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. CLXXXVII. Of the Hungry Evil.

THis Distemper is rarely observ'd, and sometimes deceives the most expert Farriers: For 'tis impossible to know by any external Sign, that a Horse is troubl'd with this Disease, when the Fit is not upon him, unless by his Leanness. 'Twou'd be a needless and impertinent piece of Formality, to write a Dissertation about the Defini∣tion and Causes of a Distemper that admits not of any Cure, and is besides, so trouble∣some, that a Horse who labours under it, is altogether unfit for hard Service, tho' per∣haps he may endure a little moderate Exercise. For assoon as the Natural Heat has finish'd its Work and Aliments in the Stomach, it acts with so much Vio∣lence against it self, or against the neighbouring Parts, that the Horse is in a man∣ner depriv'd of the Use of his Limbs, and almost unable to stir his Feet, being equally insensible of Caresses and Threatnings. He stands moveless, and suffers himself to be beaten and spurr'd without stirring, and even without feeling any other Pain than that which is caus'd by the violent Action of the Heat against the neighbouring Parts.

Assoon as you perceive your Horse to be in this Condition, give him good store of Provender, which will quickly make him fit for such Service as he is able to perform. 'Tis to be observ'd, that Horses who are troubl'd with this Distemper, which in Hu∣mane Bodies is call'd a Dog-like Appetite, eat three times as much as other Horses, or even as themselves did when in Health; tho' in the mean time they neither thrive, nor grow lusty. They are usually seiz'd with the Fit about three Hours after eat∣ing: If such an Accident happen on the Road, you must immediately unbridle your Horse, and let him eat as much as he can; after which you may take his Back again, and proceed on your Journey. But this Advice is not practicable in Winter, when there is no Grass in the Fields, and therefore they that are Masters of such Horses ought not to expose themselves to the Danger of being suddenly stopt on the Road, and the best Advice I can give 'em is to rid themselves of such unserviceable Horses assoon as they can.

These Horses are usuall Lean, tho' great Eaters, or rather Devourers of their Meat: But tho' it is impossible to fatten 'em, they still retain some Vigour, unless in the time of the Fit, when they are altogether insensible. I know no Remedy to prevent the Return of the Paroxism: Perhaps some Person of more Learning than I can pre∣tend to, may improve these Hints to a satisfactory Account of the Distemper; for my part, I have always made Conscience of Writing nothing but what is grounded upon often-repeated Experiments. 'Tis true, I might make a great Noise with occult Causes, and fill whole Pages with Gibberish: But in my Opinion, it becomes a Man of Probi∣ty, to own his Ignorance, as well as to communicate his Knowledge.