Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1853-08-04
ON FEEDING HORSES.

A distinguished veterinary surgeon, Pro-
lesser Dun, of the Edinburg Veterinary
Callege, calls attention to the following err
ANIs in the dieting of farm horses, which
Ne not less common in this country than
in Scotland. lst. Much too long an in
terval between the time Of feeding Hor-
hours, during which time they receive no
food whatever. This practice has been
found by experience to be prejudIcial to
their health, inducing debility and predis-
posing them to diseases Of the digestive
system. The natural habits and organs Of
the horses alike prove that he is not design
ed for long fas.s as the smallness Of his
stomach indicates the necessity of supply
ing it with comparatively small quantities of
slimen. at short intervals. When at liberty,
he eats during twenty four hours. This
natural habit may be modified, but pains
should be taken not to run into the oppo-
site extreme. A horse or mule when at
work through The day on the farm, should
have some nutritious food every five hours
at the outside, If the purpose is not to i'm
pair his constitutional powers. When 3
plow team is taken early in the morning,
ular feeding, i. is the present practice Of the
best Scotch farmers to give each horse
lunch Of a pound or more Of oat meal or
bean meal cake between nine and ten O..
clock. Some prefer 10 mix ost and beat or
pea meal which is wet with water snd ''fir-
ed" or backed; the cooking enables the d.
gestve organs 10 render the nulrlive ele-
men,s a: once available for the support of
The exsctions of labor. Dr.. Dun is scqnain-
ted with several farmers who give these
cakes whenever The work is severe end the
hours long, and all of them agree hs, their
horses are now in much beller health and
condition aud less frequently attacked by
indigestion and collie, than they were when
subjected to pro,rac,ed abstinence, and with
out anv intermediate meal.
Cd. Food may be improper on account
OF over quantity, excess of nu,riveness or
bad quality. By taking too large quanli-
~ of food into the stomach a. once, the i'm
mediate bad consequences may be wind
collie, inflammation of the bowels and the sur
rounding membranes, founder, and, occa
sionally, the swelling of food eaten dry
causes u rupture of the stomach OF in.es-
tines. An animal scantily fed from day TO
day, sometimes gels loose aud finds access
TO a bag or bin of grain and being hungry,
gorges himself almost to suffocalion or a
bad servant may feed TO excess and, out OF
all reason. We have frequently wondered
why grain or water taken into the stomach
of horse should so Immediately affect his
feet, producing the inflammation called Ia
ninitis-an infamed state of The extreme
vascular membrance or lamna Of the hoof
Let US see if we can get a, the philosophy
of q common founder. A translation Of
positive disease from one par. of the sys-
TEN to ano;her by what Doctors call me-
h. hri A-hnrse mav
uIueI III NE d1gestiVe organs, and only Al
unnatural irritation from the presence o
water or food Improperly taken into III,
stomach. The exercise and heating Il
which he has been subjected on the high.
way or elsewhere, have brought the vascu
lar and tender paris within the hoof into q
condition aPproximaing inflammation, be-
fore either water or food is swallowed
The antecedent hard service Of the feet is a
material Tact in the case for without pre-
vlous driving, and too often very hard driv-
ing, an acute founder is seldom seen. A
sudden shock is inflicted on the nervous
system in the stomach, which is sound, and
It's force skaters first, not the sound s,om-
ach, bu, the heated, enfeebled, and partial
ly infamed feet which are connected with
the stomach by abundant nerves. If the
feet OF horse be covered with water this
revul.ion from the stomach 10 the lamina OF
the hoofs seldum occurs TO an injurious de-
gree. This brief explanation indicates the
proprie,y OF bleeding, and citing recent
ly foundered horse stand in a stream of wa
ter 10 cool his feet. Give him rest and ply
sic. Proper feeding implies the use of nei-
ther too much nor too little grain, and a
due proportion Of hay, corn-blades, shucks,
straw, peavines, or other forage, which had
better be cut before it is consumed. If this
forsge is sound, bright, and wss harvested
a. right time, less grain will suffice to keep
horses in good condition. Where one
has neither hay, nor blades, nor straw,
much care should be had less highly nutri-
tive food, like corn, produce eruptons on
the skin, enlargement of the liver, yellow
water, and other maladies. If no other
bulky forage, can be had, horses should
have browse with their grain to aid in dis
tending the stomach and inlesines for bulk
is an important elemen. in healthy diges.
ton.
A FEARFUL Accountable. Everett, late
Secretary of State, is generally known as q
gentleman of extensive information, and one
who will not "speak without booko on i'm
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