The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-08-22


proper care. The dweller in city stables
is exposed to foul air, arising from over
crowding, until the atmosphere is pesti-
lential and his vital forces are depressed
by breathing overheated air, laden
with disease from improper surround
ings. The opposite conditions tor
ment the farm drudge, whose sad
life is fastened to its end by damp
stables, noisome and chill.
The care and feed of horse whose
work is slow should differ entirely
from the care and feed of horse re-
Quired to put forth his strength in rapid
action. This difference does not consist
in neglect of the one nor in oversoici-
tude for the other. Quite the contrary,
as both animals require treatment based
on sound judgment. The slow-worked
horse can with perfect safety be given
more bulky ration than it is possible
to expect a fast-working animal to
thrive upon. 1t must be borne in mind
by borse-owners that it is not the guam
tity nor even the quality of horses
ration which alone keeps him in health;
rather is it the quantity of proper food
which is fully digested and then assim-
Hated which sustains animal life and
insures its most vigorous tone. The
losses by death have been very heavy
this year, even in farm stables, where
the horses were not called upon TO put
forth unusual eXertion, but where a Sc
cret danger lurked in evils incident, or
unusually heightened hours of idleness,
and where no change in feed was OBJ
served.
OF id oil
ration must Immediately be reduced in
quantity and varied in substance. No
grain should be fed, except sparingly
and in fully-cooked state. The allow
ance of the hay should be diminished,
and light mashes easy of digestion
should replace the solid food held back.
Absolutely no cold water can be al
lowed, as to swallow sufficient guam
tity of cold water and take no exercise
would chill the stomach and reduce the
normal heat of the system, thus induc-
ing indigestion, frequent forerunner
of collie. Water which stands at blood
heat is always safer than cold water, in
that it is more readily absorbed; in hot
weather it thins and cools the blood,
mixing rapidly with it, and in cold
weather it does not chill the stomach.
A comforting drink of oatmeal Cruel
or of linseed Cruel, one pint of meal or
of linseed to a gallon of water, will be
of greater value 10 the fatigued or idle
horse than would be bushel of grain.
Another source of danger to the farm
horse is the practice of feeding roots in
their raw state. Roots, such as carrots,
potatoes, etc., given in very small
quantity, when chopped fine and mixed
with cut hay and bruised oats act as
mild laxatives, and with some horses
give tone to the stomach. These roots
mentioned should never, when fed raw,
be washed, as when properly housed or
pitted there will adhere to them more
or less of the soil in which they grew.
These earthly particles are wholesome
for our domestic animals, none of which
need this condiment more than those
constantly fed by hand. When on pas
ture and grazing quite goodly share
of earth is taken up. Now we are care
full to request horse-owners and grooms
to distinguish between earth and dust;
this latter is most hurtful. Thus dusty
hay causes various affections of the
lungs and respiratory organs. Grain
in a dusty state also causes serious
troubles, one of the most deadly forms
being calculus, a disease to which mill
ers' horses are subject.
1t is noteworthy how slow to shed
their winter coats are farm-horses.
This delay in the action of the skin is
generally ascribed to the GOODNESS of
stabling, as contrasted with the warmth
of city stables. True warmth is rec
ognized factor in early coating, but
good, nourishing, easily-digested and
readily-assimilated food has far more
to do in the matter. Last April the
larger number of farm-horses looked |
shaggy as bears, were low in condition,
having the outward symptoms of i'll
health. This bad condition was the
result of improper treatment rather
than of exposure to the severe weather.
When from any cause whatever horse |
is kept idle in the stable it is cruelty of |
the gravest description to tie the animal
so that he can not have easy and fire.
quent change of position.-C0r. Ameri-
can AgriculturiSt.