Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-08-11
Watering and Feeding Horses.

It is settled that it is best to furnish a
horse with an unlimited supply of water
which ne can take at will. An animal
nader these conditions will not take too
much. but when we take into considera-
ton how few stables are so fitted as to al
low this being carried out, if is in most
cases out OF the question the more so, as
horses are out on .ong journeys or en-
ployed In work, coming to the stable
thirsty, hungry and tirej. Bat rs per
cent OF the animal bcdy Is composed of
water, and 1t Is essential to the bodily
heal5h that this proportion OF flaid and
solid constituents Ice maintained The
secretlons and fluid excretions are con-
stantly tending to reduce the fluid parts
below the normal, and at no time is this
more apparent than after long and active
WORK; the loss resulting from increased
persplratlon aud respiration.
!6 Is at THIS time that popular opinion
opinion would withhold water till the ami
NAL cOois down. Now. | have always made
1t practice TO permit the horse to take
what water he requires at this time.
When the animal is warm in all its parts.
with an active circulation. it is best able
10 resist the chilling effects of draft Of
cool water. Tie stomach empty, the fluid !
sorbed, thus supplying the necessary fluid
60 the blood, without which the various
secretionS requisite to digestion could not
be maintained. The most dangerous
tine to give a horse a full draught of
water, says Or. Dunlop, NJ r. c. Y. s.,
Great Britain and ireland, ''is after he
has cooled down from fatiguing work and
has partaken of a meal. The compare
lively small stomach of that animal is
replete with energy, the circulation weak.
the whole system lapguid, and not in a
state calculated TO resist the chit. The
water mechanically washes the undigested
food from the stomach to the bowels,
where it Undergoes decomposition, evolv-
ing irritation and poisonous gases, finally
causing hatulent and spasmodic collie or
fatal enterltis"
1t has been my practice for several years
10 allow the horse a full draft of water be-
fore feeding, giving no more for several
| hours, and have never found it necessary
to take the chill of the water when offer
ing it to animals in working condition.
Ills view is certainly against popular
option on the subject, and Dr.. Dunlop
has show that he has Tie courage of his
convictions in putting FORTH this sensible
! and reasonable view. [ consider it cruel
in the ex rene to withhold water from
poor brute perspiring and fatigued on
coming in from a hari drive or from
drawing heavy load. See the man work
ing hard erubbing out stumps with the
glass at 80 tc 900; he will go half
mile to appease his craving thirst and to
adjust the equilibrium between tile fluids
and solids OF his body. Does it hurt himP
Does It hurt the horse under like condi-
tions? | say no. | delight in watching
he horse appeasing his thirst with water
taken direct from a we'll or spring, and to
observe the evident relish with which the
| tired an;mal partakes of it.
The opinion of many is that feed is
wasted when given to horse after p 4rtak-
ing Of a full draft of water. If oats are
| thus given they are partly wasted But
oats should never be given before the horse
has eaten few pounds Of hay. Grain
given on an empty stomach is partly
wasted. | have seen men come IN with
horses tired and hungry, IF ring them
oats the first thing, the hay afterward,
The horses stomach b4ug relatively
small, the grain is forced out by the hay
| afterward eaten by the hungry animal.
Grain, to be fed economically, should be
fed only when the stomach is already
partly filled j. A. Macdonald in Coun-
try Gentleman.