86 INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY PUBLICATION NO. 13 



The initial cost of a riding or draft animal is Under the circumstances, the only drain on a f ani- 

 the principal one, and maintenance is slight. Ani- ily of poor means is the bother of cutting forage, 

 mals may be taken to an abandoned maize field Nor do the Totonac spend much on trappings 

 to pasture, or fodder is cut and brought home for their animals. Old gunny sacks serve as sweat 

 daily. The owner himself may return from his blankets. Saddles, purchased in Papantla, usu- 

 milpa with greens for the animal, or the chore ally give years of service and are generously 

 may be assigned a half -grown boy of the house- reinforced with odd bits of wire, rope, and string 

 hold. In season, green maize stalks and leaves for many years before they are discarded. Need- 

 sometimes are given the beasts. The dry tassel less to say, the high humidity does not contribute 

 is cut for them, but the dry plant never is fed to the preservation of leather. The pack saddle is 

 animals in Taj in, as in other parts of Mexico, pre- not distinctive; here, as in many parts of Mexico, 

 sumably because green vegetation is abundant it is a simple wooden frame, which consists of an 

 throughout the year. X-shaped piece, fore and aft, connected by a longi- 



Many plants are considered suitable for fodder, tudinal strip on the lower half of either side, 



but our impression is that four are most popular : Riding and draft animals are relatively plenti- 



ramon, ojite, and two cultivated grasses, zacate ful in Taj in, yet they are not an integral part of 



parol and zacate guinea (Appendix C, Nos. 79, 98, the culture, and the latter is literally pedestrian. 



243, 245, respectively). It is said that in nearby Most people travel on foot, although to ride a 



Gildardo Mufioz, few Totonac bother to bring horse or a mule undoubtedly gives one a certain 



fodder to their animals ; instead, they tether them prestige and personal satisfaction. Without ex- 



along the "road," where there is a considerable ception, women do not ride. Often the head of 



fringe of grassland. the family goes to Papantla, proudly astride his 



In food consumption, there is no distinction be- best mount, while his wife and daughters accom- 



tween donkeys, horses, and mules. Some animals pany him on foot. 



are maintained exclusively on green fodder ; others Agriculture is essentially independent of draft 

 are fed maize in varying quantities. Below is a animals, for the plow and the cart are not used, 

 summary of the data provided by 20 of the 26 However, beasts of burden haul produce to 

 families which own animals. In c-h, the reckon- Papantla for sale. And animals are used in con- 

 ing is in terms of liters daily for each animal. nection with (the post-Conquest) cane growing— 

 Where we have converted, for the sake of uni- both to haul the cut cane from the field to the mill, 

 f ormity, the informants' statements follow, in quo- an d to provide traction for the latter, 

 tation marks. Number of There is no one in Tajin who can shoe a horse; 



„ „ . , j, , , . ies ~ it is necessary to go to Papantla for such service. 



a. Exclusively green fodder ; no corn whatsoever — 5 i • i 



b. Generally green fodder; corn occasionally, infre- Thei ' e are no muleteers in the entire community 



quently 3 and extremely few Totonac who can load an ani- 



c. Estimate: ca. 0.28-0.36 liters of corn daily ("5 mal expertly. Moreover, there are few dashing 



liters^ every two weeks" ; and "1 liter twice a riders, and perhaps the chief requisite of a mount 



wee ) ~""~~~ ™ T~r _ "7,7o~,Tr _ " is that he be able to bring his master, in an ad- 



d. Estimate: ca. 0.75 liters of corn daily (3 liters »•••.- i i \ i 



daily, among 4 animals") 1 vanced state ot intoxication, back to home base 



e. Estimate: 1 liter daily ("2 liters every other in Tajin, following a Sunday in Papantla. 



day") 1 Finally, there is virtually no veterinary lore con- 



f. Estimate: ca. 1.5 liters daily ("3 liters to each nected with riding and draft animals. 15 



animal, 3 to 4 times a week" ; and "3 liters every 



2 davs")_ 2 



. . " 15 One remedy is prepared for animals which suffer from torzdn 



g. 2 liters daily, per animal (intestinal and urinary stoppage). A plant called epazote de la 



h. 3 liters daily, per animal 5 mula (Appendix C, No. 74) is boiled; the resulting liquid is put 



in a bottle from which the beast is forced to drink. 



It is evident from the foregoing that a good A horse that stumbles chronically is burned with a hot iron 



__ _ £ •!• j • . n • ,-[ • at the base of each ear. One whose feet interfere similarly is 



many families spend virtually no maize on their burned on ench of tlie upper back Iegs 



riding and draft animals. Some, When asked, The horse of Rutilio Olmos either wandered from home or was 

 1 -i i • i •___ „ 'fii _ • _ ,„ j._ stolen. When finally it was found, it had a dislocated foot. 



reply that animals are given corn if there is any to The owner tried massa „ e lneffectuanV| but confessed that hia 



Spare; if not, they do very Well On green fodder. hope was that the animal "might cure itself alone." 



