The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-08-27
LIVE STOCK.
The CARE OF HORSES.


The best feed for horses OF whatever
class, is oats, corn, bran ana nay
When a horse is off his feed, or slightly
ailing from any cause not indicative OF
violent disease. bran mashes with good
nursing will bring him out all right in
nine cases out of ten. Nothing is bet
ter than an occasional feed of roots
carrots, potatoes or turniIs If a half
peck of these could be given daily as a
morning or evening meal, the effect
would be quickly shown. The foal
should be taught to eat roots as soon as
possible.
For young colts, oats alone with
grass or hay, according to the season,
should be allowed. In winter, half
oats and corn, ground or whole, may
be fed with benefit, unless the young
things are intended for racing and are
in warm stables, when the corr would
bs too heating. All working horses
should have three meals a day. TIE
hours of feeding are of great import
UASOs 4AOSO ShOul OCg IL pO554OACS SHO
same daily.
Watering is of fully as much import
ance as the feeding. A horse is partlcu
lar as to the water he drinks, yet he
may be accustomed to any water, if
fit for human use. Running water is
best; that of ponds without outlet or
or inlet is the worst, and should never
be used. Well water may be given
without fear. Water should always be
given, if the ho1s9 will drink, before
feeding. In hot weather water fire.
quently only a few quarts should be
given at a time, for a heated horse will
take more than is good for him. Upon
stopping, let the horse have two or
three light sips, just enough to moisten
his throat, and when starting give him
six quarts or more IS the occasion
seems to demand. Under no circum-
stances allow a heated horse to drink
heartily.
The Importance Of steadinees and
n in the management in the stable,
and in the grooming Of horses, cannot
be over estimated. Always be kind to
q horse, and not have him in constant
fear, as this has made many ugly
horses. Many stablemen imagine that
the currycomb is an instrument for
cleaning the legs and body of the horse {;
its only use should be to clean the
brush and to loosen the scurf on the
feshy-not bony parts of the body.
Clean when the horse is dirty, always
once a day when the horse is kept in
the stable. Horses that run in the pas
lures In summer require no grooming.
Always clean the horses legs when
brought in from the mud or snow; if
this is neglected it will cause scratches,
stocked legs, etc.
A horse should always be blanketed
when standing in a draft or in rain;
use a cloth or a rubber blanket as the
ase may be. In blanketiDg a horse
10 that the blanket is sufficiently large
to cover the animal from the neck to
the tail see also that the breast fl aps
protect this sensitive part, and that the
blanket is large enough to cover sides
and TANKS fully.
The feet are half the horse; in fact,
a horse with bad feet is as nearly a
worthless animal as is possible. When
the horse is brought in from the road,
each foot should be examined with a
pick to see that no gravel or hard sub
stance has found Judgement between
the frog and shoe. If the hoof is in
clined to be hard and brittle, oil it. In
all respects, kindness and attention to
a horse are both satisfactory and re-
munerative. L E w, in Rural New
Yorker.
THE