Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-08-01

SPONGE BATHS HELPFUL
TO HORSES IN HOT DAYS
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.


Stable flies are source of keen an
noyance to work animals during the
heat of summer. Every owner who
has the welfare of the dumb beasts at
heart should strive to alleviate as far
sa possible the discomforts to which
the horses ere exposed.
The most logical method of abating
the fly nuisance is to eliminate all
breeding places, such as manure piles
The Bureau of Entomology advises
that manure be kept in fly-tight pits
or bins until such time as it can be
hauled to the fields. Pits should be
conveniently located so the manure
can be easily thrown in at the time of
cleaning end SO constructed that it,
can be readily removed. 1t is essen
tial that flies be prevented from reach
ing the manure, but, rs some of them
will. even though great care is exer-
cised. it is advisable to place fiytrap
on the pit.
The c0al-tar sprays used in combat
ing the fly evil in the dairy stable are
also efficient in driving the winged
pests away from the horses. Among
the best of these is a solution of 100
parts of fish oil, SO parts of oil of tar,
and l part of crude carbolic acid. 1t
may be prepared at home at a cost of
about IS cents gallon. This spray,
as we'll as kerosene emulsion and
other fly repellants containing coal
tar products, fish oil, resin, and oil Of
tov 70 hast = nrliod x,i<I, m srovron
sive spray pump. 1t is preferable to
give the horses hasty spraying each
morning before they go to work. This
brings best results from the use of
the fly eradicater.
For the general comfort Of the work
animals when they come from the
field at night 1t Is recommended that
after the harness has been removed
each animal be given a. sponge bath
with solution of cool. salt water. In
case there are any work gals or
shoulder sor.s, these injuries should
be treated with white lotion, which is
one of the most healing and soothing
preparations of it's kind for use in
warm weather. White lotion is COM
posed of mixture of drains of zinc
sulphate (white vitrioD, ounce of
lead acetate (sugar of lead), and
pint of water. 1t is efficient in curing
wounds. sores. summer gals, and fist
ula, and should be applied three times
daily for best results.
The prevalent sentiment among
horsemen Is that 1t is better to house
and feed the work horse during the
summer than to attempt to run the
animals on grass with scant sup
ply of grain and hay. Grass is not a
desirable material to serve as the
basis of the work-horse ration. The
practice of turning work animals out
on Sundays to eat grass, to which
they are unaccustomed, is a prolific
source of collie and other digestive
disorders. Generally the animals
would be better off in a cool, dark
ened stable. where they could be car
ried on half rations of grain during
idleness.
Where work horses which are fed
a full allowance of grain are turned
out to Craze each night they usually
are in poor condition for work next
day, as the extra feed they have con-
sumed merely tends to increase the
tax on their digestive capacity. How
ever. where the stables are hot and
i'll ventilated 1t is preferable to ex-
pose tho horses to digestive troubles
on the pastures rather than to at
tempt to carry them in the barns
The feet of the work animals
should be examined frequently dur
ing the summer. in order that accu.
mutations of dirt may be removed.
A few moments devoted to scraping
out the hoofs each morning and even
ing will add to the comfort of the
beasts, as often such foreign mate.
rails as nails or stones lodge in the
wall or sole of the foot or are collect
ed in tho clefts of the frog or be-
tween the bars and the frog. If the
hoofs are excessively dry or brittle,
they should he softened with some
good oil or hoof ointment, and il