HINTS ON THE MANAGEMENT OF HORSES.-NO. 3. 
223 
Much of the country and many of the mountains, 
like those of Mexico, are bare of trees and foliage. 
The latter throw up their bald, naked outlines, 
rough and intractable alike to the efforts of the 
husbandman or utilitarian. But as nothing is made 
in vain, science may perhaps, hereafter, find in 
them mines of countless wealth for future genera¬ 
tions. 
But what has most gratified me, in the natural 
•productions of this far-off world, is the magnificence 
displayed in the evergreen , or live oafcs. They 
seem to vie in breadth, with the height of the pines 
further north, which often shoot up 300 feet, and 
of a diameter of sound trunk, reaching to 10, and 
sometimes to 12 feet. But of these hereafter. The 
oaks embody whatever of magnificence and beauty 
are to be found within the compass of forest vege¬ 
tation ; and scattered, or grouped as they often are, 
through these picturesque valleys, frequently shad¬ 
ing herds of cattle, nothing can give a more en¬ 
gaging picture when viewed in the distance. Be¬ 
sides the oak, in its numerous varieties, we have 
the elm, the ash, the beech, birch, and the plane 
tree; and along the streams, the willow, the syca¬ 
more, and other water-loving trees; while clam¬ 
bering the hill sides, the pine, cedars and firs, of 
numerous varieties are everywhere to be seen. 
But I must defer till another time and greater leis¬ 
ure, any further description. * * * 
Napa, Valley , California , 
March 10 th, 1849. 
HINTS ON THE MANAGEMENT OF HORSES.—No. 3. 
The food ought to be given to the horse soon 
after his work is completed for the day, and when 
he has become cool and thoroughly groomed. 
Much injury results from giving the animal food 
when heated. The stomach is then slightly inflamed 
and weakened, and not in a condition to act at once 
upon the food. Allow it time to recover its tone 
and vigor, and nature will then be ready to com¬ 
mence the important business of digestion, as soon 
as the food is taken, when otherwise it would re¬ 
main unacted upon for some time, thus tending to 
injure rather than benefit the animal. It is better, 
too, that he be not allowed to drink freely till after 
eating a part of his evening meal. He will fre¬ 
quently drink to excess, from mere emptiness and 
exhaustion. After consuming a portion of his 
food, he may be supplied v/ith all the water he can 
drink, which should be again furnished freely at 
morning. The supply of food ought to be greatest 
at night; and this should be of a nutritive, tempt¬ 
ing kind, and in the state best prepared for assimi¬ 
lation. He thus fills himself at once, and lies down 
quietly for rest and digestion, and by the time he is 
called out for his morning’s work, he is replenished 
with a renewed stock of blood, muscle, and tendon, 
for his labor. 
The horse ought not to be overfed in the morn¬ 
ing, nor is it necessary that he. be stuffed through 
the day. One, two, or three feeds, in the course of 
the day, according to the time he is engaged, is suf¬ 
ficient for him ; and this should not be bulky food, 
unless he is to rest for some time after taking it. 
Severe exercise, on a full stomach, is equally in¬ 
jurious with full feeding immediately after heating 
and hard work. Nothing will sooner break down 
horse or man than such management. The horse 
should be slowly exercised when put to his work, 
nor should he be pushed till his stomach becomes 
partially empty. There is no objection to the horse 
having what water he wants, and whenever he 
wants it, with the single exception before noticed, 
provided the water be of the proper temperature. 
This will vary according to his condition and the 
season. When cool from his stable, the horse may 
drink running water, however cold it may be, even 
during winter. His system is at that season 
guarded against danger from this cause. But 
equally cool water, taken when warmed by exercise, 
or in the summer, when he is relaxed by heat, may 
produce cramps, spasms, or permanent disease. 
Water draw r n up from a deep well, or bubbling up 
from a cold spring, ought never to be given in sum¬ 
mer, till it has been suffered to remain sometime in 
the open air and become warmed. It is better when 
the animal is heated, to dash some water on his 
legs, bathe his nostrils, and wash his mouth with 
a well-filled sponge ; or let him stand in a running 
brook for a few minutes before drinking. This has 
a cooling effect, allays his thirst, and to a certain 
extent, supplies the want of water. 
We omit for the present, any further remarks on 
the food of the horses, and take up the next most im¬ 
portant subject connected with their management;—• 
the construction of their stables. 
A dry. well-aired stable is of the first importance 
to the health and working capacity of the animal .— 
The horse is a native of a warm and dry climate, 
and such are the conditions in which, with little 
skill or science on the part of man, he attains the 
greatest perfection, endurance, and strength, within 
the smallest compass. This is characteristic of the 
entire race of horses, throughout the parched sands 
of the southern Mediterranean coast, the arid plains 
Arabia Petraea, Idumea, Asia Minor, and no incon¬ 
siderable portion of southern Europe. And we 
have the most unequivocal acknowledgment of this 
fact in the resort to those regions for the infusion of 
stamina for such animals as have degenerated from 
inhospitable climate, improper food, or injudicious 
breeding. When transferred, therefore, to other 
countries, which are not so well suited to his con¬ 
stitution, and subjected to a highly artificial condi¬ 
tion, great caution is necessary to avoid injury to 
his health or strength. 
Stables ought never to occupy a low, confined, 
nor damp position. There is no objection to placing 
them close to the ground, nor even using the surface 
of it as a floor, provided the position be elevated 
and the soil dry. Indeed, where box stalls are 
used, and the animal is loose, and can have suffi¬ 
cient room to move freely, we think such flooring 
the best suited to him. We have thus kept breed¬ 
ing animals in perfect health throughout the win¬ 
ter, scarcely suffering them to pass the threshold 
during the entire period, and not even clearing out 
their stalls. Their diet, was, of course, light, and 
the litter occasionally replenished when it had be¬ 
come too damp. Where ground is not too expen¬ 
sive, we think this the most economical manage¬ 
ment with horses of any kind. No daily clearing 
of stalls is necessary, there is no waste of manure, 
the litter is throughly saturated with the droppings 
of the animals, and on the approach for warm 
