PURGING.
Whenever an animal accustomed to high feeding and hard work is from any cause laid by, it is most desirable (in pursuance of the golden rule that prevention is better than cure) to take such opportunity to relax the hitherto tightly-strung bow, by administering a mild purge.
The object of this precaution is, that the absorbents, having been accustomed to a perpetual call as the result of perspiration induced by work, are liable, when the beast is left at rest for several days, and this call is thus discontinued, to take on unhealthy action, and engender diseases, the most fatal of which is that scourge “Farcy.”
How many a fine horse, to all appearance in the best condition, have I seen stricken with this fell malady, from no other accountable cause than that which it is hereby proposed to guard against; besides, every one knows that any animal kept at rest and fed up is more predisposed to all kinds of inflammatory attacks, and when thus visited the system more readily succumbs.
More than this, every practical man is aware that an occasional aloetic purge improves the health, condition, and vigour of a horse.
It seems as if the aloes acted as a powerful tonic and renovator as well as purge.
What trainer will think of putting a lusty or ill-conditioned animal into “fettle” without employing this purge as a partial means?
It is very dangerous to give a purging medicine to a horse without first preparing the bowels by relaxing them moderately with bran mashes.
This is best done by giving about three or four sloppy mashes, three in the course of the day preceding the administration of the purge (reducing the quantity of hay to one-third the usual amount), and one the first thing next morning, no water or hay being given beforehand that day; about two or three hours after the mash, administer the purge, giving just before and after it as much warm water as the beast will drink.
No hay should be allowed this day or night, but as many sloppy mashes as will be accepted should be given.