Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

WE

[ocr errors]

are informed by report, that the old Sportsman, author of the present small publication, is the same gentleman formerly the competitor in a double sense, with the celebrated Colonel Thornton, This is a new, and honourable endeavour in Mr. Flint, to signalise himself, in which, however, we much apprehend he will not enjoy all the success we would wish him; partly from the nature of the case, and partly from the defect of his not being altogether well trained and disciplined for such an attempt.

In the first place, this boarded pamphlet, with its thin pages, thick paper, and comely, legible type, good qualifications no doubt considered by themselves, is rated too high in shillings and pence for extensive circulation. John Bull has a new and expensive war to VOL. XLVI.-No. 272,

maintain, additional to the absolute necessity of providing bub and grub for Self and Co.; and even when he had not, he was never disposed to expend his money in high-priced books about horses. The buyers of veterinary books have ever been a certain limited number in this country; although the justly celebrated and esteemed Bracken's work has passed through upwards of twenty large editions The number of Mr. Flint's competitors, in the small way, that is, the manual form, is great indeed, aud many of them, we fear, are masters of too much weight for him, in most respects. A collation will prove to every 'discerning reader, that he is sufficiently beholding to previous writers, and that his own proper practical knowledge might easily have been contained in a few pages. The make-weights, then, in this little book, are the natural history of the horse, with other common places on the subject, on which little or no new light is thrown; a most eloquent morceaú on mad dogs, garnished with the reign of one Sirius, a baker-doors barred, and the tender mother hug ging close her darling babe!a quotation from Mister Somerville, and an appendix on horse law, which teaches us, Chapter II p 137, that "stealing is the felonious taking and carrying away the personal goods of another.":

After all, we have but one serious objection to make to this gentleman's book, but it is a serious one indeed; and the subject of it deserves most truly to be made a matter of conscience by

every man.'

We allude to bis pro fession of medicine, and attempt to prescribe upon his own autho rity, which, from internal evidence, we take upon_us to decide Mr.

Р

Flint,

Flint has no right to do, being seriously inclined to think that, in a matter of such kind, the opinion of the doctor and his patient might be nearly upon a level; in many cases, the balance would strongly incline to the judgment of the horse, were it consulted. There is not a more dangerous or more cruel foolery, in all that is going, than that of quackery by gentlemen, gentlewomen, farriers, and cow feaches. Mr. Flint, it is true, selects and borrows with some little -skill, but we fancy we perceive original improvements of his, which are truly laughable, and evince his equal skill in medicine, chiromancy, aud alchymy, to be admirable.There is, however, one peculiarly pleasing and important feature in the book. He seems to have adopted almost all the enlightened and humane opinions and practices on his subject; a most meritorious quality in himself, and a reflection highly consolatory to those, who have dedicated their lives and labours to such improvement in the public mind.

After this general view, our remaining duty is to remark on such particular passages as may demand attention, and to submit specimens of the work, by quotation, to the judgment of the reader.

Mr. Flint starts with a crack or

courtly inscription to the Prince Regent and the nobles of the land; and it certainly contains that, which every flattering inscription to greatness does not-namely, this indubitable truth, the breeding and improvement of horses for the turf, chace, &c. have been exclu sively the meritorious and honourable work of our high aristocracy and sportsmen. The advertisement trems with a becoming confidence,

which surely may as well befit a Yorkshireman, as an Irishman.

Page 21 contains an observation far beyond our poor praise; wor thy indeed of the Gibsons and the Brackens, or of Esculapius himself; and serving to confirm a sentiment we just now ventured of this author, namely, that his general ideas are correct. "The most certain method towards the removal of a disease, is to find its origin." It is curious that the sensible and generally well-informed Bartlet should controvert a position grounded like that.

P. 24, Mr. F.'s adoption of the ancient notion of old horses and mares producing old colts, is not quite in so good a vein. We could never observe any of those marks of age, which Mr. F. notes, in the stock of Match'em, begotten after he had become so aged and feeble as to require men's assistance to mount the mare, and when he stood in daily need of cow's milk for his support. Nor in the latter produce of Marsk, which always appeared to us equally young of their age, with his earliest progeny. But authority and imagination may do much; and we really once knew a pious sportsman, who insisted upon it that the white horse in the Revelations, was an iron grey, the word being mis-translated from the original Hebrew. We do not quite agree with this sportsman (p. 25), as to the preference due to the home-ribbed racer.Never mind, or rather prefer room in that part, provided there be width and substance above. So şaid Bracken, and John Lawrence after him. Nor do small, pricked ears so much denote the racer, as the cart horse. Such is the Belgian, rather than Arabian mark.

"Crossing

.

"Crossing the blood horse with the cart mare" (p. 27), is awkwardly expressed. There may be There may be some reason in the author's caution here, and be follows sound ad vice as to keeping distinct and appropriate stock. His condemnation of cropping and nicking, more especially the latter odious and daninable practice, evinces bis humanity and common sense. Every man who nicks his horse, ought himself to be nicked elsewhere, did not his inuocent wife's interest stand in the way of so just and ap propriate a punishment. We have lived long enough to know of three or four accidents, in performing this barbarous and really torturing operation, in which the perpetrators' puddings have been kicked out, our commiseration on the accidents being entirely confined to the delinquents' surviving families. Mr. Flint says, "dock the horse when young;" but why did he not quote that author, who is original in the practice of docking the sucking foal, and with whose works he is doubtless familiar: It appears to is an important improvement, in the way both of safety and humanity. In former times, docking was really a dangerous practice, and many horses were annually lost by it; and it remains the same, in degree, the public papers of the last year giving an account of several cart horses so lost. From the author alluded to also, this gentleman seems to have derived the sign of shoulder lameness, when the horse feels an impediment to the motion of the fore arm, a symptom, we believe, never before noticed by any veterinary writer, Continental or British. Now proceed we to some quotation

"Let us, as much as possible, do away with the cruel custom of

cropping and nicking; the ear is shaped to gather sounds, and con vey them to the internal organs.→→ Even clipping the hair from the inside is wrong, and frequently proves injurious, by exposing the internal parts to dust, hail, rain, and cold, which frequently affects the hearing, flies torment the more, and makes them shy or fearful even of allowing you to put on the bridle: the ear should be small and straight, and when a horse erects them and points them for ward, it gives him a bold and animated appearance; you may see if he is angry or going to start, and judge if he has a fever or not. A cold ear is a certain sign of obstruction, that the blood does not flow to the extremities. You hear many horses called dull beavy brutes; in my opinion it is greatly owing to their hearing being af fected, and causes them undeservedly many a merciless lash.

"Nicking is a dreadful operation, attended with danger, and is merely to gratify the eye of vanity. Dock the horse when young, he is more likely to carry a good tail.

"A hunter, in every respect ought to be well put together, well bred, and strong in every point; the hardships he undergoes, being pressed through heavy grounds, up and down hills, stretching leaps, and too often over weighted. The management of this class of horses requires the greatest care and attention, not only in the stable, but in riding the chase. Not any horse ought to be hunted till five years old; as he is not come to his strength and courage, he will fail in hard trials, is more liable to strains in the back, sinews, curbs, spavins, splints, ringboues, &c. To prepare a horse, take him from grass not later than the 1st of Au

[blocks in formation]

gust, but sooner the better. If you jutend to physic him in the stable, give the purgatives hereafter men, tioned but if you prepare him at grass, give mild doses of not more than four or five drachms of aloes, and two and a half drachms of ginger, on the 24th of July, and repeat it on the 1st day of August, and again on the 8th day of August; take him into the stable on the 10th or 11th of August, but do not bleed; give a mash once or twice a day, as it is not right to put him on dry food too suddenly, at least for a week; let him have three or four hours walking exercise every day for the first fortnight, then bring him by degrees to take regular stretching gallops, let old oats and meadow bay be his food till he comes to severe work, then add a few old split beans, and give about a quart of sliced carrots or Swedish turnips clean washed, once or twice in twenty-four hours. The beet root is excellent in colds or coughs. Do not clothe him too heavy, nor keep the temperature of your stable too warm. In case of illuess or accidents, I refer you to the remedies herein mentioned. Let all corn be bruised; give a small feed every morning before watering, and not follow the plan of galloping afterwards; four times in twenty-four hours is often enough to feed, and do what is requisite in the stable; do not disturb him oftener. A change of diet is good for all horses, particularly bad feeders. A small quantity of bruised wheat and malt with chop ped clover, is nourishing food, and boiled beans and some dry bran mixed with them and the water they are boiled in, is an excellent mash. I have frequently given it after a hard day's work. Be careful not to give too much hay; it

is a good plan to shake up some fresh oat or wheat straw with it, they must masticate more thoroughly. Giving large quantities many eager horses will grasp such of corn at one time is improper, mouthfuls, that it is impossible for whole and dry, which swells in the them to grind it, they swallow it stomach, causes obstructions, and indigested food, produces acute the confined air originating from pain, convulsions, and frequently sudden death. excellent plan to give chopped cloIt is certainly an ver, saint-foin, and any seed hay with corn. the morning, leave orders for half When you go out in a gallon of barley, well sifted clear of dust, to be put into a clean pail, water, let it be covered close over, to it pour two gallons of boiling it will be cool enough in six or eight hours, and give it altogether when your horse has been thoroughly dressed, he will eagerly take it.

shews not any inclination to asso"When at liberty the horse ciate with man, therefore to domesticate and gain his confidence, kindness from the first. A cruel it is necessary to treat him with temper in breaking; it will be a ill tempered fellow, will ruin a colt's Jong time if ever he forgets the ill usage he has been subject to.

"A colt ought to be taken up twice a year for a month, viz. when him about, give him green food, one year old, and halter him, lead bran and oats mixed; and likewise at two years the bits and lunge him to bring old. At three, put on him to his paces. At four, hack him and use him to gentle work, learn him his different paces, and likewise to leap the bar. ful during this tuition he is not ill constant regular work... Never used. At five years old he is fit for

Be care

bleed

bleed or physic him unless he is seriously unwell or meets with accidents. By this early attention, your horse will be better tempered and take to work more freely.

"As we know the effects of unwholesome water on the human species, it is equally likely to affect the animal."

"It is as necessary to attend to a horse's drink as his food, as they are very subject to diseases of the bladder, which are frequently brought on by change of water.

"Spring water is liable to partake of the metalline or mineral strata through which it flows.

"River water bas different qualifications, arising from the various soils through which it passes; but is softer than spring water, and much fitter for use.

“Pond water on clean clay or chalk bottoms is good, but apt to ferment in hot weather, then it becomes unwholesome: but to soften the first, and purify the last, it is a good plan to fill a large tub (keep it filled), into which throw a small quantity of unslacked lime, which will keep it fit for use, and prevent a deal of trouble; but the tub ought to be cleaned often.

[ocr errors]

Horses should never be allow ed to drink much cold water at one time; it is better to give small quantities four times a day, but do not prevent his baying a sufficiency. A small quantity before he performs any strong exercise is necessary. Avoid giving water that has stood any time in a leaden cistern, it is subject to give the cholic, being liable to be impregnated by the lead, and no doubt is too frequently the cause of this unsuspected attack, which is very dangerous."

At page 37, there appears a strange inaccuracy of expression:

Speaking of the foot as a callous (hard and callous, form a tautologism) substance, the inner part of which is full of nerves and bloodvessels, the author says, << These parts united, are called the hoof, or coffin joint." The truth is, Mr. F. should have left untouched, the united professions of veterinary medicine and anatomy.

The author has acknowledged but one godfather throughout his work, and in that has been unfortunate. Professor Coleman has no more right to the honour bestowed on him (pa. 38), than his Highness the Prince's shoemaker. St. Bel, the predecessor of Coleman, first introduced into this country the useful rule of weighing the horse's shoe, for various denomi nations.

P. 39. With respect to shoeing, we have seen driving the nails to the toe only, carried on to an extreme, which risked the nails drawing, and the loss of shoes over a heavy and poachy soil, est modus in rebus: and as to the old remedy for a horse's cutting or knocking, we could never perceive its use, interfering being a natural and ing curable defect; nor do we like the idea of placing a horse upon a shoe which is not level, and upon which he is thence not secure. We have formerly noted Moorcroft's error in this vain pursuit.

[To be concluded in our next.] ·

[blocks in formation]
« ПредишнаНапред »