HAIR, in Farriery, is generally called the coat; and, with regard to horses, deserves particular consideration. The hair growing on the fetlock serves as a defence to the prominent part of it in travelling in stony ways or in frosty weather. If the hair of a horse's neck, and the parts most uncovered, be close, smooth, and sleek, it is an indication of his being in health and good case. In order to make the hair of a horse soft and sleek, he must be kept warm at heart, for the least inward cold will cause the hair to stare; also sweat him often, for that will loosen and raise the dust and filth that renders his coat foul; and when he is in the heat of a sweat, scrape off all the white foam, sweat, and filth, that is raised up with an old sword blade; and also when he is
blooded, if you rub him all over with his own blood, repeating it two or three days, and curry and dress him well, it will make his coat shine as if covered with a fine varnish.
Hair falling from the mane or tail is caused either by his having taken some heat, which has engendered a dry mange; or from some affection of the skin. To cure this, anoint the horse's mane and crest with black soap; make a strong ley of ashes, and wash it all over with it. But if a canker should grow on a horse's tail, which will eat away both flesh and bone, oil of vitriol is recommended to be applied to the part affected. But as this is a very dangerous application, lunar caustic will be found a safer and an equally effectual remedy.
If you would take away hair from any part of a horse's body, boil half a pound of lime in a quart of water, till a fourth part is consumed, to which add an ounce of orpiment; make this into a plaster, and lay it on.