Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-01-17
Why m-Treatment Does Not Pay the
Horse Owner.

Horse Owner.
Perhaps, in this comparatively mer-
cenary age, an appeal to the financial
department of mans nature viii be
more productive of good to the horse
than will any arguments relating to the
right and the wrong in the matter. It
does not pay to ill-reat horses, and it
does pay to treat them WELL If it does
not pay to load a horse with more than
he can draw without injuring him, and
then whip him because he does not pull
the load, it does not pay to fool a horse
by unreasonable treatment so that he
can never know exactly what is wanted
Of him, and then whip him for being a
fool. But it does pay to so treat your
horse that he viii have perfect conf
dence both in your judgment and your
word: then he win do anything you ask
him to do, provided it is within the
range of possibilities. There is no great
choice between a horse that is so much
of fool as to think he is ':set'' when
he might pull his load easily, and one
that is foolish enough to pull himself to
death when there is nOthingto be gained
by it.
1t does not pay to work horse so
hard one day that he viii be good for
nothing the next, when the work could
just as well have been divided between
the two days. 1t does not pay to feed
horse half ratiOns, and then expect him
to continue doing the full work of
well fed animal Nor is it sound phil
osophy to suppose that horse can very
much or very long exceed his natural
powers by crowding him with surplus
of hearty stimulating food Examples
are frequent where this has been tried
among members of the human family,
and found wanting. Are we ready to
admit that the animal is our.superior in
this regard? 1t does not pay to keep a
horse constantly bIanketed when in a
warm stable, and then on taking him
out into the cold, let him stand
uncovered, and perhaps with Il
frozen harness on, while you are
keeping warm throwing on the load
he is to draw. 1t does not pay to
make your horse draw your lazy body
! up a steep hill on top of heavy load,
when you yourself are Shivering with
| cold, and would be far more comfort
| able and safer from bodily ailments if
you would get off and walk yourself
warm. 1t does not pay to come in with
! your horse tired, wet, and with his legs
| covered with mud, and then let him
have hearty supper without first rub
bing him into condition of comfort.
1t does not pay to let a horses shoes
remain on the feet until the feet are
ruined, for the want of setting or re-
moving. Nor does it pay to let a
| horses clinches get out where they will
! cut the flesh and make sores that will
| be slow to heal, even after the cause of
The sores is removed. It does not pay
to let q hard, ill-ftting harness wear out
| the hide, and make sores which can
never heal, except the animal be turned
out to a period of idleness, when a we'll
fitting harness might just as well have
! been used at first, and all the time. 1t
does not pay to let a farm horse, that
has work enough to do at home, to ir-
responsible young villagers who don't
know how to take care of themselves,
to 90 off to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Neither would it be right to refuse to
drive your horse at his best safe gait to
| accommodate a neighbor who you
believe really needs doctor, and if
you value your neighbOr more than
| your horse, and chose to drive beyond
safe gait, you have doubtless the
right to take the risk upon your own
shoulders, and let your conscience adj
just itself to the circumstances. Your
neighbours life may be worth more to
you or to others, than many horses.
A great many horses, however, are
sadly abused from. the fears, whims or
caprices OF their drivers. Some men
are ever ready with some excuse for
putting a horse to his utmost endurance.
But of all the i'll treatment to which our
faithful horses are subjected, there is
nothing compared to that received al
| the hands of a drunken owner or driv-
ser, whose character, for the time be-
ing atleast, if weighed by any just
measure of intelligence or conduct,
would be vastly below that OF the
noble, faithful animal that is suffering
through his drivers abuse. We should
learn to treat our animals better than
they often are treated, and some should
learn to take better care of the animal S
owner.-.NetO England Farmer.