The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-11-12
THE HORSE.

inc To correct some of The common errors rela-f
ting to the care and treatment OF tins inyalu-
able animal This is the attempt OF the follow !
snp extract, which is taken from the New Eng |
land Farmer; we commend 1t to the attention
of every man who owns, or is ever likely 10 own,
a horse j
sTABLING.
As to hoic the horse should be confined in the |
stable. The universal practice in Massachu-
sets, as in most other places, is to tie him
in narrow stall, with his fore feet higher
than his hind ones. In some stables the de-
cliyitv is very considerable. 1t is my opin-
ion, that if there must be a declivity, it
should be forwards. A horse worked eve
nv day on a fast trot over hard road, as a
coach horse, suffers enough in his fore feet
when he is sound. One of the first signs
of incipient disease in them, or rather of
the crowded state, which precedes disease,
is his throwing his weight as much as he
can on his hind legs. | am inclined to-
doubt the fact of his preferring to stand up
hill under such circumstances. One rea-
son for such an opinion, is the manner in
which his weight is thrown on his toes
when he stands up HILL even if his heels are
raised. Another great disadvantage of his
standing SO, is that he throws the whole
weight of his forehead upon the same mus
cles and tendons he uses most IN dTaught.
1t is certainly of Importance, that If he
must have an unnatural strain any where,
when he is not at work, it should not be
where the strain must be when he is. 1t
is vast comfort to horse to be kept in a
box. He should be able to choose his own
position, at least to sleep in, and relieve
what muscles he wishes. In stall, he
must sleep, through life, with his head
held in the air, and his legs under his body.
His getting cast in box is not a common
occurrence. Ten feet square will do well,
ifhe cannot have larger one. In box
he is freed from the torment of hearing
walking and talking behind him.
FEEDING.
rs to ho,c he should be fed. have never
yet met with a person having the charge
of horses, who, in my opinion, attached
sufficient Importance to the improperly OF
allowing a horse his usual allowance OF
corn, when suffering from cold. Not only
is the corn thrown away, but it must al
ways do him some harm, and may do him
a great deal. Many horses that suffer from
a thickening of windpipe, disease fol-
which we have here no name, many that
are broken-winded, many that are ruined
in their feet, may have it ascribed to being
fed on severe colds. The corn increases
the disorder of the system by the difficulty
with which it is digested, and when digest
ed, it exaggerates what tendency may ex-
list to local inflammation. Oats are the
least dangerous corn, they being so very
light There is another remark which
would make, which is, that no horse should
be fed higher than usual, when forced tc
accidental violent exertion. He never ough
to be forced to any, which he has not beer
in some degree, prepared for, and his abil
ty to make it should be looked for from the
previous preparation, not from any unusua
means of supporting his strength. Oats ap
pear to be the best corn suited to a horse:
stomach; but he wants something bettel
than oats for full work. There is to an expe
rienced eye, particular lghtness and hol
lowness between the hip joint and the stiff
Joint, in worked horses that get nothing bet
ter than oats, which is not to be seen il
those that get Indian corn. Therei is grea
difference generally, in the constitution o
the round chested, and the deep and marrow
horse. The first has much more comfort
able one to deal with the other is oftel
stronger, faster and better winded but va
ries infinitely from day to day; feels tn
season more, is not so good feeder; no
ought he to be, for his stomach is weake
and more readily oppressed.
WORKING.
As to hoto he should be scorked It is
common practice in Massachusetts to waite
horses before they leave the stable. This i
ridiculous; but worse practice is to waite
them during their stage; which last is uni
yersal. They unquestionably may becom
accustomed to it as to any thing else bu
it Injuries many of them. If driven on aga
Immediately, and thrown into new perspira
ton, it may possibly prevent the water fror
injuring them, but ! entirely question tn
fact of its lessening the fatiguing effects o
their work. | know that it is hard to tire
pedestrian that will drink but little; and i
he is to walk all the day, every tumbler O
water, drunk when hot, takes two or three
miles from pedestrians days work. 1t i
also common practice to drive horses thro
a stream Of water when they are hot, to re
fresh them. The Immediate effect, unques
tionably, is to refresh them; but they sool
feel an increased stiffness from it. 1t is tn
practice Of some people to tie them up afte
they come in, in the strongest draught O
air which can be found, Ia damp brick var,
where the sun never shines is still better
and wash their legs with cold water. Thi
is going for the whole. The universal man
ner in which coach horses are driven ii
Massachusetts is reprehensible. They arr
started off at pace much faster than thel
are expected to hold, and continually gal
loped for short distances, when the pace a
which they are expected to perform thei
stage does not exceed six or seven miles il
the hour. i do not believe that occasiona
gallopng relieves the horses in slow coach
es, where the hills do not render it necessa
ry. i believe they should always be driver
as nearly as possible at the same pace ant
it has u much more coachman-like appear