272 THE HANDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



horse will grow a heavy coat of hair, which will afford excellent 

 protection. Such horses may be maintained largely on hay, 

 straw, or corn fodder, fed uncut, since they have time to masti- 

 cate their food and are able to subsist on food containing a large 

 percentge of crude fiber. However, if straw or corn fodder is 

 used, some grain should be fed in addition, say four to six 

 pounds a day. It is considered better to have the digestive sys- 

 tem of the idle horse moderately distended mth coarse mate- 

 rial than to have the system contracted, as would be the case if 

 grains composed of only the requisite nutrients were supplied. 

 If the protected area in the field is kept dry and well bedded, 

 the horse can be comfortably mntered in this way at much less 

 expense than by stabling. In order to put the horse in condi- 

 tion, light work and feeding with grain should begin six weeks 

 before the spring work starts. 



Salting the horse. — Salt in limited quantities should be kept 

 before the horse at all times. It is not good practice to place 

 too much salt before him at one time, for some horses will eat 

 to excess. Abnormal thirst is likely to follow too plentiful salt- 

 ing, and if sufficient water is given to relieve the thirst digestive 

 disorders may result. Salt should not be placed in the food, 

 since this practice often causes derangement of the digestive 

 organs. 



Grooming. — The grooming of the horse deserves careful 

 consideration. Nothing else contributes so largely as efficient 

 grooming to the beauty and luster of his coat. Because of this, 

 the body usually receives sufficient attention but the legs receive 

 entirely too little. If the animal's legs are muddy when he 

 arrives at the stable, they should be roughly cleaned with a 

 half-worn, coimnon broom; the animal should be placed in the 

 stall, fed, unharnessed, groomed thoroughly, and blanketed. The 

 legs should then be given a thorough, rapid brushing. Time 

 spent in cleaning and rubbing the horse in the evening, after 

 the day's work is done, is of much greater benefit to the animal 

 than the same amount of time thus spent in the morning. 



If the animal is working in mud it is desirable that the hair 

 be clipped from his legs ; if this is done, the legs may be kept 

 clean mth much less difficulty than if the hair is not clipped. 

 In case the legs are clipped, it is all the more important that 

 they should be thoroughly cleaned and rubbed each evening 

 after work. The hoofs should be examined and the cleft between 

 the sole and the frog should be cleaned. Animals cared for in 

 this manner will pay for the extra care many times over by 



