244 THE COMPLETE FARMER 



wholly neglected, or slightly performed, the hair will appear 

 dry and rough ; the perspirable matter hardens in the pores 

 of the skin, or remains lodged at the roots of the hair, and 

 has the appearance of a dirty white dust, and sometimes 

 like small scales, attended with itching. More especially is 

 rubbincT- necessary for horses when they are growing cold 

 after being sweated by labor. In such cases it should never 

 be omitted. 



Columella observes, 'that the bodies of cattle ought to be 

 rubSed down daily, as well as the bodies of men ; and says 

 it often does them more good to have their backs well rub- 

 bed down, than their bellies well filled with provender.' 



But in warm weather it would be best for them, that they 

 should not have the confinement of the halter, nor even of 

 the stable. A small spot of feeding ground, if it were only 

 a few rods, adjoining to the stable, and the door left open, 

 that a horse may go in and out alternately as he pleases, 

 would greatly conduce to the health of the animal. This 

 degree of liberty will be most needful when the flies are 

 troublesome; and be better for him than confinement to a 

 stable that is perfectly dark. In fly time it gives a horse 

 much ease and comfort to smear his limbs, neck, and head, 

 with rancid fish oil, or something else that will keep the flies 

 from attacking him. And in all seasons, when horses have 

 been heated with exercise, they should be well rubbed or 

 curried. 



When a horse runs in a pasture during the grass season, 

 he should have some shelter, not only a shade to defend him 

 from the intense heat of the sun, but a shed, or a clump of 

 trees, that he may retreat from the inclemencies of the atmos- 

 phere. 



But horses that are daily worked in summer should be 

 mostly kept upon green fodder in stables, rather than grazed 

 in pastures. The tendance of them will not he so burden- 

 some, with a spot of high and thick grass at hand, as lead- 

 ing them to and from a pasture, at the distance of a quarter 

 of a mile. This will prevent their being often chil'ed by 

 feeding in wet nights. A large quantity of manure will thus 

 be saved. And a very small quantity of land will answer, 

 in comparison with what it takes for the pasturing of a 

 horse. Keeping a scythe and a basket at hand, a h» rse 

 may be foddered in this way in two or three minutes ; and 

 by the time that the whole spot has been once mowed over, 

 that which is first cut will be grown up again. Where a 



