The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-07-25
M;Mhe 1satnt.
HINTS FOR THE CARE OF HORSES.

HINTS FOR THE CARE OF HORSES.
AT recent meeting of the Farmers
Club of the American Institute in New
York, G. w. johnson read paper on
The Horse" in which we find a mum.
Der of hints regarding the management
and care of that most useful of our
dumb servants. With reference to balk.
ing, the speaker said that horses fire.
quently resist because they fail to un-
derstand what is required Of them; or
1t may occur from overlooking sore
shoulders, or being worked until ex-
hausted. The latter is especially the
case in young animals. The vice can
only be corrected by kindness and gen.
tie treatment, and it is recommended,
when the horse attempts it, to jump
out of the wagon and pat and reassure
him by kind word, carefully examine
the harness, and then get in again as if
expecting him to go. This will gener-
ally prove effectual
Mr.. johnson says that the French
are the Lest authorities on the dieting
OF horses, and that they hold that, I'M
der any circumstances in the giving of
food, age and condition should be taken
into consideration Small fodder is
better than hay for old horses, as it is
more easily masticated and swallowed.
When a horse is working hard, his
main food should be oats If he works
but little, hay alone will answer. For
a saddle or light carriage horse, half
peck of good oats and thirteen pounds
of hay are sufficient. The hay should
be wet with salt water-a teaspoonful
of salt to bucket of water. Oats
possess more nutritious matter for max
ing flesh than any other kind of food;
but small quantity of mown grass
should always be given in the Spring
to horses not kept in pasture A horse
should have river water rather than
well or spring water, as the latter is
cold and hard, while the former Is sweet
and comparatively warm. One bucket
morning and night, or, what is better
a half bucket at four different times a
day, is the proper quantity. If horse
refuses food after drinking, he should
be allowed rest, as the refusal is always
evidence of exhaustion.
The stable should always be we'll
drained and sufficiently lighted. because
the vapors from a damp, patria floor,
and the sudden change nom darkness
to light will almost certainly cause
pllpiness. Lea proper openings be
made, iust ander the ceiling, to permit
the bot foul air to escape, and free ven
,ration be allowed at the bottom of the
walls to admit fresh air, for impure and
confined air causes broken wind The
fresh air should enter through a num-
Der of small holes rather than through
large ones, such as an open window, as
there is less danger from drafts, which
causes chills and colds. The tempera-
ture of stable should not be over 70
degrees in Summer, nor under forty-fve
degrees in Winter Extremes of heats
or cold are equally bad Use hot,
close, and foul stable if you wish to kill
your horse. BY such means CHAMBERS,
Inflammation, incurable cough, or dis
ease of the lungs is sure to follow
Another very important matter for con-
sideraton of the farmer is
THE MANNER OF Shooting HORSES
Although this subject has engaged
the attention of mankind from the ear
Hest ages, in consequence of its import
ance, it is wonderful how little we have
yet realized in the way of securing a
covering for the horses hoof which |
shall answer the purposes required |
Many scores of different shoes have
been designed by persons ready to |
vouch for their excellence, but they |
have generally false in theory. On the
many methods of horse shoeing, that
known as the Goodenough system
seems alone to be founded upon correct
principles. The frog must be preserved,
or eventually the foot will be ruined.
The light of reason is beginning, in
this respect, to slowly dawn upon the
rising generation of blacksmiths. Let
us hope, for the horses sake, that that
instrument of torture, the old bar shoe,
may soon be brought to mind only with
memories of the Inquisition.
Scientific american.