Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-29
Cheap winter Ration for Idle Horses.

Cheap Winter Ration for Idle Horses
What would be a good. cheap. sat-
isfactory ration for Idle farm horses
through the winter? K. j. II
Morristown.
The economic wintering Of idle
horses is Of first Importance This
is emphasized by the high price Of
foods. Because of this high cost a
few farmers err by turning their
horses out to rough it through the
winter, feeding them cornstalks.
ducing straw collie" But by Tar
the greater number of them make a
mistake by denying their horses
sufficient exercise. keeping them too
closely confined in the stable and
overlooking them on grains and ricn
hays. This method is as likely 10
produce disease as the former. though
Of another kind.
In wintering the idle horse there
are two factors that must constantly
be kept in mind-supplying sufficient
nutrients to keep the horse in condi-
ton and permitting an abundance OF
exercise.
II is more economical and perhaps
advisable to turn the idle horse i1l1r
a lot, providing it affords good p
lection, such as shed open to
south, rather than to confine him
closely in the barn - T'frnn1 Is
the horse an opportunity BIKE
much needed exercise, and as" ter
comes on he will grow heavy coat
of hair, which will afford excellent
protection.
The amount of food to feed viii
depend on the kind. II the forage
consists Of good timothy. sweet, clean
clover or alfalfa, the amount and
kind of grain will vary considerably
from that necessary to maintain the
horse If straw or cornstalks constr
tute the roughage. Thus, IL clean
timothy, clover or alfalfa is used.
five pounds of grain-two in the
morning and three in the evening
per 600 pounds live weight. viii
usually prove sufficient. If timothy
is used it should be fed ad libitun,
though il may be necessary to lImir
the clover or alfalfa, particularly II
the horse has a tendency to gorge
itself. On the other hand, II the
roughage consists Of very coarse ma
terials, such as straw, stalks and the
like. it may be necessary to increase
the grain, perhaps six or eight poupd<
per 1000 pounds live weight
For best results the grain may con-
sist of half oats and half corn by
weight. ground together. though one
may use such foods as are available.
While as a rule corn is not considered
very good horse food. it is less
Objectionable if fed in the winter. as
the horse then needs much heat-pro-
ducing food.
If available, sueculent food, such as
carrots. roots, potatoes and especially
corn silage, If of good quality, may
r.r-r.x-a vary acovorofro1 . z1rnrJa-
mentary food in wintering idle WORK
horses. II carrots, roots and potatoes
are used, grain and hay should be
used in addition, and If the corn 81
lage is used, hay alone should be FED
in addition Such succulent foods
have a very beneficial effect upon tbs
physical condition of the horse Prob
ably the horse thus cared for SHOULD
be provided with somewhat warmer
quarters than where the succulence
is omitted
It is better to have the digestive
tract of the idle horse well distended
with hays rather than contracted, as
would be the case if grains possessing
the requisite nutrients were supplied.
If the protected area is kept dry and
well bedded, the horse can be com
fortably wintered in this way at much
less expense than by stabling. Full
grain feeding, together with some
work, should begin six weeks before
spring work starts to put the horse
in condition