San Andreas independent., 1856-09-24
Watering Horses.

VIII HOl 10 all HdIIn, VI dt Tit IlUce IL VIII
set the coat on end. If the horse is very
hot, this small quantity is very refreshing
to him, and may be given with great safe
ty. If the day is very warm, and the
horse kept in gentle motion, twice or thrice
as much will do no harm however warm
the horse may be. Yet none should be
given until one or two minutes after the
horse is pulled up. Let him recover his
wind for minute before he drinks. A
large quantity, say pailful Of very cold
water, to horse at rest, not heated by ex-
ertion. may make him shiver, or it may
produce pain in the belly, cramp OF the
bowels. Both the shivering and the cramp
may be prevented by putting the horse IN
motion-a brisk walk or gentle trot.-
A horse much heated by exertion, which
has produced copious perspiratlon, will
drink more than pailful, and the colder
the water the more he will drink; IT he
shiver, founder may be expected in an
hour or two. If the same quantity be
given when the horse is getting cool, he Is
almost sure to take cramp In the bowels.
So far as my experience goes, it appears
that cold water proves most dangerous, not
when the skin is at its hottest, but when
it is becoming cool after being warm. |
have seen cold water produce a kind of
rheumatism. The horse is stiff all over,
and on one or more of his legs he is lame
and cramped, and it is several days before
he recovers. [ have never known this
happen except when the horse had drank
freely of cold water, and eaten grain at the
time he was heated; and in all cases he
had been permitted to stand at rest. |
remember only three cases of this kind,
and it is possible the rheumatism might
not be altogether due to the treatment, |
suspect. This however, shivering fit,
founder and spasmodic collie, are all the
evils that cold water will produce. | have
never seen it produce any other. Their
treatment, their symptoms, and results, it
would be improper to describe; but it may
not be very much out of my province to
mention that shivering is prevented and
cured by motion and clothing; and that
cramp Of the bowels may be cured by four
ounces of sweet spirits of nitre, given in
a pint of warm milk, with about tea
spoonful of ground ginger, mustard or
pepper.
10 prevent these the water must either
be warmed, or it must be given oftener
and in smaller quantity. A very thirsty
horse should never be permitted to take
SO much as he pleases at one draught.-
A little given at intervals Of fifteen or
twenty minutes, till his thirst is quenched,
will prevent all danger, and the horse will
take less upon the whole than he would
take at first in one draught. | do not ap-
prove of chilled water for constant use.-
It makes the horse SO tender that very
little cold water has great effect upon
him. It does no other harm. 1t need
not, however, be given as it is from deep
well or from frozen pond As gene
raj rule, the temperature Of the water
should not be much above nor much be-
low that of the air which the horse is
breathing.
The quantity Of water which horse
will consume in twenty-four hours is quite
uncertain 1t varies so much, that one
will drink as much as the other two or
three It is influenced by the food, the
work, the weather, and the number of SER
vices While getting grass or soft food,
the horse drinks less than while his food
is dry; those that eat much hay need more
than those that eat little. The demand
increases with the perspiration; horses at
fast work, and kept in hot stables, need a
large allowance, which must be still lar
GER in hot weather When water is given
only twice day, more is taken, or would
be taken than if it were given three or
four times. Horses of slow or not very
fast work may be permitted to take what
quantity they please, provided they always
give it to them before they become very
thirsty. For other horses, those of very
fast work, occasional restriction is neces-
sary; and many Of those are subject to
habitual restriction.
Occasional restriction is necessary -
When the horse is very thirsty, he will
take more than he needs, and more than
is safe. This | have already explained
Restriction is also necessary before fast
work. In coaching stables the horses are
1watered about an hour before going to
work. Should they be disposed to drink a
great deal at this time, they are not per-
mitted half an ordinary pailful ought to
suffice Twice as much might do harm.
It might impede the breathing and pro-
duce purgation yet, very often it does
neither Given, however, Immediately be-
fore starting, it is sure to do both. When
the horse purges, his breathing gets freer
as he becomes quit of the water. But
especially on a long stage, the purging is
very deblieating, and it makes the horse
very lean in two or three journeys. Racers,
it appears, receive no water on running
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