48 HORSE SENSE. 



in the confinement of our stallions during the winter season. If we are 

 keeping stallions, let us keep them in such condition that they will be a 

 benefit, an improvement to the future living horses, or let us castrate 

 them and put them to work to earn the food they eat, and thereby reduce 

 the number of weakling?, bad dispositions and natural born cripples now 

 sired every season, largely from the effects of improper wintering and 

 want of preparing the stallions for the important service work they are 

 expected to perform. 



ROUGH FEED FOR THE STALLION. 



The rough feed of the stallion during winter, may be well cured hay 

 or corn fodder, but it should not be given in large quantities at a time. 

 It is very bad practice to keep a manger full of hay before the stallion all 

 the time, as it tempts him to keep his stomach distended with innu- 

 tritions food, which is too apt to make him dull and inactive; to say noth- 

 ing of the derangement of both stomach and bowels that is frequently en- 

 gendered by such a course. Small quantities, twice a day, are enough to 

 act as a vehicle for the more concentrated foods given, and will, thereby, 

 aid digestion, whereas too much rough feed will be a hindrance to activity 

 and muscular growth — the^ essential conditions aimed at. 



WATERING THE STALLION OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. 



Watering the stallion, for health and vigor, is a matter of more im- 

 portance than is usually considered. The stomach of the horse is com- 

 paratively small (holding about three and one-half gallons) and a pailful 

 or more of cold water will arrest the action of digestion, instead of 

 aiding it; therefore, it is far better practice to water the stallion before 

 feeding and give time enough for the animal heat of the body to warm 

 the water, when it will pass out of the stomach into the bowels before 

 giving him his ration of grain. If the stable is warm, and the weather 

 not very cold, fifteen to twenty minutes is usually sufficient for a vigor- 

 ous horse to warm the quantity of water he should drink at one time. 

 Water the stallion often, and give small quantities at a time. Because 

 others have done dififerently and their stallions did not die, or contract 

 serious difficulties, is no argument that the above course is not an im- 

 provement on the hap-hazard way of feeding and watering stock. The 

 amount of food saved, the improvement in health and vigor, together 

 with the success in the stud, encourages us to try to impress the import- 

 ance of this matter of watering the stallion before feeding. 



SALT FOR THE STALLION AT ALL TIMES. 



Keep a piece of rock salt in some convenient place where the stallion 

 can have access to it as often as he may like, or give small quantities, 

 twice a week regularly, for the health of the prospective sire. 



PLENTY OF EXERCISE AND CLEANLINESS. 



While the stallion shield (to prevent self-abuse) may, in some cases, 

 be neces.sary, we are strongly inclined to the opinion that plenty of exer- 

 cise is the most satisfactory practice to avoid their ever contracting the 



