Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-06-25

We are always pleased to see farmer or
any one else looking to the care Of the horse.
Independent of the consideration that the
horse is valuable piece Of property, and in
some sense a delicate piece Of property-as
all animal mechanism is-he is a patient,
faithful animal whose very fidelity to duty
and kindness OF disposition would seem to
appeal to his keeper and driver for consdera-
ton and kindness We would never have
man upon our premises who would abuse a
horse. The men who ever worked for us
were instructed not only to spare the lash but
to spare the tongue. Rough language is pref
ty nearly as abusive as actual beating. A
horse cannot be screamed at and cursed with
out becoming less valuable in every particu-
lar. To reach the highest degree of value,
the animal should be perfectly gentle, and al
ways reliable, but if it expects every moment
it is in the harness to be "jawed' at and
struck it will be in constant state Of ner-
yousness, and in its excitement as liable,
through fear, to do something which is not
expected as to 90 along doing what you start
ed it to do. 1t is possible to train horse to
be governed by the word of mouth almost as
completely as it is to train a child, and in
such training the horse reaches its highest
value. When a horse is soothed by the gen
tie words of his driver-and We have seen him
Gained down from great excitement by no
other mcans-it may be very fairly concluded
that the man who has such power over him
is humane man and a sensible one. But all
this simply means that the man must secure
the animals confidence. Only in exceptional
instances is a horse stubborn or vicious. II
he understands his surroundings, and what is
required of him, he gives no trouble. As al
most every reader must know, If the animal
when frightened can be brought up to the OBJ
ject, he will become calm. The reason is
that he understands that there is nothing to
fear. So he must be taught to have conf
dence in the man who handles him, and
then this powerful animal, which usually Il
man could not handle il it were disposed 10
be vicious will give no trouble. The very
rule, therefore, which we would lay down for
the management Of the horse, is gentleness
and good sense on the part of the driver.
Bad drivers make bad horses usually.
In the next place, there is limit to equine
endurance, although some people seem by
their actions to seriously dispute it, We
sometimes find men who are prematurely old
because they have nearly worked themselves
to death. They are stiff in the joints, full of
| aches and palms. and about good for nothing.
| They are worn out before they have nearly
| accomplished the work of life. So will the
horse wear out. The man who works horse
| all day, and drives him all night or even part
| OF the night, or WORKS MN all the week and
| drives him on Sunday, will have an old horse
| on his hands some time before the teeth in
| dictate old age and horse flesh is too valua-
BILE to be thrown away in that manner. The
second rule we would lay down, therefore, is
to be reasonable in your draft upon the
strength and muscle Of the animal.
When to water the horse in the summer
| time? is n question that comes TO US from
Oregon, Wis. Such things must depend
somewhat upon circumstance, Of course.
When water can be obtained and the horse is
being driven We should water frequently, but
where the horse is worked in the field, we
should water morning, noon and night. The
animal must not be watered when in a state Of
heat. That is, he must not be permitted ia
drink cold water freely until some means have
been taken to cool the system. Otherwise
| founder will result A horse, however, in O
heated condition may be permitted to drink a
swallow Of cold water, and then after a few
seconds swallow more and so on for few
| times, when the system will become COO
enough to make it safe for him to drink con-
siderable. Sometimes a sponge dipped in
cold water is used to rinse the mouth, thu;
cooling the system. Western RurdL