Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-07-22
Feed for Work Horses.
A writer in the Coustru Gentleman

| A writer in the Country Gentleman says
| Mature timothy and oats are the usual
! ieed for working horses, and they do well
| Ipon it. Many substitute meal for oats,
| II which corn is a large ingredient. There
| also Il tendency towards using less hay
md more strengthening food, as ii is held
| hat this gives more life and viTor to the
| horse. 1t also seems to wear out the ami
| nal the sooner, especially if worked &C
| cOrding to his strength Those who feed
laV harvested when wei. ont of bios
| som, with one feed Il day of early cut clo-
yer, or clover and timothy (the proportion
If the hay somewhat lessened from the
I'D system of feeding hay plentifully), and
sufficient concentrated food, say oats and
;orn, the oats predominating seem to
prove the best. There will be the necessary
strength and activity. with better health
and more service. The natural order will
iot be so far departed from; the tender
nay, Of which one feed is given, is bat in
fleet. Il continuance Of grass or pasture
o some extent; it has II good influence
lpon the bowels and the general health,
which i of such importance that it cannot
)e ignored without disadvantages; there is
''so relief from the oppressed condition
'hlch the feeding l,rgely of dry, ripe hay
induces, and the fit, sluggish habit pro-
jUced by the large use of com meal which
as Il summer feed. is also to he; inc. . ITS
Contribute to mett.c and endurance. vet
not in excess. All the desirable points are
FINISHED in this diet, without arv bud
)nes Supervening. The matured hay holds
check the tendency TO free bowels
which the cured grass or young clover and
he meal is apt to induce. In IL word, this
iiet produces Il balance and harmony, the
result of which is health, strength and
trtlvitv. The horses are safe with such Il
regimen, which includes medicine and food
tnl IS simple withal. 1t is less expensive,
particularly the young tender hay, the
properties of which are more available
han other dried food The prOpo ton Of
this may be increased where the horse is
worked less, aud thus still farther increase
he comparative cheapncss. Where much
work Is required, more concentrated food
must he given: in such case also less
-reen hay in proportion.
''ir"en hay may be used instead of
bran mashes or physic. or turning to grass
It his the effect of keeping the system in
I sufficiently free or relaxed condition,
promotive of health and strength at the
same time; and, as have said, i is cheap
Il, contains about double the quantity of
available nutrition which is found in old
or ripe hay, such rs is commonly used
The practice of feeding green (early cut
hay to milch cows. sheep and growing
stock, is progressing; it Is more Difficult
10 dc it wi h horses, especially hard-work-
NC horses, as the prejudice is deep and
strong But when it is once found gener-
ally hat early cut and well cured hay. in
Guiding clover, has an increase of avail
able null-iment. thus lessenn@ the expense
of keeping. less grain and less hay being
required, and the health and strength of
the animal improved, and when Eli Their,
the hay cutter and the wetting of the feed
may be mostly or entirely di pensed with
when all this presents itself undeniahlv.
the reform will be Effected