Book VII. MANAGEMENT OF FARM HORSES. 1011 



miles, overcoming a decree of resistance equal to from four to ten hundred weight. On a well made 

 road, the same horses will draw about a ton in a two-wheeled cart for twenty or twenty-five miles every 

 day ; and one of the better sort, in the slow movement of the carrier or waggoner, commonly draws this 

 weight by himself on the best turnpike roads. In some places horses are in the yoke, when the length of 

 the day permits, nine hours, and in others ten hours a day ; but for three or four months in winter, only 

 from five to eight hours. In the former season they are allowed to feed and rest two hours from mid-day, 

 and in the latter they have a little corn on the field, when working as long as there is day light, but none 

 if they work only five or six hours. [Sup. Enc. Brit, art Agr.) 



*6747. The feeding of farm horses is a subject of great agricultural importance, and has excited consider- 

 able discussion among speculative agriculturists, who have generally urged the great expenses attending 

 it as an argument against horses, in favour of oxen. Others, without preferring oxen to horses, have, 

 instead of corn and hay, proposed to feed them on roots, leaves, whins, and even haws from the hedges. 

 The latter have been given in large quantities by West of Hampshire, and, it is said (Complete Farmer, 

 art Team), were found to answer. That horses as well as men may live on very inferior food is evident ; 

 but that either will be able to perform their work under such treatment, as well as if they were properly 

 nourished, is contrary to reason and experience. It is observed by the judicious writer so often quoted, 

 that horses can never perlorm their labour, according to the present courses of husbandry, on carrots, 

 turnips, potatoes, or other roots alone, or as their chief food. They will work and thrive on such food ; 

 but they will work as much more, and thrive as much better, with oats or beans in addition, as fully to 

 repay the difference in expense. One of the three meals a day, which farm horses usually receive, may 

 consist of roots ; and a few of them, every twenty-four hours, are highly conducive to the health of the 

 animals : but we have never had occasion to see any horse work regularly throughout the year, in the 

 way they are usually worked in the best cultivated districts, without an allowance of at least an English 

 peck of 6ats, or mixed oats and beans, daily, less or more at particular periods, but rather more than this 

 quantity for at least nine months in the year. 



6748. Brown does not approve of giving much grain to young horses, thinking it expensive, and not so 

 conducive to their health as when they are supported on green food. In the winter and spring months, a 

 few turnips are eminently beneficial to young horses, by keeping their blood in good order, swelling their 

 bone, and hastening theif growth. A plentiful supply of grass in summer ought always to be allowed, as 

 their condition through the winter depends greatly upon that circumstance. It is an object deserving of 

 attention, that flesh once gained ought never to be lost, but that every animal whatever should be kept in 

 a progressive state of improvement, and not suffered to take a retrograde course, which afterwards must 

 be made up by extra feeding, or a loss be sustained, in a direct proportion to the degree of retrogradation 

 that has actually occurred. 



6749. The leanness of a farmer's working cattle, and their reluctant movements, clearly mark his un- 

 prosperous condition. There are particular operations, indeed, such as turnip-sowing, seeding, fallows, 

 harvest-work, &c, which require to be executed with so great despatch in our variable climate, that un. 

 usual exertions are often indispensable. At these times, it is hardly possible, by the richest food and the 

 most careful treatment, to prevent the animals from losing flesh, sometimes even when their spirit and 

 vigour are not perceptibly impaired. Such labours, however, do not continue long, and should always be 

 followed by a corresponding period of indulgence. It is particularly dangerous and unprofitable to begin 

 the spring labour with horses worn down by bad treatment during winter. (Sup. Enc. Brit. art. Agr.) 



67;">0. Donaldson observes, that the coarse garbage with which farm horses are commonly stuffed, profit- 

 ably or otherwise, is the real cause of the frequent occurrence among them of blindness, grease, and colic ; 

 more particularly the last, which, with care, might be prevented from happening so frequently. The 

 remedy lies in physic, once or twice a year ; either the regular aloetic dose, or salts given in pails of warm 

 water, or sulphur and cream of tartar ; one third of the latter mixed in the corn. All horses kept in the 

 stable become, more or less, internally loaded ; and it is an error to suppose cart-horses arc not equally 

 benefited with others by purging physic. 



6751. The cleaning and dressing of farm horses was formerly very little attended to ; but at present its 

 importance to the health of the animal is better understood. Donaldson recommends that the heels, legs, 

 bend of the knee, and hock, the twist under the flanks ; in short, all parts out of sight, of cart horses, 

 whilst standing in the house, should be kept perfectly free from dirt and scurf, and the skin supple ; the 

 parts more in sight will take care of themselves. In a deep country, it is much the better practice, not- 

 withstanding the prejudice to the contrary, to trim their legs coach-horse fashion. It is now well under- 

 stood, the editor of The Farmer's Magazine observes, that the liberal use of the brush and the currycomb 

 twice a day ; frequent but moderate meals, consisting of a due proportion of succulent joined to more 

 solid food; abundance of fresh litter, and great attention to method and cleanliness, are as indispensable 

 in the stable of a farmer (as far as is consistent with a just regard to economy) as they have always been 

 In Id to be in the treatment of horses kept for pleasure. Good dressing, with all well informed and atten- 

 tive men, is considered to be no less necessary to the thriving of the horses than good feeding j according 

 to a common expression, it is equal to half their food. 



6152. The general management of farm horses in the improved districts of the north may be presented 

 as a good example. There, for about four months in summer, horses are fed on pastures ; or on clover 

 and rye-grass, and tares cut green, and brought home to the stable or fold-yard ; the latter method being 

 by far* the most economical and advantageous. For the other eight months, they are kept on the straw of 

 oats, beans, and peas, and on clover and rye-grass hay. As soon as the grass fails towards the end of 

 autumn, they have hay for a few weeks, arid when the days become so short as to allow of no more than 

 from six to eight hours' work, they are very generally fed with different kinds of straw, according to the 

 circumstances of the farm ; in the month of March they are again put to hay till the grass is ready for 

 being cut Throughout all the year they are allowed more or less corn, when constantly worked ; and 

 during the time they are on dry fodder, particularly w hen on straw, they have potatoes, yams, or Swedish 

 turnips, once a day, sometimes boiled barley, and, in a few instances, carrots. A portion of some of these 

 roots is of great importance to the health of horses, when succulent herbage is first exchanged for hay at 

 the end of autumn ; and it is no less so towards the latter end of spring, when hay has become sapless, and 

 the labour is usually severe. At these two periods, therefore, it is the practice of all careful managers to 

 give an ample allowance of some of these roots, even though they should be withheld for a few weeks 

 during the intermediate period. 



6753. The quantity of these different articles of food must depend on the size of the horses, and the 

 labour they perform ; and the value upon the prices of different seasons, and, in every season, on the 

 situation of the farm with respect to markets, particularly for hay and t< ots, which bring a very' different 

 price near large towns, and at a few miles distant. It is for these reasons that the yearly expense of a 

 horse's maintenance has been estimated at almost every sum, from 15/. to 40/. But it is only necessary to 

 attend to the expense of feeding horses that are capable of performing the labour required of them, under 

 the most correct and spirited management Such horses are fed with oats, sometimes with beans, three 

 times a day, for about eight months ; and twice a day for the other four, when at grass ; and, at the rate 

 of eight feeds per bushel, each horse will eat fifteen quarters of oats, or twenty bolls Linlithgow measure 

 in the year. When on hay, he will require about one stone of twenty. two pounds avoirdupoise daily, and 

 five pounds more if he does not get roots. One English acre of clover and ryegrass, and tares, may be 

 necessary for four months' soiling ; and a quarter of an acre of potatoes, yams, or Swedish turnips, during 

 the eight months he is fed with hay or straw. The use of these roots may admit of a small diminution of 

 the quantity of corn in the winter months, or a part of it may be, as it almost always is, of an inferior 

 quality. 



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