Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-09-24
Can We Improve The Size and vieer Of our
HoPses

Itba we'll known fact that English horses,
as general thing, are superior In size and
vigor to the American. This remark il es-
Peciaily applicable to the drsy-horses Of the
large cities as well as to the farm horses in the
principal agricultural districts To certain
extent this superiority is perhaps attributable
to the breed; but it Is manifest that there is
some chief reason for it. 1t becomes ques-
ton, therefore, to what extent the size and
yigor OF horse is made to depend upon his
food. In the United States, we have stereo-
typed system Of feeding. Corn, oats and hay
are the principal kinds of food used for our
horses, and, from present appearances, they
are likely to continue 90.
Now, Mr.. Editor, when you begin to enume
rate the kinds of horse feed used in England,
you do not find a list comprising two or three
varieties, lied, as they usually are with us, in
raw and unwhOlesome state,) but such one
as this Oats, carrots, pulse, beans; psrsnips,
hay, mixtures Of various kinds, raw and cooked,
etc. Nor Is IL an established principle that in
order to develop fully the physical powers of
domesticsted animal, not only a sufficient
quantity Of food should be given 1t, but that
there should be an alienation and varying of
the kinds. The continual use of one kind of
food will not stimH the appetite In nearly
so great degree as a judicious rotation. Let
as apply the principle to our own cases, and we
will find that an entire sameness in our daily
food for any considerable length of time clogs
the appetite and renders eating an operation
demanded by absolute necessity, and not the
result Of the demands of keen appetite. Va
riety In food, on the contrary, stimulates the
digestive organs, and is almost absolutely es-
sental to domesticated animals, such as the
horse, etc.
The partiality of an animal for a particular
kind of food is generally regulated by its inter-
nal organisation. Thus, the lion feeds upon
flesh, and the sheep on vegetable matter. Oc.
casionally we notice a slight departure from
these principles, but they are the exceptions
which prove the rule of law. The domestica-
ted animal being, as the horse, confined to cer-
tam limits, is compelled to eat such food as his
owner offers him, or starve. On the other
hand, the wild animal being wholly unrestrict-
ed In Its movements, and guided by unerring
instinct, travels where it pleases in search of
the food which its peculiar organization re-
quires. Beside this, the Creator has so ar
ranged things that the food best adapted to the
wild animals is always found in the regions of
which 1t is native. Now, the horse was orig
1nally wild, and not q native of our country.
The food, therefore, which he receives daiiv
from his master is not exactly the kind which
nature provided for him in his native condi-
ton 1t becomes question, then how nearly
we are approximating his natural aliment, and
whether we may not, by varying his food more,
approach it still nearer. We have the fact be-
80 40 euos hnoIicau norses are not as strong
or vigorous as the English. Coupled with this
fact Is another one. We do not give our horses
as great variety of food as the Englishmen
do theirs. Now, is the difference in size and
vigor attributable to climate, to breed or to the
food If to the climate, we cannot alter his
s9ndtti"n If to breed thon We msy improve
him by introducing better ones but H. as /
believe, the difference is owing mainly to our
wrong system Of feeding, then the remedy is a
simple one. 80
Let US try carrots and parsnips, ETC., more ex-
tensively-let US eschew unground grain and
uncut hay, Whenever it is possible, and let us
iced moro cooked food in a cold state, of
courseI. 1t will not be difficult to make the
trial and in addition to this, there will be no
risk in attempting it, as We have the most in
dubitable evidence that system such as that
suggested has the great advantage of economy
in cost, even if it does not add to the size and
vigor Of the animals.-D. Roberts tn Farmer
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