1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



505 



For the New England Farmer. 



FEEDING AND TENDING HORSES. 



Mr. Editor : — In answer to the two several com- 

 munications in yom* pajoer of the 8th, respecting 

 horses, I will state a few general facts as succinctly 

 as possible. 



1st. As regards the cost of keeping a horse; no 

 definite sum can be given — some horses requiring 

 double the feed that others do to keep in same con- 

 dition — work equal. A horse in good health, not 

 over-worked, will consume say from 100 to 150 

 pounds of hay per week, and from 6 to 12 quarts 

 of grain daily. As a general thing, horses, espe- 

 cially in cities, have too little hay and too much 

 grain, while those in the country have too much 

 hay and not enough grain, and that served irregu- 

 larly, that is, when not worked, or but very little, 

 no grain is given, only hay, and Avhen worked much, 

 grain. A horse should have a certain amount of 

 grain every day, say when worked a full feed of 

 corn meal or oats with hay, but when idle or work 

 very light, some two quarts (not more) of oats at a 

 feed three times a day. I would remark, however, 

 that a horse should be exercised every day if jiossi- 

 ble, and if the weather be inclement, well hand- 

 rubbed on his return. Make but as little use of 

 that barbarous instrument, the curry-comb, on the 

 horse's hide as possible (especially if he be a thin- 

 skinned animal,) but use the brush and rub with 

 straw, sackcloth, or some other coarse material as 

 much as you please. Do not have the least fear 

 of over grooming. 



A Httle fine salt, say from one to two ounces, giv- 

 en to a horse daily in his grain, will be found of 

 great benefit, allaying any internal inflammation (to 

 which the horse more than any other animal is sub- 

 ject,) keeping the coat glossy, free from danckuff, 

 appetizing, cVc, &c. Cut feed, (i. e. cut hay and 

 corn meal) once a day in the morning, and "long" 

 hay and oats at noon and night, is a very good way of 

 feeding a horse accustomed to the general run of 

 work. Tliis may be varied two or three times a 

 week by adding some two or three quarts of bran 

 to the cut feed. But if meal be the only grain giv- 

 en, scald it well, and this, with the addition of a lit- 

 tle table salt, will be found much jjreferable to meal 

 not swollen, more fattening, easier digested, &c. 

 Of course it must be cold before given to the horse. 

 Cut feed is very good for horses accustomed to very 

 hard labor which have but little time to stand at 

 their food during the day, as tliey can consume a 

 greater amount in a less time, and the hay being 

 cut does not require so much mastication as uncut, 

 and a horse with a sharp appetite will eat his grain 

 voraciously, swallowing a large proportion of it 

 whole, and which does the animal but little good, 

 passing through the system entire. Cut feed is al- 

 so good for horses M'hich are large feeders but do 

 not retiiin their food, evacuate I'requently and exces- 

 sively. 



For a horse used only on the road, I would ig- 

 nore meal altogether especially in warm weather, 

 and feed only on uncut hay and oats enough to 

 keep the animal in good working order. The Tex- 

 an and Mexican horses perform long journeys with 

 great ease and their only feed is grass, hay or 

 straw — no grain. They are not beauties to look at, 

 it is true, but for bottom our best Northern horses 

 must stand one side. Old horses, it may be re 

 marked, will consume less than young ones. 



2nd. As regards that most important point, shoe- 

 ing ; ten dollars used to be the price charged by 

 smiths for shoeing by the year. But I think it the 

 better way to pay as you go, employing only a first- 

 rate workman, who will fit the shoe to the foot, not 

 the foot to the shoe — if there is any thing I would 

 protest against with all my power, it is that barbar- 

 ous custom of apphing a red-hot shoe to a horse's 

 foot, burning it into the horn, &c. No good can 

 result fi'om such a practice, notwithstanchng all the 

 smithy arguments to the contraiy. The most su- 

 pei-ficial observer will see on a moment's reflection, 

 the fallacy of such a lazy proceeding. Horses in- 

 tended for road ser\ice only, need no caulking ex- 

 cept in freezing weather, and if they overreach or 

 interfere, the shoes can be adapted so as to almost 

 entirely do away with these troubles. 



Wash your horse's feet once ever\- day if possi- 

 ble, (but not his legs) to promote a healthy growth 

 of horn, &c. If salt water be used some two or 

 three times a week, I will giiarantee your horse will 

 not be troubled with thrush or other foul disorders 

 of the hoof. 



In answer to "Inquirer," I would say that a colt 

 the offspring of the animals mentioned, would be 

 likely to be a good work horse, but not a traveller. 

 I would advise any one in search of a horse espe- 

 cially for the saddle, to buy one "already made." 

 I once knew a resident of a suburban town who 

 was determined, as he expressed it, "to have a horse 

 no one had ever held a rein over." He had a 

 very fine old mare from which he obtained a most 

 promising colt ; but alas, after keeping the animal 

 some two years, a cow in the same pasture hooked 

 the poor colt's eye out, and my friend never at- 

 tempted to rafte a horse, but was content to have 

 one some one else "had held a rein over." If "In- 

 quirer" is determined to raise a horse, however, if it 

 should not prove good, he could sell and buy to his 

 mind. 



A horse for the saddle should be used for noth- 

 ing else, (not in a vehicle part of the day, and sad- 

 dle part,) but kept exclusively at one ser^ice. He 

 should be taken young, say from four to six years 

 old, should be a square trotter, hard mouthed, short 

 back, round barrel, and weigh some 900 lbs. when 

 in good flesh. Should be urged vath the spur, (as 

 sparingly as possible, however,) not the whip, as the 

 latter article of .orture they are constantly watch- 

 ing, and hence ax» more liable to stumble, &c. A 

 horse used every day, or as often as ])racticable, 

 under the saddle, by one person only, will soon get 

 accustomed to his rider, his motions, ike. No exer- 

 cise is more enjoyable, none more healthful, than 

 when taken on the back of an animal used to the 

 saddle. The rider should not wear too long a stu-- 

 rup, but support himself in part l)y his feet, adapt- 

 ing his motion as much as possil)le to that of the 

 horse. All the training a horse needs for the sad- 

 dle is to have an intelligent rider, who will conform 

 to his motions, which the animal will reciprocate, if 

 he be anything of a decent beast. 



Use a snaffle bit, (i. c. one jointed in the middle,) 

 only, and when the horse is not walking, always 

 keep a taut rein. Horses are or always should be 

 bitted when In-oken, but it has but Httle effect when 

 the animal's habits have become confirmed. 



Tlie only way we know of to make a long-gaited 

 horse step short is to use him constantly in some 

 heavy vehicle, say an omnibus or stage, but we fear 

 no permanent change can be produced. A horse 



