Horsing Around

Matthew finished the poultice wrap quickly, from the coronet up to the pastern, then wrapped the leg with a soft lint, and then the cloth bandage, securing it neatly in place; he moved over to the other front leg and wrapped it as well, though he left off the poultice. "I wrap both legs," he explained as he did, "so that Phoenix won't lean all of his weight on his good side and hurt that leg."

It didn't take him long; when he was done, he stood up and stepped away from Phoenix, observing the wraps with some satisfaction. "There," he said comfortably. "That's done. Anything else I can do for you, Cotton?"

Cotton frowned in confusion when the veterinary moved across to wrap Phoenix's other leg, though his face cleared when the other man explained why.

"I... I don't think there is anythin' else, sir," he said in answer to the gentleman's question. "Though... Will I need to bring him back for another poultice, or will the liniment do the trick without poulticin'? An'... how much will that be, sir?"

Matthew considered for a moment. He was officially responsible for the horses in the 15th, but he often saw horses from other regiments, as well as other species, on the side. A surprising number of soldiers and officers had dogs or cats that travelled with them. He'd have run through his pay in short order if he treated them all pro bono, and so he charged a small fee for most of them, depending on what the owner could manage. It was not exactly a roaring good business, but he did profit a certain amount.

"I think that should do it. It'll be five shillings," he answered Cotton. An officer could afford a good deal more than, say, the lad Pye could have, when he'd brought Matthew his chick. The oils in the liniment were not precisely inexpensive to come by, either.

Cotton pulled out his purse - well, the money the Captain let him have, for times like this, and counted out five shillings. "I... If it ain't too much of a problem, sir, could I have a receipt?" he asked, putting the rest of the money away. "An', well, thanks, sir." He patted Phoenix's neck again.

He was relieved that he hadn't wasted the veterinary surgeon's time, and that it hadn't become something serious. "I'll do what you said, sir, with the liniment. He'll do all right, with a bit o' cossetin'."