Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-08-08
HORSES IN SUMMER.
Tow the Life of Many Good Farm Animals
Is Shortened.

Tow the Life of Many Good Farm Animals
Is Shortened.
1t seems hardly necessary to refer
gain and again to the necessity and
advantages of regularity in feeding
york horses on the farm, yet when we
know positively that so little attention
S paid to the matter by many who
lave the oversight of this work we
eel it q duty to do all that can be
lone to impress the matter upon the
minds of our readers. With the
Engineering of the days the interval
between meals is heightened by those
Who are anxious to do big days works.
ind those who have their teams afield
~ sunrise in May and June and work
lard until the incoming hour, do not
top to consider that the in
erval between breakfast and dim
Ter is extended from seven to
tight hours, against from five to six
aours earlier in the season. This is
lone also when the work is more
aborious than it was when this interval
vas shorter, and the temperature is
much more trying. The time from
Inner to supper is heightened in the
anne way, and the long, hot days of
hummer often bring actual suffering
or the teams. And in all probability
The owners of these teams would resent
The accusation of being called cruel in
thy way. Many farmers see their
horses grow thin and weak without ex-
ictly understanding why they should,
knowing full we'll that they are feeding
rs much as at any other time, and per-
haps little more. As has been stated
often in these clumns, and is generally
understood by those who care to know,
The stomach of the horse is smaller in
comparison with the size of his
body than that of any other
animal, and is not large enough
20 carry food enough to sus-
ain the body when required to do hard
work under trying circumstances for as
;ong'a time as is often required by un-
thinking farmers. In many trades and
professions eight hours is considered a
days work, yet some of our tillers of
he soil require nearly that many hours
from their teams between refresh
ments. Those who do it must expect
The consequence, and the result is
thin, jaded horses with not enough life
IN them to do the work that is re-
CURED of them with any degree of
comfort or ease to themselves. The
result of such work is evident. The
crops may be cultivated with horses in
this condition, and the horses may live
through it and regain their flesh when
here is a cessation in the
work. but their lives will I'M
doubtedly be shortened and
heir days of usefulness curtailed
~ such treatment. Under such con-
ditions horses are more liable to
diseases, and the digestive organs are
frequently injured for all time. It
would be hard to suggest remedy for
This cruelty that would be adopted by
every one. The one that most natur-
ally suggests itself is to have very
early dinner, and then feed at or near
ly five o'clock in the afternoon. As
most farmers have supper at this hour
1t would be a matter of but little in
convenience to introduce this system
Of feeding. If it were generally I'M
derstood that the bad condition of
farm teams could so often be blamed
upon the extended intervals between
feeding in summer this matter would
certainly receive more attention than
It does.-Ndtion0l Stocknaaa. .