Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-09-14
Grooming and Feeding Driving Horses.

Grooming and Feeding Driving Horses.
In regard to the clothing of horses,
there is much diversity Of opinion. 1t is,
however, absolutely necessary to cover
warmly and protect from the cold such
horses as are driven SO rapidly as to cause
profuse perspiration. Horses of slow work
and coarse blood are generally furnished
with very thick, warm coat of hair, snd
readily become accustomed to endure the
cold without u blanket. A horse, how
ever, looks much better and requires less
food when blanketol, and considering the
variableness and severity of our climate,
the use of some artificial covering is, on
the whole, to DC rccomm. nded.
Whenever horse is cleaned, a careful
groom will inspect HE feet to see that his
shoes are tight, that there are no project
ing clinches to wound his fctlocks, and
that there be nothing wedged into the foot
between the heels of the shoe, or between
the shoe and the frog, which would do in.
jury to the sole Of the foot. He will also
with his pick (Which is simply short
piece of iron, with a thin, pointed hook
uEon one end) thoroughly clean out the
gravel and dirt lodged between the shoe
and the sole, and examine the sides and
cleft OF the frog to be sure 1t is all right
The feet Of well-bred horses, kept con-
stantly in the stable, would become un-
naturally dry, hard and contracted, unless
some means were taken to moisten and
soften them. The best method of doing
this is to tasten into the foot by strips of
thin hoopiron, pieces Of thick felt cut to
! tit the inside of the shoe, and cover the
entire sole. These pieces of felt Tor they
may be made of several thickI:esses of
woollen clotb) are wet and laid iuto the
foot and the strips Of iron pressed in be-
tween the shoe and the felt Sometimes
The feet are stopped or filled with OIL
cake meal, or with cow-dung, or with
clay, but the same result is more con-
venicntly attained by the first method In
dry, hot weather, fast working horses I'M
less they have fiat feet and weak solcs
should have the fret 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 it is probable That the hoof thus
protected dries less rapidly and is rendered
less brittle.
Finally, the good groom will see to it
| that his horse is so fed and exercised as to
be in the best possible condition for his
! work. Neither horses nor men can be
preserved in perfect health without sun.
shine, fresh air and exercise, and many
fine animals are ruined by irregular work
upon highly stimulating food. Whenever
horse is not 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 h<>1p fvvyo n o1o Il
By standing day after day in his stable the
heated and impure, and his tendons and
muscles soft and unfit for violent excrtion
At the same time he becomes FESTIVE for
want of exercise, and with his belly full of
food is liable 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 feed of
grain or roots at noon than to omit it.
The stomach Of the horse is small, and in
natural STATE he eats the greater part of
the time, laying down but seldom except O
few hours at night, aud requiring but lit
tie sleep. In domcstication, however, he
receives more concentrated food, and re-
quires less time for eating; aud he exer-
cises more and cons; quently demands
more repose. Horses which perform IT.
regular, light work, like those employ, d
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 hOurj 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 to the
work required Of him, and yet he must eat
though he do nothing. Coarse, hardy
horses may live, and work after a sorl,
upon hay and grass, but high bred animals
will scarcely subsist upon such bulky in
nutritious food, and Of course should Lever
be expected to do any thing more. 1t is
Gow generally conceded that valuable
horses ought to receive some grain or roots
every day, whether at work or not, as 1t is
we'll known that it requires careful train
ing for several months, to restore horse
which has been running in pasture for
some weeks, to condition. Still it must be
reu .embcred that horse can no more be
kept in perfect trim for the fastest work
bent without losing its elasticity. The
Importance of occasional relaxation from
hard labor for both man and horse is too
often overlooked or postponed, until dis
ease 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 not
only look and feel much better, but would
last much longer in complete soundness
than he now does.
Sudden changes from green food to 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, or
three times, when such changes are made,
is nearly unknown here. In most cases
simple loosening of the bowels by mt ans
Of hrau mashes and changing the food
gradually, will be sufficient to prevent in.
jury to the horse, provided he be exercised
prudently after b ing some time at grass
The rapid drying up of his fluids by the
use of hard food, the heating or his legs
and feet in the stable, and the relaxed con
dition 70 his joints and muscles, all render
him very liable to iniiarnmatioEs and
strains at the time.
The preparation Of fast trotters or road
sters for matches, or for rapid driving
consists in removing superhuous fat, which
obstructs the action Of the lungs and hca,t
and incr asses the weight; anu in harlem
ing the muscles and tendons. The princi
pal means to be relied on, are physic
sweating, exercise, rubbing and hard foo,
of the best quality.-Pre>ident W. S
C2ark's Report on Ho1 ses.
Shirt Making.
TAKE an old shirt, rip it to pieces AM
cut out the new one by it, haste it togethe
and try it on. Don't laugh at the idea;
know it is an old one for [ once heard