Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1851-11-26
AGRICULTURAL.


1t has often been remarked to us that the
disease in horses called the "heaves' j. more
prevalent now than it was formerly. We can
not say whether it is fact that there are more
horses troubled with this disorder than there
used to be, whether, as there are more hor-
SEES now in existence, there are consequently
more been:.troubled in this way, while the com
parative number Of diseased ones may be the
same. We have never been fully satisfied in
regard to the real cause Of this disease, or the
real seat Of it. Every one, however, can soon
distinguish the symptoms. 1t consists in diff
fculty of breathing.--the TANKS or respiratory
muscles seem to do the whole work, and that,
too, very laboriously. The air is drawn into
the lungs when the muscles at the TANKS bcGin
TO draw in as if pushing out the breath, and
after pressing in with good deal Of action,
they drop suddenly as if catch or spring had
let 60 Of them, and they fell by their own
weight. There is also dry, hacking cough
attending the disease, and on driving the horse
quick, the cough is often excited, and this la
borious breathing is brought very severely.
This would seem to fix the seat Of the disease
in the lungs We have noticed, however, that
hearey horses, as they are called, generally
enormous eaters, and if suffered to much
as they desire, will fill their stomachs to most
uncomfortable extent, and when thus distended,
are much worse troubled than when sparngly
fed.
Many causes have been alleged as produ-
cling this prevalenGe-such feeding more
freely on clover hay than ormerly-dusty hay,
caused by the smother Of the modern horse
power tbreshng machine, in barns where hay
is kept, &c, &c. 1t would seem, from the fact
Of an increased or morbid appetite in the horse
that the stomach has also taken on diseased
action.
Various remedies have been proposed, ant
some of them relieve or palate the disease 70
time. We believe that care and attention
in feeding is Of great consequence. Don't lie
him fill his stomach too full with dry food
Let his food be moist, and of a nature tina
contains much nourishment in small bulk
You do not find heavey horses troubled mucl
with this complaint while they at grass
Then let their food approximate as near to thu
condition of grass you can. Cut the hay
wet it, and sprinkle on meal.
writer in a recent number Of the Rura
Ncw-Yorker, G.. Libbey, of Eagle Harbor
New York } speaking Of this disease, attribute
it to feeding on clover hay that has become dus
ty in consequence Of being badly cured II
says he treated horse that he owned, and tina
had the hcaves, in the following manner: Ill
took the hay entirely away from him, and fe,
him with straw, mill feed, (shorts, &c, we sup
pose,) and grain. He thinks if he had cut thu
straw and wet it with oat or corn meal, 1t woulc
have been better; but as it was, the heaves die
not trouble him much.
Those who have good horses that troub
led with heaves-and most heavey horses are
those which are naturally most strong and
tive-should furnish themselves with straw
cutter and mash tub, and give them cut and
mOistened feed. They will thus not only keep
their horse more economically, but will improve
his health and keep him in a comfortable con
dtion for any kind of labor.