Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1912-04-12
WINTERING HORSES.
May Run on Pasture if Shelter From
Storms Is Provided.


Storms Is Provided.
The custom of running horses out on
pasture during the winter is the COM
mon one on the range in most sections
the corn belt 1t is rare. however. In
localities such as New England. where
the winters are cold. The greatest OBJ
stacle to profitable animal husbandry
in New England Is the necessity to
feed and shelter live stock during the
long winter period. The department OF
agriculture has found this a constantly
increasing bill of expense at the Nor
gan horse farm near Middlebury. VT.
and is devising means to reduce it to a
minimum. In 1910 cheap barns cost
ing $500 each were built in three pas
lures each barn having a door in each
end and two having Il door in one SIDE
facing either south or east. Hay stor-
age is overhead and grain storage at
one end. A hay manager runs along
the inside of the back wall, and grain
trough is outside. One or all of the
doors are open all the time, and plenty
Of bedding is provided
The yearling FLIES and the brood
mares were given these accommoda-
tons during the winter of 1910, the
brood mares being brought up to the
main stables about three weeks be-
fore they were due to foal. The first
winters trial was completely satisfac-
tory. The horses had bed which was
roomy, always dry and free from
drafts and were free to come and
go AS they wished. No colds or coughs
were observed The horses were un.
doubtedly better for their winters out.
ing. The cost Of stabling was cut from
50 to 81 per head per month and the
cost attendance from SO to 81 per head.
1t is possible still further to reduce
the latter charge by increasing the
number of animals on the pastures.
The horses ate practically the same
amount of grain that they would have
consumed In stable and somewhat
more hay.
During the present winter the foals
of 1911 will run out, having an open
shed In an especially well sheltered To-
cation. The barn for the brood mares
has been enlarged and changed into an
open L shaped shed facing south and
east. A hundred ton concrete silo has
been built In conjunction with this
shed. and silage and timothy hay will
make the ration of the brood mares
during the winter.
The leading stallion at the farm.
General Gates, has for O year been
given the run Of tightly fenced pad
dock of about threefourths of an acre.
to which he has access every day in
winter and day and night during
spring. summer and fall. In this time
he has never worn blanket and has
never been in better health or spirits
or more easily handled.
The departments experience thus far
seems TO indicate that horses may run
out during the winter provided they
have dry bed sheltered from storms
and are given enough to eat and that
the practice will result in consider
able saving in cost of stabling and at
tendance
Secretary Wilson says that for TWEEN
ty years a herd of horses has wintered
outdoors on his Iowa farm. He puts
the horses in at one year old, coming
to two. He built shed for them
when he put them out at first, but
found they would not go into it no
matter how severe the weather was.
They preferred to go into heavily
timbered ravine. where they got all
the shelter they seemed to want. The
hair of the animals grows long and
thick and protects them. Unless the
snow is too deep horses paw the range
for the blue grass, of which there is
always abundance in the pasture. 1t
Is we'll known that horses and sheep
will paw the snow to reach grasses,
while the bovine does Got do this
United States Department Of Agricul-
ture Bulletin.