Middletown transcript., 1869-07-03
Ghe Earnler,
The Improvement of the Horse.

Farm, has this to say of the breeding of
horses. IIorsemen will recognize the au
thor as man of experience, and accept
his suggestions as of unusual value:
TO improve the horse is to avail our
selves of the experience of mankind. The
art of breeding consists in using the dis
coverics of the world. Science has un-
folded the laws of nature, and separated
for our use the constituents of animal
matter 1t has taught us the elements
that enter into the blood, and their effect
upon the composition of bone and muscle.
The quality of the food that enters into
the mass of living matter affects its sub
stance. Good, nutritious food will pro-
duce fine, porous flesh, and superior bone
and muscle. The converse of the propo-
sition is equally true, that coarse food will
produce coarse flesh and spongy bones,
with soft muscles.
The character and condition of the colt
is determined by the food he eats. The
solvents deposited in the blood decompose
to form flesh and bone. If we commence
with good breed, VIC can determine from
the start what will be the character of the
maturcd horse Nature does not permit
violent changes, but the hardy condition
of the equine race must be established by
the salts of the earth that enter into blood
to feed the living matter. The writer of
this article has tested the value of food by
several experiments lie has taken two
colts of equal merit raised one upon good
hay and grass, with plenty of grain; and
the other was fed upon poor hay and coarse
food, upon the starving system. The for
mcr proved a valuable horse; the latter
maturcd late and was below mediocrity,
| 1t is notorious fact that the stalvcling,
once reduced to great physical debility,
will seldom recover to be of much value
in after years. The starving system de-
stroys many Of the good qualities in the
family, and dcgcnerates the breed Oats
are the best grain to feed colts, because
they contain more of the bone and muscle
making material than is found in the other
cereals. Hay from the nutritious grasses,
well cured, rcsupplics the natural waste of
the body with the vital clements that de-
vclop bone and muscle Bran, rs an al
tentative, from its cooling effects, is ne
ccssary as a change of food, to countcract
the stimulants of overwhelming corn. Green
grass will cleanse the blood, purify the
system, and remove disease, and develop
the frame faster than any less succulent
vegetation. Gut feed is wholesome and
cheap diet. 1t relieves heaves, clears the
wind, and saves large per cent. i'll the
cost of food. Regularity in feeding at
appropriate hours is essential in stable
economy. The horse digests his food rap
idly and the stomach Graves resupply
Stables well ventilated with pure air are
essential to the horse as the food he cats
Air and light are the great health invig-
orato:s Of the horse. Blindness, glanders,
farcy, and other contagious diseases, are
the consequence of impure air from dark
ill-ventilated stables.
The sun is as natural to the horse as
the air he brcathes. If he can be per-
mitted to enjoy the sunshine and the
shower it will prove a luxury, and prevent
some of the diseases that horse-hesh is
heir to- Exercise in the open air will
give strength and good wind, which are
Indispensable to great speed and endu-
rance. If the horse should be required
to perform great tasks, he should first be
prepared with proper food and exercise
His condition must correspond to the labor
required. BY hardening the muscles and
refining the wind, he will perform vast
services without injury.
Sound parents are the only safe horses
to breed from 1t is we'll known that
many diseases ar 'pt ditary, and descend
to the oAsprius O.- lheriting blcm-
ish that auou dncss ARE not
worth the o>I sing. 1t would
! cost less " nl KY or Dexter than
| il would to l..-. g.. 49, liess cripple. The
! loss Of labor AM al makes it poor
economy to rais. an unsouud or an inferior
animal. The horse that can perform
twice as much service as another is worth
more than double, because it saves your
time and labor. The active horse for So
cial or commercial intercourse, for road
service, is what the steam engine is to
water. 1t supersedes all other common
carriers for active trade and commerce.
Horses in the vigor of health, that have
engraved their wonderful powers in en-
during records upon the tablets of the
race course, would not be likely to entail
hereditary weakness upon their colts
The weak stale Off The stroHg'only can
stand the severe ordeal of the training
process. Their record is an implied guar
antee of soundness, and positive test of
speed and endurance. They will as far
surpass their inheritance in the stud as
they have excelled it upon the turf. This
is the sequence of great speed. The
most distinguished horses have left the
| most eminent and pifted colts.
To produce large Strawberries, remove
the soil to the depth of half an inch or