The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-10-17

The following article is going the round
of the press without definite credit i
contains many valuable hints. Blindness
is more prevalent among horses ia Ohio
than those Of any other section Of the
country. The causes of blindness are at
tributed in a great measure to overfeed-
ing. the Ohio horses being VIGOROUSLY
fat.
1t is a common practice in that state
to force the fat upon horses intended for
sale by stuffing them principally with IT.
dian corn and keeping them, without
much service in warm, close stables.
This method Of feeding soon fattens
horse, but at the same time its digestive
functions are injured by the treatment
1t is now believed that the blindness can
be traced 10 a sympathetic relation be-
tween disorder of the digestive organs
and the brain, and that through the lat
ter the optic nerve becomes diseased and
ends in destroying the vision.
Blindness is also frequently trans
mitted to offspring. and thus an evil
first originating In disease, almost be
comes a natural defect by hereditary de-
scent. Errors in feeding horses, as is
well known, also produce blind staggers.
the brain; therefore the greatest care
should be exercised in feeding them
Diet Is Recommended
In order to prevent the spread of horse
blindness it is recommended that when
ever the animal shows the least symptoms
Of the disease it should be Eept on light
diet OF hay and cats. a horse may be
maintained in good condition on twelve
pounds Of hay and five pounds Of oats
for daily feed. In breeding horses II is
also recommended that all animals show
Ing the least symptoms Of organic dis
ease be rejected.
One of the first symptoms incident to
blindness, which any person may readily
notice, is the disposition OF the animal TO
raise his forelegs unnecessarily high, while
at the same time the ears are drawn back
and forth in quick succession and thus
giving sure evidence that the sagacious
animal is sounding the ground over which
he travels. These are the principal ideas
advanced by most veterinarians respect
ing the cause Of prevalent horse blindness
in our country and a mode of arresting
the spread of the evil.
There are some other causes Of this dis
ease which appear more evident, any one
Of which is perfectly capable OF removal.
Blind horses are more common In cities
than in the rural districts. This is prin-
clpally caused by bad stables. Many or
them have underground cellars, and,
with few exceptions, all stables are too
small. They 90 not admit a sufficient
quantity Of air for ventilation and respir-
alton, and this always tends to injure the
health OF the animals. Light IS as essen
tial TO the health of horses as that Of
men, and yet most stables are nearly as
dark as dungeons. 1t would be far better
for most Of the horses in our cities TO be
kept in open sheds than in the stables
commonly provided for them.
Eye-BIinds Injurious.
I am also positive that eye-blinds
on the harness tend TO injure the eyes OF
horses. and as they are totally useless
and ursightly appsndages. they should be
abandoned entirely. The open bride has
become more common, but It should be
universal. Tight. close collars, which
squeeze the eyes Of horses in putting them
on, are also very Injurious TO the eyes OF
the animals. L have known one case of
permanent injury TO the eyes of m eX-
cellent horse from this cause. Carriage
and draft horses should be provided with
divided collars, secured either at the top
or bottom, so that they are not required
to be forced over the heads OF the ami
mails.
As a rule, Il may be bast to discard
blind animals for breeding purposes.
There are cases, however. when the blind
ones are far superior in some valuable
points and qualities TO most Of the sound