Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-09-25

frost-bitten grass has lost its nutriment.
and the increasing cold demands abun-
dunt food. The first winter is a trying
time with colts, and many never re-
cover from the injury they then receive
from insufficient or improper food
With warm stables and comfortable
sheds, the autumn colt can suck the
well fed mare IN the winter and be
weaned upon fresh grass N the spring.
and never know check in his growth.
He is old and strong enough to with
stand the attacks of flies in summer
and TO endure without injury the colds
of his second winter. He should receive
regular rations of oats and wheat bran
as soon as he has learned to eat, along
with the mare when she is taking her
feed. These can best be given him at
a little distance from the mare. she
being secured in her place by halter.
For the first year he should receive
liberal allowances of these foods twice
every day, with such mixed hay and
pasturage as he can take beside. These,
with linSeed meal, must be the main
reliance for making him all We hope
him to be. They are rich in the ele-
ments which make growth, and with
out these no perfect animal can be
reared. Corn should lever be given
except in limited quantity in winter
when warmth from carbohydrates is
needed. When corn must be fed, Il
should always Ice ground AMI mixed
with finely-cut clover hay, slightly
moistened. The clover supplies the
Il trOgenous food in which the corn i
so deficient, and also gives the necessary
bulk for proper digestion in the stOm-
4
that the horse has but one stomach,
hand, this cannot contain enough of
coarse innutritiOus food, like straw or
poor hay, TO meet the demands of sub
slstence and growth, yet on the other
the food must be bulky enough TO
admit of speedy anu thorough action of
the gastric Juice, so that the nutritiVe
portions may be quickly dissolved and
the refuse discharged. Where corn
neal Is fed alone il goes into the stom-
ach in the plastic condition of dough,
is there rolled about by the muscular
action, is as impervious to the digestlng
juices As "A ball of India rubber, and
produces fever and frequently serious
cole. Where corn is largely fed, its
heating effects upon the blood are
readily shown III unSOundneSS at the
eXtremities. The oat is a wholesome
food when fed alone because nearly one
thiid of its bulk is husk, which makes
the mass in the stomach porous like a
sponge. l desire to repeat, that mixed
hay with a good proportion of clover,
oats, wheat bran and linseed meal, all
containing albuminoids which furnish
the materials for growth, must he re-
lied upon to develop "A draft horse to
his true proportions. He must never
know hungry day, and he must never
spend al hour shiverlng on the north
side Of a barn, waiting for his fooI.
While on the one hand a stable may be
too warm, on the other, every storm in
winter is too cold for a steady and Wig
orOus growth. An exposure to cold
that produces an active circulation on
the surface, and gives TO boys and girls
bright rosy cheeks, cOnduce5 10 health,
but every exposure that chIlls the blood
draws upon the vital forces and saps
the foundations of the constitution. Ii
costs more and takes double the time
u regain pound Of lost weight than
IT does To add five pounds in a cOntinu-
Gus growth.
am strongly in favor OF grooming
colts IN winter, not with the eXpeudI-
]
currycOmb and brush, but by hasty
rubbing with stiff stable broom. IL
accompishes two important results
the stimulation OF "A healthful action Of
the skin, and the acquaintance OF the
colt with handling and with tie contact
with Substances that otherwise would
occasion alarm. THIS must lie COM
menced with great geutleuess. At uO
time in his growth shouId colt be
frightened. Unnecessary fright ruins
multltudes OF horses. Ny own colts,
some Of which are mighty bred puTpO5ely
for saddle horses, and are Of nervous
temperameuts, are daily treated 10 the
stable-bTOOm grooming, 70 their evil
dent benefit. Now almost anything
can be thrown against them or about
their legs without occasIOuluy alarm.
At all ages colts should have abuu-
daHJ exercise. The pasture an summer,
and well-enclOsed, well-shelded pad
docks in winter, furnish the best OppOr-
tunltIes for II. They should bs fire.
quently handled from the beginning by
cool and judiCiOus hands, ever Temem-
bering that, like ourselves, they can
learn but one letter Of the alphabet and
one step in their knowledge al a time.
Every colt, whatever hIs class should
he broken TO the saddle, because at
some time in after life he must he rid
den, and because in no other way can
he obtain such acquaintance with his
masters will. The colt reared for
draft purposes can have the walking
gait developed when under the saddle
more readily than in any other way.
This should afteTward be continued by
service beside fast walking horse.
In conclusion, / will only add that
the expense of breaking draft horse is
less, by many times, than any other; lac
/ sooner pays for his keep by service upon
the farm han does any other; when old
enough for the market, he finds "A
reader sale than does any other; and a
given number of them, from ten TO a
hundred taken together, will sell for
more money than VIII an equal number
of any other class of horses whatsoever.
To-day the West has almost monopoly
IN our country In rearing these profit
able animals. The agricultural papers
are filed with advertisements Of stud
establishments; their State and county
fairs ind their greatest attractions III
their exhibition, and their farmers are
rapidly learning the advantages of rear
ing them. We can surpass them if we
will, for our situation and condition are
better than theirs. Our farmers will
do well to give early and earnest atten-
tion to this important subject.
4 neD direct-action tricycle. has bee 1
introduced which enables the rider TO
take his vehicle up steep grades with
out dismounting. Pressure from the
foot to bear directly upon the main
axle and so transmitted to the driving
wheels on both sides without loss, and