The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-06-16
Ventilation, Exercise and Grsemisg.

Ventilation, Exercise and Grooming.
Daily grooming (Which means curry
combing, brushing. busting of and
wiping) is essential to the keeping Of
horses in health, and it ought TO be at
tended to in proper manner. Il is by
neglect of it that q variety Of diseases
are produced, such as grease, scratches,
mango, swelled legs, itching Of the tail
and name, etc. Grooming should al
ways be performed thoroughly, and we
should recommend that the legs and
extremities are the first parts to be at
tended to, and that they should NOT, as
regular practice. be washed with cold
water, or, if occasionally they are 30.
that the greatest attention be paid to
their being Immediately dried and
rubbed warm Neglect Of this point Is
another fruitful sources of grease, swelled
legs, shiverings, fever, collie, etc. But
whatever the system of grooming is,
make yourself master of it, and you will
be able to trace many an obscure dis
ease to its proper cause-neglect in
some particular. II this connection we
would say that, where the racks and
managers are of wood, they should be
well cleaned once or twice . week; for
there is always q collection of sour bran,
dust and dirt that ought to be removed.
Musty or mow-burnt hay will usually
produce profuse urinating. and the AMI
NAL will oftenwaste away rapidly, sweat
easily, appear weak, or lose consultation,
before the real cause is ascertained.
When hay is bad some portion win be
found left in the rack, or wasted. When
it is good this Is seldom the case, unless
too large quantities are given. When
horses bolt their feed, or quid their hay,
their teeth should be examined, as in
young horses, q the period of dentition,
| It very often proceeds from the irritation
| of teething, and in all old ones it fire.
quently arises from the wearing away Of
| the grinders to . sharp edge.
In order to keep . horse in health,
attention toexercise is highly necessary.
| In winter, it is best to trot horses as
exercise, instead of walking. Sweating
exercise should not be given too late in
| the autumn or too early in the spring.
| In both cases it will have bad effect on
| the appearance Of the horse, as thcis
coats during the ensuing season will De
| patched and wiry. Sweating exercise
| in fine weather, when the coats are
| changing, is very useful and necessary;
l but when the weather is bleak and cold
| it should be avoided, as it checks the
shedding of the coat.
Ventilation is of the highest import
ance with regard to health, and this re.
fers to all kinds of live stock. No uni
versal plan of ventilation can be sug-
gested, as it will always depend on the
state of the atmosphere, the number Of
horses in the stable, and many Other
circumstances; consequently the plan Of
ventilation cannot always be alike
The great object in ventilation is, thai
the air should be constantly changing
without direct draft of it upon the
animal; and though NO ventilation car
be carried on without current Of air
vet there can be no doubt that it Is mo-
necessary or advantageous to have :
draft blowing on the horses. The aper
lures for the admission and discharg'
Of air should be capable of being variet
at pleasure; and it is preferable that tn,
openings should be made slanting, q
when they are made straight through
tue Vii ~ OcCaSlOuS w muSu CuIAcu
in very severe weather. A uniform
temperature in the stable should b
preserved, and changes from one ex
| treme to another should be particular,
guarded : against Thorough draft
should be avoided, and when men are b
the stable cleaning it. or Watering an<
| attending to the horses. the doors It bod
ends should not be opened 1t once
The bedding should on AL occasion
when the weather permitz be dali
dried and aired In tie SIM; for. wheI
put up wet or damp in the stable, unde
the manager - Is customary. Il 0ftel
heats to : great degree, and pollute
the air in the stable. The arrangemen
Of cesspools and drains for the urih
from each stall would highly assist il
| ~ - AS~1vA