The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-01-05
ACCLIMATING HORSES.
A Horse Suffers More From Change
of Climate Than Other Animals
He Should Be Worked Slightly and
Carefully Looked After the First
Year
From the Progressive Farmer.


A Mississippi correspondent writes
that a bunch Of Northern-raised
horses have not done we'll this sum-
mer since coming South in the
spring. He states that: "They have
been on good Bermuda pasture,
besides getting one feed Of corn
day; but while they have excellent
appetites, they continue to lose flesh.
They worked some this spring, but
have done nothing since the first of
August. think the trouble comes
from the change Of climate
Those familiar with such matters
have observed that horses suffer
more from what appears to be pure
acclimation than do cattle or pigs
when brought from the North into
this climate. The effects of the ticks
and tick fever which is sometimes
called 'acclimation fever" but is in
no sense such, are not in any way
due directly to the climate. Apart
from these ticks, cattle appear to
suffer little, if any, from the change
of climate. Hogs apparently suffer
none at all. With horses, however
there seem to be more susceptibility
to the climatic change. This may be.
and no doubt is, increased by the
fact that the horses are almost al
ways required to do more or less
physical work. In fact, there is some
ground for the often expressed opin-
ION that this work makes all the diff
ference noticed between the process
of acclimation Of horses and other
animals Most observers, however
agree that horses suffer more or less
from the climatic change, independ-
ent Of the work or treatment they
receive.
In the case referred to above, the
feed should be sufficient to maintain
the horses in good condition. provid
ing the work given prior to August
the first did not produce some dis
eased condition. particularly some
disturbance of digestion. This seems
the most common complication aris-
ing In the acclimation of Northern
raised horses. They frequently suf
Ter from indigestion, and in such
cases the fact that the appetite re-
mains good is not proof that the ami
mails are receiving sufficient nour-
ishment.
certain general rules may be laid
down for the handling Of horses
the first summer after being brought
South:
CD II horses are brought here
early in the winter they do better
the next summer than when brought
here late in the spring.
CD AS a general rule, these horses
should be worked very carefully and
moderately the first summer
CD They should be fed with more
Sii@eh uoudl care also. While theV
should be fed literally, they must
not be overfed. Especially should
they be not over-full when given
exercise. All hay should be given at
night, and then only in moderate
quantities. Since the change of feed
Is complete, care should be taken to
see that it is properly balanced, has
sufficient variety, and easily digested.
(D In case any animal does not
seem able to stand the work. or do
well on the feed, change should be
MADE. Even though it is thought
the animal ought to do the work re-
CURED on the feed given, if it does
not DO so. change not a theory. is to
be dealt with, and it is better to
throw the horse out Of work or make
some change of feed, than to do per-
manent injury to him.