mounted from the near (left) side, which naturally makes them turn more readily to it, than to the right side. Many chase courses in India are very dusty, so it is often, on that account, advisable to get away in front, if possible, at the start, so as to be able to take one's own line and not have to ride in a cloud of dust behind other horses. The remarks I have made on race riding, also apply, within certain limits, to chasing. CHAPTER XI. Management of Horses on Board Ship. As my experience extends only to the transport of single horses on boardship, and not to that of large numbers, I shall confine my remarks to the former. The frogs and soles of a horse's feet, before he is embarked, should be hard, strong, and as fully developed as possible. Hence it is advisable to let him go bare foot for a couple of months beforehand, or to shoe him à la Charlier, or with tips, while the crust and heels are kept low, and to forbid all paring of the soles and frogs with the drawing knife, or stopping with cowdung, &c. If thrush be present, the animal's feet should be treated for it without delay. (See Veterinary Notes for Horse Owners.) Shortly before being put on board, the shoes (if they be used) should be taken off, and the heels and walls of the hoofs should again be lowered, so as to obtain frog and sole pressure as much as possible. The foregoing precautions are most necessary in order to lessen the possibility of the animal getting inflammation of the feet (laminitis) from long standing. I believe that I am not incorrect in saying that fully half of the horses, which come from England to India, suffer more or less from this most serious disease. For ten days or so before sailing, the horse should be put on laxative food, if he be at all gross, so that his system may be as little prone as possible to the attacks of any kind of inflammation. With this object in view, I would advise a bran mash every night, and carrots and green fodder, with very little corn. The amount of food to be laid in for a voyage can be calculated on the following allowance— The linseed may be given as a mash, from time to time. Besides this, a bag and a half of sand per week should be allowed for the animal to stand on. The following articles of clothing, &c., will be necessary A suit of warm clothing complete. A waterproof sheet. A pair of knee-caps. Head collar and side reins. Watering bridle. Brush and curry comb. Hoof pricker. Half-a-dozen cotton rubbers. A sponge. A large pot for boiling linseed, &c. The rugs may, with advantage, be covered with canvas. It is advisable to lay in a few medicines, &c., as follows: Six physic balls (containing 41 drachms of aloes). ... 4 oz. ... ... ... ... Tincture of myrrh and aloes (for abrasions) 6 oz. A pair of leather shoes for fomenting the feet. A horse should be provided with a box in which to live. Its dimensions may be as follows: It should be provided with doors at both ends, so that the horse may walk into it whichever way it is turned. The framework of the box may be composed of beams of the following dimensions At the side of each doorway, a strong wrought iron support should pass underneath the box, and come half way up the upright beams to which it should be securely rivetted, and should, at its extremities, be provided with massive iron rings to enable the box to be hoisted over the side by means of the crane. Two additional iron supports, passing under the box, should be attached to the next two uprights, in order to give increased strength. The two doors should be very strong, and should be made to take off readily. The inside of the box should be thoroughly well padded through its entire extent. Straw padding, covered with canvas, is very ineffective, for it soon gets hard and works downwards, leaving the upper portions of the woodwork unprotected. I would strongly advise the use of large pieces of felt, to be secured by being laced through holes bored in the planking, so that the employment of nails of any sort, next the horse, should be dispensed with. Five semi-circular iron bars, to put on and take off, should be placed over the top of the box to give it stability and to afford support to tarpaulins, during wet, weather, or to a canvas shade, during fine. |