326 REARING AND FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 



potatoes or other steamed food are first to be prepared, then weighed and mixed 

 with the chopped straw or hay, and with the bruised oats. 



The quantity for 24 hours being mixed and prepared, the proportion for each 

 horse is to be weighed and set apart in its proper pail, and given to each horse 

 at three or more times, as shall best suit with the work with which he is en- 

 gaged, taking care that considerably the largest quantity shall be given at 

 night. 



When this method of feeding is adopted upon a farm, it should be confined 

 entirely to the months of winter, for the horses of a farm will always be best 

 and most economically fed during the months of summer on pasture and green 

 forage. 



From the mixed nature of our husbandry, the habits of the people, and the 

 attention paid to the rearing of the horse, a long and general preference has 

 been given to this animal for the labours of the farm. In certain districts of 

 England the ox is still the more common beast of labour; but in by much the 

 greater number, the ox is either unknown as an animal of draught, or em- 

 ployed only partially as an assistant. 



The ox is a less expensive animal to rear to the age of labour than the horse; 

 his subsequent cost of maintenance is smaller; he requires less care and at- 

 ti-ndance, and he is less subject to accidents and diseases. He has this further 

 advantage over the horse, that, at a certain age, when unfit for labour, he can 

 be fattened, whereas the horse declines after a time, and becomes useless. But 

 the ox, though well suited for a slow and steady draught, such as the plough 

 demands, is not so well adapted for active motion or distant carriages as the 

 horse. Although patient of labour, he sinks under extreme fatigue, and is not 

 capable of those sudden exertions which the diversified operations of our agri- 

 culture require. The horse, therefore, which unites force of draught with 

 quick action, facility of travelling, and the power of bearing great fatigue, is in 

 these respects better suited than the ox to the varied labours of an extended 

 farm. As agriculture, accordingly, has improved, the use of oxen has given 

 place to that of horses for the common purposes of the farm. 



Being thus employed as the principal or only animal of draught on farms of 

 this country, being in universal demand for carriages of every kind, and for 

 the innumerable purposes to which he is adapted, tHe breeding and rearing of 

 the horse form an important branch in rural economy. 



The training of horses is a matter of great nicety. They 

 are trained for various purposes, but mainly for the conveyance 

 of our persons, or the transportation of our goods. In old times 

 burdens were transported from place to place on the backs of 

 pack-horses and this is still the case in many new settlements, 

 and mountainous regions. But as improvements took place in 

 roads, vehicles, suitable for carriage, and drawn by horses in 

 harness, were substituted. 



In training saddle-horses the first thing is to make them 

 familiar with man, and other general objects, and which is best 

 effected at the earliest periods, which saves much trouble in 

 the breaking and docility follows as a matter of course. To 

 accomplish this, the greatest kindness should be used towards 

 the colts from the time they are dropped. They should be 

 frequently handled, fed occasionally with bread from the hand, 

 patted on various parts of the body, have light matters put on 

 their heads and backs, and subjects of different colours and 

 forms should be shown them with caution. The mare and 

 foal should be led out into roads where carriages pass, but 

 nothing should be suffered to intimidate the foal. The animal 



