Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-08-10
Care Of Horse and OK Teams.

My horses, when look after and drive
them myself, are always fat and in good
health, and do as much as any others and
so it is with many careful teamster or
master. The reason is, they never cover
do" them. To exemplity this we will Just
suppose it necessary to drive team,
heaoils loaded, two miles only, and that the
roads are bad. One driver does the dis
lance in three quarters of an hour, and the
team is not distressed; another does it in
ten minutes or quarter of an hour less,
never breathing his horses, tearing along
the whole way, and the team reaches the
end blowing and sweating profusely, and
very probably quivering at the shoulder
and flank-in short. "over-done," and only
few minutes saved-all of which time,
and more, is consumed in recuperation,
and much more mischief done than could
be undone with weeks care. Horses
and oxen, like ourselves, sometimes feel
unwell, but they are unfortunately unable
to tell US so. How often do we feel unable
| to work quite as hard and as freely one
day as we have been in the habit Of doing.
| 1t is true we suffer no great pain, and we
can eat pretty well but we do not feel
right. and work is severe labor, and five
| are forced on, serious illness is often the
consequence; so it is with horse or OK
teams. These are at times affected the
same way, and an observant owner or
driver, who looks after the team himself,
will quickly detect it, and ease their labor
accordingly. From seemingly trifiing
symptoms UNLIKELY to be noticed by any
but the person always entrusted with the
animals), any such ailing will be at once
detected. Twenty four hours care
will probably see a material amendment,
and next day all will be rightas usual, pro-
vided the necessary care be used. If other
wise treated, week will often not
suffice to restore the balance OF health and
appetite
In this department much error has crept
in. The habit of ignorant hired men Is
often TO make the time requisite for giving
the food to suit their own convenience
| rather than the necessities or health of
| their horses. When brought TO the stable,
| 1t is common custom to first take the
| team TO the water trough, and allow them
| to distend their stomachs with an immense
| quantity of well water. This is bad as
can be. The horses want water, it is true,
but 1t is best to give only few mouthfuls
| 10 refresh them, then give little hay, and
in quarter of an hour grain of any kind
quantities, without any chance of injury.
After eating water may be given with i'm
punily to any extent Where horse teams
| are employed jointly with a number of
men such as railroad work, or the like,
they must be fed and ready again TO go to
work when the dinner hour is over; and
| for this meal, under these circumstances,
chopped hay and ground oats, slightly
moistened, form an admirable mixture. /
prefer feeding il in this way to teams at
all times and seasons, and am quite con-
vinced that much saving is effected and
injury TO horses avoided With this mix
ture horses may be fed with perfect safety,
If ever so heated, provided there is not too
much grain among the hay.
A very intelligent friend Of mine, who
used this kind of feed always took nose
bags TO the field with him, and gave his
horses ten minutes feed and rest, at a
medium interval between breakfast and
dinner, and the same at about half-past
four in the afternoon. No team did more
work than his, or on less feed.
Cavalry horses are always sparingly fed
both as 10 hay and oats, and any horse
that cannot live on the regular allowance
is at once sold as least horse" This,
however, very rarely happens. Generally
the feed, although scarcely more than half
as much as is ordinarily fed, will amply
suffice TO keep the animal in high health
and condition. Men and teams often, and
indeed generally, eat far more than is
absolutely requisite for them they cannot
assimilate such an immense quantity as is
sometimes given. A large portion of the
excess passes undigested through the ami
NAL; or, If digested, unassimilated.
Chemical analysis has proved this to be
the case over and again. There is Ger
tain demand made by the system for food
to supply the wear and tear caused by
labor When this is supplied, no more can
be done. II the animal fail in condition,
rest or restoration to health is absolutely
necessary.-N H. Farmer.