HORSE. 



hackney, the agricultural, and the car- [ 

 riage horse, the serious part of this : 

 business is not entered upon until 

 the third year. 



" A horse is well broken when he 

 has been taught implicit and cheer- 

 ful obedience to his rider or driver, 

 and dexterity in the performance of 

 his work. A dogged, sullen, spirit- 

 less submission may be enforced by 

 the cruel and brutal usage to which 

 the breaker so frequently has re- 

 course ; but that prompt and eager 

 response to the slightest intimation 

 of the rider's will ; that manifest aim 

 to anticipate every wish, that gives 

 to the horse so much of his value, 

 must be built on habitual confidence 

 and attachment. The education of 

 the horse should be that of a child. 

 Pleasure should be, as much as pos- 

 sible, associated with the early les- 

 sons ; while firmness, or, if need be, 

 coercion, must establish the habit of 

 obedience. 



" The breaking being accomplish- 

 ed, the management of the hftrse will 

 vary according to his breed and des- 

 tination ; but the good usage of our 

 domesticated slaves should be re- 

 garded as a principle that ought nev- 

 er to be violated. The agricultural 

 horse is seldom over-worked, and on 

 large farms is generally well fed : 

 perhaps, in many cases, too much 

 above his work ; this, however, is an 

 error on the right side. A very slight 

 inspection of the animal will always 

 enable the owner to determine wheth- 

 er he is too well or not sufficiently 

 fed. The size of the horse and the 

 nature of the work, and the season 

 of the year, will make considerable 

 difference in the quantity and quali- 

 ty of the food. The following ac- 

 counts will sufficiently elucidate the 

 general custom : Mr. Harper ploughs 

 seven acres per week, the year 

 through, on strong land, with a team 

 of three horses, and allows to each, 

 weekly, two bushels of oats, witli 

 hay, during the winter six months, 

 and during the remainder of the 

 year one bushel of oats per week, 

 with green food. Mr. EUman allows 

 two bushels of oats, with pease haulm 



or straw, with hut very little hay, du- 

 ring thirty winter weeks. He gives 

 one bushel of oats, with green food, 

 during the summer. There is very 

 little difference in the management 

 of these two gentlemen, and that 

 probably arising from circumstances 

 peculiar to their respective farms. 

 The grand principles of feeding, with 

 reference to agricultural horses, are, 

 to keep the animal rather above his 

 work, to give him good and whole- 

 some food, and, by the use of the 

 nose-bag, or other means, never to 

 let him be worked more than four or 

 five hours without being bailed. 



" The liorse of quick work, the stage- 

 coach horse and the poster, should 

 be allowed as much as he will eat, 

 care being taken that no more is put 

 into the manger than he will readily 

 dispose of. The quantity actually 

 eaten will depend on the degree of 

 work and the natural appetite of the 

 horse ; but it may be averaged at 

 about 66 pounds of cut straw, 17J- 

 pounds of beans, and 77 of oats per 

 week. When the work is unusually 

 hard, the quantity of oats may be di- 

 minished, that of beans increased. 



" During the sporting season the 

 hunter is well fed, and with that kind 

 of food which contains a great pro- 

 portion of nutriment in little com- 

 pass. A small quantity of liay, rare- 

 ly more than eight or ten pounds per 

 day, is allowed, and less than that on 

 the day before work. The quantity 

 of oats may vary from 14 to 16 pounds 

 daily. There is a prejudice in most 

 hunting stables, and probably well 

 founded, against chaff, and it is sel- 

 dom that the beans and oats are 

 bruised. A bran-mash is given after 

 a day of more than usual fatigue, and 

 is serviceable at other times, when 

 there has not been more than ordi- 

 nary work, provided that at least 

 two days are suffered to elapse be- 

 fore the horse is again taken into the 

 field. 



" No horse should be urged on after 

 he has exhibited unequivocal symp- 

 toms of distress, such as a drooping 

 pace, a staggering gait, a heavy bear- 

 ing on the hand, a rapid inspiration 



391 



