The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1894-04-14
Rest and Oyerwork.

the farm, viz, rest and overwork, and
frequently one is as injurious as the
other. This may seem somewhat
rash statement, yet 1t will prove true
If carefully considered Rest for hard
wording horses is boon and bliss; for
strained, lame and run down horses 1t
is often the best remedial measure.
Again, it may prove dangerous If in
judiciously administered, as, for in
stance, such diseases as Azoturia (com-
monty called Spinal meningitis') and
lymphangitis, are often caused by even
short period of rest following hard
labor and heavy feeding. The period
Of rest, however, could not possibly be
attended by other than the most salts
factory results were proper precau-
tions taken as regards the feeding OF
the animals that have been hard
worked and provided with strongly
heterogeneous ration. The trouble comes
from continuing the heavy ration of
such grain as oats or other heterogeneous
food as faxseed when the period of
hard work has been passed and the
time of rest is entered upon.
Azoturia annually kills thousands Of
horses in this and other countries. q
terrible waste of life surely, when we
consider that every case might have
been prevented by proper manage
ment The horse that is hard worked
and heavily'fe fed should on no account
be allowed to stand in his stall single
day idle, yet consuming his custom
airy allowance of grain, and more
dangerous will 1t be to allow him several
days of this rest and diet in spring.
Azoturia is consequent upon the
storing up of surplus heterogeneous
products in the body during
idleness which otherwise would
have been used up to repair waste of
tissue and give force and energy were
the animal working and sweating.
The liberal grain ration was absolutely
necessary to prevent the hard-worked
horse from falling away in flesh and
tagging in his harness, but when con-
tinued after the necessity has ceased,
the system can not get rid of the nitro
gen in excess Of the bodily require
ments for maintenance, hence stor-
ing up process goes on and when exer-
else recommences poisonous prod
uct of the albuminoids is pumped
in the blood into the tissues and
causes paralysis. This is non-tech-
meal explanation but sufficiently clear
we fancy to show the average farmer
that the idle work horse should receive
but a portion of the grain ration
usually fed to the hard worked horse.
Not only should the grain ration be
cut down on Sunday but it will be a
good precautionary practice to give
each horse warm bran mash on
Saturday night to open the bowels and
little If any grain following it until
the morning when work is to
be done. 1t is mistake to
allow absolute rest even on
Sunday, as too often this Is dangerous
where horses are in plethoric condi-
ton due to heavy grain rations and
but light work. 1t would be better to
give some exercise on Sunday even il
1t be in a yard or box stall, and where
this is done some grain may be used,
keeping the horse 'hard" for his ac-
customed tasks. Idleness begets mum
erous other troubles as weed" grease,
dropsy, skin troubles, indigestion,
etc, and should be avoided unless the
diet be cut down to suit the circum-
stances. So also overwork is the par
ent of an equal number of ills and
quite commonly the trouble is due not
so much to too much work, but to too
little food to repair the waste of tissue
consequent upon the work done and to
furnish vim and vigor for the continu-
ance of hard labor. A horse that is
worked until terribly fatigued can not
well digest even a hearty, liberal meal
of oats when furnished him. He soon
grows thin and even a generous diet
fails to build him up, for the whole sys-
tenn has lost tone, spirit has died out,
and such a horse is often termed
heart broken" 1t is we'll to temper
horses first to their daily quota
of hard labor and secondly to the very
liberal diet that must accompany it.;
for to ovcrwork and overfeed horse
without previous preparation are
equally injurious. The pugilist or
athlete trains for his work and diets |
properly at the same time, aiming to
gradually accustom himself to severe
labor and strain. Immediate change /
to either the work or the diet would /
prove injurious but gradual change |
proves beneficial 1t is so with horses,
and this is worth remembering in /
spring when horses are changed from
winter idleness and carbonaceous food |
to heterogeneous diet and hard labor. 1t
is almost impossible TO overwork a
properly managed horse, but it should
ever be remembered that the mere pro-
vision of extra feed without gradual
preparation of the entire system will |
not give horse immunity from the
effects of sudden excessive fatigue.
/ Lady-Ah! how fortunate that we
should happen to meet you. doctor
DO you know, we have been suffering |
some time from-from-I think you
term it congestion Of the brain, and,
besides, we experience great difficulty
in walking. What would you advise
A. L.