The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-06-18


Owners Vi 4-o4scs are often at loss
70 understand why their animals So
perEistently rub their tails and names
about this time Of the year. and in
fact during the entire winter season.
SO bad do some Of the cases alluded
to become that the tail is rubbed free
Of hair and becomes sore and covered
with scales and scabs. The name as
q rule is. not so badly affected but tha
horse also snds it itchy and rubs ii
occasionally. There IS corresponding
irritation Of the legs in heavy draft
horses having feather" from knees
and hooks to ho0f. Almost Invariably
we find on examining into the causes
Of this condition that the animal af-
ficted has been fed heavily upon corn
or other grain while resting and at the
same time is receiving too little work
or exercise. It is also found that when
horses are idle during the winter sea
son and fed as mentioned that the
owner negiects to curry and comb
and brush the skin az he would do
were the animal working during SUE
mer and spring The skin at the roots
OF the tail and name exfoIiates more
freely and rapidly than the other por-
tons OF the body. but the products Of
exfoliation, viz, dandruff. etc. are not
got rid Of as they are at the other parts
Of the anatomy. The roots Of the hair
become buried in this sIoug5ed Of cut
iele, filth adds to the condition and
the part becomes itchy. or even the
seat OF parasitic skin disease. II
at the same time. and this is frequently
the case. the horse be infested By pin
worms Of the rectum the itching be-
comes intense ana it IS not to be won
dered at that the idle horse forms the
bad habit Of tail rubbing. It should
also be remembered that when an idle
horse is heavily fed upon corn or other
i grain, the products OF which it cannot
work of in exercise. sweating and re-
pair OF wasted Tissues, the blood be-
comes sluggish and filed with impur-
/ tiles which would otherwise be thrown
/ of When this condition is induced
( BY feeding corn. lack Of exercise and
cleanliness the skin trouble is agra
waited and the animal is laid oper to an
attack Of Iymphangitis or grease
When it IS found then that a horse i.
commencing to rub its tail and mans
It IS necessary not only TO treat the
seat of the trouble but to set right
the errors Of diet and MANAGEMENT
which have given rise to the condition
I OF the blood faForing the appearance
OF skin disease. The horse is TO b
first cleaned very thoroughly from
head TO foot and this should be don.
at least once daily afterwards. The
hair and skin at the tail and mans
are TO be well scrubbed with soap and
hot water and It IS well to add a little
bicarbonate Of soda to the water. Tit
parts should then be dried thoroughly
with sawdust and when this has beeE
done 1t is time to apply a healing 10
ton to control the itching and sooth'
the inflamed condition For this pur
pose an excellent wash is made b.
mixing flowers OF sulphur and raw lin
seed oil to the consistency Of cream
and then to each pint OF the mixtur,
add an ounce Of chloro-napthoIeu
This lotion is to be freely used Il
dreneh the affected parts, working tn,
mixture well down 10 the roots OF tn
hair 1t is not TO be washed OF bu
is TO be repeated in three days and i
to be applied TO all other parts Of II,
skin affected by Irritation The write
has had occasion TO wet a horse from
head to tail with this lotion where Ii,
condition Of the entire skin was aggra
waited and found that two or three ap
plications effected a cure For tn
treatment OF the pin worms a recta
injection night and morning Of
warm decoetion Of Quassia chips vii
be found effective. Another good in
lection is tobacco infusion, made b,
pouring boiling water upon tobacci
stems OF this pint should be addet
to half pailful Of hot soapy waite
and this is TO be injected into the rec
tum by means Of large syringe or
two-foot length of one inch rubbe
hose with funnel attached.