oa fa prreerer? | mre ttre ain HEH tc ater ‘ye , re ac CTeeRereeterestre ais seilpebant phaddd sag de ae ri re MTree criti ts err errroc ts ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY 3 1924 074 276 795 Production Note Cornell University Library produced this volume to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. It was scanned using Xerox software and equipment at 600 dots per inch resolution and compressed prior to storage using ITU Group 4 compression. The digital data were used to create Cornell's replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992. The production of this volume was supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Digital file copyright by Cornell University Library 1995. Scanned as part of the A. R. Mann Library project to preserve and enhance access to the Core Historical Literature of the Agricultural Sciences. Titles included in this collection are listed in the volumes published by the Cornell University Press in the series THE LITERATURE OF THE AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, 1991-1996, Wallace C. Olsen, series editor. *, al a New York State College of Agriculture At Cornell University Sthaca, N. B. Library “dOUdH ASYOH NYNUOW FHL (‘aoandsy700.447) THE FAMILY HORSE; ITS STABLING, CARE AND FEEDING. A PRACTICAL MANUAL FOR HORSE-KEEPERS. Ry GEORGE A. MARTIN. ILLUSTRATED, NEW YORK: ORANGE JUDD COMPANY, 1911 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1889, by the ORANGE JTDD COMPANY, In the Office of tbe Libra:.ai of Congress, at Washington. PrRiIntEeD In U. S. A. PREFACE. —— ee OF the thirteen million horses which are estimated to be owned in the United States, fully two millions are kept in cities and vil- lages. All of these, besides many of those classed as farm hérses, are purchased after they have attained full growth, and have been broken to harness or saddle. The owners of such horses have no personal interest in questions relating to breeding or early training; but the subsequent care, feeding and management are matters of daily importance to them. It is to meet the wants of such persons that this work was prepared. Breeding and training are not dis- cussed in its pages, but it treats of the daily care, shelter and management of borses, whether kept for work or pleasure. The subject of feeding 1s examined at some length, both from a scientific and a practical point of view. The horse well merits the most care- ful, judicious and humane treatment. It is the willing, affectionate servant of man, bearing his burdens and ministering to his pleasure. Yet no other domestic animal is subject to so great and varied an amount of suffering and disability. Nearly, if not quite all, of these are the result of either well-meant ignorance or willful maltreat- ment. A vast mass of quackery, empiricism and superstition in regard to horse management has become traditional. Much of this is being dispelled through the efforts of enlightened American veterinary practitioners and horse-keepers. This work is in full sympathy wita the ideas and practices of such men. The last four chapters were originally published in the Ameri- can Agriculturist. They were awarded the highest prizes in a competition which drew out more than seventy essays, the examin- ing committee being composed of men recognized as leading author- ities in horse matters. TYPICAL HORSE PORTRAITS. Herop (frontispiece), by King Herod, a son of Sherman Black Hawk, dam by Hill’s Black Hawk, son of Justin Morgan. Herod’s dam was a daughter of Green Mountain Boy, who was also a son of Justin Morgan. He is one of the most purely bred Morgan stallions now in active service. He was foaled in 1866, and in his eighteen-year-old form made a record of 2:24}. Franc TIREUR, page 33, imported French coach stallion. He was bred under the supervision of the French government, from strains which unite the thoroughbred with the Norfolk trotter. Gvuy, ‘‘the trotting wonder,” page 81. Black gelding, sired by Kentucxy Prince, a son of Clark Chief, the latter by Mambrino Chief. The dam of Kentucky Prince was Kentucky Queen, an inbred descendant of Justin Morgan. Guy’s dam was Flora Gardiner by Seeley’s American Star. Guy has a record of 2:12, CoMPETITOR, page 133, imported Cleveland Bay stallion. It is introduced here as a fair typical specimen of that beautiful and useful breed. “ (6) TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I.—SELEcTING THE Horss .---....- Seecee Boegecseadesesess, Morgans.—Cleveland Bays.—French Coach Horses.— Western Ponies. —How to Tell the Age by the Teeth.—Good and Bad Legs.—How to Detect Unsoundness and Blemishes. CHAPTER II.—Feepine anD WATERING. .-....0--cc---ececceecee---- Feeding Stuffs and their Chemical Composition.—How to Make a Well-balanced Ration.—A mount of Food Required.— Watering. CHAPTER III.—Barns anp STABLES__...__.---------------e---ee nee Light, Ventilation and Drainage.—Hay-racks and Feed-troughs.— Floors.—Views and Plans of six Barns. CHAPTER IV.—Stapie MANAGEMENT ....---._--.--.---------------- Proper Care of the Stable.-—Bedding.—Grooming.—Clothing.—Stalls and Loose Boxes.—Stable Habits and Vices.—Daily Exercise.—Turn- ing to Grass and Taking up.—Disposal of Manure. CHAPTER V.-—CLippine, SINGEING AND TRIMMING..........-------- Should the Horse be Clipped ?—When and How to Do it.—Machine Clipping.—The Mane and Tail. CHAPTER VI.—On THE ROAD....--------2-2-2-- eee eee ene e eee Driving for Business or Pleasure —A Spin on the Road.—Driving a Pair.—Balking.—Shying.—Running Away. —Catching the Lines.— Hanging out the Tongue. CHAPTER VII.—Rm1ne on HORSEBACK. --.--------eee neon ne ween e eee Bits, Bridles and Saddles.—How to Mount and Ride.—Equestrianism for Ladies. CHAPTER VIII.—Harness anp VEHICLRS.....-...--.0--ce-e-e eee ee Harness with English Collar.—Breast Collar.—Care of Harness.— Road Wagons and Road Carts.—Care of Vehicles. © S 39 9 89 93 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS, CHAPTER IX.—Tse Horssz’s Foor: SHOEING AND CaRR........---- 10= Anatomical Structure of the Horse’s Foot.—How to Shoe a Horse.— Defects in Shoeing.—Good Points in Shoeing.—Interfering.—Pumice Foot.—Overreaching.—Corns.—Sand Crack.—Care of the Feet. CHAPTER X.—AILMENTS AND THEIR REMEDIES.......--...---------- 112 Spasmodie Colic.—Flatulent Colic.—Inflammation of the Bowels.— Care of the Teeth.—Lampas.—Cribbing.—Mange.—Rat’s Tail.—Lice. —Bots. PRIZE ESSAYS. CHAPTER XI.—StTasiine, FEED AND CARE.-..........-. misecsvecses JD1 BY ISAAC FICKEL, OHIO. CHAPTER XII.—How To Sevect a HorsE anD KEEP I7........-.-. 13 BY A. F. COLWELL, RHODE ISLAND, CHAPTER XII.—Views oF a VETERAN-.-----..-.....-.-- diseedosewes 140 BY A. B. ALLEN, NEW YORK. CHAPTER XIV.—TxHe Famiy Horse mn THE PRAIRIE STATES..... -- 148 BY FRED GRUNDY, ILLINOIS, THE FAMILY HORSE. CHAPTER JI. SELECTING THE HORSE. THE horse is the friend and servant of man, ministering to the pleasure of the opulent and well-to-do, and sharing the labors of the less fortunate. It may be the jaunty road-horse, able to spin along thronged avenues at a gait which leaves rivals behind ; the quiet, steady olg@ favorite of the women and children; or the faithful, patient drudge which draws adelivery wagon during business hours, and jogs off with the entire family on Sundays or holidays. In selecting a family horse the first requisite obviously is to keep in view the special use for which it is wanted. The next is to obtain a good horse of its kind. Reliable statisticians estimate the number of horses in the United States at thirteen millions, embracing a wider range of variety than can be found in any other part of the world. Among these the trotter is peculiarly the American horse. It has been brought up to its present high standing by generations of careful breeding and skillful training. But a large proportion of horses from trotting sires are never fitted for the turf, and even with the best training would fail to win success. For a man who loves to indulge in moderate speed, such a horse is admirably well adapted. If it cannot be driven in the magic circle of two-thirty, it can take a road wagon along at an exhilarating gait, and pos- sesses spirit and intelligence which render it a pleasure to drive one. The Morgans, so popular a few years ago, were the very ideal of a family horse. They were small, though heavy for their height, averaging from fourteen to fifteen bands high, and weighing from nine hundred to a thousand pounds. They were not fast trotters for a mile, but had immense endurance, and would go a long way /a\ 10 THE FAMILY HORSE. inaday. Every other family of horses crossed with them has been benefited by the cross, and many of the most renowned roadsters of to-day can claim an inheritance of Morgan blood. The Cleveland Bay has within the last few years become an im- portant element among American horses. It descends from a race which was chiefly bred in the vale of Cleveland, England, and were famous in the old coaching days. The modern Cleveland Bay has been refined by occasional crosses with thoroughbreds. It is arather long-bodied, rangy, stylish horse, weighing from thirteen to fifteen hundred pounds, deep bay with black points. For moderately heavy work, such as drawing a coupé or a two or three-seated family wagon it is a useful and satisfactory horse. French coach horses are of still more recent introduction to this country. Though bred in France, they originated from crosses of the English Norfolk trotters and thoroughbreds, They are clean-limbed, strong, spirited and moderately speedy. Their importation has made a valuable addition to the stock of American horses. Percheron and other French draft horses have become widely disseminated through the country. They weigh from fifteen to eighteen hundred pounds, and even more; are docile, intelligent, and active for such large horses. Especially are they good walkers, even with a heavy load. Such horses are wholly unsuitable for light driving, but on a suburban place of a few acres one of them is often kept for general purposes. It is used to plow and perform other work in the field, or hitched to a carry-all will trot off with the entire family. ' Western ponies have come quite largely into use in the Western and Middle States. Those from the Southwestern plains are called Mustangs, and descend from Spanish horses. They are from thirteen and a half to fourteen hands high, and weigh from eight hundred to nine hundred pounds. A very usual color is a yellowish dun or ‘‘ buckskin,” with a dark stripe down the back. They are active and spirited, and if they have been long held in captivity, are likely to be tricky. But this is due more to the savage manner in which they are “‘ broken” and used, than to any inherent viciousness. If treated kindly from the first, they are docile, useful little animals for light family work. The Indian pony or ‘‘ Cayuse,” which comes from the Northwest, is hardier and ordinarily less spirited than the Mustang. Both kinds have the substantial advantage of cheapness. There are dealers who buy up large droves of them from first hands, bring them east, and sell them at comparatively low prices. It is not 10 be supposed that any set of rules can be laid down, which will enable a person wholly unfamiliar with horses to select one, relying entirely on his own judgment. Itis always desirable to SELECTING THE HORSE. 11 buy of a reliable person in whom the purchaser can have confidence. If this is out of the question, it is well to have an experienced and reliable friend who will assist in the purchase. Still, no one is Fig. 1.—THREE YEARs. Fix. 2.—FoUR YEARS. willing to leave such a matter blindly and wholly to a third person, even though it may be an honest seller or a faithful friend. Any person who knows enough about horses to keep one, prefers to use his own judgment to some extent at least, in selecting a horse. THE TEETH.—The first and one of the most important points to be determined is that of age. This is indicated in many ways, but one of the most marked and reliable signs is found in the appear- ance of the teeth. There are two sets of these—the milk teeth, which Fig. 3.—FIVE YEARS. Fig. 4.—SIxX YEARS. are the first to appear, and the permanent set which gradually replace them, the change being completed at the age of five years. A horse has forty teeth in both jaws, but it is the incisors or front 12 THE FAMILY HORSE. teeth of the lower jaw which are usually examined to ascertain the age. There are six of these. They are covered by a fine white ename! enclosing the dentine or bony substance of the tooth. In each permanent incisor, when it first appears, is a large cavity or pouch, extending about one-third of the length from the crown. This cavity is lined with enamel, and the lower part is filled with a dark cement. The incisors or cutting teeth, when new, are oval near the summit, and nearly triangular towards the roots. The teeth of a horse usually wear down at the rate of about one-twelfth of an inch a year. As this wear goes on, the exposed summits of the teeth present different aspects from year to year. The accompanying illustrations, after Thomas Brown, show these changes in the incisors of the lower jaw. At three years old the two front milk teeth have been replaced by permanent ones, with the peculiar hollow in the summit called the ‘‘mark.” The canine teeth or ‘‘tushes,” as horsemen call them, are just showing beneath the gum. At four Fig. 5.—SEVEN YEARB. Fig. 6.—EIGHT YEARS. years two more permanent teeth have come, the first two have become somewhat worn, and the canine teeth are coming through the gums. When the horse attains the age of five years, the per- manent incisors are all in place; the two “corner teeth” show the mark very distinctly, while it is entirely worn off from the two middle incisors and partly off from the next two. Atsix years the outer edges of the corner teeth are worn down, and the mark is nearly obliterated from the two next ones. At seven years the edges of the corner teeth are still more worn, the mark is nearly gone from the middle of each, and the four front ones are worn down entirely smooth. At eight years the mark has disappeared from all the nippers. The dark spot in the center is a long oval, lined with enamel, which comes near the front of the tooth. At ten years the marks have worn entirely off the upper incisors, the dark spot in the middle is smaller, and the four in front are less regularly oval. At twelve years the enamel has nearly disappeared from the central spots in the lower teeth, the four in front are somewhat SELECTING THE HORSE. 13 triangular in form. At fourteen years the four front teeth have become decidedly triangular, and the corner teeth partially so. At seventeen years the lower nippers are all triangular, and the four Fig. 7.—TEN YEARS. Fig. 8.— TWELVE YEARS, front ones very long from front to rear. The central enamel has all disappeared from the upper nippers, and the ‘‘tushes” point for- ward. From this time on the teeth continue to become flattened from side to side, and longer from front to rear. Another mark of age is the angular protrusion of the front teeth, which increases rapidly after the eighteenth year. The teeth are sometimes mani- pulated by unprincipled dealers in a manner called ‘ bishoping,” with intent to deceive. But the trick is easily detected by close examination. Where the cavity or mark in the center of a tooth is artificially produced, it will have no enamel lining, but instead will show the raw dentine inside. The gums of old hor*es shrink away, the under lip hangs down. For ordinary light driving four years is old enough to begin with, but where heavy or regular work is required, the horse should Fig. 9.—FOURTEEN YEARS. Fig. 10.—SEVENTEEN YEARS. not be less than six years. There is clearly an advantage in buying young horses, as they increase in value for several years, while those which have passed their prime deteriorate in a still more rapid ratio. Whatever may be the age or breed, it is essential that the horse 14 THE FAMILY HORSE. should possess a sound constitution, correct form, intelligence and good temper. A narrow browed or Roman nosed horse with evil temper is undesirable, however many good points it may have in speed, age or shape. A horse naturally gentle but lacking in intel- ligence is unsafe, for it will become panic-stricken and lose its head. Some of the quietest horses have been known to run away and kick things to pieces from fright, when an intelligent animal would have seen nothing to excite panic. A stupid horse will never show affec- Fig. 11.—sIDE VIEW OF HORSE. tion or learn anything. The best index of a horse’s mental capacity is the expression and color of its eyes. Any considerable amount of visible white is undesirable. A broad full forehead generally indi- cates a good brain. Of course these signs are not infallible ; a horse may have a very attractive appearance and yet have vicious tricks by inheritance or from previous bad management. The writer once bought on trial a beautiful chestnut mare, which proved to be kind, intelligent and affectionate, in fact a very model of a family horse, until one day when a stranger attempted to drive her with a little SELECTING THE HORSE. 15 more than the usual load. The driver yelled at the mare as she was going up hill, and she immediately balked. The loud angry tone had brought out a latent disposition to balk which she had acquired from overloading and unkind treatment in her fillyhood. Soshe was voted a failure and returned to the dealer. The neck should be reasonably long and arched, rather light where it joins the head.