The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-10-20

Hlard cases men VINO nave not INC
means to purchase valuable horse,
and who, consequently, are seen drlV-
ing raw-boned, consumptive creatures,
and have the name of starving them
even these. as / have found, usually
take scrupulous care to feed three
times a day, and really give their poor
dyspeptic horses more food than they can
possibly digest. They do this all the more
because appearances are against them'
and if it does not come to their ears
they feel sure that their neighbors and
all who pass by or meet them on the
road are saying something about post
meat!' If gentlemen's driving horses
had more of this sort of diet-out-door
air and freedom from surfeit-they
would be less apt to fall into the hands
of ''five-dollar jockeys"
Horses are less subject to sickness
than men; they have fewer diseases;
and this comparative exemption from
disease bears pretty close relation to
the plainness of their diet. 1t is owing
doubtless to the absence of all hot,
stimulating articles, solid and fluid,
commonly INDUCED in by human be-
ings, and to the thorough mastication
of their food taken in its natural state,
that horses are saved in great meas
ure from becoming fat, wheezy, sick
and dyspeptic, like their masters and
mistresses -men, women and children.
And yet horses do. after all, too often
fall prey to these degraded condi-
tions. In spite of all the naturalness
and wholesomeness of their food as to
variety and quality, and in the face Of
the most solicitous and painstaking
care, we too often see them the subjects
of tedious and painful disorders, and
of course there is reason for it,
One of the principal causes of disease
among horses, as among human beings,
is foul air. In large stables especially,
and in winter, this cause is constantly
operative. Seldom is their any sufficient
arrangement for ventilation; never any
efficient means for maintaining even an
approximately pure atmosphere. On
the contrary, in very many instances,
every precautions taken in coldweather
to prevent the entrance of fresh air.
The vitiated air of the stable remains
unchanged, loaded, as it is, with the
emanatiOns from urine-soaked floors
and the lungs and bodies of the animals
imprisoned therein. There, as nowhere
else, is illustrated that most stupid of all
economics, namely, the saving of foul
air for the sake of its warmth.
This is largely owing to an over-esti-
mate of the advantage of keeping the
temperature of the stable at high
point Unquestionably horses would
eat more, would need more food, if the
stables were kept supplied with fresh
air and, in consequence, average sew
eral degrees cooler; but the horses
would be proportionately more vigor-
Gus and healthy. This fact is not gen
orally appreciated. We know that the
warmer animals are kept by means OF
close stables and blankets the less they
will eat, and unaware of the pernicious
influence eXerted upon the general
health, this settles the question with
most people. With thorough ventila-
ton, however much the temperature of
the air might be lowered, the horses
would more than compensate for the
extra feed in improved digestion, vigor
and general health
| find that great deal of the care
exercised in the regimen of horses by
all classes Of people is-like the unwise
petting and toddling of children-a
source of mischief, and often constitutes
positive cruelty. For example, q horse
is observed to have lost his appetite, his
food remaining untouched or partly
eaten. The kind-hearted owner leaves
the feed in the manger for his horse
to eat when he wants it, and explains
to the women folks that Tom is ''off
his feed" and they must use Billy or
forego their drive-a little jaunt about
town, perhaps, just what over-fed and
underworked Tom needed, to restore
his balance, while Billy was well
enough to stay indoors if necessary.
l have long been satisfied that re-
duction in the number of meals from
three to two would be great improve
ment in the regimen of horses. This
would not necessarily imply a reduc-
ton in the amount of food eaten
(though it would sometimes have this
ef1ecD for horse will eat comfortably
at two meals all that he can digest and
assimilate, and ample to sustain him
for the hardest labor, and it would per-
init of the observation of very import
ant rule, so difficult often to observe in
connection with midday feed, name
ly: that no creature should eat when
tired or 90 to work directly after eating.
1t is far better to save the lunch for
supper than carry it unchanged lex
cept, perhaps, by fermentation in the
stomach until evening or cessation
from labor affords leisure for digestion
| believe most emphatically that a
horse requires feeding as often as a
man, but the fact is, hundreds of thou
sands of workers, too, not drones
have for preventive and curative pur-
poses adopted the two-meal plan, and
its sutficiency has never been disproved.
Many, indeed, have been forced to thus
feed themselves, III order to enable
them to continue arduous labors. 1t is
not what any creature can swallow. but
what he digests and assimilates, that
sustains him. There is. as we all
know, very general, though, | find.
lmperfectly developed idea of the fact.
that it is injurious to push horse on a
full belly, or to feed Immediately after
hard work. Yet, both these rules are
perforce very often violated under the
prevailing system.
Most hOrSempn striva IN avoid III H.