HORSE-SHOEING. . 799 



might easily prevent, and is therefore responsible. No horse should be made to labor beyond 

 his strength, at any age, and all horses are entitled to kind treatment and good care. When 

 a horse becomes so old or otherwise unfitted for service that it does not pay to keep him, and 

 the owner feels that he cannot afford to keep him simply for the good he has done, or has 

 not sufficient affection for him to still care for him after he ceases to be paying property, let 

 him be humanely killed by a rifle-ball shot through the brain, rather than sell him to be 

 abused and wear out the remainder of his life in suffering and neglect. Old horses should 

 be fed much with warm mashes, oats, and cut feed. 



Carrots are especially good for old horses, to the extent that they have been very appro 

 priately called the regenerator of old, worn-out horses, as well as those that have been over 

 worked, poorly fed, and otherwise improperly treated. Such horses when allowed a generous 

 diet of carrots, in connection with other food, will gain in condition very rapidly. They will 

 soon put on flesh, and the coat become materially improved. Carrots seem to supply horses 

 with new blood, and thus restore their youth for a time. Horses are very fond of them and 

 will eat them greedily. If fed upon them in large quantities for a long time, however, the 

 effect is lessened, as the body becomes accustomed to them, and the result is less marked. 

 Care should be used while thus feeding to give the animal sufficient exercise, as there will be 

 a tendency to apoplexy where this is neglected, and such stimulating food long given in large 

 quantities. 



Care of Harnesses. Harnesses that are constantly surrounded with the fumes of 

 ammonia will become stiff and hard, as the ammonia will have a tendency to absorb or eat 

 up the oil contained in the leather. For this reason nice harnesses should never be hung 

 where the ammonia from the air of the stable will reach them. A harness-room or closet 

 should be done off in the barn or wagon-house for the purpose, which will also keep them 

 free from dust. The walls should not be whitewashed, as the lime, coming in contact with 

 the leather, would injure it. Long pegs or hooks should be fastened in the wall about six 

 feet from the floor for hanging the harnesses on. Two hooks will be sufficient for one 

 harness, one for the bridle and collar, the latter hung with the small end up and outside the 

 bridle, and the other for the harness, which should be hung by the saddle. By this arrange 

 ment they are hung in proper order for putting on the horse. 



On taking the harness from the horse, the dust and rain or perspiration should all be 

 wiped off with a piece of chamois skin, or woolen cloth. &quot;When nearly dry, the portions that 

 were damp should be again rubbed with another cloth or chamois skin kept for the purpose, 

 until they are soft and pliable. The plated mountings and bits should be cleaned by rubbing 

 with a cloth slightly oiled. Harnesses require occasional special cleaning and oiling in order 

 to prevent the leather from becoming stiff and hard. They are more injured by use and 

 require more care in summer than in winter, as they are more frequently soaked by the rains, 

 wet with perspiration from the horses, and subjected to heated and dry atmosphere. If kept 

 well oiled, the injurious effects of these conditions may be in a great measure obviated. 



How to Clean and Oil a Harness. There are various methods and applications 

 employed for cleaning and softening harnesses, the most common of which is to first wash 

 with soap and warm water, followed by rinsing in clear, soft water, and afterwards apply oil; 

 neats-foot oil being generally used. Another method is to oil the harness well, by which 

 means the dirt on it is softened, after which wash it thoroughly with soap and water, and rinse 

 it as before, afterwards applying some one of the many preparations for the purpose, which will 

 both oil the leather and improve its color. By oiling before washing, the oil penetrates the 

 leather and prevents the water from saturating it and making it hard. Castor oil is highly 

 recommended by some for this purpose. A preparation of equal parts of oil and tallow, 

 colored with lamp-black and a small portion of Prussian blue, makes a very good application 



