Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-12-24
FARM AND FIRESIDE.
Treatment of Horses and
Cattle.


Before 1 speak of the common and
simpler diseases of Domestic Animals,
l wish TO say few words on the sub
iect of treatment Of animals in health.
AS VIC all know an "ounce of pre-
vention is worth pound of cure you
will see this IS Of much Importance.
On feeding horses, almost any man
thinks he knows CROUCH to feed horse,
but really, not one in fifty, who owns
horses. knows scarcely anything about
it. 1t is true they can throw over into
the manager hay and grain. This is
teeaing in one sense Of the word, but
at the same time you may be spelling
the animal.
The majority Of farmers feed regular
ly either three or four times day.
This is all right, but here is where the
trouble comes in every time they hap
pen in the barn, they throw from q
handful to an armful of hay into the
crib, so that the horse is eating most Of
the time, especially when the owner Is
atw0rk ABOUT the barn. Most horses
viii eat the greater part of the time,
igs. because they have Holhlng else to
do. If Won don't understand this, just
notice how much Woodworking, labor
ing man will eat on Sunday when he has
not much else to do or think Of. And
ifyou want to know how the horse
feels, just cat three hearty meals,
beside five or six lunches, and then see
how you feel like running mile or
moving az all.
ain now speaking especially OF
horses which are not used much, except
inc as road horses. OF course, a heavy
truck-horsc can eat more, especially if
he is used most Of the time to work it
Oil, but then even they should be fed
regularly; that is, have three regular
meal-tmcs and no luncheons. But
what is the result of feeding a roadster
in this irregular way? Here it is: Cow
belly, no life, disease, cow-gait on the
rOad-all this beside the waste Of food.
Then there is another evil which arises
from irregular feeding. As the animal
has been taught TO expect feed every
.imc, or nearly every time its master
comes into the stable, it cannot hear
footsteps in or near the stable without
paving the floor and whinnying for
something TO eat. This keeps up a
nervous expectancy, whiSh tends 10
make tic animal nervous and fretful all
the time.
Just as sure as you are alive. an ugly
man viii make an ugly horse. Give an
ugly nan the kindest, the best dis
positioned horse and in wear the horse
will match the man well, as far as
ugllness goes. But also q gentle mas
ter makes a gentle horse-I don't think
this last would be true if the horse was
quite old and had an ugly master all its
life, but even then kindness would have
q marked effect. Don't shout at the
horse, at the top Of your voice. "Stand
up there - Stand over there y Just as
well to speak gently and lightly, but
gently pat or push him if necessary
He will soon fad you mean to be kind
and sill try to out do you in. kindness
and readiness TO obey. No one, except
ing very mean man, will strike a
horse with a whip, hoe, or shovel, when
he is tied ln the stall. One can easily
tell If horse has been whipped while
in tie stall. If, when you &c up be-
hind him to 90 into the stall, he throws
his ears back, springs ahead, lashes the
tai between the legs, lowering and
drawing forward the haunch for pro-
lection, You may feel sure he has been
pounded in the stall, with the first thing
the owner could get hold OF. If he
jumps back when you 90 10 the front to
his head, or when you reach out your
hard to caress his nose, be sure his
master has been in the habit of striking
his nose with hand, fist or fork.