Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-02-21
Gbs 5armer.
FEEDFoR HORSES.

grass ia the spring of the year, the
succulent nature Of the food causes
then to purge, often to great extent;
this is considered by many persons
a most desirable event. great mis-
conception. The heritage is over
charged with a sap and moisture, Of
a crude, acrimonious nature, to such
An extent that all cannot be taken up
by the organ designed for the secre-
ton Of urine, or by the absorbent
vessels of the body; the superfuous
fluid therefore passes off through
the intestines with the indigestible
particles of food, and thus the watery
feces are thrown of. Flatulent collie
or gripes is frequent attendant.
The system is deranged; but the MIS-
chief does not terminate here. If
the purging continues, a constitu-
tional relaxation of the bowels is es-
tablished, very debilitating to the
animal; and often difficult to control.
! am so decidedly opposed to an unre-
stricted allowance of luxuriant grass
to horses at any age, that nothing
could induce me to give it to them.
I may not be able to enlist all my read
ers as converts to my practice; I trust
I may a great many of them. After
the second year, hay should form a
considerable portion Of the daily food
in summer to every animal intended
for hunting or riding. If horse is
supported entirely upon the grass
which he collects in rich pasture
field, or upon that which may be cut
and carried to him in his paddock, he
must consume much greater bulk
than of hay in an equivalent time, to
afford nourishment to the system.
Grass being very full sap and mois-
lures, it is very rapidly digested, con-
seqaently the horse must be contin-
ually eating it. This distends the
stomach and the bowels, and the fac
ulty of digestion is impaired; fol-
the digestive powers require rest as
well as other organs of the body, if
they are preserved in perfect condi-
ton: By the custom of grazing the
muscular system is enfeebled, and fat
is substituted. This may escape the
notice of superficial observers, who
do not mark the distinction between
the appearance of a fat and a muscu-
lar animal; who conceive, so that the
bones are covered and the points are
rounded, all that is requisite has been
attained. But that is a very falla-
eious impression. Let any person
who is skeptical on this point ride a
horse in the summer, which has just
been taken out of grass field, along
with another kept on hay at the mod
crate rate of seven or eight miles in the
hour the CRASHED horse will sweat
profasely, while the other will be per-
fectly cool and dry. This proves
that the system of the one eating
grass overbounds with fat and those
portions of the blood which are des-
tined to form that deposit. Those
who advocate grazing will no doubt
exclaim: oh, this is a test of
condition which is not required in
young and growing animalsl" |
beg tostate that it is highly important
if the acme of condition is to be at
tanned by animals of mature age, that
the growth and gradual development
of their frames should be composed
of those healthy and vigorous ele-
ments upon which the structure of
future condition can be raised. An
imals substances are to a very great
extent subservient to the nature and
quality of the food with which the
individuals are nourished. | believe
farmers would find it much to their
advantage if they would consider
this subject in reference to feeding
cattle and sheep, so that they might
select those kinds of food which
abound with properties more con-
ducive to the production Of flesh
than fat. There is no Kind of food
which the horse consumes which has
not a tendency to deposit some por-
ton of fat. 1t is substance which
must exist to certain extent; but as
it is muscular power, not predispo-
sition to adipose rotundity, which en-
hances the value of the animal, the
reasons are obvious what guide should
be taken in the selection of fosd. |
have on a former occasion limited at
the propriety of bruising the oats,
and I viii now state my reason for