The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-12-14
Food for Colts.
lCOleman's Rural World. ]

[COleman's Rural World.
Wallace's Monthly quotes approx
ingly President Mali of breeders assO-
citation as follows: "Why can't
northern breeders bring forward their
colts just as rapidly by adopting the
enSilage system as southern breeders :?
True, said he, it would be little more
expensive, but the northern climate
would give greater strength and
stamina, and make more lasting
horses"
We demur to two propositions in
the above extract from President
Malls address. We do not believe
that the northern climate gives great
er strength and stamina and makes
more lasting horses. The records of
the trotting and racing turf do not
prove the assertion. And indeed you
may go to the parched arid plains
of Arabia, and for real endur-
ance, their steeds, though much
less in size, surpass those of the
northern states. And it is doubtful if
we have any horses in the country,
day in and out, on the same scanty
fare can keep up with the little mus
tang of Texas. We believe the horse
is much more at home in the southern
than in the northern states, and arti-
fetal means have to be taken to keep
him from growing less in size at the
north. 1t is well known fact that
the horses in Canada and even in the
eastern states, as rule, are much
smaller than in the middle and south
ern states, and when they are in their
native habitat, other things being
equal, they ought to have most
strength and endurance.
But it was not this error that we
started out to refute, but a much
worse one. President Mali thinks
that ensilage is what is needed to
make northern trotting and running
horses equal in point of early develop
ment to those Of the south. No more
absurd proposition was ever uttered
The idea that the green, fermented
picked, acid, contents of a silo are
what is needed to give muscle, bone
strength, stamina, endurance and
withal speed to the young trotters
and racers of the north, so as to enable
them to vie with those of the south
is a most ridiculous one. Such feed
may do, but we even doubt it, for
dairy cows, but the northern colts and
fillies want very different food, or they
will be found ON the wrong side of the
flag in actual races. Worse food can
not be found for horses designed foI
the turf, young or old, than the
picked stuff to be found in silos. 1t
is unnatural food, unhealthy food, in
furious to the teeth and to the entire
system of the horse. We say to north
ern breeders better rely upon good
sweet, bright hay and oats than to de
pend on the silos. OF course all ami.
mails relish variety, and little
other grain, such as barley
peas, bran, ETC., is good
adjunct to oats. Corn blades and
corn-fodder if kept bright and sweet
are relished by horses old and young
Grass is indispensable to early devel-
opment of horses, and should form a
part of the daily rations of growing
colts as long as the season will admit
of it. But don't give them picked
grass. Dry and cure it. Get the wa
ter out of it, as the sun and dry all
will do it, if properly attended to. We
are little astonished to see such palp-
able errors published with apparent
approval by Mr.. Wallace.