The parfait mareschal, or Compleat farrier. Which teacheth, I. To know the shapes and goodness, as well as faults and imperfections of horses. II. The signs and causes of their diseases, the means to prevent them, their cure, and the good or bad use of purging and bleeding. III. The way to order and preserve them, when upon travel, to feed, and to dress them. IV. The art of shoeing, according to a new design of shoes, which will recover bad feet, and preserve the good. Together with a treatise, how to raise and bring up a true and beautiful race of horses: as also instructions, whereby to fit all kinds of horses with proper bits, whereof the chief draughts are represented in copper-plates. / Written originally in French by the Sieur de Solleysel Escuyer, sometime one of the overseers of the French Kings Royal Academy of Riding, near to the Hostel de Conde in Paris. And translated from the last Paris impression, by Sir William Hope of Kirkliston Kt. Lieutenat Governour of the Castle of Edinburgh. By whom is also added as a supplement to the first part, a most compendious and excellent collection of horsemanship, taken from the best and most modern writers upon that subject, such as Mr. De la Brow, Pluvinel, and the Great Duke of Newcastle. Part I.

CHAP. CXIV. Of Pursiveness or Shortness of Breath.

I Shall in the Second Part inform the Reader how he may know a Horse thatis subject to these Distempers.

Pursiveness is a difficulty of Breathing caus'd by stuffing of the Lungs, or Obstru∣ctions in the Veins and Arteries, especially in the Passages or Chanels of the Lungs, and accompany'd with a beating and heaving in the Flanks, and a Dilatation or stretching of the Nostrils. The Disease is seated in the Lungs, and proceeds from an Obstruction of the Passages by stagnating and thick flegmatick Humours. 'Tis

to be observ'd, that the Lungs consume more Nourishment than any Part of the Bo∣dy, since they are nourish'd only by the purest and most subtil or bilious part of the Blood, as it appears evidently from the Consideration of those Animals who are des••••tute of Lungs; for they may be almost said to live upon nothing. Thus Fishes who have no Lungs are easily fatten'd by a small quantity of Nourishment; and even it seems not improbable that the Kidneys were design'd by Nature for the Evacuation of the Impurities of the Lungs; for Fishes are equally destitute of both these Parts; and usually Horses who are troubl'd some Days with a Flux of Urine, are seiz'd with a Cough by reason of the driness of their Lungs. I thought fit to in∣sert these Remarks for the Information of those who have lean and wasted Horses; for if the Lungs be affected, they will hardly ever be able to fatten 'em, because that Part will consume a considerable part of the Nourishment, which otherwise wou'd have been turn'd to Flesh; and besides, 'tis observ'd that all Pursive Horses stale very much during the Cure, because the Impurities of the Lungs are voided that way. This is a very true and curious Observation, and was never mention'd by any Writer on this Subject, or inserted in any Book, whether French, Italian, German, or Latin.

If we consider the Vessels and other spermatical Parts that enter the Composition of the Lungs, they will appear to be cold and dry. If we take a View of the fleshy, soft, and spongy Substance of the Lungs, they seem to be hot and moist; and if we reflect on their Lightness and aptness for Motion, we can hardly forbear concluding that they are of a cold and moist Nature.

The Lungs are divided into several parts call'd Lobes which surround the Heart, and espe∣cially into two, by a double Membrane, which in Humane Bodies is call'd the Midriff: They are of a spongy Substance, easily dilateable, which sucks in the Air, and ex∣pels it again with some smoaky and fuliginous Vapours, by the two different Motions of Respiration. This Part is fuller of Veins and Arteries than any other Part of the Body, which make it so subject to Inflammations and Obstructions, as the Hu∣mours are either hot and subtil, or thick and heavy.

Pursiveness proceeds from several Causes: Thus, a slight Obstruction in the Lungs, in the Veins, or some of the Arteries, may cause a shortness of Breath, which is cur'd with easie Remedies.

The same Distemper proceeds usually from some Humours stagnating in the Passages of the Lungs, in the Kidneys, or in the Arteries; for the free Circulation of the Blood being stopt, a great quantity of it gathering together in one place, presses the Ducts or Passages of Respiration, and obstructs the Freedom of Breath∣ing: When the Blood is hot and boiling, it quickly degenerates into Putrefaction, and causes a dangerous Inflammation in that Part, which must be allay'd with powerful Coolers.

This Obstruction is usually caus'd by flegmatick and pituitous Humours; and tho' in this Case 'tis not attended with such violent Symptoms, as are produc'd by the other Causes of this Distemper, 'tis very stubborn, and hardly to be conquer'd by the best Medicines; for those slimy and tough Humours cannot easily be loosen'd and separated from the Parts where they stick, and therefore the Cure must be attempted with cutting and attenuating Remedies. And besides, since the Motion of the Blood is obstructed, and that Liquor depriv'd of the Advantage of Venti∣lation, this kind of Pursiveness is quickly accompany'd with a sort of Putrefaction, and some other Symptoms, which seem to proceed from a hot Principle; tho' the Cause of the Disease is rarely of that Nature.

'Tis plain that Pursiveness proceeds from a cold Principle, and yet the Symptoms that attend it seem to denote the heat of the Cause, tho' it be really of an op∣posite Nature; for this Distemper is usually occasion'd by pituitous Humours, and the thick Flegm which stuffs the Passages, and causes a difficulty of Respiration. This may serve to discover the Error of those who turn out their Pursive Hor∣ses to Grass, and are usually much surpriz'd when they take 'em up with an inten∣tion to confine 'em to dry Feeding, to find them shorter-winded then ever; for the cold∣ness of the Grass augments the Flegm, and makes it thicker and heavier, and conse∣quently more apt to obstruct the Motion of the Blood and Air in the Lungs.

If it be objected that Grass has been sometimes observ'd to relieve Pursive Horses; 'tis reasonable to suppose that in such a Case there was an Inflammation occasion'd by a redundancy of Blood, that might be cool'd and allay'd by the coldness of the Grass, which moistening the Lungs, might give some ease to the

Horse so long as he continu'd to feed on it. And after a due Consideration of this Case, I am persuaded of the Justness of that General Rule, which enjoyns a total abstinence from Grass to all short-winded Horses, since the Benefit they receive by that sort of Nourishment lasts no longer than they actually feed on it.

The most dangerous kind of Pursiveness is that which is occasion'd by hard Riding and violent Labour; for sometimes in such cases a Vein is open'd, and the Blood falls into the Cavity of the Lungs, where it putrefies and turns to Matter, which, for want of a Passage, stagnates about the Lungs, and breeds an Ulcer in 'em. And the danger is so much the greater, because a large Ulcer, from what Cause soever it proceeds, wastes and consumes the Horse to such a degree, that 'tis impossible to make him thrive, or render him fit for Service.

This Distemper is usually caus'd by the heat of the Aliments by which the Horse is nourish'd, as old Clover, too great abundance of Hay, and several other kinds of Food; and the same Infirmity proceeds for want of Exercise, by reason of the Multitude of Flegmatick and Corrupt Humours that are bred in a Horse's Body, and in a particular manner affect the Lungs.

The Watering of a Horse when he is over-heated is apt to make him short∣winded.

When this Distemper is hereditary, 'tis absolutely incurable; for the Horse con∣tains in his Body the Principle of the Defect which can never be corrected or re∣mov'd by the use of Remedies. A Natural Weakness of the Lungs, which renders 'em susceptible of the corrupt Humours that abound in the Body, can never be re∣pair'd by Art; and the same may be affirm'd of the irregular Structure or Contex∣ture of that Part, as when 'tis either too narrow, or fasten'd to the Sides.

This Distemper is curable in the beginning, especially in young Horses, if it be not accompany'd with a Cough.

Purgative Remedies are of little use in this Distemper, since the Flegmatick Hu∣mours from which it usually proceeds, can never be evacuated by these Medicines, and the only Passages that give any hope of drawing those Humours from the Lungs, are either the Kidneys, Nostrils, or Mouth: And since all Evacuations that tend upwards are contrary to the Nature of Horses, as they who are acquainted with the internal Oeconomy or Disposition of a Horse's Body, will readily acknowledge, 'tis plain that the Cure must be perform'd by Cutting, Attenuating, or Diuretic Re∣medies.

When the Disease is accompany'd with a dry and often-returning Cough, or when the Motion of Respiration reaches as far as the Croup, and appears visibly on the Rump, you may conclude the Cure to be absolutely impossible. If your Horse void Flegmatick Humours by his Nostrils and Mouth, you will find it a very hard Task to restore him to his Health.

A Remedy for Pursiveness.

If a diligent Observation of the various Circumstances with which the Disease is accompany'd, convince you that your Horses Lungs are very much heated, among all the Remedies that I propose, you must choose such as are most temperate.

But if you perceive no sign of heat, you may use the most cutting Remedies. However, I will endeavour to moderate and qualifie 'em all to such a degree that they may be able to loosen and remove the Obstructions of the Lungs without heating 'em; and after I have propos'd the most gentle Remedies at first, I shall gradually proceed to the strongest.

The Cure ought always to be attempted in the beginning of the Disease. 'Tis to be observ'd, that the Horse must eat no Hay; and after the ordering of his Diet, you may prepare and exhibit the following Remedies.

Melt two pounds of Lead in a convenient Vessel, and removing it from the Fire, stir it till it be reduc'd to Powder; then continuing to stir it without intermission add two Pounds of Brimstone in Powder, and stir 'em together till they be perfect∣ly incorporated. Give your Horse an Ounce of this Powder every Day in moisten'd Bran; and it will not only give him Ease, but not improbably compleat the Cure, if your Horse be young, and the Disease not very inveterate.

If your Horse's Lungs be heated, with a violent beating in his Flanks, Sal Polychrest may give him Relief; but by reason of the coldness of that Remedy, 'twill be convenient to add half the quantity of Juniper-Berries, or Nutmegs.

Thus you may give him an Ounce of Sal Polychrest with half an Ounce of Nut∣megs or Juniper-Berries, in moisten'd Bran, and continue after the same manner for a considerable time. If he refuse to eat the Bran, give him the Remedies in a Pint of Wine, after they have stood in Infusion a whole Night, keeping him bridl'd two Hours before, and three Hours after every Dose, and persisting in this Method for fifteen Days. If his Belly be loosn'd by the continu'd use of this Remedy, you may entertain more certain hopes of the Cure; for so it will evacuate the offend∣in Humours, dilute the Flegm that causes the Obstructions, clear and unstop the Passages that cool the Lungs, purifie the Blood, and resist Corruption. If the Di∣sease be not very stubborn and desperate, this Remedy will at last mitigate its Violence; and since that which gives Ease may at length perfect the Cure, you ought to persist in a careful Observance of this Method, if you perceive that the Horse receives any benefit by it.

This Remedy is most proper for young Horses, who oftentimes stand in need of cooling Medicines, which is seldom or never the Case of those that are old.

Another Remedy for Pursiveness.

The proper time for preparing this Remedy is when the Herbs are endu'd with their entire Virtues, especially when Broom begins to put out its Flowers.

Take Mallows, White Mullein, Colts-Foot, Green Broom Tops of the same Year, Succory, Bramble Tops, Bitter Succory, Hysop, and White Horehound, of each three Handfuls. Chop 'em small, and put 'em into a Kettle capable of containing a Pail full of Water; fill the Kettle with Water, and boil the Herbs two Hours, after which remove the Vessel from the Fire, adding a quarter of a Pound of Juice of Liquorice, and ten handfuls of Broom Flowers. After 'tis half cold, strain out the Li∣quor, and dissolve in it two Pounds of Honey; then melt a like quantity of Brim∣stome in an Iron Spoon or Ladle, and cast it into the Decoction; and after it sinks to the Bottom, take it out, melt it a second time, and throw it again into the Liquor, repeating the same Operation five or six times, that the Decoction may be impregnated with the Salt of Sulphur. After you have kept your Horse bridl'd two Hours in the Morning, give him a fourth part of this Potion with a Horn, walking him gent∣ly half an Hour after it; then give him another fourth part, walking him as be∣fore; the next Day make him drink the other half, observing the same Directions; after which suffer him to rest one Day, and on the fourth renew the Potion for two Days, as before, which must be follow'd by a Day of repose, and the same Me∣thod continu'd till he has drunk the Decoction ten Days, and rested four.

In the Intervals he must eat neither Hay nor Oats, but Bran and Straw during the use of this Remedy, and you will find him if not absolutely cur'd, at least ve∣ry much eas'd; for the Operation of the Medicine depends on the State or Degree of the Disease when it was first exhibited.

Another Remedy for Pursiveness.

The former Remedy is only proper in the Summer, and therefore since Horses are troubl'd with this Distemper in other Seasons of the Year, you may observe the following Method.

Give your Horse a sufficient quantity of White Mullein chopt small, and mixt with moisten'd Oats; the larger you make the Dose, the more effectually it will work.

If he will not eat Wheat-Straw, moisten his Hay; and for his ordinary Drink dis∣solve a Pound of Honey in a Pail-full of Water; for tho' at first he may seem unwil∣ling to drink it, he will quickly be reconcil'd to it.

I have seen Horses abstain from drinking fifty Hours together; but at last thirst con∣straind 'em to drink the Hony'd Water.

The continu'd use of this Remedy will either cure the Horse, or at least make him fit for Service. You must give the Mullein as long as you can; but 'twill be sufficient to make him drink Hony'd Water for a Month, more or less, according to the stubbornness of the Distemper; and in the mean time the Horse may be ridden.