CARE OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS 507 



When animals are kept for purposes of labor, or for 

 breeding, or for both uses, it is very evident that a low con- 

 dition of flesh calls for less exercise than a condition the 

 opposite, sustained by high feeding. Every pound of flesh 

 in excess of the complete needs of the animal becomes 

 burdensome and should be removed by increased exercise or 

 reduced feeding, or both. On the other hand, a condition 

 of flesh below the complete needs of the animal should be 

 strengthened by increased feeding and curtailed exercise. 



It is impossible to formulate rules for exercising an- 

 imals that will exactly meet the needs of all conditions that 

 may arise, but some things may be said that will in a sense 

 serve as a general guide under some conditions. Much 

 must be left to the judgment of the owner or attendant. 

 The aim should be to give young and growing animals, 

 grown for labor or for breeding, all the exercise they will 

 take voluntarily, under favorable conditions for taking the 

 same. Horses, when mature, if given liberty, will take 

 enough of exercise voluntarily, except it may be in the case 

 of pregnant draught mares (See p. 120.) Stallions should 

 be exercised daily, especially in the breeding season. 

 Draught stallions will profit by being walked half a dozen 

 miles a day, and other stallions will profit by a longer 

 journey and a somewhat quicker but easy gait. 



All pregnant animals should be given the opportunity 

 to move about daily in a yard, paddock or field, except in 

 stormy weather, and the same is true of stock males. When 

 snow is deep, it may be beneficial to give sheep a part 

 of their food at some distance from the sheds, in a shel- 

 tered place, to encourage them to take exercise. Roads 

 may have to be opened in some instances with snow 

 ploughs. Likewise it may be advantageous to encourage 

 brood sows to take exercise by strewing grain in various 

 places that will give the sows exercise while gathering it. 

 Pregnant cows seem to take harm less readily from con- 

 fined conditions than pregnant dams of other farm animals. 



