St. Paul daily globe., 1885-02-02
AMONG THE HORSES.
Mr.. C. A. DeGraff Talks Further on
Wintering Stock in the
Open Air.
He Insists That Animals Thus Kept Thrive
Better Than If Housed
in Barns.
The Way to Breed Horses on the Plains
Cleveland Bay Horsss-Mam-
brino's Record.
Hfntertnn S.eeh fr Minn.sota.


In these columns a statement that Mr.. c. A.
De Graft, of Lake E!ysian stock farm, kept
his horses under an open shed all winter, and
without any other protection. The article
attracted general attention and criticism,
and its truthfulness was somewhat doubted
Mr.. Bonner, the owner Of Maud s., could
not believe the statement to be true, and iu-
ouired Of a gentleman from st. Paul whom
he saw in New York, if it were really the fact
that Mr.. De Graft kept his stock in that way.
In order to set the matter at rest, repre-
sentative of the GLOBE has further questioned
Mr.. De Graf in regard TO the matter, and
obtaiued from him the following statement,
which ought to settle the mctter:
''I have good box stalls ~ by l2 ard IA by
IA. Opposite each one of these is Il paddock,
large enough for the marc to exercise in,
but as supposed, small enough SO that she
cannot get under such headway as TO slip
and lose a foal in winter. AS the stable is
situated half mile from the timber, found
that when the cold winds prevailed, the
brood mares became chilled by these winds,
so that was often compelled to put them
back in their stalls again. The next
day very likely 1t would snow, so that it
it would be necessary to keep them in the box
stalls. The third day, if the weather happened
to be pleasant, they would be turned
out in the paddoeks again. The result often
times was that having been confined 50 long
in the box stalls they would naturally feel
playful, and would begin to jump around
more or less, and by doing so they were liable
10 accident by slipping, aud to the danger of
losing their foals. | found that with the
number Of brood mares / had that it would
be necessary in order to obviate this danger,
10 change my mode Of handling them, aud as
remein bered had been down in the timber
when tue mercury was 80 degrees below, but
was compelled to take off my buffalo
overcoat, owing to the change of
temperature IN the shelter Of the woods
made up my mind that this was The place
to keep brood mares in winter time, for here
they would he protected from the winds and
storms. therefore at once erected these
sheds that were described in the GLOBE
several weeks ago, and that have caused 50
much comment and curiosity. / first cut
out three acres from this dense forest to give
tue sun a chance to shine into the opening.
In the center of this opening / placed the
shed, which faces the south, aud is boarded
upon three sides with a rack on the side and
on each end. This shed is large enough 10
accommodate about forty broad mares. After
completing it moved all my mares from
their box stalls, as above described, to this
shed, and there keep them now during the
winter, and have done SO tver since.'
In answer to question by the reporter as
10 the result of this change In the care of his
brood mares, Mr.. De Graft continued: ''The
result has been that have never lost a colt
from the dangers that feared and expert
enCed when the mares were In their box stalls
and paddocks. The mares have their exrr-
else every day in this lot, aud protected
from the cold chilly winds and billiards., ana
do not breathe foul air as they did In the box
stalls, although they were we'll ventilated.
These mares keep ia better condition than
they did before. They are stronger
and their foals are larger and stronger when
they come. These mares are
- -@- NEVER PUT IN THE STABLE
winter or summer, aud never brought to the
barn except when bred, and from two to
thrse weeks before fOallng time Then they
are brought up and placed into a large pad
dock Of one or two acres, nicely set
into blue grass. Each mare has a
paddock which Is set apart for this special
purpose, aud has n box stall fourteen
feet square In which tie mare and fOal can
run out at Will. The mare is kept there till
the ninth day after foairg and then bred,
after which she Is turned out to a blue grass
pasture set apart for mares with foal by their
side At the proper time these mares arr
looked after, aud when safe In fOal are
turned out into another blue grass pasture
There they remain till fall, when the colts
are taken up and wcaued. The mares are
then returned to the opeu she'd In the timber,
as above described. | have never lost a coli
by this method Of handling them.
"By placing her in the paddock before
foallng she is brought under the eyes 0f the |
stable men all the time. This |
box stall IN the foallng paddock !
Is for mares that foal 10 March, April aud |
the lst Of May, and my purpose Is to protect |
the mare and fOal from the cold sprug rains. |
After that time prefer 10 have the mare /
fo1l in the paddock outside Of this box stall, |
as there ls less danger. So you see, those 4
mares are never in the barn except during /
the few weeks have stated. Il makes no |
difference huw low the mercury goes, these |
mares are In no barn, but stay in their winter /
quarters in the timber with the shed 10 run /
under as above described. Under |
bright straw for brddng. which is changed |
daily Water is furnished by hot power /
pump. have been down 10 the timber when
the mercury was IS degrees below zero, aud /
have
YET TO SEE MARE TREMBLE
from cold after drinking water from the |
trough, as they DO even IN the box stalls In
the barn al 10 degrees below zero. All .
brood mares safe In foal are kept
IN the brood mare department All brood
mares that am IN doubt about being In
foal arc placed In the flly department. where
the lwO-ycar-old dllies are kept. The three
year-od tlligs also have i department similar
60 that OF the brood mares. All gelliugs are
by themselves, and ali the stock including
the brDod mares, geldiRgs and fliies, are
kept the 81 ne way 10 the timber, but all ia
kePera,c aud distinct apartments. There is
not to day an uusound animal on ths place,
from orood nsre 10 a weauing. When !
the mares are moved Ia the fall from the
blue grass pasture 10 their winter quarters
10 the timber they are in fnr
condition, aud this Is the secret OF the mares
dropping larger. stronger aud healthier fnals
in The spring A yesr agu this winter Mr. !
Richard Richards, OF Racine, Wis. breeder
for thirty years, ami George Graves, Of
Rochester, Minu., visited the farm when the
merSury was thirty degrees telcw. and saw
these eroed mares kept above described In
the timber. They we're sstouished and xraii-
Hsd at the success Of the plan They said /
~ 49, 4.