124 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



I would not have a hole for him to put his head through, 

 because he would be very likely to get chilled when the 

 wind blew, although I have seen horses allowed to stand in 

 that way. I think it is very good to have a light stable, and 

 not have a horse put in a dark corner. A horse should be 

 where he can see other horses. 



There is a good deal of breeding in this region. Some 

 horse breeders are here. I wish to say to them that one of 

 the greatest mistakes breeders make is to have a stallion stall 

 and keep the horse in close confinement so that he scarcely 

 ever sees other horses. A horse cannot be in good health, 

 or a man either, in close confinement. Horses should be 

 where they can have association and, you may say, the 

 society of other horses ; one reason why stallions become 

 morose, crazy, dangerous creatures is because of close con- 

 finement. They do not have sufiicient exercise and use and 

 do not have the companionship of other horses. 



Ex-Governor Hoard. I think, sir, you have made a very 

 good point there . The naturally dangerous character of the 

 male bovine is greatly aggravated when he is kept in con- 

 finement. I have known repeated instances of their being 

 considerably modified b}'" giving them the society of others. 

 Their association with one another seems in some way to 

 affect their disposition. I know of a dealer in bulls who 

 allows them to associate, and he never had a cross bull in 

 his life. They run together, young and old males. Society 

 seems to have a peculiar effect upon these animals. I believe 

 there is somethins; in it. 



Mr. Russell. I know there is. A dear friend of every 

 member of this Board and of the farmers of Massachusetts, 

 the late Mr. E. F. Bowditch, had bulls that he harnessed 

 and worked in carts, and considered their tempers greatly 

 improved thereby. They need association and work, and 

 so do stallions. 



Mr. Fenn. Have you any particular theory in regard to 

 shoeing a horse for overreaching? 



Mr. Russell. No, I have not ; l)ut I will tell you what 

 I would do. I would try the horse barefooted, and if he 

 overreached, then I would trade him off. If he overreached 

 unshod it would show that the shoeing was not the cause of it. 



