News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-12-02
Around The Barn.

In hitching horses in stalls, give rope
enough only to allow the animal to
get his nose down to the floor or very
near there. Better still, plan adop-
ted by many, attach weight to the
inner end of the hitching strap, giving
the latter free and easy play over a
roller or smooth surface. The weight
should be sufficiently heavy to insure
that no slack occur in the hitching
strap, which should have no more
weight than needed. Colts or horses
that have been some time entangled
In the stall in the manner referred to
are very likely, later on, to struggle
fiercely, if, through any mishap, they
have trouble while in harness. Hired
men and boys very seldom have any
system in hitching, but the sliding
strap is a reliable system within itself,
and, like a rubber band, never slips.
Leather of all kinds is best pre-
served by filling its pores with oil of
some kind. Neatsfoot oil, obtained
from the feet of cattle, is regarded as
best for the purpose; but castor oil,
the same as that employed medicinal
ly, has been found of great value In
softening leather. The usual method
is to take the harness apart, wash it
with soap and water, allow it to part
ly dry, and then oil and put the parts
together, 1t is regarded as better
way to first oil the harness through
out with castor oil and lamp black
warmed, so that it will penetrate the
leather readily. Then go over the
parts of the harness with q sponge
dipped in warm soap suds, which will
remove all the dirt. When dry, go
over the whole with a mixture of
equal parts Of neatsfoot oil and tai
low, melted together, with enough
lamp-black or powdered Prussian blue
to give sufficient color. Apply this in
small quantities, we'll rubbed in, to
leave a smooth, clean surface.
Horses get some rest standing, pro-
vided the position be reasonably easy,
but no full rest except recumbent. 1t
is known of some horses that they
never lie down in stall, though if
kept in pasture they take their rest
habitually in recumbent position. 1t
is well to consider whether this habit
has not been forced upon the horse
by some circumstance connected with
the stall he was made to occupy, in
that it had muddy dirt floor, or one
made of dilapidated plank, uncom-
Portable and offensive to the horse that
has been accustomed to select his own
bed in the pasture lot. If the horse
can have the privilege of selecting his
own position for resting In the stand
ing position, he can sleep standing;
but while his muscles may be, to a
degree, relaxed, and get rest in this
position, what can we say of the bear
ings at the joints. Without relief
the recumbent position, the
joint surfaces are forced to bear a
weight, varying from 1000 to 1900
pounds continuously. This must act
lnfavorably, especially upon the COM
plicated structures within the hoofs,
which nature intended should have
periods of rest each day. 1t will be
we'll, before the horses and cattle are
put up for the winter, to settle the
question of comfort by repairing the
1oors and providing abundant bed
ling.
When, at the end of their season of
work, farm machines are stored away
Until again required for use, their driv-
ng bands and belts should be thor
'ughly impregnated with castor oil.
This will keep the leather soft and pill
'ble and ready for use. The bands
nd belts should be removed from the
and stored in a tight box,
which will keep them from the dust,
nd also be protected from rats,
yhich are often very destructive to
Gather, especially if it has been well
lied.