Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-09-05
Agricultural.
Sensible Horse Talk.
.AiIIsfic MO~fhiy

Sensible Horse Talk.
Horses that labor require grain appOr
toned out at regular intervals-about three
times per day for slow work and five times
for fast work. They require thorough dress
ing at least once day. and should be cleaned
and rubbed dry after severe labor. The comb
and brush remove the dirt from the roots OF
the hair, and q linen cloth wisp of straw
polishes the coat and gives 1t fine silky ap
pearance. All tend to open the pores of the
ekin and keep up a healthy action of iDsen
sible perspiration, which fits the horse to per
form more labor without injury. Hand rub
bling the legs from the knee and hook down
wards stimulates the arterIal circulation,
which is essential to great speed. Grooming
improves the health, Increases the vigor OF
action, cleans the skin of all impuriti es,
which become a self-generating oil conductor,
that moisteDs the hair and gives it healthy,
glossy appearance. The horse should be fed
from two TO four hours before being put TO
severe labor. Racers are allowed no hay ON
the days of racing until their labors are over.
1t preveuss free respiration and loads them
down with useless weight. They need free
action. Digestion ceases In nervous excite
ment Tine oyertasked horse should be cooled
gradually with the body. They have been
raised to- the highest tension by severe exer-
tions they should be brough. to the mean
temperature by exercise.
Flesh worked on to horse gives him a pre-
ternatural power, a more solid and permanent
condition, than fesh put on in the stable
young colts ard working horses must be kept
In good condition. 1t is passport to favor
with the buyer, that the horse has two years
of good keeping In him. 6 Starvation checks
the growth and destroys the shape; horses
that have teen ll-fed when young are almost
lob
and narrow-chested." They may be over fed.
Those with deep chests and broad loins will
over gorge themselves with hard food, and
cause their legs to stock, or founder the chest.
High feed, without sufficient exercise loads
the sy stem down with fat, which levers up
the body and pounds out the legs. Greedy
eaters must be stInted to moderate supply
of grain. 1t will improve their action, health
and condition.
No wild horse, or tame horse in his natu-
raj state, can last a single day with one
trained or seasoned-ftted up to the staying
point. Drawing or sweating the horse by
active exercise is one Of the agents of con-
ditioning him to endure labor. 1t ightens
the carcass, and improves the wind tor long
road work. Taking away the surplus fat
gives the lungs more room TO expand, and The
blooG-vessels and air-tubes have ample space
for active and free circulation. These are
the eng ines that propel the muscles. The
horse in condition has the ability To breathe
rapid, and can travel fast 1t increases the
pulsations of the heart, which shows the &C
tive circulation of the blood. The more all
they consume the longer they last. The
horse that has large nostrils, chest and wind
pipe, has the best wind. Their wind viii
outlast their legs.
Training must be apportioned out accord
ing to the constitution. The robust horst
may require sweat once week, while th'
delicate nervous animal may not require any
drawing. The high-spirited horse will no
stand fast work without much repose con
slant exertion will impair their condition
Condition is preserved by health, food anc
exercise. The want of condition may destroy
a good horse in single journey. Founder
sprains, pufs and spavIns are the consequence
of everlasting unseasoned horse. IL
must have previous preparation correspond
ing to the labor required. No horse can en-
dure ten miles an hour on the road or rae
course. for any length of time, without being
fitted for the task. He must have the vita
action clear, and the physical condition firm
to stand the wear and tear of long drives.
Early maturity gives value to the horse
The colt that natures at three years old i
worth twice as much as the animal that ma
lures at six. If the former cost fifty dollar
to raise the latter would cost one hundred
dollars. One is no more subject to prema
ture decay than the other, provided they ar
broken upon the principle of exercise ant
weight for age. The ability to perform yOun,
depends upon the constitution. The sam
cause that enables the colt to perform servic
will operate upon the old horse. One of tb
highest encomiums passed upon the horse
that he lasts all day-good on the last quar-
ser exclaims his eulOgist. If he gives on
at noon he would amount to but half a horse
Endurance is one of the attributes OF a soy
ereign will. 1t measures distance as strength
measures weight. The more power that cal
be crowded upon one horse, the less in mum
Der will be required to do the same business
the cost of production. The saving of labo
BY horsepower increases the means of pro
duction.
The formidable labors imposed upon tn
horse require supernatural exertions. He
tasked to perform incredible labors. Losde
down with oppressive weights, he covers a
no distance. In the midst of battle he bound
Ia fearless majesty over the cannon tn,
threatens his destruction, and defies the bayt
net or loaded messengers of the rifle. de
hsrnessed to the booming cannon to destro
life, and to the ambulance to gather up th
wounded soldier to restore life. In the chare
at the head of she column he greets the en-
my with the prestige of the conquering ger
eral, whose eword has been drawn to SAY
liberty, or 20 perish martyr in her defen y
plow, where he becomes as docile in Il
" as he has bean furious in battle. tt
n and reaper has not lost its servan
e thresher its greet motive POWER.
% il the mission OF the horse. He II
with the advance of civilization, ar