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.

A Clyster to provoke Urine.

Take the Decoction of the five softening Herbs, (viz. Mallows, Marsh-Mallows, Mer∣cury, Violet-Leaves, and Pellitory of the Wall) with an Ounce of Grommel-Seed in Powder; Strain and add half a Pound of common Turpentine, dissolv'd in the Yolks of six Eggs, three Ounces of the Oil for Clysters describ'd in the Forty fourth Chapter, or (for want of that) of common Catholicum. Inject the whole by way of Clyster, after you have walk'd your Horse half an hour.

If you put the Turpentine into the Water, before you beat it with Yolks of Eggs, it will grow hard as a Stone, and communicate no Virtue to the Clyster. But to avoid the trouble of dissolving it, you may mix two Ounces of Spirit of Turpentine with the Clysters, which provokes Urine more effectually.

Assoon as the Clyster is rejected, give your Horse two Ounces of Powder of Col••∣phony in a Pint of White-Wine; then walk him, and he will certainly Stale.

Or, Boil two Ounces of Anni-seed in a Quart of Water, add the weight of a Crown of Wood-Lice, in Powder, and give it luke-warm. This is an easie Remedy, and does not heat the Horse.

If all these Remedies prove in effectual, anoint his Sheath and Stones with Garlick, beaten and mixt with Oil-Olive; that is, take five or six Heads of Garlick, beat 'em, and make an Ointment with a sufficient quantity of Oil, with which rub his Sheath and Stones. If he be a Gelding, let his Yard be drawn gently out of the Sheath, and after all the Filth is wash'd off with luke-warm Water, rub the whole outside of the Sheath with the Mixture of Garlic and Oil, which will give him a desire to Stale if he can; for some Horses have an Inclination to Piss, but cannot.

If this Application do not provoke Urine, mix Powder of Wood-Lice dry'd with∣out burning, and reduc'd to the form of an Ointment with Oil, and anoint as before, after which the Horse will Stale.

A Quart of Emetic White-Wine, given with a Horn, will certainly make the Horse Piss, if he be walk'd after it, both at a Trot and a Foot-Pace. I have already taught you how to make this Wine in the Twenty third Chapter; but since 'tis too late to prepare that Remedy after your Horse begins to be troubl'd with a stoppage of Urine, you may take Golden Sulphur of Antimony (which you will find describ'd in Glazer's Chymistry, and afterwards in this Book) and fine Wheat-Flower, of each an Ounce, mix 'em well in a Mortar, and give the whole Powder to the Horse in a Quart of White-Wine: It provokes Urine more effectually than any Wine whatsoever. You may find this Medicine at the Shops of some curious Apothecaries: It was in∣vented by Glauber, who calls it his Panacaea, or Universal Remedy.

You may put a couple of Lice or Bugs to the end of the Horse's Yard, to rouse the expulsive Faculty.

During the use of those Remedies, it will be convenient to foment the Reins thus, boil two Bushels of Oats in a mixture of Water and Vinegar, till the Oats burst under your Finger, then apply 'em in a Bag to the Horse's Reins or Back, as hot as he can well endure, about the place where the Saddle ends. If you have not Oats, you may make use of Rye.

This Fomentation provokes Urine effectually; but if the expulsive faculty be lan∣guid, beat Darnel, and boil it in Vinegar, and anoint the Yard and Stones with the Decoction.

Thrust your Hand into the Horse's Fundament, and rake him, then press the Blad∣der gently with your Hand, and the Horse will infallibly Stale.

If these Remedies prove ineffectual, chuse the whitest Flints you can find on the Banks of some rapid River, heat 'em red-hot, and quench 'em in a Pint and a half of strong White-Wine, heating and quenching 'em so often, till they crumble into Powder, then strain the Wine thro' a Linnen-Cloth doubl'd, and make the Horse drink it; for the Wine being impregnated with the Salt of the Flints, which is a powerful Diuretic, will certainly make the Horse Stale.

Sal-Prunellae, or Crystal-mineral clears the Passages, and removes the Obstructions that stop the Urine; but you must not depend upon it during the Fit, for its vertue principally consists in preventing the Stoppage of Urine in those Horses who usually

endeavour to Stale, but cannot, by reason of a certain Heat or Obstruction in the Passages; in which case, you must give the Horse every day in his Bran, an Ounce of Sal-Prunellae, and a Dram of Nutmeg, till he has consum'd a whole Pound.

Sal-Prunellae cools the Bowels, clears the Passages, rectifies the Blood, and would be an admirable Medicine, if it were not apt to cool the Stomach too much, and make the Horse lose his Appetite; for which reason I added a Grain of Nutmeg, which com∣forts the Stomach, without over-heating the Body: But if the Horse, notwithstand∣ing that, forsake his Meat, you must not continue to give him the Crystal∣mineral.

Take about four Ounces of dry'd Pigeon's Dung in Powder, boil it in a Quart of White-Wine, and after two or three waums, strain out the Liquor, and give it Blood∣warm to the Horse: then walk him for half an Hour, and he will Stale if it be pos∣sible. I know some Men who took a Dram of this Dung in a Glass of Wine for the Colic, and receiv'd great benefit by it.

One of the best Remedies for a Horse that cannot Stale, is to carry him into a Sheep-cote, and there to unbridle him, suffering him to smell the Dung, and roll and wallow in it; for he will infallibly Piss before he come forth, if he be not past Re∣medy. This quick Effect proceeds from a certain Volatil, Subtil, and Diuretic Salt, that exhales from the Sheeps-Dung, and strikes the Brain; for, by reason of the Cor∣respondence of that with the lower Parts, it obliges the expulsive Faculty to void the Urine. It would be needless to prove, that this Dung is full of such a Salt, since the Truth of that Supposition is sufficiently confirm'd by the great quantity of Salt-Peter which may be so easily extracted out of it.

The Urinary Passages are frequently stop'd by thick Flegm, which will hardly be remov'd by the above-mention'd Remedies, and therefore you may have recourse to that which follows, and I'm confident you will not lose your Labour.