APPETITE
,—if good, in either man or beast, ought to be, and in most cases is, a clear criterion and proof of health. However, instances are not wanting, where a rule so seemingly just is sometimes subject to exceptions. The quantity of good and healthy food taken into the frame, is by no means an infallible proof of strength, or of what work the subject is, or ought to be, equal to: some horses are the greatest slugs in nature, though always feeding; while others, who undergo thrice their labour, do not consume even a moderate share of what is placed before them. This is probably one of the latent operations of Nature, upon which it should seem human penetration is not permitted to define, at least to a degree of certainty, in respect to both origin and effect. Scientific aid, and industrious investigation, may do much; but when done, the enquiry will rest upon no better grounds than undefined hypothesis, and unconfirmed conjecture.
Here, then, appears most forcibly, the inutility of going into an enquiry where no certainty of information can be obtained: the labyrinth of perplexity is better unentered, than to explore its most difficult passages in the dark, without even a chance of extrication. We have, indeed, been informed by a publication of late years, that "Appetite is a painful sensation of the stomach, always accompanied with a desire to eat." It might, perhaps, have been less "caviar to the multitude," and much nearer the truth, if appetite had been defined, a pleasing sensation, and hunger a painful one; particularly if (for the sake of a paradox or an iricism) "accompanied with nothing to eat." Waiving, therefore, for the foregoing reasons of uncertainty, any intent of going into a farther disquisition of why the appetite is good or bad, it becomes necessary to proceed to the facts which are known, and to point out the proper remedies to insure relief.
When the appetite of a horse is seemingly never satisfied; when he displays an immoderate and impatient desire for food at all times; when, in failure of repeated supplies of hay and corn, he is constantly consuming his litter, (although it is none of the cleanest;) such a horse is generally, and with strict justice, denominated a coarse and foul feeder; the result of which frequently is, that he soon becomes as foul in his blood, his coat, and condition, as he has previously proved himself in his inclination. The ready road to relief in a case of this kind, is to unload the frame of its accumulated rubbish by a course of physic; the rack rein and the muzzle are then such easy alternatives, that those who do not chuse, or are too indolent, to adopt them, must sit down easy under the defect.
Some there are who attribute the voracious dispositions, and strong digestive powers, of such horses to their being affected with worms. Such reasoning may, with more propriety, be attributed to the fertile imagination of those advocates, than to any effect (of the kind mentioned) in the worms themselves. That (worms being there) disquieting or painful sensations, from some remote or internal cause, may occasion a horse to pull out and disperse his hay, to pick, scrape, and disorder his litter, in proof of disorder or discontent, may readily be conceived; but that absolute pain from the corroding misery of living insects, preying upon the very vitals of an animal, shall give him an increased appetite to eat, is a doctrine that cannot be so readily believed.
Horses of a contrary description, who labour occasionally under a loss of appetite, is no such matter of ambiguity as what has been just described; but may with certainty be ascribed to its proper cause, by minutely attending to such signs, and predominant symptoms, as present themselves to the eye, and to the touch of the diligent enquirer. A loss of appetite in horses whose constitutions are generally good, and who have not been remarked for refusing their corn, or being off their feed, sufficiently indicate some tendency to either slight and temporary indisposition, or impending disease; as cold, cough, febrile heat from the fatigue of a long journey on the road, or exertion in the field; intestinal disquietude, from flatulent affection, or pain in the kidnies; as well as a stricture upon the neck of the bladder, proceeding from a preternatural retention of urine, in having travelled too far "without drawing bit." This is the exulting practice of too many unthinking masters, and indiscreet servants; it, however, holds forth no proof of the goodness of the head or the heart in either one or the other. This defect, proceeding from whatever cause, cannot be too soon properly attended to: early and attentive investigation should be made as the first and most necessary step to the acquisition of relief. Admitting it to have originated in any of those causes already described, there is very little doubt to be entertained, but a moderate bleeding, a cordial ball, a mash of ground malt and bran, equal parts, with warm soft water, and a little nursing, if expeditiously proceeded upon, will soon set all to rights again.
Not so with those whose defect is constitutional, proceeding from an inexplicable degree of irritability, so generally and palpably evident in both attitude and action; in the stable, or out, they never appear perfectly at ease; the eye, the ear, seeming alarmed with every sound, as if in perpetual search of new causes to keep up the unceasing spirit of discontent and eternal disquietude. Upon the road in company, or in the field with hounds, they invariably and impatiently court competition, making the most violent exertions to prove their great, passionate, and ill-tempered desire for superiority; so that horses of this description, after a journey of some length, or a chase of severe duration, are not only off their appetites for two or three days, but hardly fit to be seen again for a week. They are mostly light, and what is termed fluey in the carcase; carry no flesh, with or without work; and for that reason, do no credit in appearance to their master. Yet, strange as it may appear to those unacquainted with the fact, horses or mares of this restless, unsettled disposition, are almost so invariably good and persevering in nature, that they will continue to exert themselves, till, becoming totally exhausted, they must sink under fatigue, rather than permit themselves to be restrained; a palpable contrast in spirit to those voracious, gummy-legged gluttons, who, after an insatiate series of gormandizing and rest, absolutely tire (or "knock up") in the second stage, or first twenty miles, of a journey.
This defect, (or more properly deficiency in appetite and disinclination of food,) whether proceeding from the fiery volatility of temper impatient of restraint, or a peculiar laxity of the parts necessary to strong digestion, is so clearly inherent, so truly constitutional, that a well-founded expectation of permanent relief, or total eradication, is not to be formed upon any change that can be made in food, or improvement in attention. Such horses, however, if their paces are good, and they are desirable in other respects, should not be too hastily disposed of; instances having been very frequent, where horses of such irritable habit, and fretful disposition, when young, have, when accustomed to the same stable, gentle usage, and to one rider only, become as settled feeders, good goers, round carcased and firm fleshed horses as any in the kingdom. Some inducement to feed after the fatigues (or frettings) just recited, may be attempted by the means before described; few occasions will occur where the malt mashes will be refused; the novel fragrancy attracts attention, and when once taken, its invigorating property soon appears. In cases where the stomach continues weak, the carcase thin, and appetite not restored, an occasional use of the pectoral cordial balls, once or even twice a day, is the proper substitute for aliment, and will seldom or ever fail to produce the desired effect.