The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-05-02
Feeding and Watering Horses.

Y
mind that the horse has a very small
stomach, and hence this fact suggests
to us the wrong we do in allowing that
animal to fast for long period, when
it can be avoided, experience teaching
us that at the end of four hours his
stomach is empty. Keeping him fast
ing longer than this, then, may result
in impairment of the appetite, even to
such an extent as to cause him to refuse
to eat when food is presented to him.
Any horseman of experience knows
that it is better that horse should be
urged to perform q long distance in
less time, with feeding at proper inter-
walls, than to allow him to dawdle along
at a slower pace under longer fasting.
Again, the peculiar constitution Of
each horse must be studied before it
can be known whether the average
quantity and quality of food sufficient
under the same conditions will be
enough Or too much for him. Some
animals pass their food through them
SO quickly that they do not absorb from
it one-half of the nutritive elements
contained in it. These must be fed
more generously, if kept at work, and
that food be chosen which has a ten
dency rather to confine the bowels than
to relax them. To increase the muscu-
lar powers of horse he must have a
sufficient supply of nitrogenized food.
The nutrition of muscle requires tibrine;
the brain and nerves must be supplied
with fatty matter, phosphorus and al
bumen. The bones require gelatine
and earthly salts, and the maintenance
of heat necessitates q supply of carbon.
Now all the varieties of food supply
plenty of all these elements, except the
first, and hence it becomes necessary
to supply the horse, which is worked
hard, with oats or beans, together with
such an amount of hay as will supply
him with the starch, gum, sugar, fat
and saline matters, which his system
requires; while the horse which is not
worked does not use his muscular sys-
tenn to any extent, and therefore does
not require much oats.
In giving salt, probably the best plan
is to leave lump of rock salt, two or
three pounds in weight. within reach
of the horse. The quantity taken is
not large, as rock salt does not easily
dissolve by the mere contact of the moist
tongue.
The water given to the horse will
materially affect his condition if it is
not suitable to him in quality or guam
tity, or if he is allowed to take it when
heated by work. Water, therefore,
should be supplied at regular intervals,
so that he will not refuse his solid food,
nor drink to excess when he has the
opportunity, and, perhaps, cause collie
or founder to supervene. Some have
recommended iron tanks, on a level
with the manger, kept full, so that the
horse can drink at will, but the objec-
tons to this are SO obvious that sooner
or later, owing to an oversight or care
lessness, some horse will get q drink
when overheated, the consequences re-
sulting disastrously. 1t is astonishing
how little water will suffice if it is given
at regular intervals, and it is the neg
lect Of this periodical supply which pro-
duces the craving that leads to danger
GUS repletion. It is too common a
practice to supply all the horses in the
stable with the same quantity of water.
This is wrong, and those in charge
should carefully study the necessities
of each particular animal. Caution
should be exercised in giving water to
horses that have just begun to eat
grass, for if given in the usual guam
tity on q stomach full of green food, an
attack of collie may be produced. No
horse should 60 to any moderately fast
work with more than half or three
quarters Of pail of water in him,
which should have been swallowed
some time preyiously.-Spiyit Of TIE