your hand in the mouth, draw the tongue a little out; place the fingers of the left hand over it, and keep it firmly in this position by pressure against the jawnot holding the tongue by itself, as a restless horse, by suddenly drawing back or sideways while his tongue is tightly held, may seriously injure himself.

The ball, having been oiled to cause it to pass easily, is to be taken between the tips of the fingers of the right hand, and then, making the hand as small as possible, pass the ball up the mouth by the roof to avoid injury from the teeth. Directly the ball is landed well up on the root of the tongue, take away that hand, and as soon as it is out of the mouth, let the left hand release the tongue, which, in the act of being drawn to its proper place, will help the ball down.

An assistant standing at the near side may be useful to hand the ball to the operator, and to gently keep the jaws open while the ball is being given.

Have a warm drink ready to give immediately after the ball is taken.

It may be remarked that in racing stables, where such things are generally well done, young and small boys will, quite alone, coolly take spirited, and often vicious animals, and in the most gentle manner administer the ball, unsuspected by the beast himself, who is hardly made aware of the operation he is undergoing.

To give a Drench.-Turn the animal round in his stall as in administering a ball. Use a cow's horn, the wide end having been closed up by a tinman.

Pour in the liquid at the narrow end, the mouth of which should be an inch in diameter.

The operator, standing on the off side, should have

an assistant; both should be tall, or make themselves so by standing on firm stools or a form.

The assistant must raise the horse's head till his mouth is above the level of his forehead, and keep it in that elevated position steadily while the drench is administered-such position being necessary to facilitate the passage of the liquid down the throat by its own gravity, the tongue not being here an available agent, as with the ball.

The operator, taking the wide end of the horn in his right hand, can steady and assist himself by holding the upper jaw with his left, and, leaving the tongue at liberty, will discharge the drench from the horn below the root of the tongue if possible.

A proper drenching-horn should be always kept at hand, and be well cleaned after use.

A glass bottle should never on any account be substituted for the instrument.

proper

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.

Give two hours' brisk walking exercise in clothes about six or eight hours after the administration of the

purge, and next morning, after a mash and watering (always with warm water), two more hours of the same exercise in clothes; but be careful not to sweat the horse. See page 155.

If the evacuations be fully free, less exercise is necessary; otherwise, in a couple of hours repeat the walking at a brisk pace. When the desired effect of the medicine has been satisfactorily produced, hay and corn may be gradually resorted to.

While an animal is under the operation of purgative medicine the water and mashes should be warmed, and the body well protected from cold by clothing and the exclusion of draughts.

The ordinary purge, consisting of Barbadoes aloes 4 drachms, extract gentian 2 drachms, is mixed into a mass by any chemist. With some delicate horses, subject to looseness, this purge may be too strong, and should be reduced by a drachm of aloes and half a drachm of gentian.

On the contrary, with large horses of a full habit, 5 drachms of Barbadoes aloes, or even more, may be necessary, with 2 drachms of gentian. In all cases where there is reason to suppose that the mucous surfaces of the alimentary canal may be in a state of irritation, it is much safer to give linseed-oil, say a pint at a time, to which may be added, if speedy purging be essential, twenty drops of croton oil.

The use of old dry hay will be found the most simple and ready primary resource to stop purging and steady the action of the bowels, and a very little bruised oats may also be given in such cases.

Should the purge appear to gripe, copious clysters of warm water will afford relief.

THE PULSE

is easily found by placing the two forefingers under the middle of the horse's jowl or cheek-bone. The novice can feel about here till he discovers pulsation, and having once made himself acquainted with its seat, he will be the better able to judge of a horse when apparently out of sorts.

Inside the forearm, and in other spots, the pulse is equally superficial, but under the edge of the cheek-bone is the most convenient place to find it, or at the temple.

A horse's pulse in health beats from about 32 to 38 a minute-the smaller the animal the faster the circulation will be.

In brain affections the pulse is slower than natural; it is quickest in inflammation of the serous and fibrous membranes-much slower in the mucous ones.

DISEASES OF THE HEAD AND RESPIRATORY ORGANS.

Glanders. As there is really no cure for this horrible disease, I will not attempt any dissertation upon it, but, merely referring to the remarks upon nasal gleet, page 116, advise all, whenever they have the least suspicion about the latter, to consult a veterinary surgeon immediately.

The only preventive against the disease is to keep and work your horses in a reasonable manner, give them plenty of pure air at all times, and to guard them as carefully as possible from contagion.