The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-05-23
sTABLINe.

Dr. G. B. Loring, In Murruys book,
The Perfect Horse says that the folly
of bad feeding is no greater than the folly
Of bad stabling. The practice of provid-
ing warm and tightly-built stables for
young colts is as injurious to them as fore
ing their growth by heavy feed A colt
requires fresh air; and, if he is furnished
with an opportunity, he will be sure to get
it. His lungs are the largest part of his
internal organs; and he will provide for
them, if there is any way to do it Give
him the best and the warmest box in the
world, and be viii leave il for the invigora-
ting influences Of the northern blasts in
winter, and for the cooling and indurating
effect Of coating Of snow and hail He
seems to understand by instinct, that if he
confines himself to the hot airof an elabor-
ate, well-fnished, model stable, his ener-
GIGS will wilt and fade. He seems to know
that glossy, shining coat IS to him sort of
white wall of whited sepulchre,--pleas-
ing without, but within full Of all equine
disabilities; and SO he only asks room to
stretch growing limbs, and roof Sufficient
to shield him from the storm, undisturbed
if he should see star through the ereyice
above him. aud feel fresh breeze whist
| ling through a crack BY his side. He wants
well-yentilated stable and chance to get
out of it whenever be has desire TO do
so. And, above all things, let him stand
on the ground, ifpossible, while in his box /;
aud, at any rate, in yard into which his
box opens, A floor, especially wooden
floor, is bad enough for mature working
hosss but to q colt it is almos struetion.
| have 10 shadow Of doubt that We ruin
thousands Of horses feet in this country By
ourplank floors. The wood, when dry, is IA
non-eonductor Of heat, and tends to keep
the hoof above its natural temperature, and
to remove from Il all its natural moisture !;
and, when wet, it has tendency 10 rise
above the surrounding temp ,ratare By fer
mentation. Wet or dry, therefore, wood,
whether in the form Of a phnk-Hoor or of
sawdust bedding, is very injurious to the
horses foot. And so thoroughly eonvinc-
ed of this am l, that l always provide brick
floors for all that portion of the stab which
Is occupied by the hcrse fore-feet,- ia prae-
tiee which has, with the aid of tar-oint-
ment, protected me, for more than twenty
years Of hard driving on hard roads. from
sOre-toed horses, and has sent out of my
stables a foot which every farrier in town
recognizes the instant he puts his battric
into it. For the feet, then, Of the colt and
the idle horse, furnish the earth as stand
ing place; for the feet OF tho working
horse, furnish brick Or stone foor. BY
such foor alone can you secure to your
colt a good foot and, in this way al one,
moreover, can you be sure of giving him
good leg, a well shaped ankle, and firm
and substantial knee | know no; how il
is, but the misshapen ankles and shaky
knees which come out of hot stables with
wooden floors among the colts which have
wintercd there, constitute one Of the pecu-
liar phenomena of the business Of rearing
these animals But so it is; and | urge
upon you all, whether you fear or trust
them, to give them the solid ground to
stand on, whenever it is practicable, in
their youth, and any thing but wood in
their days Of maturity and toll.