Sauerkraut

Take a can of sauerkraut, a plastic bag (a bread bag is OK), and some bandaging material-adhesive tape, Vetrap, or Elasticon. Pull the bag up over the effected foot. Pour the entire can of sauerkraut into the bag, putting most of it on the back side of the foot. Wrap the whole thing well with the tape, putting on gentle pressure and wrapping plenty of tape around the bottom of the hoof to help protect the plastic bag there. Leave it unchanged for 3 days. When you remove the bag, the skin is usually clean and fresh-looking, and the problem is much improved. treat it with either softening or drying products as needed. This treatment for Scratches (grease heels, grease, cracked heels, mud fever)was taken from a book published in 1985. A friend lent me this book "How To Be Your Own Veterinarian" by Ruth B. James, DVM. What I find the most interesting is how equine medicine has changed in 25 years. In the late 1960s I remember a pony that had collapsed, and the owner used a bottle of whisky to "drench" the poor thing. This involved putting the mouth of the bottle far back into the pony's mouth and pouring in the whiskey. Unfortunately the pony died shortly thereafter. Big surprize! Some of the old treatment methods make a lot of sense. Using petroleum jelly to soften small wounds and help them to heal. Do any of my readers remember Scarlet Oil, or fasting the horse and tube worming? Do you worry about gunshot wounds? Do you carry a handgun when you go on long trails rides, just in case you have an emergency euthanasia situation? While you are thinking of some "old-time" home remedies, I am going to make some flaxseed tea. I understand it is great for my horse's coat, I bet its a lot cheaper than buying flaxseed oil at the feed store!