Rural School Leafllt • iiSi 



There are several breeds of coach horses, the hackney, the French 

 coach, and the German coach being the best known. Of these, the hack- 

 ney is perhaps the most desirable as a coach horse because of his high 

 action and pleasing style. The hackney came from England, where for 

 centuries he has been bred for a saddler and a roadster. In color the 

 hackney varies; chestnuts are at present in the greatest demand. The 

 French coach came from France. In color this type varies considerably, 

 bays and browns being the most common. The German coach came 

 from Germany, where these horses ha\'c been bred for centuries. In 

 color they are usualh' bay, black, or brown. 



One must not get the idea that all the Iiorscs he observes on the street 

 will fall into one of these three types, for the horses that one usually 

 sees are common horses of no particular ty|)e and are used for a great 

 variety of purposes. These common horses have not been bred tioie to 

 any type, but are oftentimes the result of crossing the various types 

 mentioned, or are descendants of common horses. They arc not so efficient 

 for any given purpose, and are not so valuable, as when bred true to 

 a given type. 



III. CARE AND 1\L\NAGEMENT OF THE HORSE 



The efficiency of the horse and the comfort w^th w^hich he performs 

 his labor will depend largely' on the general care and management that 

 he receives. It should be remembered that the horse is a very sensitive 

 animal, and that no treatment of him can be too gentle. Jerking, striking, 

 whipping a horse, or shouting at him are inconsiderate practices, which 

 cause the animal to lose confidence in his master, and to become less 

 useful and manageable. 



Feeding 



A horse should be fed liberally and frequently. He has a good appetite, 

 a vigorous digestion, and responds to intelligent care. Regularity in 

 feeding, watering, and working brings comfort to the horse and will prob- 

 ably result in long years of usefulness ; while irregularity in these essentials 

 is likely to lead to digesri\'e disorders and other derangements. 



While the amount of food to he given to an average horse can be esti- 

 mated closely, the rations should be modified so as to meet the needs of 

 each animal. One horse may need a little more than the regular allowance, 

 and another horse a little less, since some horses are kept in condition 

 less easily than are others doing the same amount of work under similar 

 circumstances. 



Order of watering and feeding. — Because of the small size of the horse's 

 stomach, the order of supplying grain, hay, and water is of much impor- 

 tance. The horse should be fed and watered so frequently that he will 



