The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-27
THE HORSE TO HIS DRIVER
IN HOT WEATHER

AA~Se~
1t must be hard enough at best to
be horse. Winter and summer,
each brings to this accomplishing
servant of man special hardships.
May say word for him just as we
are entering the season of hot
weather
If were horse and could get my
owner, or driver, or whoever had the
care and handling of me, into a cor
ner, these are some of the things
should say:
Your own common sense ought to
teach you not to load so heavily on
a hot day as on cool one. Nothing
that depends on a heart and lungs
can haul as many pounds under the
depressing, influence Of sitting heat
as when the sun just keeps you COM
fortably warm. To insist that this
be done is to pay out more than you
get back.
Being only a horse, when l get
hot and thirsty I'm like some people,
l don't know any more than to drink
all I want. They tell me that this
is often a fatal thing to do; that
many a good horse has been spoiled
for life by it. Will you not see
, then that am watered often
through the day but not allowed a
large amount at. any one time?
Kindly notice the signs attached to
hydrants about the city which read
Free Water for Horses" You are
tempted, 4 know, not to get down
from your seat and water me with
the pail you carry, but I'd do as
much for you if could. And speak
: ing about drinking, the one time
during the whole twenty-four hours
when l am thirstiest, often to the
point of actual suffering, is after 9
p. m. I have been eating dry hay
for two or three hours, my throat is
PdiShCub anu otOuudSh uShohuo
water more than at any other time.
If you have been doing as most peo-
pie do-never watering your horses
at night-go into the stable at ten
CT eleven o'clock some evening and
try it. i shall hope you won't have
to pump the water.
At noon, am we'll informed that
should be allowed to stand a few
minutes and get cool before being
fed, whether the meal is given me
on the street or in the stable. There
are drivers who do not know that
feeding a horse Immediately after
he has been working hard, or travel
ing fast, is very dangerous, and
often results in serious intestinal
troubles that cost his life. Did II
ever occur to you also that a horse
or man with his head stuffed into
dirty, unventilated feed bag
would soon begin to lose his appe-
title and find his dinner spoiled? II
it hasn't, won't you please expert
ment on yourself tomorrow? If you
. will feed me on the street in pail
/ or box, in anything but one of those
! miserable, hot, sitting things known
as a nose-bae, | will never forget
your kindness.
If you see me, on very warm
day, begin to sweat profusely, and
then stop sweating, and if l seem to
stagger a little, or act queerly, as II
| growing weak, the chances are l an
rapidly being overcome with the
heat. Get me out of the harness al
once, and into the shade if posi-.
bic. If you cant get an ice-pack on
my head and along my spine, apply
cold cloths to these parts, spray my
body occasionally with cool water
call an ambulance, get me home
and send for competent veterinar.
ian. If there is a drug store near.
by, and the veterinarian is not at
hand, two ounces of aromatic spirits
of ammonia in a pint of water
might help me much. Remember
this, however; there's no need of my
being over-heated, no matter how
hot the day. Go slow, be patient,
don't overload, let me rest often, and
l shall be all right. Sponge out my
eyes and nose and dock at night and
wipe of with cool sponge my legs
and the places where the harness has
left its marks. You may spray my
legs with a hose when II is very
warm, but do not throw cold water
on my back or body. You take your