Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-10-10
Farm and Household,
Management Of the Horse.
Iron lecture by j. storcr, V. S., before an En-
lish Farmers Club.l

plnce they must nave 1000 III the seConu
place they must nave grooming and III the
third place they must have good stabling.
In regard to food OF all animals the horse, in
comparison to its size, has the smallest stom-
ach it is therefore of great importance that
his food should contain rs much nutriment as
possible in the smallest bulk. more especially
when undergoing hard work Hay and oats
have this qualification to a greater degree
than any other of the feeding stuiis III gener-
al use and that they should form the staple
food has been proved by long experience.
Bruised oats are very suitable for old horses
and those that bolt their corn, but beyond
this they have nothing specially to recon-
mend them.
The average quantity of oats required to
keep horse undergoing hard work in good
condition is about twenty pounds per day.
OF course, some horses would ent more 9th
ers cannot be induced to consume more than
fourteen pounds Drivers of contractors
horses are practically aware of the fact that
the more they can get their horses to eat the
more work they will do But the result of
overlooking and over-worklng Is the prema-
ture death Of many valuable animals. lndl-
m corn, when it happens to be cheap, may
be advautageously used il the proportion Of
one to six the only objection to it is that it
causes torpidity of the bowels. This must be
countemcted by giving al equal proportion
dency, would form a very suitable adjunct to
oats as they contain large proportion of
nutritive material They may be safely given
to animals that are hard wrought, and up
wards of seven years.
A horse cannot be maintained in health OIL
grain alone the stomach requires IA certain
amount Of mechanical distensiOn to keep 1t
acting properly. Hay or straw serves this
purpose The ordinary allowance should be
like five pounds i'll the morning, five pounds
at midday, and ten pounds at night. few
years ago chopped hay came greatly into
vogue; but the principal argument III Its
favor was that the bad hay was eaten along
with the good This tells seriously against
the plan as a horse is certainly better with
out bad hay in its stomach than with 1t.
All kinds of straw are inferior to hay oat
being the only variety that should be used.
1t does well when horses are idle rs they art
not so liable to get into too high condition on
it, Green foliage is well suited to horses il
its season then the work is light, and they
appear to thrive Oh it. 1t must be given IL
moderation. especially at first, rs horses are
so fond Of it that they soon eat more than is
good for them. Carrots, turuips and pota-
toes require to be given with equal diSeriln-
nation indeed. I am inclined 10 condemn
the use of potatoes entirely, although l have
many as they could eat without bad results,
but such cases art the exception and not the
rule.
Cooked food is used by many horse own
ers with more or less advantage. the great
objection to it being that it fattens without
giving strength and frmness to the muscles
1t is also apt to b, bolted without proper
mastcatiou which is a common cause of collie
and indigestion. For horse recovering
from any 5.liIitotiug disease for nm. pprt-
ing off a long Journey, it is of great benefit if
given judiciously. To make a regular prac-
tice of feeding with it every day, however, is
unnatural, and, l believe highly injurious.
1t is common practice to give feed of it
every Saturday night for the purpose of keep
ing the bowels in order. Three-fourths of
pailful of mashed bran would serve the pur-
pose better. without the risk of deranging the
bowels. This is a most necessary adjunct IL
horse feeding, and should be given regularly
once week. 1t acts mechanically on the
aiming membrane of the stomach, increases
che secretion, and thereby averts eonstipa-
lion.
As already stated the stomach or recepta-
Gle for solid food is very small the cncum.
or receptacle for water, is quite the opposite.
1t is not uncommon for horse to drink two
or three pailsful of water at time. 1t is
therefore probable that he does not require it
often. Three times IL day is sufficient, pro
vided the horse is allowed as much as he will
drink. IN cases where he is excessively hot
or exhausted, or where he has been kept
without water for an undue length of time it
should be given i'll smaller quantities and
more frequently. 1t is great and very com
mon error to allow horses water after being
fed In It's passage through the stomach it is
sure to carry with 1t some of the undigested
food which ought never to reach the ntes-
Slnes. and will probably cause cOlc or midi
gestion.
Grooming, or cleanliness Of the skin, is not
a mere matter of glossy or staring coat il Is
essential to the health of domesticated ami
mails. When it is borne il mind that the
skin is ONE of the principal organs by which
refuse material is thrown of from the body,
the necessity of keeping the pores or little
drains clear will become apparent. When
they become silted up, the lungs and kidneys
are overtasked and hence diseases of both
these organs. Washing the legs is the cause
of much harm to all horses. 1t checks eircu-
latlou. and causes greater evils than the mud
and sand which it is intended to remove. 1t
Is we'll known fact that horses are never in
better health than when at regular work If
exercise be neglected for even a few days il
n horse in high condition he will put on fat ;
he has been daily making a sufficient amount
of material to sustain the consumption caused
by his work. If that work ceases suddenly
nature will still supply the new material, and
fat, followed by plethora and frequently dis
case, will be the consequence.
Stables, like dwelling houses, have a mum
Der of requisites, without which it is impos-
sible to keep the occupants in good health
First and foremost is ventilation. The i'm
portance of pure air can hardly be adequate
~ understood without some knowledge of
the circulation of the blood, and aiso the
composition Of the air. Fortunately the diff
serens properties OF foul and pure air afford
great facilities for ventilation. The former
being generally heated rises 10 the roof ;
whIe the latter, being cool, falls. 1t is
therefore, only necessary to procure means of
exit III the highest part of the stable, and the
sOul air will escape by its own inherent light
ness The real difficulty lies III securing a
sufficient quantity of pure air without causing
M inconvenient and sensible draught This
is best accomplished by small apertures near
the floor Of the buildng-say about seven
inches by two i'll size, and one for each horse {;
by these means a scarcely perceptible stream
of fresh air is supplied The doors and win
dows should never be used as mediums of
ventilation unless il very warm weather, or
when the stables are empty, as it cannot he
done without causing injurious draughts.
Ample light Is also an essential IN every
stable without IL the eyes 10 a certain ca
sent become paralyzed and blindness results.
Skyllghts suit the purpose TO a great extent
but III whatever way light is provided, it is
important to have it in front of the horses,
and not behind as is generally the case.
Managers and hay-racks should be Just high
enough to prevent the horse getting his feet
into them. The ordinary rack, placed above
the head, cannot be too highly condemned
Many horses are in the habit OF pulling all
their hay to the ground before eating it,
showing clearly the inconvenience, not TO say
pain, caused by such an unnatural attitude il
which the head and neck have TO be kept for
such length of time The low rack might
be made so as to remove the possibility of
the feet becoming fixed in it. No farm
steading is complete without large, airy,
loose box it should be separate from any