HORSES 289 



form and stronger than their small size would suggest. 

 Common colors are black, bay, and brown ; grays, chest- 

 nuts, roans, and spotted ponies are not unusual. 



Mules. Mules are preferred to horses on Southern 

 farms. They pull more steadily, are less high-spirited, and 

 are put to work at an earlier age. Southern farmers can 

 easily and profitably raise their own mules. 



Care of horses and mules. Some of the most important 

 points in the care of horses and mules are these : 



(1) An abundant but not excessive supply of food, con- 

 taining an ample amount of nitrogen. 



(2) Clean, dry stables, so that the feet may not become 

 diseased. 



(3) Frequent watering, best before meals. 



(4) Regular exercise. 



(5) Careful shoeing. 



EXERCISE. Compare several horses with regard to the following 

 points : slope of shoulders ; slope of pasterns (the part of the leg just 

 above the foot) ; size or fineness of the bones in the lower part of 

 the leg. 



Have you read " Black Beauty," a book that tells a very interesting 

 tale about a horse? In reading it you will find not only pleasure, but 

 also many useful hints about the proper management of horses. 



