The Columbus journal., 1899-03-08
Watering HOrses.

1t is not pretended that chemical pur-
ity is necessary in the drinking water
of horses. but the importance of its
being reasonably pure, and above all
free from dangerous organic matter or
poisonous minerals, like lead. is SO
universally acknowledged that We may
be excused discussing it here. Exces-
sive hardness is also to be avoided. for.
as every experienced stsblenan knows.
hard water disturbs the digestion. in
juriously affects the appearance of the
coat, and is probably. at least. an ac-
cessory cause in the production Of
gravel or cystic calculus. about Ehich
complaints are so common in aged
horses. The coincidence OF the pre-
valence of stone in the bladder, where
the water of the district is hard, is Al.
least worthy Of note. although it is
perhaps rarely the active cause. Horses
exhibit a decided preference. in COM
mon with other animals. for soft wa
ter, and prefer a drink from a dirty
pond, where the fluid has become soft
eIed by exposure to sun and air. to
the brighter and sparkling water COM
ing from springs having their origin
in geological formations. causing it to
be highly charged with lime and mag
nesian salts.
There is certainly a difficulty about
this when stalls are used. and the
water trough has to be placed alongside
the feed marger. Food gets into the
water and water into the food. Where.
however, loose boxes are used the wa
ter trorss- can be placed in one cor
ne: and the manger in another, and
the difficulty disappears. The trough
can also be kept clean where t.. -.:e is
a feed pipe and waste pipe. but these
costly fittings are not found in ordinary
farm stables. Where the water is
vessel should te large ore. so that
the horse is certain to get enough, and
If there is any doubt it shoul.. be re-
filled. Horses that are allowed a free
supply or that are watered at frequent
intervals drink relatively less than
those receiving water at long inter-
walls or that get an irregular supply.
When the chance is afforded they make
up for the deprivation, often with lis
astrous results that tend to get wa.-.
a bad name with unthinking mer as a
cause of disease.
Unless quite used to a free supply,
the quantity of water should be limited
or withheld for time when horses are
excessively heated. also when first
stabbed after doing a hard days work
in particularly cold weather. It must.
however, be understood that there is P
vast differtcce as regards danger be-
tween a drink Of water that has tean
exposed for some time and raised to
the temperature Of the atmosphere, and
one of water freely drawn from un-
derground pipes or deep we'll. With
regard to the time of watering, the
necessity Of giving it before the grain.
except in the instances mentioned.
should he obvious when the small size
OF the horses stomach is borne in
MIND. and the process of digestion con-
sldered. Water given on a compara-
lively empty stomach does not long
remain In that organ, but is almost
Immediately conveyed to the large in
testines. II it is withheld until after
feeding it is almost physically impos-
sible for both food and water ,o he
retained in the stomach together. and
a portion. at least. of the food is car
ried by the water into the intest:nes
undigested. where, besides being a loss
OF nutrinent to the animal, is a source
of irritation.
OF all the common faults, and they
are many. in the alinentation OF
horses. that CT giving water Just after
a fuil Feed of grain is among the worst.
inns unlike hay. has 10 undergo gas
tric digestion in the stomach. where
its nitrogenous e!sEents have to be
Dealt with. not in the intestines. and