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. LXXXIV. Of the Ring-bone.

THE Ring-bone is a Swelling that grows between the Cronet and Pastern-Joint, on one of the two Tendons that are in that Part. 'Tis hard and callous, sticking very fast to the Pastern; the Horse does not complain much when you handle it: It presses the Tendons and Ligaments, and grows so big when 'tis near the Cronet, that by intercepting the Nourishment, it makes the Foot shrink, and the Hoof wither or grow dry. The longer it continues, it descends lower upon the Cronet, and en∣creasing to a considerable bigness, makes the Horse Lame; from whence 'tis plain,

that the Greatness of the Danger which attends it must be measur'd by its Nearness to the Cronet.

The Ring-bone is sometimes hereditary; but 'tis usually occasion'd by a Strain taken in Curvetting, (which tries all the Force of the Sinews) bounding Turns, and violent Gal∣loping or Races.

This Distemper is not very common; but if the Danger be not prevented by a sea∣sonable Application of Remedies, 'tis usually the Cause of irrecoverable Lameness. It proceeds sometimes from the Indiscretion of those who back their Horses while they are too Young, before their Joints are well knit and strengthen'd.

Sometimes those Tumors are at first no bigger than Beans, but afterwards they en∣crease to half the quantity of a small Apple; and they usually appear on both sides the Pastern, with a little Swelling between 'em. Since several Persons are not only igno∣rant, but afraid of the Effects of giving the Fire, they may observe the following Method.

In the first place take out the Sole, then clip away the Hair very close, and apply to the Ring-Bone true Oil of Bay with Flax, a Cover, and Bandage. Two days after separate the Scurfs rais'd by the Oil, and renew the Application with the same Flax. When you take out the Sole you must cleave the Frush, and when the Dressing is fitted to the Sole with Splents, you must thrust Rowlers into the Cleft to keep it open, and one Bandage will serve both for the Ring-bone and Frush. The Fire is the most usual and certain Remedy to Cure Ring-Bones when they are increas'd to any considerable Bigness. First, you must take out the Sole, and six days after, when you remove the second Dressing, make Incisions with your Fleam, beginning above, and reaching downwards, about a Finger's breadth distant from each other, cutting the Skin to the Callus that cau∣ses the Ring-Bone thro' the whole Extent of the Swelling, but without hurting the Cronet. Since these Incisions are usually attended with a great Flux of Blood, apply hot Turpentine with Flax, and a Bandage, letting it remain untouch'd forty eight Hours; after which remove the Dressing, and with a red-hot, but not blazing Knife, burn the whole Callus very dexterously without pressing too hard upon the Part. If the whole Substance of the Ring-bone be not consum'd, your Labour will be entirely lost; and therefore you must burn it over and over, and penetrate the whole Tumour thro' the Incisions that were made before; after which apply a Mixture of Turpentine, Tarr, and Honey, or an Ointment made of Hog's Lard and Verdigrease, laying Flax over it, and wrapping it about with a Cloth till the Scabs fall away. Then dress the Sores with Schmit's Ointment, or Aegyptiacum, or the Ointment Apostolorum, till the Matter cease to flow; after which Farriers usually wash the Sores with the Second Water, and then apply drying Powders; in the mean time the Sores ought always to be kept cover'd, both to prevent the Growth of proud Flesh, and to hinder the Horse from reaching 'em with his Teeth: for if great Care be not taken to dress and cover the Part, there will remain a Swelling where the Ring-bone was, which may be reckon'd a great Deformity in the Leg, tho' it does not make the Horse halt. Besides you must be extremely care∣ful in the Dressing of a Ring-bone, not to tye the Bandage too hard for fear of cau∣sing an excessive Tumour: the best way is to renew the Dressing every day, or at least every two days. I intend to make the Healing of the Sole after it is cut out, the Subject of a Particular Chapter, which you may consult on this Oc∣casion.

I had once a Young Horse committed to my Care for the Cure of this Distemper; and after I had taken out the Sole, and given the Fire, the Strangles, that were just rea∣dy to run, tho' I cou'd not perceive any apparent Sign of 'em, fell with so much Violence on the Part where the Ring-bone was seated, which was on one of the Fore-Legs, that the whole Skank was extremely swoll'n, and the Tumour broke in two pla∣ces at the Pastern-Joint, out of which a vast quantity of Matter was evacuated. I kept the Cronet always charg'd with good Restringents made of Powder of unslack'd Lime, and the second Water, to dissolve the Swelling which reach'd that part, dressing the Sores with Aqua-Vitae, Honey, and unslack'd Lime well mix'd together; and at last the Horse recover'd, tho' the Cure was extremely retarded by that Accident.

Some affirm that a Ring-bone may be cur'd before it grow big, by giving the Fire without taking out the Sole, if the Foot be not very dry and shrunk, especially if the Vein under the Knee be taken up; but Experience has convinc'd me, that to proceed methodically, the Cure of this Distemper must be always begun with taking out the Sole, whether the Fire be given or not: for the taking out of the Sole draws the Matter downwards, and makes a kind of Revulsion; nor is the Fire alone, tho' given with

all possible Care and Dexterity, able to dissolve a Ring-bone. I have made several Ob∣servations that will not permit me to doubt of this Truth; for I have seen some Horses, who after an exact Observance of the above-mention'd Method, continu'd to halt as before: The Sole was taken out, the Skin was pierc'd with red-hot Knives, reaching to the very Callus, the whole Tumour was burnt, the Scabs fell, the Sores were fair, and in a very good Condition; and after all the Horse was as Lame as ever. I was there∣fore oblig'd to order the Sole to be taken out a second time, and the Frush to be cleft to the Pastern with a Fleam, to widen the Heels, after which some of the Horses were cur'd; tho' I have met with others that recover'd not till I had taken out the Sole a third time. At that time I had not found out the way of cleaving the Frush to widen the Heels, and therefore I only did half my work in taking out the Sole: But since I began to put that Method in Practice, I never was oblig'd to take out the Sole more than once. And to convince you of the Usefulness of taking out the Sole in those Cases, I can assure you that I have cur'd Horses of the Ring-bone by taking out the Sole, without giving the Fire, applying Oil of Bay, and proceeding according to the Directions mention'd in the Beginning of this Chapter; in so much that the Horse went upright, and was very fit for Service, the Ring-bone in the mean time making no progress for above three Years; but at last it was found necessary to give the Fire.

If you cut the part with the Fleam, and then give the Fire thro' these Incisions, the remaining Scar will be smaller and less unseemly than if the Skin had been pierc'd with a red-hot Knife: for tho' in several other Cases' the Skin is only sear'd till it acquire a Cherry Colour, for the Cure of this Distemper you must not only pierce the Skin, but penetrate the whole Tumour or Callus, that sticks to the Pastern. However every Man may please himself, and either pierce the Skin with a red-hot Knife, or cut it with a Fleam, and then give the Fire thro' these Incisions. 'Tis true indeed, the last of these Methods is the best, for besides that it leaves not so great a Scar, these Incisions serve to direct the Operator, and he sees more plainly what he is doing than those who pierce the Skin with red-hot Knives. Nevertheless I use with good Success to proceed immediately to giving the Fire, and burning the Callus, without making the least use of the Fleam, when the Horse is of no great Value: assoon as the Fire is given, apply a Mixture of Turpentine, Tarr, and Honey, laying it on warm with Flax and a Bandage, and keeping the place cover'd till it be heal'd; after seven or eight days, when the Matter is generated, you must dress it every day. Sometimes after the falling of the Scab the Flesh swells and grows too fast; but this Inconveniency may be prevented, by washing the Sore with the second Water, the vulnerary Water, or the liquid Caustic, and afterwards applying convenient Powders or Ointments, such as that of Schmit, or the Cleansing Ointment for Quitter-bones. While the Sole is growing under the Foot, you will seldom be troubl'd with proud Flesh, and if you are, you may easily consume it with Powders, or even burn it with a flat Knife; for provided you touch not the Skin, you may burn the Flesh as much as you please, without the least danger of leaving a Scar, and after the falling of the Scab, the Sore will appear fair and clean: but both the Growth of proud Flesh may be prevented, and the Cure hasten'd, by keeping the Sore always cover'd with convenient Ointments.