South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-09-08

the feet are " stopped " or filed with oil
cake meal, or with cow-dunp, or with
clay, but the same result is more con.
veniently attained by the first method. In
dry, hot weather, fast-workIng horses un.
less they have flat feet and weak soles
should have the feet stuffed every night.
1t is thought by many to be an excellent
plan to apply occasionally to all parts of
the feet of horses an ointment consisting
of the equal parts of tar, lard, and bees
wax, and tits probable that the hoof thus
protected cries less rapidly and is rendered
less brittle.
Finally, the good groom will see to it
that his horse is 70 fed and exercised as to
be in the bsst possible condition for his
work. Neither horses nor men can be
preserved n perfect health without sun.
shine, fresh air and exercise, and many
fine animals are ruined by irregular work
upon highly stimulating food. Whenever
a horse is lot employed in his usual daily
task. he should be exercised at a slow pace
by his groom, or at least be allowed to run
for an hou, or two in a clean, roomy yard.
By standing day after day in his stable the
horse accumulates fat, his blood becomes
heated and impure, and his tendons and
muscles soft and unfit for violent exertion.
AT the ane time he becomes FESTIVE for
want of exercise, and with his belly full OF
food is liatle to injure himself whenever
he is taken out, even though he have a
driver sufficiently careful TO restrain him,
which is not often the case.
In this country it is customary to feed
horses three times during the day, and in
most cases it is better to give a feed of
grain or roots at noon than to omit it.
The stomach of the horse is small, and in
a natural stite he eats the greater part OF
the time, laying down but seldom except a
few hours st night, and requiring but lit.
tie sleep. In domestication, however, he
receives more concentrated food, and re-
quires less time for eating; and he exer-
cises more and consequently demands
more repose. Horses which perform If
regular, light work, like those employed
by physicians, may be kept in excellent
condition If properly fed morning and
evening; but those which engage in con-
slant severe labor for several hours after
the food has passed from the stomach, are
very apt to eat too greedily when fed, and
to have attacks of collie and other disor-
ders of the digestive system.
The amount and kind of food given to a
horse should correspond somewhat t. the
work required of him, and yet he must eat
though he do nothing. Coarse, hardy
horses may live, and work after a sort,
upon hay and grass, but high-bred animals
will scarcely subsist upon such bulky in.
nutritious food, and of course should never
be expected to do any thing more. 1t is
now generally conceded that valuable
hnrcno OrTOhf ~ ranofun Coma nraIn nr roots
every day, whether at work or not, as it is
well known that it requires careful train
ing for several months, to restore a horse
which has been running in pasture fol-
some weeks, u -condition. Still it must be
remembered that a horse can no more be
kept in perfect trim for the fastest work
all the time, than a bow can always be
bent without losing its elasticity. The
importance Of occasional relaxation from
hard labor for both mar and horse is too
often overlooked or postponed, until dis
S renders it Indispensable. With a
proper regard to variety in food and to
the real health and ability of the animal
now frequently neglected, so long as the
daily work is done, the horse would moi
only look and feel much better, but would
last much longer in complete sOundnes>
than he now does.
Sudden CHANCES from green foodto dry,
or the contrary, must be made with great
caution, and there is more need of men.
tioning it in this country, because fortu.
nately the almost universal English habit
of giving physic to horses once, twice, Oh
three times, when such changes are made,
is nearly unknown here. In most cases
simple loosening of the bowels by means
of bran mashes and changing the food
gradually, will be sufficient TO prevent in.
jury to the horse, provided he be exercised
prudently after bling some time at grass
The rapid drying up of his fluids by the
use of hard food, the heating of his leg:
and feet in the stable, and the relaxed con
dition 70 his joints and muscles, all render
him very liable to inflammatiOns and
strains at the time.
The preparation of fast trotters or road
sters for matches, or for rapid driving
consists in removing superfluous fat, which
obstructs the action of the lungs and hear
and incrt ases the weight; and in harden
ing the muscles and tendons. The princi
pal means to be relied on, are physic
sweating, exercise, rubbing and hard fooC
of the best quslity.-President ". S
UdrkS Report on Horses.