The experienced farrier, or, Farring compleated In two books physical and chyrurgical. Bringing pleasure to the gentleman, and profit to the countrey-man. ... For here is contained every thing that belongs to a true horse-man, groom, farrier or horse-leach, viz. breeding; the manner how, the season when, ... and what are fit for generation; the feeder, rider, keeper, ambler and buyer; as also the making of several precious drinks, suppositories, balls, purgations, ... and directions how to use them for all inward and outward diseases. Also the paring and shooing of all manner of hoofes, ... The prices and vertues of most of the principal drugs, both simple and compound belonging to farring, ... also a large table of the virtues of most simples set down alphabetically, and many hundreds of simples placed one after another, for the cure of all ... diseases, ... with many new receipts of excellent use and value; never yet printed before in any author. By E.R. Gent.

Of the Office of the Keeper.

Of the Horse in general, his Choice for every several Ʋse, his Ordering, Diet, and best Preservation for Health, both in Travel and in Rest.

Of the Nature of Horses in general.

HE is Valiant, Strong and Nimble, and above all other Beasts most apt and able to endure the extreamest Labours, the moist quality of his Composition being such, that neither extream heat doth dry up his strength, nor the violence of Cold, freeze the warm temper of his moving spirits, for he withstandeth all defects of Sickness with an uncontrouled constancy. He is most Gentle and Loving to Man, apt to be taught, and not forgetful when an Impression is fixed in his Brain; he is watchful above all other Beasts, and will endure his Labour with the most empty Stomach, he is naturally given to much cleanliness, he is of an excellent Scent, and therefore not so much as to offend any man with his evil Sa∣vours.

Your Choice of a Horse for the Wars.

Choose him of a tall stature with a comely Head, and out-swelling Fore∣head, a large sparkling Eye, the white thereof covered with the Eye∣brows, a small thin Ear, short and pricking; if it be long, well carried, and ever moving, a deep Neck, a large Crest, broad Breast, bending Ribs, broad and streight Chine, round and full Buttocks, a Tail high and broad, neither too thick nor too thin, a full swelling Thigh, a broad, flat and lean Leg, short Pasterned, strong Joynted.

Colours of a Horse.

The best Colours are brown Bay, Daple-gray, Roand, Bright-Bay, Black, with a white near Foot behind, white sore-Foot before, white Star, Chesnut or Sorrel, with any of those marks, or Dun with a black List.

Horses for a Princes Seat.

If you will choose a Horse for a Princes Seat, or for any Supream Ma∣gistrate, or any great Lady; then choose the finest shape, that is Nimble, with an easie Pace, and Gentle to get up, familiar and quiet in the com∣pany of other Horses, and let his colour be Milk-white, with red Frains or without, or else Dapple-grey, with a white Mane, and white Tail.

Horses for Travel.

If you choose a Horse for Travel, choose him for Strength, viz. His Joynts strong, his Pastornes short and streight without bending in his going, hollow and tough Hoofs, let him be of a temperate Nature, nei∣ther too furious, nor too dull.

Hunting Horses.

If you choose a Horse for Hunting, let his Shape be generally strong, and well knit together, making equal Proportions, for as unequal Shapes shew weakness, so equal Shapes shew strength and durance; your unequal Shapes, are a great Head and a little Neck, a big Body and a thin But∣tock, a large Limb to a little Foot, &c. Let him have a large and lean Head, wide Nostrils, open Chauld, a big VVheasand, and the VVind∣pipe streight.

Running Horses

If you choose him for Running, let him have all the finest Shapes that may be. Let him be nimble, quick and siery, apt to flie with the least mo∣tion; long Shapes are sufferable, for though they shew weakness, yet they assure sudden speed.

Coach-Horses.

If you choose him for the Coach, which is called the swift Draught, let his ••hape be tall, broad and well furnish'd, not gross with much flesh, but with the bigness of his Bones; let him have a strong Neck, a broad Breast, a large Chine, sound clean Limbs, and tough Hoofs. And for this purpose your large English Geldings are best, your Flemish Mares next, and your strong Stone-Horses tolerable.

P••ck-Horses.

If you choose a Horse for Portage, that is, for the Pack or Hampers. Let him have a strong Body and Limb:, but not tall, with a broad Back, out-Ribs, full Shoulders and thick VVithers; for if it be thin in that Part, you shall hardly keep his Back from Galling, and be sure he take a large stride, for he that taketh the largest stride goes at the most ease, and rids his Ground the fastest.

Cart or Plough.

Lastly, if you will choose a Horse for Cart or Plough, which is the slow

draught, choose him that is of an ordinary height, for Horses in the Cart unequally sorted never draw at ease, but the tall hang up the low Horse. Let him be big, large Bodied and strong Limb'd, by Nature rather inclin'd to crave the VVhip, then to draw more then is needful. And for this purpose, Mares are most profitable, if you have cheap keeping for them, for they will not only do your work, but bring you yearly increase; be sure you take them well-forehanded, that is, good Head, Neck, Breast and Shoulders; for the rest, it is not so regardful, only let her Body be large, for the more room a Foal hath in her Dams Belly, the sairer are his Members. And be sure you never put your Draught-Beasts to the Saddle for that alters their Pace, and hurts them in their Labour.

How to Order these several Horses. And first of the Horse for the Wars.

During his time of teaching, which is out of the VVars, you shall keep him high; let his Food be good Hay and clean Oats, or two parts Oats, and one part Beans or Pease well dried and hard, half a Peck at a Morn∣ing, Noon, and at Evening is sufficient. In his days of rest, Dress him betwixt five and six in the Morning, and VVater him at seven or eight in the Afternoon. Dress him between three and four, and VVater him a∣bout four or five, and give him Provender always after watering; Litter him at eight, and give Food for all Night. The Night before he is ridden, about Nine at Night take away his Hay, and at four of the Clock in the Morning give him a Handful or two of Oats, which being eaten, turn him upon the Snaffle, Rub him all over with dry Clothes, then Saddle him and make him Fit for his exercise; and when you have done with him, bring him into the Stable all sweaty, as he is, and Rub him all over with dry VVisps, then take off his Saddle, and after you have rubbed him all over with dry Cloaths, put on his Housing-Cloth, then put on the Saddle again, and girt it, and walk him about gently while he be cold, then set him up, and after two or three houres fasting, put him to his Meat, then in the Afternoon, curb, rub and dress him, and water him, and order him as aforesaid.

Ordering a Horse for a Prince, or great Ladies Seat.

You must Order him in the time of his Rest, like unto the Horse for Service; and in his time of Labour like the Travelling Horse, only you are to keep him more choicely. I mean, in a beautiful manner, his Coat lying smooth and shining; if he come in sweating into the Stable, after you have rubbed him down take off the sweat with a Sword Blade, whose edge is rebated.

Ordering of Travelling Horses at home and abroad.

Feed him with good Hay in the VVinter, and good Grass in the Sum∣mer.

His Provender, let it be good dry Oats, Beans, Pease or Bread, ac∣cording to his Stomach; In the time of Rest, half a Peck at a Water∣ing is sufficient, in the time of Labour as much as he will eat with a good Stomach.

Of Watering in the Morning.

When you Travel him, Water two houres before you Ride, then rub, dress and lustily feed, then bridle up, and let him stand an hour before you take his back.

Of Feeding betimes.

In your Travel feed your Horse betimes for all night, that thereby he may the sooner take his rest.

Moderate Travelling.

Travel moderately in the Morning, till his wind be rackt, and his Limbs warmed, then after do as your Affairs require. Be sure at Night to water your Horse two miles before you come to your Journey's end; then the warmer you bring him to his Inn the better, walk not, nor wash not at all, the one doth beget Colds, the other Foundrings in the Feet or Body, but set him up warm, well stopt, and well rubbed, with clean Litter; Give no Meat whilest the outward parts of your Horse are hot or wet with sweat, as the Ear-roots, the Flanck, the Neck, or under his Chaps; but being dry, rub and feed him according to the goodness▪ of his Stomach.

To get a Stomach.

Change of Food begetteth a Stomach, so doth the washing the Tongue or Nostrils with Vineger, Wine and Salt, or warm Urine.

Not to stop the Horses Feet with Cow-dung till they be cold.

Stop not your Horses Feet with Cow-dung till he be sufficiently cold, and that the Blood and Humours which were dispersed, be setled in∣to their proper places.

Look to his Back, Girts and Shooes.

Look well to his Back, that the Saddle hurt not; to the Girts, that they gall not; and to his Shooes, that they be large, fast and easie.

Not to eat nor drink when he is hot.

Let him neither eat nor drink when he is hot, nor presently after his Travel.

To Labour him moderately, when the Weather is either extream hot or cold.

Labour him moderately when the Weather is either extream hot, or

extream cold, that so you may avoid extream Heats or sudden Colds.

Not to Travel him too late.

Travel him not too late, that your own eye may see him well dried, and well fed, before you take your own rest.

The Saddle not to be presently taken off.

Take not the Saddle from your Horses Back suddenly.

Horse-bread very good Food.

Horse-bread which is made of clean Pease, Beans or Fitches, feedeth exceedingly.

River-water is not so good as standing-water.

Let your Horses Meat and Drink be exceeding sweet and clean, Stand∣ing-water is better then River-water, for that is too piercing.

Swine and Pullen is naught to be nigh a Stable.

Let him lie clean and dry, keep your Stable sweet, let no Swine lie near it, nor let any Pullen come within it.

Let the Light of your Stable be towards the South and North.

Let the Light of your Stable be ever towards the South and North; yet so as the North-windows may in the Winter be shut close at Plea∣sure.

To be Tied with two Reins.

Let him be Tied with two Reins.

To Ride him on stony wayes.

Ride him often on stony ways, that he may the better feel his Feet, and harden his Hoofs.

Wheat-straw, and Oat-straw, best for Litter.

Let his Bed be of Wheat-straw above his Knees, the Barley-straw is the softest, yet a Horse will covet to eat it, which is unwholesom; Wheat-straw, though it be hard to lie upon, yet it is wholesom to eat, and as for Oat-straw, it is the best in the Superlative, for it is not only wholesom to eat, but soft to lie upon.

Of Dressing your Horse.

Curry or Dress your Horse twice a day, that is before water; and when he is Curried, rub him well with your Hand, and with a Rubber, his Head should be rubbed with a wet Cloth, and his Cods made clean with a dry Cloth, otherwise he would be scabby between his Legs; you should wet his fore-top, his Mane and his Tail with a wet Mane-Comb, and ever where the Horses Hair is thinnest, there Curry the gentlest.

Of the Stable.

Let the Plaunchers of your Stable lie even and level, that your Horse may stand at his ease, and not prove Lame by too much oppressing his hinder Feet.

A Mud-wall is naught to be nigh a Horse.

Let not any Mud-wall be within your Horses reach, for he will natu∣rally covet to eat it, and nothing is more unwholesom.

Chopt Straw is good to strow amongst his Provender.

Give your Horse plenty of Garbage (which is Chopt VVheat-straw) both with his Provender and without, for it is a mighty Clenser of a Horses Body.

Bottles of Hay to be Tied hard.

Let your Hay-bottles be very little, and Tied very hard, for so your Horse shall eat with a better Stomach, and make least waste.

To sprinkle the Hay with water is good, and to strow Fennegreek amongst his Provender.

To sprinkle water upon your Hay is most wholesom, and to sprinkle Fennegreek upon your Provender, is as sovereign; The ••rst is good for the VVind, the latter for VVormes.

Exercise good.

Let your Horse have daily Exercise, for that begets a good Stomach to his Meat.

Grafs is good once a year, to cleanse the Blood and cool the Body.

Purge your Horse once a year with Grass, or green Blades of Corn called Forrage, for fifteen days together; yet before you purge him, in any case let him Blood, and whilest he is in Purging let him have no Pre∣vender.

A Horse good store of Blood after Travel.

A Horse after Travel hath ever more Blood then any Beast what••o••∣ever,

therefore it is good to take Blood from him to prevent the Yel∣lows, or other Diseases that may follow.

What you are to do in Case of Necessity, coming late to your Inn.

If you come late to your Inn, so that your Journey be great and earnest, and that your Horse will not eat till he hath drunk, and yet is hot notwithstanding, then let his Drink be Milk given in the dark, lest the whiteness make him refuse it; this is both cordial and pleasant: If you cannot get Milk enough, then mingle Milk with water luke-warm.

To give him Mares Milk to drink if he be poor.

If your Horse either by Labour, or any Surfeits be brought low, lean and weak, give him Mares Milk to drink many days▪together, and it will make him strong.

The best-times to Water in the Winter.

The best Houres to water your Horse in the Winter (when he is at Rest) is betwixt seven and eight in the Morning, or four or five in the Evening.

Not good to wash a Horse if he be hot.

It is not good to wash a Horse when he is hot, but you may wash him above the Knees, so that you do not wash his Belly; and that you ride him after he is washed, and so set him up and dress him. The purer the water is wherein you wash your Horse, the more wholesom it is, so that it be not too extream cold.

To light at every steep Hill.

When you Travel, at every steep Hill, light, both to refresh your Horse and your self.

How a fat Horse is to have his Meat and his Water.

Let a fat Horse have his water at four times, and not as much as he will drink at once, and let him stand two or three houres every day with∣out Meat.

Rubbing is good for a Horse.

Rubbing much, hard and well, doth profit, preserve, and it keeps both legs and body in strength, and he doth much delight in it, and it doth better then much Meat.

Boiled Barley is good.

Boiled Barley is a great Fatner of a Horse.

To Pick his Feet after Travel.

Cleanse and pick the Soles of his Feet ever after Travel, and stuffe them well with Ox-dung, and anoint his Hoofs with Grease, Tarr or Turpentine.

Much Rest naught.

Much Rest is the Nurse and Mother of many Diseases.

Be careful to look to your Saddle.

When you Ride, look often to your Saddle and your Horses Shooes, and you shall find much more ease in your Journey.