AtFALFA FOR HORSFS 6 1 



ALFALFA FOR HORSES 



Alfalfa is extensively used for horses, both as hay 

 and pasture. The hay alone is too rich a feed for 

 mature horses, and as a consequence there is a great 

 deal of complaint attending its use, especially when 

 the change is first made to alfalfa. The horse that has 

 its feed changed from prairie, timothy, or any other 

 hay, to alfalfa, unless the change is very gradual, 

 becomes the vidlim of a number of derangements. The 

 rich hay stimulates nearly every physical process, the 

 most noticeable being the urinary and perspiratory 

 glands. The blood may become thickened, and various 

 disorders and complications appear. It is not the alfalfa 

 but the feeding that is at fault. The alfalfa had better 

 be fed to other stock than work-horses, and this is 

 especially true of driving or road horses, although 

 there are many that never have had any other forage, 

 these live and work hard to a good old age, but it 

 takes time to get the digestive apparatus accustomed 

 to so strong a feed. The change must be very gradual, 

 and should be accompanied by a decrease in grain. 

 The older the horses are and the more accustomed they 

 have been to a regular and different diet the more diffi- 

 cult it will be to change. For horses alfalfa hay should 

 be somewhat further advanced at cutting than for other 

 stock. The ripest hay can be fed them to best advan- 

 tage. For colts or growing horses, where size and 

 strength are sought, alfalfa hay or pasture is especially 

 adapted, as it will produce a strong and vigorous 

 growth. It is especially important that horses receiv- 

 ing alfalfa hay be given plenty of exercise. On the H. 

 D. Watson 2,500-acre alfalfa ranch, near Kearney, 



