Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-12-24
The Horse, and his Improvement.

both sire and dam, 1t IS not Suffcient 10 insure
complete success. In a world where briers
weeds, and poisonous grasses grow spontane-
ously, and the fruits and grains which support
life are grown only by laborious cultivation,
eternal vigilance is the price of good life, and
ample sustenance. The first conditions being
settled leaves no recess for slumbering. The
mare needs constant care. She must be kept
in good health and condition-must be fed with
care, both as regards quantity and quality
must be sheltered from storms and bad weather,
must have exercise and room for recreation,
avoiding sudden, violent exertion;-must be
kept free from the noxious gases of foul and
! Differentiated stables;-should be combed and
rubbed frequently, and, in short, everything
should be done which tends to cultivate and
sustain that condition of life, strength, action,
and spirit, to be desired in the offspring. The
forming animal derives no elements of its being
from other source than the mothers system.
During CESSATION, her vital fluid fills the fetal
veins, and if, from any depressing or exhausting
influence that blood is deficient in vitality, it
cannot supply that life and energy, that perfec-
ton of development, to the new being which a
better condition would impart. Every intiu-
ence affecting injuriously the mothers health,
vitiates the life fountain of the new being; hence
the necessity and value of the utmost care and
attention during the period Of CESSATION.
All the attention requisite before foaling, is
equally important afterwards. In the one case,
the foetus derives its nourishment direct from
the blood of the mother; in the next, the foal
obtains its sustenance from the milk made from
that blood, and it is not less important that the
blood be healthy and pure to insure the proper
quantity and quality of nutriment to the young
animal. For this reason the mare should not
be put to hard work soon after foaling, nor, in
deed, to severe and constant toll during the
time Of sucking her young. She should be
well fed and allowed good pasturage, affording
both food and room for exercise. An idea that
| half-starved and stunted colts make tough, har-
| dy horses has long existed among portion
Of the farming community; and so opposed is
it to all facts so contrary to all the teachings
| Of reason and philosophy, so absurd in ITSELF
that its very existence is astonishing When
every tissue of the organization is made up from
the nutriment taken into the system, and from
| that only, as every one knows, it is not easy to
| conceive how those tissues should be better
| formed if only half supplied with forming ma
terials; yet such has been the idea. And though
few good animals have been raised in this
manner it needs but moments thought to de-
eide that they must have been much better if
well cared for, and fully fed. Observation, it is
thought, will convince any one that such horses
are imperectly developed, are more liable to
the entertainments of disease, are wanting in
action and spirit, and do not exhibit that sym
metry and beauty of form characteristic of well
fed animals
Youatt who has written much, and scientif-
cally, upon the economy of the horse, says:
"The breeder may depend upon it, that moth
ing is gained by starving the mother, and stint
ing the foal at this time. 1t is the most impor-
tant period of the life of the horse; and If, from
false economy his growth is arrested, his puny
form and want of endurance will ever after
wards testify the error that has been commit
ted"
There is no principle Of greater importance
than the liberal feeding of the foal during the
time of his growth, and particularly at the time
of weaving Bruised oats and bran, or other
nutritious and easily digestible articles should
form a part of his daily food; and the farmer
may be assured that the money is well invest
ed which is expended on the liberal nourish-
ment Of the growing colt. With liberal range,
he should have good shelter from storms and
the incemencics of the weather Too often,
however, after weaving, he is left to struggle on
as be can, and becoming poor and dispirited,
may be seen shiyering beside a fence, rheum
running from his eyes, his rough, shaggy, dirty
coat a habitation for vermin, and himself sad
specimen of poverty and misery. Not a great
number Of such cases may be found at this time,
compared with the past; but there is far too
much carelessness and inattention to young ami
mails of all kinds. The dictates of humane
feeling and the demand of the owners purse,
when understood, viii remedy the evil and
reform, in these matters, as in most others, will
come from knowledge of and reason for the
better way. The agricultural wealth not yet
developed both vegetable and animal, may some
day astonsh the dull eyes Of the present old
fogyish portion Of young America
AS horses are mainly valuable for their utili-
ty to man, it is apparent that the full develop
ment Of the physical system of the animal is
not all that needs to be secured, though that is
necessarily the primary department. upon
which all else is TO be based. The best deyel-
oped animal might be so vicious as to be entire
| ly valueless though il is a rule, that develop
ment of form and Of disposition correspond to
each other Yet the horse being one Of the
most intelligent Of the animal creation, and ca
silly trained into objectionable as well as desira-
bic habits, it behooves every one having the
care Of young horses and colts, to guard care
fully the influences brought 70 bear upon their
disposition. The usual custom throughout the
| West has been TO let them run wild almost,
until three or four years old, and then put them
through-not regular system Of breaking, -
but such exercises as the disposition Of the
master might dictate at the moment and which
often exhibited lar more Of the spleen and irri-
liability, Impotence, and violence Of temper Of
! the man, than Of care for the horse. Almost
the first experience Of life the colt gets after he
has learned the use Of his legs, Is pelting with
small stones, clods, sticks, or switches, from
mischevous boys, who delight in his MANTLE
antics 10 avoid his prosecutors; and thus, from
the first, he learns 90 look upon man as an enc
INV 10 be dreaded and avoided, while evil dispo-
sitions 10 kick, strike, &c., and i'll nature gene
rally, are forced upon him. Ago and strength
/ accumulate. and with them Ill treatment, Con
the amusement IL lis masters il may be, or By
yirture OF their thoughtless disregard Of causes
and effects, ] until, when large and old enough
10 BECOME soryiceaile, the difficult aud DANCE
rous process Of ''breaking' become necessary.
And Il too olien happens, that when this is well
\ done. Is ali admit ii should BE-, the horse Il
really broken, and has lest al that spirit and
| nohlsness 20 much admired ia shis truly noble
aniusal. Tho whole idea Of breaking implies
in Eet, necessary evil. Is part Of the same phi.
losaphy which once made our school houses
repositories q birch and theatres Of tragic cru.
city a philosophy which. thanks 70 csllishten-
cd progress. 5 rpidly passing away.
Inc colt should be aorassomed 10 huelness
and gentle, yea iirIn handling from TIE first
and Is this nlanncf learn pefsct obedience q
his masters viii The halter may, indeed
should le, PLACID upon lssn when qulle yosne
and he shoaid earn % Is gnssed " Il u any
dirersloh. and with eess ard a. BE- gFoVs iip
one hssson aiaer anailIer may Il added. a. III.
ownsrs plsl.es % hpcy mag dielsie. antll