Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-07-16

of idle horses on the whole, produces
more injurious effects than underfeed-
ing, yet both extremes are to be
avoided. Young colts will winter
well on good hay, with an occasional
feed of ground oats, carrots, or bran
mash to prevent costiyeness. They
should, If possible, be kept in loose
boXes-not more than two together
The feet require a good deal of care,
they should be regularly pared down,
made perfectly level and prevented
from getting long at the toe.
Working horses whose feet have
suffered from shoeing and hard roads
can be very much benefited by hav-
ing the shoes removed and letting
them run for the winter unshod. I'M
less the bone Is diseased corns and
weak heels will recover, and the feet,
with a little care and sensible manage
mept, will improve in every way.
Care should be taken that when n
horse is only to be temporarily idle
the feed should be lessened, and soft
diet substituted for the stimulating
oats or corn.
DANGER FROM HIGH FEEDING IN IDLE
| HORSES.
| (HoemdglobiHVCd.) Our readers are
aware that for the maintenance of the
animal body regular supply of nu-
TRENT material must be supplied, which
is utilized by the digestive system of
organs and converted into such u fluid
form as admits of its being absorbed
and assimilated by the tissues.
In this way growth and waste of It's
sue are provided for, and the size and
vigor of the body maintained. 1t is a
maximum and y minimum limit to the
quantity of nutrient material thus re-
quired and consumed.
This quantity and kind of food is
usually well known to those whose
business ii is to feed horses-taught by
eXpefience-but il Is a department Of
management which is not sufficiently
studied by our agriculturists. Yet il is
well known that those who are experts
Mt feeding are the most successful.
1t must be borne In mind that the
more work horse has to perform, the
more nutrient material he will con-
sumo; aud that horses at hard, regular
daily work, require liberal allow
ance OF heterogeneous food to compen-
safe for loss Of substance in the per-
fsrmance of their work. On the other
hand, when idle, the demand is less
ened, and capability of consumption is
also decreased-consequently If horse
III vigorous health Is, from some cause
or other, kept idle for several consecu-
tive days, no change being made in the
allowance OF heterogeneous food, an nc.
emulation of unabsorbed or unassmi.
lptll nil al - AL
the blood is surcharged with nutri.
ment, and plethoric condition is The
result.
In such cases the animal spirits are
buoyant; when he Is taken out he l.
playful, and inclined to go fast. How.
ever, this false animation does not las,
iong--he goes probably half-a-mile
then lie stops, perspiration covers his
cody, he becomes stiff and unable to
progress, the loss of power being most
apparent in the hind quarters. some
times II becomes complete, and he fall.
down, unable to get up. The muscles
OF The quarter are swollen and hard
the pulse and breathing auickened
and the urine becomes thick and black
like porter or coffee, is rich In nitro.
genous substance and the coloring mat.
ter of the blood; and, even under The
best of treatment, 1t often proves fatal
IL is thus evident that we cannot
with impunity continue to feed idle
horses AS high as when at work.
lt should be rule, never TO be de-.
Waited from, in every stable, TO lessen
the quantity OF oats or other nitroge.
nous food when working horses have
to be kept idle even for day or two:
not only so but they should never re-,
mail twenty-fOur hours without ex.
ercise.
OTHER EFFECTS OF HtGh FEEDING IN
IDLE HORSES.
Stpouen Lcgs.--In addition to the
system OF vessels which carry this
blood to and from the tissues, we have
system of absorbent vessels and lym.
phatie glands whose duty il is to con.
Vey the lymph fluids Of the body.
Under high feeding and want of ex.
ercise these glands, particularly in the
hind legs, are apt to become intlamed
producing swelling and an intense
PAIN in,the groin and down the leg. II
Is usually called weed. The swelling
Is due 10 interrupted calculations in
the vessels. which often burst, aud the
cellular tissues OF the leg become infil.
trated; the swelling dltlused aud pity.
with change Of feed, the action of
phrga,ive followed by diuretic, hot
concentrations, bandaging, and when
me pam aoates, moderate exercise, the
swelling usually disappears; but it
leaves the vessels weak, dilated and
prone 10 subsequent attacks,
Cfdckcd Hceis.-Debility of the alb
sorbents of the legs tends 10 induce
congestion and inflammation of the se.
baees glands Of the legs, particularlv
Ia the thick skin covering the hollow
OF the heels.
The tendencyof course, is aggravated
by exposure to the wet and cold. and
the reaction induced by leaving the
heels wet to dry spontaneously by