THE FEEDING OF HORSES. 187 



against the Lowland Clyde. These horses are used to a large extent 

 in Lower Canada, Quebec and Montreal. 



As there is a large demand for horses for city use, and also for 

 exportation, the breeding of these as a business might be profitably 

 undertaken by many more farmers than now give attention to it. 

 A class of horses of moderate weight, but stout, clean limbed and active, 

 is largely sought by the horse-car companies and many thousands of 

 them are purchased every year. Foreign governments, too, are now pro- 

 curing horses for their armies here in large numbers. This class of horses 

 is bred from large mares of the kinds above described, crossed with 

 horses having some thoroughbred blood, the progeny being able to 

 endure severe work and having aistrong constitution. The breeding of 

 roadsters is also a very profitable part of farm business at the present 

 time. 



In this section of the country the use of mules upon farms is not nearly 

 so general as in the South and parts of the West. But for some 

 purposes mules are preferable to horses, as, for instance, where the 

 work is hard, and when the team is exposed to neglect, and not fed 

 as well as it might be. But this should not be made an excuse 

 for neglecting them, nor for preferring mules without other and 

 better reasons, as no other farm stock pays better for good care and 

 treatment than the farm team. 



We feed our horses in winter in about the same way that we do our 

 cattle. When spring comes and they have to go to plowing, they are 

 fed oats at noon time, cut feed at night and oats in the morning, a 

 mash of bran being given them twice a week. The colts are fed with 

 the same mixture as that given the cattle, with two or three quarts of 

 bruised oats per day; we bruise the oats lest they might be passed undi- 

 gested. Huta" Bagas or carrots mixed with meal make an excellent 

 feed for horses; in fact, I am of the opinion that it is the very best 

 feed for bringing a horse into good condition. It is fed in quantities 

 of about fourteen pounds of the roots, and three to four pounds of 

 meal mixed with a little salt. Thousands of horses are injured by 

 feeding exclusively on grain and corn meal, which is very apt to give the 

 colic. The usual remedy for colic is to take the horse out and 

 walk him rapidly, rub the belly, and give injections of soap suds. 

 These remedies are usually successful. 



A caution might here be given against the common practice 

 of giving active medicines or drugs to animals without any knowledge 

 of what is the matter with them. No medicines of any kind should 

 ever be given to any animal without some clear idea of its purpose, 

 derived from intelligent study of some good veterinary work, or on 

 the advice of some competent veterinary surgeon. 



