American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-05-03

slice or two OF TOAST, Will make DreaK-
fast sufficient for a man and good
enough for king. -MasSachusetts
PlOtghDian.
HINTS ON THE CARE OF HORsEs.-I
have had the care of horses for the past
twenty-one years, and never had one /
sick in all that time, though have had
two die CT old age, one at twenty eight. |
There is no great secret in keeping a |
horse sound and well; and since the adj
vent of the horse tanner and lecturer, it |
is plainly to be seen that the number of
stifed, spawned, ringboned and diseased
horses is constantly growing less, but
there is still room for great improve
ment. Some farmers make great mis-
take in feeding too much grain, keep
ing in close, warm stables, blanketing,
etc. A horse so pampered is apt to get
sick, and when brought out is easily
heated and catches cold; or else is apt
to be above his business with heels
higher than head, which is neither
pleasant nor profitable, as a man can
keep his team feeling well without feed
ing up all the coarse grain common
farmer can raise. The requirements of
nature are very simple and very easily
supplied, and consist chiefly in proper
feed, air and exercise, and regularity
and moderation in feeding and handling,
the two chief causes of trouble being
bad management in the stable and hard
driving and carelessness on the road.
A horse should have stable entirely
above ground, well lighted, and well
ventilated. 1t is next in Importance
that he be fed at certain regular hours;
also that he be not fed too much at once,
as he should clean out the manger every
time, especially if not used, and be
ready to grab at the next mess; it will
do no harm if the bunk is empty two or
three hours. Horses fed in this way
will really eat more and do better than
if the manger is constantly crammed
with that which has been mussed over;
besides, the horse is not kept stuffed all
the time and his wind is better. Again,
it makes great difference what horse
is fed. Hay and oats alone will soon
| SOLuC hOlSCo3 etuo nay ohO0lu hoo
be fed steadily to any horse. A safe
system of feeding in winter is as follows:
Hay in the morning, and good bright
cornstalks twice day, with few ears of
corn morning and night if not working,
otherwise, corn three times a day, the
cornstalks being just loosening enough
to counterfeit the effects Of the hay and
keep the animal healthy. Dat straw
may be used in place of the cornstalks,
or together; and then oats may be fed
in place of the corn. If horse is not
being used he should not stand in the
stable two days in succession, but on
mild days should be let out in the yard
for exercise few hours, or be hitched
up and driven.
When the horse comes to be worked
in the spring, the feed should be chang
ed entirely; but in changing feed al
ways do it gradually, and no harm will
ensue. When working, the food should
consist of cut hay, wetted and mixed
with meal made of corn and oats in
equal parts ground together; and it is
astonishing how little feed of this kind
will keep horse good at hard labor, it
gaunts him, as he should be; he is not
stuffed with hay, his wind, or breathing
power is better, and he does not need
to drink SO much water. As to water
ing, have said nothing, as the rules for
that are so simple and so generally I'M
derstood that any man who will founder
horse ought to be fined and imprison-
ed for cruelty to animals. In regard to
the rearing and raising of horses, l will
say but little, being not an expert,
though must have some useful knowl-
edge, and will simply add: In the man
agement of horse, bring into play all
your skill and ingenuity, taking adj
vantage of your knowledge of the ma
ture and disposition of the particular
one with which you are dealing, which
knowledge you will obtain by observa-
ton Ono two requiring the same treat
ment), and thus avoid the necessity of
ruling by brute force.-Cor. N. Y.
| Tribune