The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1853-07-28

L IHuS MANY 8cdSoIl, tiiuS lcdSoAeu oiioo'
When starting in farming | thought
horse team SINE gao non. Oxen might
be good in their place, but that was athard
drills, in skockingly hard places. On an
old farm, clean of logs and stumps, moth
ing could possibly answer but team OF
fine horses.
Accordingly I bought pair of fine colts
They were reared with the utmost care,
and allowed to run till they were five years
old before being put to service. I was
bound to have team. They were con-
sidered at six years old competent to take
their place before the plow, and supercede
the necessity of any other team on the
farm. They were strong, and full of spi
rit and | looked forward to the approach
ing springs work without single doubt
as to its being completed in the best of
season.
But alas!' ''The horse is vain thing
for safety Two days had | been follow
ing my pampered team, the work going
bravely ON, when Vixen, the especial
pride Of my eyes, began to cough. What
could it mean?' Was it possible for the
noble creature, so full of spirit, to be dis
eased? The third day she began to hang
her lead, and refusedlef usual mess
of oats. What could the matter be-
Was she sick? The "Horse Doctor" was
called, and he pronounced the case to be
most severe attack of horse distem
per-" What was to be done? The springs
work just commenced, and the team sick.
The Doctor said the mare must not be
worked. She must be kept warm, and
receive the very best of attention, or she
would die. His advice and prescriptions
were paid for, and the mare got well, but
how she looked!
Thus ends the first chapter.
Not entirely discouraged by my spring
misfortune, | looked to the work of the
autumn with very much of the same feel
ings with which [ had anticipated the
work of spring. The horses would then
| be 'on hand
Haying over, the summer fallow would
need to be put in order for the wheat
The horses were accordingly taken from
the pastures, where they had run almost
all summer unmolested, to give Vixen a
chance to fully recruit after her Severe at
tack Of horse distemper, fed few oats
to prepare them more fully for the ardu-
Gus duty before them, and then harness
ed to the harrow
TWAS warm day, and the driver was
fearful he should injure the team; SO a.
bout ten O'Clock he proposed to give them
longer breathing spell than common,
and also refresh himself by gentle loll
in the shade. The lines were dropt, and
our driver hied into the cool retreat. And
now comes another item in the profits Of
our indispensable team.
From some cause, adequate Or made
quate, it matters not which, they became
frightened, and away they went pell nell,
the harrow flying in the air, till they
brought up against high post in cor
ner of the field, frightened, fatigued and
Sir William most horribly cut and SCARED
with the harrow teeth, and lamed to such
an extent that it took weeks Of doctorino
to cure him.
In the mean time the oxen were press
ed into service, and before Sir William
fully recovered, the wheat was growing
green over the field, for work on which
the horses were entitled to credit fol
about three hours work, and should stand
charged with broken harrow and tori
harness, and doctors bill of abou
$500.
This years experience shook my conf
dence in horse teams good deal, but
still stuck to mine, hoping that better sue
cess would attend me in the future Vain
hope! The next season they ran twice
with a wagon and once with a sled, The
last time running over another sled with {
neighbor on it, and injuring him severely
! By this time [ had the reputation O
keeping an unsafe team, which I coult
not deny, and one which no one woulc
buy who valued his life. Things looked
as if my $500 team would have to be sole
at a sacrifice, and two years experience
had taught me perfectly that to keep then
was sacrifice.
At length a neighbor who always hao
a fancy for Vixen, proposed to take her
and give me pair of nice four year ole
, cattle. My experience had just prepared
me for such trade. I closed the bargain
with him at once, and have not since own
ed pair of strong. spirited and reliable
farm horses.
And now, having given bit of my ex
perience with horses, as team for worl
on farm. you will indulge me still fur
ther in giving my experience and manage
| ment with oxen as team for performing
work on the farm