Feed and Cake of the Horse 191 



CARE OF the teeth AXD PARASITES-* 



At the outset two observations should be made. First, the care- 

 taker should make sure that the horse's teeth are in good condition 

 and free from annoying projections that would lacerate the mouth, 

 and be responsible for incomplete mastication. A float may be 

 used if the trouble is simple ; but, if more complicated, a veteri- 

 narian should be called. He should make, sure that the first step 

 of digestion is properly taken. In the second place, internal 

 parasites or w^orms sap the vitality of the animars system, and 

 destroy in many instances the usefulness of the animal's digestive 

 system. Continued annoyances and discomfort in an animal's 

 digestive system are responsible for ill-temper and nervousness, 

 and it is absolutely essential that the animal be relieved from 

 unnecessary disturbances. An ounce of turpentine to a quart of 

 raw linseed oil for a 1000-pound horse, given on an empty stomach, 

 will oftentimes act as a vermifuge; or, placing in the feed 

 twice daily for five days, a tablespoonful of a mixture made 

 up of equal parts of powdered gentian and powdered ferrous sul- 

 phate will act in the same capacity. In either case, a purge should 

 follow the use of such ingredients in order to make sure that the 

 parasites are eliminated from the system after they have been 

 loosened from the walls of the stomach or intestines. 



The question of gTooming is of vital importance in the manage- 

 ment of work horses. Xot only should the stalls be roomy and 

 kept in a sanitary condition, but every effort should be exerted 

 to provide comfort for the animals. Regularity of the feeding 

 period as well as of the rest period is essential, and it must be 

 remembered that idle horses require less food units than those 

 working regularly. The most difiicult horse in the world to feed 

 and keep in condition is the animal that is overworked one day 

 and underworked the next. Reduce the feed in half on idle days, 

 and increase the grain ration when the animal is doing severe 

 labor. In this way the caretaker will avoid instances of indi- 

 gestion or the loading up of the system with surplus nitrogenous 

 material, which is responsible for Monday-morning disease or 

 azoturia. " The eye of the master fatteneth his animal " is an 



* See article on care of the teeth, page 183. 



