The Florida agriculturist., 1907-09-25

be good fit is too large. Many con-
denim the sweat pad, but [ consider
hrst-class pad almost a necessity in
properly distributing the pressure up
on the young tender shoulders and
keeping the collar fitted. A soft sheep
skin with the wool next the collar
makes an excellent pad. The greatest
danger is sweeny Many will tell you
that badly fitting collars are RESPONSE
Bic for this calamity. Having sween-
led several colts, am prepared to say
that the long uninterrupted drag up
on the tender tissues Of colts
shoulders by harrow, plow, Or drill,
will stop the circulation and paralyze
the muscular portions of the should
ers, thus causing sweeny. Sween1es
are generally in evidence when horses
are blowing; seldom when they are
working on a wagon, showing that
it is the continuous draft that causes
them When a colt begins to move
one Or both Of his forefeet with diff
Guilty as if he were stiff in the
shoulders, depend upon it that
sweeny has been started. The colt
may as we'll be unhitched first as last,
because his usefulness for a month or
possibly longer is at an end. 1t usual
| 1y takes a month for horse to so far
recover that he can be used, and a
year for the damage to be fully re-
paired The only preventive measures
are properly fitted collars and a radu
al hardening Of the shoulders by care
| full usage
| The careful owner will be concerned
by seeing his horses "stocking up"
This is caused by over-feeding. 1t is
a surfeit, in fact. If the owner sees
to it that his horses when spending
three or four days in enforced mac
tion are cut down from three feeds of
grain per day to two, and then given
all the exercise between times they
wish, stocking will soon disappear.
Great care must be taken to keep the
digestion in good condition. To this
end the ration should be varied. One
kind Of ration continued for a long
period will invariably dull the edge Of
digestion, no matter how good the ra-
ton nor how judiciously it is ad-
ministered; hence a mixed ration Oi
corn and oats with an occasional fee(
Of bran is better and thus more really
economical than a single ration o+
either corn or oats. The colt should
have no more grain Or hay than he
can clean up from time to time. Some
; argue against this position because
, when a horse at liberty has free rur
, Of hay and grain he will thrive. L
, should be remembered that a horse
at liberty leads natural life; all it,
adjustments to exercise, heat, cold
etc., are fitted by his instincts. H,
: neither overexerts, overheats, no
! chil1s himself; neither does he ALLOW
} himself to become too hungry O
: thirsty before taking refreshments.
I Little need be said about watering
: All interested in the we'll being o
their horses understand the danger O
: allowing an animal to gorge himsel
Y with cold water when the interna
r and external surfaces Of the body ar
: perspiring with heat or exertion. Ex
g me that it pays well to take barre
f Of water to the field during no
: weather and give the poor animals
d drink occasionally. This is what tn
: farmer does for himself, what he ha
r to do for his hired help, and what h
h ought to do for his horses. He wi
e find they will thrive so much bette
r by this humane method that the extr
/ care involved will be amply repaid i
better conditioned stock.
n Some horsemen attach a great de;
| Il IL s1f