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. CXLVII. Of the Farcin in the Head.

THE Reader will perhaps be surpris'd to find a Method recommended in this Chapter, which I condemn'd and labour'd with so much earnestness to con∣fute before: But he ought to consider, that I am now treating of the most easily cur'd kind of Farcin; namely, that which appears in the Head; and besides, I can assure him, that he may use this Remedy without the least danger of producing these fatal effects, which I have often seen occasion'd by Medicines put into the Ears. For 'tis the usual Custom to make use of such violent Liquors, or rather Caustics on such oc∣casions, that the Horse's Brains are usually spoil'd, some remaining Wry-Neck'd ever after, while others are blemish'd with the unseemly deformity of a hanging or bangle Ear: And I observ'd one that cou'd not walk three steps without falling, and continu'd above six Months before he cou'd be restor'd to the degree of Health he enjoy'd before the Remedy was put into his Ears. Take Powder of burnt Allom, an Ounce; Powder of common Salt, two Drams; Spirit of Vitriol, one Scruple; Juice of Wormwood, half a Glass-full.

Bridle your Horse at Midnight, and at six a Clock in the Morning, without taking out his Bridle, drop a little of the Mixture into his Ear, rubbing it very hard to make the Liquor sink; after which pour in more Liquor, and rub it in as before, continuing after the same manner till you have consum'd one half of the quantity prescrib'd; then stop the Ear with part of the mash or bruis'd Wormwood, out of which you squeez'd the Juice, and tye it up so close, that there may be no passage for the Air to get into it. Pour the remaining half of the Medicine into the other Ear, observing the same Directions as before, and let your Horse stand Bridl'd till Noon.

Some make it a part of the Cure to bind the Horse's Ear, with a green String; but a blue or yellow one is as good. At Noon unbridle your Horse, and give him moisten'd Bran and Hay, with some Water to drink, suffering him to eat till Midnight, then bridle him again, and at six a Clock in the Morning, open the two Neck-Veins, taking three Pounds of Blood on each side, and keeping him Bridl'd till Noon.

Then cut the silken Strings that were bound about the Ear, and the Farcin will be cur'd without any other Remedy.

This Receipt is particularly adapted to the Farcin in the Head, and cures also that which appears on the Breast, being seated on the inside of the Skin, without sticking to the Body. Sometimes it cures the Farcin in the hinder Parts; but since I have apply'd it to some Horses in that case without Success, I can only recommend it as a certain Remedy for the Farcin in the Head and Shoulders, without pretending to warrant its efficacy when the Distemper infects the rest of the Body.

The main inconveniency of this Receipt is, that there remains always a white mark on each Ear where the String was ty'd. Some endeavour to avoid that deformity, by sowing the Ears lengthways; but I have seen some Horses Ears so notch'd and peel'd by that Method, that the blemish was a great deal more unseemly, than that which is usually occasion'd by the Ligature. Those Marks are not visible on white Horses.

If you perceive foul or corrupt Flesh in any of the Knots, or if the Tumours be large and continue long without breaking, you must open 'em with a Lancet when they are fully ripen'd, and afterwards dress 'em every Day with the Ointment of Por∣tugal, till they be dry'd up.