The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-05-05
SIXTEENTH voLUME---NUMBER sIs.
Care Of Horses.

After about twenty-five years experience as .
horse owner, undertake to set down little of
my experience concerning the management OF
that noble animal. .
Commencing when the foal is day or two old,
90 to it, and pass my hands down Its face, along
its back, and down its legs to the hoeis, hind and
FORE not to mesmerse or charm the animal, but
to accustom it to being handled, thing which
cannot be commenced too soon. Foals are AMI
mails that, when quite young, have more sagaeIty,
and are more tractable and easily taught than
any other animal; so whatever you want them
to learn, commence before they are old enough
to make resistance, and depend upon it, they
will never forget it. Put halter on il, and lead
it about but be careful not to let 1t break away
from YOU BE very careful and gentle to 1T, but
show that you are its master.
I.next proceed to the horses feet. Horses
hoofs arc things of the greatest importance, for
who would want to follow a lame horse to either
work or pleasure? Many things ruin the feet of
horses, which | cannot pretend to touch on, but
will try to point outaa few errors which any
man can see and correct, the greatest of which
is leaving their shoes on too long. This hurts
the hoof strains the legs, and causes lameness In
every shape In the winter this has worse
effect than in summer, then the feet are moro
dry and clean, whereas in summer they are wet,
and the mud and heat of summer will rot the
hoofs and cause the shoe to fall off. L have
known horses shoes nailed in the fall, and not
taken off until the next summer, when they
would fall off in the pasture, practice which
seldom fails to bring on lameness. A horses
shoe should never be on longer than three
| months and two months are very often too long
! Horses hoofs were meant by nature to 60 bare,
| and run on the earth in their natural state, and
as we drive them on SUCH they need no shoeing;
but when we drive them on paved streets, hard
| roads etc. we have to shoe them, and stop the
| wear that nature meant should he on their hoots.
The consequence is that the shoe binds the hoof,
and often causes contraction and many other
evils when nailed too far to the heel left on long,
or when the hoof is not sufficiently pared down
between shoeings See that the shoe is not naiied
too far to the heel ANY intelligent man can see
| when shoe has been on long enough, and take
it off when it may be left off day or two longer,
as the case may be. A drive over soft snow,
few days plowing or narrowing, or the like, would
spread the foot and he to cOunteract the effects
Of shoeing. Always see that the hoof is properly
pared before the shoe is again put on. have
never seen the hoofS Of old horses greatly i'm
proved by being left bare few weeks in pasture
There are many other things that hurt horses
feet, as too poor feed, too high iced, too hara
driving.
The most natural feed for the horse is what
he can pick for himself but as we cannot let him
run and pick his own living, let his feed be as
near natural as possible, Too high or too low
feed have both bad effect, but as different n-
dividuals will form very different notions Of what
high and low feed are, will try and point out
what consider the middle course to be. Hay
alone be it ever so good is not fit feed for horses,
whether working or Idle. They need grain, with
an occasional feed of roots bran mash, or some
thing to keep their bowels open. Horses need
regular feed. The feed generally find best for
horses is about twelve pounds Of hay and from
nine to twelve quarts Of oats, given in three
regular feeds with a feed Of raw potatoes once a
week when idle or at gentle work and small
,, increase when at hard work. The practice of
feeding horses all the hay they eat when idle
has many bad effects whereas if they get three
small feeds, they viii stamp about in the stall
and take exercise between feeds, which will keep
their legs from swelling etc. -..,-
= But remember | do not advocate small feeds
, of hay Without gratn. 4 very cheap way OF feed
4 inc horses and not bay way, is on straw, with
fair allowance Of oats. ! have tried grea'
many experiments and have found horses always
! do better on straw than horned cattle. Horses
= will do better on straw provided it be good, thar
they will on hay only, without grain IN both cases
: but of course they must not be stlnted 1h'
" main point with a farmer who keeps horses, ~ u
use them in such a way viii give them all th'
strength and agility the animal is capable Of an(
Z TO work them Ill they can stand without injurln:
} either The poor halfstarvcd horse is an ami
, NAL anv man ought to be ashamed Of; but oI
u u the other hand. the pampcrcd and oycr-fcd am
y y halfworked horse though he may look very mic
= to some is an animal I would advise the tarme
not to keep as such animals are more liable +
! loss than any other-l lIJionidI Farmer.