Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-01-05
Management Of Farm Horses During
Winter.

Kept in a proper state for the work they
have to do, and at the same time render
them less liable to disease, we believe
that few remarks on the winter treat
ment of this indispensable class of ami
mails will be of a seasonable nature at
the present time. We must observe
that, If we are to Judge by the appear
ance Of large proportion of the farm
ers' horses, it would seem that neither
in style nor condition are many of these
quilted for the work of the farmer, pro-
vided it is done as it should be. Light,
stumbling nags are not exactly the
kind 10 turn up a good, broad-should-
cred furrow to the action Of the win
ter's frost, nor is their unkempt appear
ance a proof that their owners take
much pride in the way they are turned
out for the road. And when we come
TO examine the stufy holes in which our
farm horses are kept, in but too MANY
instances. it is not surprising that they
,re frequently touched in the wind"
and suffer from other complaints clearly
attributable to unheal by stables. The
same laws affect alike the health of the
horse and his master, and that of farm
horses, as well as of farm laborers.
WOulu OIIcH DG hOIS6 ludl III Is,
were it not for the large proportion of
time spent by each in the open air. AL
though the days are comparatively short
during winter. yet the work which falls
TO be performed by the horses of the
farm is by no means always of light
description, and as the days lengthen
out, the work. as a matter OF course,
! becomes heavier, because of its long
continuance. 1t is essential. therefore,
that horses be kept in condition rather
over than under their work; and we
must bear in mind that once horses
have been ''let down. in condition, it
is difficult to bring them up to the mark
again. Hay, corn and oats must always
form the main staple of food Of farm
horses, but the farmer may be assisted
by good fresh oat straw. especially
when the hay crop is short, while there
are other articles, capable of being used
as food, which help to restrict the con-
sumption Of the latter. However, oat
straw must'be sound and fresh if given
to horses, and it is advisable to chat
both it and hay, and also to crush or
| grind the corn and oats. Chaff-cutterS
and grain-bruisers are most valuable
machines where horses are kept, much
more so than many farmers appear to
imagine. 1t Is, perhaps, little trouble
some ut first to get horses, accustomed
TO long hay, to use it in the chaffed
state: and trouble" as we all know
has led to the neglect of m ny useful
things besides chaff- cutters. Extra trou-
BILE is what too many farm servants NOR
tally hate, and they will try every dodge
to get a machine condemned which in
wolves even small share of
it. But it should not be forgot
ten that the value of chaf-cutters
has been well proved. and that
all who have continued TO use them. and
to combine crushing the grain along
with chatting the hay. have found il
decidedly beneficial and economical.
| The horses may become accustomed to
chatfed hay or oat straw, which has
been prepared by the cutter, by mixing
q portion OF the chatf with the grain;
and, in fact, grain should not be given
without some chatied hay or straw
among it, especially if it is not crushed,
as a mixture of cha &C mpels the horse
to masticate the oats thoroughly.
There are some horses which have a
fashion of boiling their grain without
sufficient mastication. but we have sell
dom found ''bolter'' OF this kind sue
ceed when chatled hay was mixed with
the grain. When not properly masti-
Gated. the grain will pass lhro oh ali
an nal in an unimpaired state, and we
see the results in these sprouting and
growing up where the dung from the
stable yard has been put out on the
land. We have, on fire luent occasions,
recommended frequent feeding, ''little
and Often" that is, as ten as the ar
rangement of the work could allow, and
we have done so, because we consider
it highly dangerous to allow a horse to
eat large quantity of grain greedily,
which he will certainly do if kept long
at work without feeding Long fasts,
followed by heavy feeds, is n sure way
to bring on collie and inflammation OF
the bowels, which may be entirely
prevented by an opposite sys-
tenn OF management. We have
known of many instances where horses
were liable to severe hts of collie; and
we have in most cases found that the
men who owned or used them were in
the habit o working them for many
ours without feeding them. By adapt
ing the plan of ''httle and often" such
horses were perfectly cured OF their
tendency to collie. and we have since
had no trouble with them on hat score.
Some dlsapprove of giving cooked OF
steamed food to farm horses, but our
experience has long ago convinced us
that it is not only useful auxiliary in
the dietary of the stable, but even an
indispensable article. During summer
and autumn. horses are chiefly. in many
instances wholly, fed on green food. and
a sudden change to dry is not advisable.
Ii is a good p an to keep some common
salt constantly within reach of the horse.
1t should not be mixed among his food,
but placed in a convenient corner,
where it can not be wasted. Where
horses go loose in the barn. yard, with
an open shed for shelter. a few pounds
of salt should always he kept in a sep
arate trough in a corner under shelter
from wet. There is no danger that the
Iorses will consume too much of it;
their appetite for salt, or the quantity
they need. may safely be left to their
instinct. A sufficiency of pure water
should not be neglected. Besides aid
ing digestion, salt is inimical to worms,
md vvhnro hnrooo -