THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



383 



THE MANAGEMENT OF FARM HORSES. 



Tt is not my intention to enter into any lengthened 

 disquisition upon the management of farm liorses ; but, 

 in accordance with my usu il limits, I shsll confine my- 

 self to the simplest p.irt of the question — their every- 

 day mn'iagement wliilst pursuing their regular work. 



I will first notice the Stable or Shelter. Upon this 

 point great difference of opinion exists amongst the best 

 praclic il farmers. Unquestionubly, if a liorse is kept 

 iu a warm stable, he consumes less food ; but then he 

 is more liable to cobls, and subsequent inflammations, 

 from exposure to the variations and inclemencii-s of the 

 weather in this fickle climate of ours : whereas, by being 

 fed in a comfortable stable or shed, and having the run 

 of a warm well-sheltered yard, he is kept in a more 

 hardy state throughout the winter or cold wealher ; and 

 in summer, the cool grass field or the shaded yard is far 

 more healthy after a heated day's work, and of course 

 much to be preferred to the hot, close stable, however 

 freely ventilated it may be from above, as the exposure 

 to draughts of air from below ought most certainly to 

 be avoided. 



On farms having a deficiency of grass-lands, I should 

 advocate the turning of the cart-horses, after their 

 day's work, during the hot months of summer, into a 

 cool paddock, there to be supplied with artificial 

 grasses, after thdr usual feeding. The great aim should 

 be to keep them in an equable, healthy state ; aud the 

 best judgment of the farmer will be constantly required, 

 to provide such food and shelter at the return of the 

 various seasons as tend best to secure such a desirable 

 eud. 



The most important part of the subject is the Feeding 

 and l-'ood of the Farm Horses in the different seasons of 

 the year. Farmers perhaps err more upon this point 

 than any other, and in a great degree from their in- 

 ability, on many farms, to control ignorant or head- 

 strong farm-servants, to whom much of the produce of 

 the farm is frequently open, the waste of food and the 

 irregularity of management often trying the temper of 

 the most hearty and good-natured master. Before pro- 

 ceeding, I give the following extract. Spooner says : 

 " The stomach of the horse is comparatively small, 

 holding about three gallons j whilst the ox possesses no 

 less than four stomachs, the first of which is consi- 

 derably larger than that of the horse. This difference 

 shows — what, indeed, the habits of these animals also 

 demonstrate — that whilst, on the one hand, the ox is 

 constituted so as to consume a very large quantity of 

 food at a meal, the horse, on the other, is adapted to 

 consume a moderate quantity, and often. If such a 

 mass of food as is often found in the maw of the ox, 

 were contained in the stomach of the horse, it would be 

 impossible for this animal t<> perform those severe exer- 

 tions which are frequently expected from him, from the 

 loaded stomach jjressing against the diaphragm — the 

 muscle of respiration — which would materially interfere 

 with its action. It should also be borne in mind that 

 the progress of chymnification is accomplished by one- 

 halt of the stomach only, thus affording an additional 

 reason why a large mass of food cmnot be conveniently 

 taken by the horse at one time." This extract contains 

 the true principles upon which the feeding of the farm- 

 borses ought to be regulated. Tt is manifest that it 

 should consist for the most part of '' concentrated food, 

 such as grain ;" and hay, straw, and roots may be sup- 

 plied to the horse occasionally, but they are not his 

 natural food. 



Feeding and Food. — The common every-day expe- 

 rience of farmers has, 1 think, decided the point as to 

 feeding. Every one adopts the system of manger- 

 feeding, and almost universilly by means of chaff and 

 corn, followed by rack-meat consisting either of clover 

 or meadow-hay. 'i'he horse will, of course, more 

 readily supply himself from partially-prepared food than 

 otherwise. Hence cut cliifl" is so desirable, as also 

 split beans or bruised oats, and the like ; for they have 

 in this stale the douI)le advantage of requiring less 

 ma-ticatijn, whilst at the same time the animal derives 

 the great-T nourishment. I need not siy that oats 

 and beans have long stood prominent as the best corn- 

 food lor horses ; and althou;(h many deviation? have 

 occasionally bet-n fjUowcd by practical men, they in- 

 variably come back to the simple food of hay and corn. 

 It is true that recently we have had various compounds 

 brought before us ; and, by an unlimited process of puff- 

 ing, much is brought into consumption as food for horses. 

 I am inclined to believe that these mixtures are good, 

 but they are abominably expensive, being chiefly made 

 from the meal of oats, beans, peas, barley, and Indian 

 corn, largely mixed with the locust bean, dried and pow- 

 dered, and sold at a price far above its original value. 

 The usual allowance of corn for a farm-horse in regular 

 work is generally in the proportion of one-and-a-half 

 bushels of oats to two pecks of beans per week, which is 

 ample, given with wheat, chaff, or finely cut hay and 

 straw. My own practice is to grow for them a suffi- 

 cient quantity of oats ; and I give them an almost un- 

 limited allowance of chaff, cut from oat sheaves by 

 Cornes' machine. I am not prepared to say it is the 

 most economical! course, but 1 do think it one of the 

 most healthy systems pursued, aided by a small supply 

 of clover hay at night during the winter, and in the 

 early spring by a few mangold roots, or Swedish turnips, 

 or carrots, daily. In the summer the same feeding of 

 chaff is given ; and thi y are either turned out to be 

 grazed in the grass fields at night, or are supplied with 

 artificial grasses in the fold-yard. Their general ma- 

 nagement should consist of careful grooming. Great 

 inattention is given to this point almost universally ; 

 anything will do for a cart-horse, if he is only ready for 

 the morning's woi'k ; and galled shoulders, cracked heels, 

 contracted feet, with divers other sores and ailments, are 

 the result. Their stables and hovels should always have 

 a plentiful supply of litter in the winter ; and I think 

 they should have a cool yard, paddock, or grass field 

 for the summer. Their food should be supplied to them 

 at long intervals, i. e., a good feeding, as above, should 

 be given in the early morning, a slight refreshment at 

 noon— either by a nose-bag or a return to the stable, if 

 near — and a prolonged feeding in the evening. All 

 heating or injurious food must be avcided, or very 

 sparingly given— as tailing wheat, barley, bran, &c. The 

 artificial grasses should not be given to them in a fresh 

 state. Tares ought to be mown some hours beforehand, 

 as also should lucerne and sainfoin, both most excellent 

 grasses for horse-fodder. If given in their fresh state, 

 they should be passed through the cutting-box with good 

 oat, or wheat, or barley-straw as a corrective. 



I shall now only notice one oth( r imiiortant part of 

 the subject— it is the mode and time ol working cart- 

 horses. It is highly important that the horse should be 

 in as close contact with his work as possible ; the nearer 

 the work, the easier will he perform it. It is most re- 

 prehensible to see, as we sometimes do, three, four, or 



D D 



