Olive oil one pint, Spirits of turpentine half a pint, and Acid vitriol two drams.
In recent wounds, such as broken knees, or other lacerated wounds, this will be found a good dressing to promote healthy and speedy granulation. It may be applied to extensive wounds by means of a feather; and in cases of broken knees, a pledget of tow is to be bound on with a tail bandage. It is likewise a good application for sitfasts, produced by the pressure of the saddle.
No. XVII.—Hoof Ointment.
This ointment is composed of Tar, and Train oil, equal parts.
This ointment is intended for brittle feet, or such as have sand cracks.
By mixing one part of the ointment with two of train oil, it forms a good application for mange.