Laminitis or Foot Founders.—Remove the shoes, place the feet in hot water for an hour, poultice twice a day for four or five days. As the horse is without exercise, give him a gentle purgative, half to a quart of linseed oil, two drams of ginger, one dram nux vomica as a drench, then four ounces of nitrate of potash and four drams gentian, known as founder powder, daily.
Chills, after violent exertion when the horse is unfit for work, or from undue exposure. Clothe warmly, rub ears and legs, and give stimulants, one and one-half ounce spirits of nitrous ether, one-half ounce aromatic spirits of ammonia to one pint of water, is a valuable remedy in any case of prostration.
Strained or bruised tendons,—first hot fomentations, then a cooling lotion, such as vinegar and water; or two ounces witch-hazel, two ounces spirits of camphor, two ounces laudanum; or four ounces acetate of ammonia, four ounces spirits of wine, eight ounces water.
Lameness had best be left for diagnosis to the expert, unless the lameness is the result of injury and the seat of the trouble plainly visible. Firing and blistering should be a last resort.
Do not expect too much of the veterinary; except in simple cases their task is often a blind one. The best way to save trouble is to begin at the beginning, by studying the horse, the stable, the food, and the care of the horses yourself; and this elementary knowledge, with careful handling when the horses are in harness or under saddle, make the best "ball," "drench," "lotion," or "fomentation" known.
It is not intended in this chapter to suggest more than can be understood and carried out by an intelligent man, with a few simple and non-dangerous remedies.
Rice-water gruel, made thick, is a soothing drink, and useful in continued scouring or diarrhœa.
Alcohol is to be rubbed into the skin of horses who are apt to chafe easily under harness or saddle. It hardens the skin.
Vinegar and water is a cooling lotion.
Fomentation means the continued application of hot cloths wrung out to the injured part.