Live Stock Breeders' Association. 215 



WORK HORSES. 



Work horses on the average farm are for the greater part 

 brood mares. The care and management of this class of horses has 

 been previously discussed, so need not be mentioned here. The 

 animals which deserve attention in this connection are the horses 

 not used for breeding purposes and mules. Economy is a great 

 factor in caring for these animals, and should be considered care- 

 fully so long as it does not interfere with their working capacity 

 or health. 



The kind and amount of work to be performed will have con- 

 siderable weight in fixing the ration to be fed. During the sum- 

 mer, which is the season of hardest work on the farmj a ration of 

 the highest possible efficiency is practical. It should consist of a 

 comparatively large proportion of concentrates. For horses doing 

 farm work corn and oats, half and half, is an efficient grain 

 ration when fed with timothy and clover used as a roughage. Corn 

 and bran, one-half each, gives good results, and may be used when 

 oats are not available. Alfalfa in limited quantity may be fed to 

 horses doing ordinary farm work, but should be fed in connection 

 with timothy. For light horses doing road work corn must be fed 

 in very limited quantities. Roadsters and drivers do very well on 

 a ration of five parts oats, one part bran, and timothy hay. The 

 proportion of hay fed should be comparatively small. 



During the winter when there is not much work to be done 

 about the farm, the ration for work horses may be materially de- 

 creased. "Roughing" horses through the winter has come to be a 

 common practice. To be kept through the winter in this way horses 

 should be given a shed for shelter, preferably one opening to the 

 south. As a feed it was found at the Utah Experiment Station that 

 alfalfa alone was sufficient for maintenance. Well cured clover 

 hay with some corn fodder (stalk and ears) may be used, but a 

 small amount of grain is advisable. Timothy hay, and corn stover is 

 not a satisfactory ration for "roughing" horses through the winter. 

 They need more protein, which may well be supplied in the form of 

 some leguminous crop. Horses that have been treated in this way 

 should be given grain and exercise at least six weeks before being 

 put to work. 



