"'!!>* ■I- *' - ^-il THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. CONCISE MANUAL FOR HORSE OWNERS. EMBRACING BREEDS AND CHARACTERISTICS; CARE AND MANAGEMENT; FEEDING AND CLEANING; STABLE VENTILATION AND care; VICES AND UNSOUND- NESS; HOW TO TELL THE AGE; BONES AND MUSCLES; THE LIMBS AND FEET; DISEASES AND REMEDIES; VETERINARY PRESCRIPTIONS, ETC., ETC. From The Best Modern Authorities. / JONATHAN PERIAM, EDITUR THE PRAIRIE FARMER; PROFESSOR HYGIENE, CARE, AND MANAGEMENT OP ANIMALS, CHICAGO VETERINARY COLLEGE; AUTHOR OF WORKS ON HORSES, CATTLE, SHEEP, SWINE, POULTRY, ETC., ETC. OVER ONE HUNDRED FINE ENGRAVINGS. / ^ Jj Cf y/ / CHICAGO; THE PRAIRIE FARMER PUBLISHING COMPANY Rand-McNally Building, 166-168 Adams St. 1891. COPTBIGHT 1891, BY ThE PrAIRIE FaRMER PUBLISHING CO. The Prairie Farmer Horse Book. PREFACE. The Prairie Farmer Horse Book was undertaken in consequence of repeated inquiry from friends for some- thing that should combine the experience of the writer, and others, in the breeds and breeding of horses, care and management, hygiene in relation to stable care, unsound- ness, vices, and the treatment of common diseases. Feed- ing was also suggested as an important matter. This latter, however, has not been treated of, except incidentally, and for the reason that the grains, sound oats and Indian corn principally, with sweet hay, are the natural foods of the horse, and must be generally relied on, except in case of sickness, in which event the proper foods are specifically mentioned. We do not believe in a long preface to a book, and this will be short. Where we have drawn upon creditable authorities, credit has been given. We have brought together some graphic illustrations from masters in deline- ation, old as well as new. In veterinary medicine and sur- gery, Doctor Paaren, a long-time conductor of the Veteri- nary Department of The Prairie Farmer, has been largely relied on. In some departments, among other authorities, we have quoted freely from Fitzwygram, one of the most advanced of the later English authorities on the management and cure of the Equine Race. To simplify the work, we have divided the reading-matter into parts, (3) 4 PREFACE. thus making each department easy to find and identify. Where scientific terms are used, the explanations are given in the context, so far as possible. That the book shall fairly reach the intention desired is the hope of the author and compiler. JONATHAN PERIAM. Chicago, III. CONTENTS. Part I. Part II. Part III. Part IV. Part V. Part VI. Part VII. Part VIII. Part IX. Part X. Part XI. Part XII. Part XIII. Part XIV. Part XV. Part XVI. Part XVII. Part XVIII. Characteristics of Principal Breeds, _ . . _ . 7 Draft-Horses, -..-.._..._ 15 Ponies, Asses, and Mules, --..... 29 Hygiene, Care, and Management. . - . . , 32 Feeding and Grooming, .--__.__ 48 Bones, Muscles, etc., of the Horse, _ . . . 58 Age Indicated by the Teeth, ...... 93 Vices, Unsoundness, and Disabilities, _ . ^ _ 104 Breeding, and the Breeder's Art, - - . . _ 1 10 Common Diseases of the Horse, . _ _ _ . 127 Diseases of the Stomach and Intestines, _ _ . 150 Diseases of the Kidneys, Bladder, and Liver. . . 157 Relating to the Liver, ----.-__i66 General Description of Conditions and Disabilities, 173 A few Things to be Remembered, ..... 207 Some Diseases and Disabilities Requiring Ex- tended Presentation, --...... 222 Diseases of the Head, Body, and Internal Organs, 249 Medicines, and Safe Doses to Administer, . . . 321 (5) The Prairie Farmer Horse Book. PART I CHARACTERISTICS OF PRINCIPAL BREEDS. I. The Horse for Work and Speed.— In the early history of the world, the horse was used for the chase and for war; the ass, and later, the mule, for labor. Except in warm countries, the horse is, at the present day, an ani- mal of general use, for speed, pleasure, and labor; and the higher the civilization, the greater adaptability does the horse show for all contingencies where he may prove the most useful servant and friend of man. The horse combines, in the highest degree, bone, sinew, and muscle to endure the most violent exertion. His nerv- ous system is of the first order. The lungs are immense; while the heart, with the arterial and veinous system, is most ample for the supply of blood to every part. His frame is perfection, carrying no spare fat. In this connec- tion we quote the words of the late J. H. Walsh, F. R. C. S. (" Stonehenge"), who wrote: One of the greatest peculiarities in the structure of the horse is the small size of his stomach, which is also of a very simple nature. He is likewise without a gall-bladder, showing that the digestion must be continuous, and not interrupted by distinct intervals, as in the ruminants and carnivora. Nature has thus framed this animal in order that he may be at all times able to exert his utmost speed, which he could not do with the mass of provender in his stomach which is carried by the cow or sheep. The same provision is shown in the udder of the mare, which is not larger than that of the goat or sheep. (7) O THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. II. The Arab Horse. — With the ancient horse we have little to do, until we come to one of his descendants — the modern Arab— and here only so far as the latter has stamped his impress upon those breeds that are to-day among the most valuable. The thoroughbred horse of (xreat Britain and America owes much of his value to the infusion of the Arab and the Barb blood of 150 to 200 years ago. Not only has the Arab modified for good the old English racing-horse, but the latter's progeny — the thoroughbred — has left his impress, more or less, upon every valuable modern English horse. III. The Thoroughbred. — We present an illustra- tion to elucidate this subject, and quote the description by " Stonehenge " of the proportions and component parts of the horse; it being understood that reference is had only to the racer, the hunting-horse (modified racing- horse), and the better class of driving-horses; but by no means the draft-horse. This scale is drawn in inches, and in the outline the horse is supposed to be fifteen hands three inches, or sixty-three inches high. The measure- ments are the average of those carefully taken 'from six horses considered to be of perfect symmetry. Two of these were celebrated stallions, two thoroughbred hunters, and two chargers of great value. Inches. Inehe-. Height at withers and croup . . 08 From the withers to the hip . . 22 Length from shoulder-point t< > From the stifle to the -point of quarter m the hock, in the attitude shown From the lowest part of chest to in the plan 38 the ground :Hi Fi-om the root of tail to stifle- From the elbow-point to the joint 26 ground 39 From the point of the hock to From the withers to the pole, just the ground 2214 behind the ears, in a straight Length of arm from the elbow line 30 to the pisiform-bone . . . . 19]4 The .same measured along the crest 32 From the pisiform-bone to the Length of head 22 ground 191^ Width across the forehead . . . 9^4 Girth varie-s from 76 to 79. Circumference of fore cannon-bone, 'iM, 8, 8, 8, S]4, and 9 inches. Circumference of arm just below the elbow, 16}^ to 18 inches. THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 9 On comparing these measurements with those of Eclipse, as recorded by St. Bel, it will appear that there is some considerable variation from those of that celebrated horse, which he is said to have measured during life, and to have also checked his dimensions after death. Thus, though Eclipse was very low before, and yet was sixty-six inches high, his head was twenty-two inches long, being the same as the average length of the six horses given by Proportions of the Hor.se. Walsh, though they are three inches lower at the withers, and at least five inches lower at the croup. Again, though thus shown to be particularly short, it must have been of extraordinary width; for, according to the same authority, it measured one foot across below the eyes; but, as Mr. Percivall remarks, this must be a mistake for above the eyes. Indeed, he can not help thinking, in accordance with the opinions of the above distinguished English veterinarian, 10 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. that in other respects " there appears some discordance in his admeasurements" of Eclipse. Nevertheless, it may safely be assumed, according to Mr. Percivall's summing up, that *' he was a big horse in every sense of the word; he was tall in stature, lengthy and capacious in body, and large in his limbs. For a big horse, his head was small, and partook of the Arabian character. His neck was unusually long; his Points of the Horse. a, Muzzle; b, Face; c. Forehead: d, Jowl; e, Poll; /, Crest; g, Withers; h. Windpipe orthrapple; /, Back; j, Point of the shoulder; fc, Breast or chest; /, Fore-arm; vulgo, arm; m, Knee; n, Cannon-bones; o, Fetlocks; p, Small pasterns; g. Large pasterns; r, Hoofs; s, Heels; t, Elbow; it, Girth; v. Flank; n\ Sheath; .r, Scrotum; y, Hocks; z, Coronets; A, Hip; B, Croup or nunp; C, Dock; D, Quarter; E, Thigh; J', Hamstring; G, Point of the hock; H, Loins; I. Gullet; J, Shoulder; K, Arm (.proper); L, Barrel (the ribs); M, Stifle. shoulder was strong, sufficiently oblique, and, though not remarkable for. not deficient in depth, his chest was cir- cular; he rose very little in his withers, being higher THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 11 behind than before; his back was lengthy, and over the loins roached; his quarters were straight, square, and extended; his limbs were lengthy and broad, and his joints large; in particular his arms and thighs were long and muscular, and his knees and hocks broad and well formed." The points of the horse are no less important as a care- ful study. The outlines are from a celebrated English race- imported Sir Archy (Thoroughbred). horse, and the figures accompanying will give a correct idea of the various parts as seen from the outside. As showing the characteristics of the thoroughbred horse, we introduce a picture of Sir Archy, drawn from life. It represents a model that has, to-day, few, if any, supe- riors for stamina; a horse of great bone, muscle, and gen- 12 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. eral substance, including eminent style, and the power to go long distances at a terrific pace. The sire of Sir Archy was the imported horse Diomed; his dam, the imported mare Castianira. He was undoubtedly among the very best of American horses, in the early part of the century, Ethan Allen when staying qualities were held in high esteem. The model is a good study for any horse, big or little, except the draft-horse. A reference to the English Stud Book will show his high lineage. IV. The Trotting-Horse.— The trotting-horse is distinctively American. No other country has ever been able to compete with us in the production of this wonder- THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 13 ful descendant of the thoroughbred. Among the trotting stock of forty j^ears ago, the Morgan attained great celeb- rity; but to-day, they can not hold their own with the better bred. As road-horses, they were unimpeachable; and, probably, they were the best pony-horses America has ever produced. Handsome, active, sound, good for an all-day or an every-day drive, docile, yet of great spirit and mettle, courageous and intelligent to an eminent degree. The real origin of the horseis unknown, notwith- standing the earnest efforts to arrive at his lineage. That the strain conies of thorough-blood on one side, there is no doubt. Among the more elegant and meritorious of this breed is Ethan Allen, by Morgan Black Hawk; dam, a white mare, said to have been of Messenger blood; and hence we give his portrait as a model of a fast-going, pony-built, most stylish horse. V. The Modern Trotting-Horse. — In this later day, however, the trotting-horse and the rich man's road and driving horse must have, first of all, speed, and then all the style that can be gotten into him. To accomplish this, there is required the best breeding for stamina, speed, and elegance combined that can possibly be obtained. These qualities are to be found in the descendants of " im- ported Messenger," through the great Rysdyk's Hamble- tonian. Hambletonian was not a handsome horse, but he had wonderful make-up in bone, sinew, and muscle. He was descended, on the male side, from " imported Messen- ger," a thoroughbred, through his dam, Mambrino, and Mambrino's son, Abdallah, out of a mare of unknown blood, which, in turn, got Rysdyk's Hambletonian out of a mare by "imported Bellfounder," the latter being known in his day, in England, as the Norfolk Trotter. Through Rys- dyk's Hambletonian, on the male side, America has the 14 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. Volunteers, Edward Everetts, Alexander's Abdallahs, Almonts, Messenger Durocks, Sentinels, Dictators, and many others, all of which have taken their names from their respective celebrated sires. The best trotters of to-day are Rysdyk's Hambletonian. all of this original Messenger blood, though of late years there has been a great infusion of thorough-blood running through the female lines. Hambletonian was foaled in 1849, bred in Orange County, N. Y., and died March 26, 1876. PART II. DRAFT-HORSES. I. Old American Types.— While the American trotting-horse has gained a world-wide celebrity, it is the draft-horse, more than any other, that concerns the farmer. This class it is that moves the city and the country traffic, and is no less valuable for farm purposes. Among those now practically extinct is the Vermont draft-horse, a wonderful horse of half a century ago, and up to i860; a horse sixteen hands high, rather over than under, pony-built, honest, active, handsome, and full of courage at a pull, whether the load started at the first attempt or only after a series of efforts. Under a good driver, the load was sure to come eventuall}^ and for the reason that this kindly dispositioned and mighty horse — for his inches — never flinched at each successive pull. Another wonderful horse, no longer known as a distinct breed, is the Conestoga, an illustration of which we give as he was known to the writer fifty years ago. There is no doubt that this great horse was originally of Flemish blood. In the early part of the century, the Conestogas made up the seven and nine horse teams that were capable of pulling a thousand pounds to the horse over the Alleghanies, between Pennsylvania and New York City. As modified by the German settlers of Pennsylvania, the Conestoga was a big horse, sixteen and a half to seventeen hands high, docile, muscular, strong-boned, and honest at a pull. The portrait given furnishes a fair idea of his appearance. The a5) 16 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. somewhat crooked hind limbs, the great bone and sinew, together with the wonderful muscle and an even temper, made him, at that early date, a model of what a draft-horse should be — light-actioned, active, and honest at a long up- hill pull, and good at holding back on a down grade. II. The Modern Draft - Horse.— The old-time horse had, however, to give way to the modern, distinct The Conestoga Horse. breeds as now known. The English and the French draft- horses are superior, in general respects, to those that have preceded them. The Clydes, Shires, and Suffolks of Eng- land, the Percherons and Normans of France, and the heavy Belgians, with perhaps the Cleveland Bays, fill the THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 17 bill perfectly for light and heavy draft. The Cleveland Bay, however, comes nearer to the coach-horse than to the draft; hence, he will be considered under the head of " coach- horses." III. English Draft-Horses. — The Shire Horse. — Normandy and Flanders are, without doubt, the original homes of the draft-horse of England. The Shires, Clydes, and Suffolks from England, and the Percheron, Norman, and Belgian from Europe, have filled this country fairly well with the best draft-horses of the world. It will not be possible, in the scope of this book, to enter into a his- tory of the several breeds. We purpose, by illustrating models of the best of the above classes, to give object- lessons rather than extended descriptions. The draft-horses of England owe their origin to the continent. They have all been more or less modified by an occasional infusion of stanch thorough-blood; while careful selection and good feeding have made them the peers of any horses on earth for heavy draft. Hence, the English draft-horse — like the thoroughbred — "may be of any color if he be a good horse." I. The English Shire Horse. — The Shires run to gray, bay, and brown. A society was organized in 1879, in England, and a stud book of the Shire — at that time sometimes called the cart-horse — was published. In the introduction to the first volume of the " Shire Stud Book," Mr. R. S. Reynolds, M. K. C, V. S., makes the following statements regarding different original types: It is perhaps worthy of observation that there were, and still remain, some specimens of three apparently dis- tinct types of draft-horses, exemplified by differences in the local distribution of long hair, ist. Horses having the upper lip garnished with a long, thick mustache, considered at one time a distinguishing (18) THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 19 characteristic of the Lincolnshire horse. The color of these appendages is always black, white, or a mixture of the two, and invariaby corresponds with the hue of the skin from which they spring. 2d. Horses having the lips, muzzle, and eyelids desti- tute of hair. The skin in these situations, being either entirely bald or covered with exceedingly fine down, is almost invariably flesh-colored, sometimes marked with small dark spots and blotches. Specimens of this type may possibly have originated the appellations " bald horse " and "bald-faced horse." 3d. Horses having a long tuft of hair growing from the front of each knee, and rarer examples having also a similar growth (quite distinct from the ordinary hair of the back of the cannons) from the hind part of the hock, just below its point. Animals of this type are now seldom seen. In my experience they are more frequently met with in Wales than in the English shires, though no reason can be assigned why that is so. It is found that these peculiar hirsute growths invariably accompany a luxuriant development of long hair in its ordinary situations, and generally a more than ordinary strength of bone below the knees and hocks. Sex does not appear to exert any influence in determining the special characteristics of any of the three types — stall- ions, mares, and geldings being equally prone to inherit these peculiarities from progenitors similarly possessed. As a model of the English Shire horse of the first quality, the celebrated sire. Honest Tom, will suffice. 2. The Clydesdale Horse. — It is not necessary to go into the history of the Clydesdale horse. He is a good horse wherever found, and, like any other horse, is good, whatever be the characteristic color. In Scotland they were mentioned as far back as 1352. The editor of the " Clydesdale Stud Book " does not say whence they came, but Scotch authorities are generally agreed that the breed was brought toward perfection in the Upper Ward of Lan- arkshire. In volume i, of the " Clydesdale Stud Book," we find the following bearing on the point: 20 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. Sometime between 1715 and 1720, John Paterson, of Lochlyoch, on the estate and in the parish of Carmichael, grandson of one John Paterson, who died at Lochlyoch in 1682, went to England and brought from thence a Flemish stallion, which is said to have so greatly improved the breed in the Upper Ward as to have made them noted all over Scotland. The Lochlyoch mares were famous in the Upper Ward during the latter half of the last and the first two decades of the present century; and a Mrs. Paterson, of Lochlyoch, mother of the present tenant of Drumalbin, now ninety-seven years of age, still has recollection of a noted black mare from which many of the best stock in the Upper Ward are descended. The family tradition is strongly supported by the fact that the Patersons were in the habit of noting down important agricultural items from a very early period; and the present representative of the family, Mr. Paterson, of Drumalbin, has in his posses- sion a family tree of all the descendants of that John Paterson who died in 1682. In the year 1836, in reference to a day's plowing given to one of the Patersons on leav- ing Lochlyoch for Drumalbin, the following remarks appeared in an Edinburgh newspaper, from which it will be seen that their claim to being the founders of the breed was then recognized. After descanting on the merits of the family and kindred topics, the writer proceeds: "And it may here be worthy of remark, that it was a brother of Mr. Paterson's grandfather who brought the notable stall- ion from England to Lanarkshire — the sire of the famous Clydesdale breed of horses of which the county has been so long and justly proud." What were the distinguishing features of the native breed previous to the introduction of the Flemish horse, about 1 7 15, can not now be definitely determined, but there can be little doubt that they are mostly of English origin, and of a mixed character. The old "drove-road" from Scotland to England crosses the Clyde at Hyndford Bridge, and leads across the hills by Carmichael and Craw- fordjohn — the very center of the then horse-breeding dis- trict; and the intercourse which the farmers would thus have with their neighbors from the south, and the amount of traffic done by pack-horses, would doubtless allow of (21) 22 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. many opportunities for selecting animals calculated to improve the breed. Lochlyoch mares were generally browns and blacks, with white faces and a little white on their legs; they had gray hairs in their tails, occasional gray hairs over their bodies, and invariably a white spot on their bellies, this latter being recognized as a mark of distinct purity of blood. Bay, brown, and black are prevailing colors, but there are grays and chestnuts, and some distinctly sorrel. Like many of the Shires, white markings on the face, legs, and feet are characteristic, as also is the long, fine, glossy hair from the knee and hock to the fetlock, this being regarded as a mark of high quality and blood. The engraving rep- resents a mare of the highest quality. 3. The Suffolk Punch. — Only three breeds of Eng- lish draft-horses have gained celebrity in America. Of these, two have been already mentioned. There is, there- fore, one more English draft-horse that calls for notice in this connection. It is the Suffolk Punch. This is a compactly built, short-limbed horse, as a rule, of great mus- cular conformation, looking rather light-boned, some speci- mens being imperfect in the feet. In some parts of Eng- land they are regarded with favor, but comparatively few have been imported to America. IV. French Horses. — i. The Percheron. — What- ever be the origin of what is now known as the Percheron horse, there is little doubt that he is descended from Ori- ental blood. In fact, it is a matter of history that when the Saracens invaded France, and were overthrown by Charles Martel, with great slaughter, the camp equipage, the cavalry horses, and the various other spoils of this bar- barian host of 300,000 men fell into the hands of the victors. This was in A. D. 752. The fine Arabs and Barb horses thus captured were carried to France, and THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 23 there bred upon the larger horses of that country. Upon the return of the Crusaders, other Oriental blood was in- troduced into the horses of France; subsequently, there Percheron Horse, Brilliant. were other infusions of Arab blood, and, as late as 1820, two Arab stallions, Godalphin and Gallipole, were im- ported and used under the direction of the French govern- 24 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. ment. Theresultof all this was the production, in La Perche, of horses from fifteen to sixteen hands high, weighing from 1,200 to 1,400 pounds, and strong and untiring on the inferior roads of that day. They were good for eight miles an hour, pulling the heavy diligences then in use, and attracted attention wherever seen. The French gov- ernment and the people of France were naturally proud of these horses, and to-day the descendants are among the most active, docile, and able draft-horses in America. The engraving of Brilliant, imported by Mr. M. Dun- ham, from a drawing by Rosa Bonheur, shows one of the best specimens of this famous breed. The characteristic color of the Percherons is dapple-gray, becoming lighter with age. They are, however, now bred of other colors, including black. In France, Brilliant gained high honors, and, in the United States, undeniably stands as one of the best examples of this famous breed of draft-horses. 2. The French Draft-Horse. — Another division of the French races of draft-horses is now known by the above specific designation. Originally, all the French draft-horses were known as Normans and Percherons; afterward many were known as Percheron-Normans; then the heavier horses were divided from the lighter horses of Perche and designated as Normans. Still later, they were known, as they are to-day, by the name of French Draft- Horses. They have a stud book of their own. This larger class of horses is said to have originated north of the River Seine, and, in common with the Percheron, its repre- sentatives owe their increased size to Flemish blood. They are among the most magnificent specimens of the equine race. Modified and refined by careful breeding and selection, they compare well in weight with the best examples of the great Belgian and the Boulonnais horses of France'. French Draft-Horse. (25> 2G THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 3. The Boulonnais Horse. — In relation to this breed, we append the translation of the special committee of the Illinois State Board of Agriculture, from the introduction of the "Boulonnais Stud Book," which is as follows: The Boulonnais district in ancient France was part of the country of Picardy, in the North of France, between the rivers Ada on the north and Canche on the south. This district is about sixty kilometers long and thirty wide. The peculiar nature of its soil, rugged and hilly, for a long period made intercourse with neighboring districts difficult and rare. This fact has had great influence upon the local manners and habits of the people, which have been preserved unchanged for many years; and it explains the fixity of breeds, which have remained for centuries without mixing with other races. This district of Boulonnais has for a very long time been a center of production from which young colts are obtained and taken to neighboring districts, such as Picardy and Normandy. Very often, after leaving their native districts, these colts lose their real name and are called by the Paris dealers after the districts in which they were raised, "Cauchois," or "Augeron" horses. The example given by the most important breeding districts in England and in France, of establishing stud books, is now being followed by the Boulonnais breed- ers. The Boulonnais is universally recognized as a well- defined breed, having distinct features and remarkable characteristics peculiar to it; and it therefore has the right to possess a stud book. 4. Coach-Horses. — There are but two breeds of horses that may be distinctively classed as coach-horses. These are the Cleveland Bays of England and what are now known as the French Coach-Horses. Both are active, stylish, compact horses, the best of each breed making the finest coach-horses, while those that are somewhat inferior prove most valuable for express and other city teams, where style is desired rather than heavy draft. THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 37 The Cleveland Bay was formerly held in high repute in England, but the breed was allowed to lapse. As regen- erated to-day, he is stylish, and probably a better horse Cle\elaud Bay Hoi be. than the Cleveland of the last century, containing, as he does, a considerable infusion of thorough-blood. The French Coach-Horse, like the Cleveland Bay, owes his style and muscular activity to the blood of the English thoroughbred. The breeding has been under the distinct patronage of the Government of France, and the outcome 28 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. is a horse, high-stepping, muscular, and stylish, sixteen hands, and over, in height; the peer, probably, of any horse in the world for the purpose for which he is intended. It has been said that the locomotive drove the Cleveland Bay out of existence; be that as it may, the wealth of more modern times has demanded stylish horses for the family coach. The demand has been met in the modern Cleveland Bay and the modern French Coach-Horse. PART III. PONIES, ASSES, AND MULES. I. Ponies. — Any undersized horse that is compact and muscular is termed a pony-horse; but there are ponies that are so termed distinctively. All northern countries have pony-horses. The mustang, the Canadian, the Indian horses, the Shetland, the Iceland, and the Exmoor (English) are all individual types. The characteristics of the Exmoor are presented in the illustration. Many of the more dimin- utive are now bred very fine, to meet the demands of wealthy persons who desire these little animals for their children. One of the most famous for courage, speed, going long journeys, and exhibiting wonderful endurance on hard fare is, without doubt, the Canadian pony, now, unfortunately, seldom found in his old-time form; but the late William Henry Herbert (Frank Forrester) has made it easy for us to judge what he was like fifty years ago, when he says that the thoroughbred Canadian horse is a perfect model, on a small scale, of the Percheron horse. The Canadian pony is a degenerate Canadian, if, indeed, the smaller pony, hardened by exposure, may be so-called — degenerate. Sagacious, honest, enduring, and capable of driving forty to fifty miles, day in and day out, over the roughest of roads and corduroy-bridges. II. Asses and Mules. — From time immemorial the ass has been used, and was probably one of the first burden-bearing animals to be domesticated. After the domestication of the horse, the mule — a hybrid between (29) Exmoor (English) Ponies and Foal. THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 31 the ass and mare — was used for the saddle, the horse being reserved for war. The ass is more essentially an animal for hot, arid climates, and the mule less adapted to cold climates than is the horse; hence, we find the mule in increasing numbers, and more at home, as we go south, and correspondingly rare as we reach rigorous winter climates. While the mule, as a worker, is more patient than the horse, he is more timid at the sight of unfamiliar objects. Another peculiarity of mules is, that they must become accustomed to a change of work before they will take kindly to it. By virtue of their patience, they are entirely tractable in the cultivation of crops, for instance, and less liable to do damage with the feet. When treated kindly, but firmly, they are in nowise dangerous to the driver; in fact, their liability to kick at strangers is due more to timidity than to any other cause. As to breeding, that question will be taken up under the head of "Care and Management." PART IV. HYGIENE, CARE, AND MANAGEMENT. I. Stable Drainage. — In its relation to liygiene, the subject of stable drainage is among the most important, and this, too, apart from ventilation, a subject of equal impor- tance; for, without proper ventilation, no system of drainage will avail much. The average architect of barns and stables too often leaves the above factors out of his plans and cal- culations; hence, it is absolutely necessary that the breeder should understand the principles of drainage and ventila- tion, in order that he may be able to give advice, and also to correct errors when found. For want of this knowledge, the proper hygienic effects can not be produced; neither can sanitary measures be fully carried out. In the case of all animals kept in confinement, whether in health or disease, drainage and ventilation may, in fact, be called ground rules. In city stables, it is of the first importance. City horses, as a rule, seldom breathe perfectly pure air, unless they are taken out for labor or exercise; yet no other animals under our care require so much air, and that of absolute purity. Furthermore, the horse is the animal that must necessarily come oftenest under the care of the owner, one reason therefor being that he is the most valua- ble of our domestic animals; another and more general cause is to be found in the purely artificial conditions under which the horse is kept, and the exhausting nature of the labor required of him. (32) THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 33 Stable drainage is most intimately related to hygiene in stable management, and it is also one of the most valuable auxiliaries in the assistance it renders ventilation in keep- ing the air pure. Much may be accomplished by strict attention to the regular and thorough cleaning of stables. It is only half performed when manure is dumped outside and allowed to accumulate, heat, rot, and poison the air with its fumes. It is still worse if the liquid matter of the stable be allowed to soak the floors, drip through and sat- urate the earth below, and become putrescent, thus giving rise to the most deadly germs. A substance perfectly dry does not change; neither does a substance when frozen solid; but these conditions can not be practically reached. It is under the influence of heat and moisture that organic substances decay. Place any moist vegetable substance in a compact heap; in a short time heat ensues, and fermentation is followed by decay. During this process, the gaseous elements are set free, and at length nothing remains but charcoal, or the ashes, for the process of decay is simply combustion through the absorption of oxygen by the mass consumed. The same operation is as surely going on, but more slowly, in the forest, although it may take a hundred years to de- compose a fallen oak. It is going on all about us in marshes and other places where vegetation is rife or accu- mulates. It is not perceptibly felt, for the reason that it is constantly being dissipated in that great reservoir of fer- tility and reconstruction — the air. It is only in confined situations that the emanations become inimical to health, and even deadly to the system. Let us take one phase of earth saturation and its effects from want of stable and house drainage. At first there is little difficulty. Earth is an absorber, and fast holder, to a certain degree, of liquid and gaseous 34 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. emanations when dry. When saturated with moisture to the drainage point, they are passed along with the water of drainage until an outlet is reached — a well, spring, or stream — which is contaminated to a degree in accordance with the quantity discharged. Here is the secret of the contamination of city wells by house and stable drainage, from the want of sewage, or from imperfect sewage. Where there is no drainage to stables, therefore, dry earth forms not only a cheap, but valuable absorbent; and a peculiarity of earth absorption is, that saturated and again dried, its power of holding deleterious matter returns; so that the same earth may be used over and over again until its max- imum capacity of holding other matters is reached. A few figures will show the relative powers of absorption of va- rious earths, and hence will be valuable as showing also their relative power to hold organic matter. According to the experiments of Shubler, it has been found that loo pounds of dry sand will hold by attraction, or take up, 25 pounds, or one-fourth of its weight m water; a loamy soil, 40 pounds; a clay loam, 50 pounds, and pure clay, 70 pounds of water. Hence, it is readily seen how small a quantity of pulverized dry clay is necessary to absorb the daily evacuations of liquid excrement in the stable. The horse, for instance, passes a large amount by invisible perspiration, voids relatively little as urine — an average of about three gallons daily. Hence, here is shown a simple means, in the country, of getting rid of the liquid excrement, and at the same time of saving for manure the most valuable portion. In the case of sick animals, this means is no less valuable, where the patient, as it should be, is kept in a box- stall. The next best means is the absorption of the liquids by means of straw — oat-straw being the best, for, being soft, it absorbs moisture more quickly than wheat or rye straw. Dry sawdust, when it may be obtained, is also of much value. THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 35 II. Ventilation and Bedding-. — One thing should be constantly impressed upon farmers — the value, and economy as well, of plenty of bedding for animals. The plea of scarcity of material can not for a moment be Illustrating Stable Drainage in Cities. admitted. No more bedding is daily soiled when the ani- mal has plenty than when there is little. This is evident at a glance to the individual who gives the matter attentive thought. Besides, if bedding material is really scarce on the farm, the soiled straw may be dried and reused. 36 THE PRATRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. We come now to the subject of drainage in its relation to the welfare of animals, both in health and sickness. There are numerous disabilities arising from want of drain- age, and the constant saturation of wooden and earth floors with the liquid excrement of animals. In drainage, the first necessity naturally is, that the stalls must be ar- ranged with reference to whether the animal be male or female. In the case of males, the lowest part of the stall must be between the fore and hind feet. In the case of female animals, it must be just at the rear. For horses, the floor of the stall may be cut across, midway from the point where the fore and hind feet rest, with a shallow groove, say four inches wide, and descending from the sides to the center, when it ends in a grating fine enough to prevent the escape of the bedding, etc. Here it falls into a pioj run- ning under each stall and connecting with each, having in- clination sufficient to carry away the moisture quickly and emptying on the open ground, as far away as possible from the stable; nevertheless, it is worse than folly to adopt a system of underground stable drainage unless there is an abundance of water for flushing the pipes. In the country, this is difficult to obtain; hence, sewage drainage is not practiced except in cities having public water works. The illustrations will show the idea we wish to convey. One of these represents stalls arranged for gelding and for mare as to position for gathering the liquid. Neglect often arises from the idea generally entertained that stable emanations are not inimical to human beings. It is, however, a serious annoyance, as must be all disagreeable odors, and then it is very injurious to carriages, affecting the varnish as well as impregnating the cushions with a subtle odor, and eventu- ally rotting them. When stable drains can be attached to a regular sewer- age system, or be run into a properly ventilated wasting cess- THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE B()t)K. 37 pool, there is little or no trouble about vapors and odors; but where the liquid has to drain into a close cesspool, con- siderable thought and ingenuity are required. It need hardly be told that stables ought not to be drained into the same cesspool as is the house sewage. As there is only liquid matter to be dealt with, only one cess- Stable Drainage, Cateh-basiu and Ventilator. pool is necessary; but this one, to be complete, should be fitted with a movable pump and an air-shaft ventilation. All the drains must be made water-tight with cement, and the air-shafts should be made of cast-iron pipe not less than two inches caliber, and four inches is better. Zinc cor- rodes rapidly when used about the stable. 38 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. The illustration, which explains itself, shows an arrange- ment of a drain from a stable with ventilation of the catch-pit that will prevent all foul odors. It is a plan largely adopted in London. III. Hygiene and the Stable. — In the drainage of soil for agricultural purposes, a very slight descent suffices to carry water. Round tile should always be used, and a fall of not less than eight inches in loo feet secured, for the drainage of stables. Where the drainage is not sufificient, or where there is no drainage, such means must be employed as may best counteract the evils as they present themselves. Among these should be the most thorough cleansing possible, and the use of deodorizing and disinfectant agents, as the case may seem to require; for the means to be used will, of course, depend upon whether putridity has occasioned deadly gases or not. An examination, therefore, of some of the many substances used for one or the other purpose will not be out of place here. Deodorization is the driving away, covering up, or removal of disagreeable or noxious odors. A disinfectant is an agent capable of neutralizing morbific efifluvia, or the cause of infection. It must be borne carefully in mind that the destruction or covering of odors is not necessarily disinfection. In fact, deodorizing, as generally used, is often the replacing of one odor by another, as in the case of burnt sugar, vinegar, chloride of lime, carbolic acid, etc. The two latter are really disinfectants. Neither are un- pleasant odors, necessarily detrimental to health. So, also, an infectious atmosphere may present to the senses little or no cause of alarm. In fact, the most deadly typhoid germs may be present in the water we drink. It is clear and bright to the eye; the sense of smell can THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 39 detect no odor; to the taste it is perfect, and it will sparkle in the glass like the purest spring-water, yet may be deadly to drink. Simple odors may not be noxious; animal odors are not so unless one is confined in their atmosphere; but when they are disorganized and putrefy, they are always dangerous. Here, again, let it be reiterated: In stables the danger is not from the fresh evacuation of healthy ani- mals, but from their continued putrefaction in and of the substance saturated with them. So far as simple deodorization is concerned, there is no better agent, easily attainable, than dry pulverized clay, or strong clay loam. Charred sawdust, or pulverized char- coal, is also one of the best, but difficult to obtain. These are chiefly valuable from their absorptive qualities. Pul- verized gypsum is another cheap and valuable absorbent; and gypsum acts mechanically, and also chemically. That is to say, loo pounds of gypsum (unburned) will fix or form sulphate with nearly twenty pounds of ammonia, and thus sulphate of ammonia, and, of course, carbonate of lime, is formed. Hence its value in preventing the fumes of ammonia from escaping in any manner, as horse manure, for instance, containing it. Gypsum is also decomposed by carbonate and muriate of barytys, the carbonates of strontia, potash, soda, and of ammonia; and also by oxalic and humic acid. Hence, it may be applied freely when any of these susbtances are suspected. For drains, cesspools, or any confined place that gives off the smell of rotten eggs (sulphureted hydrogen), copperas, in fine powder, will be indicated, both on account of its cheapness and certainty of action. Chloride of lime and carbolic acid in solution may also be indicated when their odor will not be objectionable. To detect whether the air is pure or impure, dampen a white linen cloth in a solution of nitrate of lead, and hang it in the suspected atmosphere. If the 40 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. cloth does not become discolored, the air ma)' be considered pure. To disinfect drinking-water, Condie's preparation will be indicated. This is composed of crude perman- ganate of potash in the proportion of half an ounce to half a pint of water, A teaspoonful to a barrel of water will sweeten it, and if it is continued to be added until a faint tinge of color is exhibited, all injurious organic mat- ter will be destroyed. To disinfect a room, put a few tea- spoonfuls in the apartment, and renew as often as the solution loses its color. The quantity will be indicated by the size of the apartment. For ordinary use, the following articles stand in relation as given, chloride of lime in combination with sulphuric acid standing as loo: Chloride of lime with sulphuric acid loo.o Chloride of lime with sulphate of iron (copperas) 99.0 Carbolic acid (disinfecting powder) 85.6 Slacked lime 84.6 Alum 80.4 Sulphate of iron (copperas) 76.7 Chloralum 74.0 Sulphate of magnesia 57. i Permanganate of potash with sulphuric acid 51.3 IV. Some Causes of Contagion. — Major-General Sir F. Fitzwygram, Bart., is one of the latest and best English authorities on stable management. Here is what he says on the subject: When a particular disease runs through a stable, it does not by any means follow that it has been introduced or spread by infection or contagion. On the contrary, faulty stable accommodation, or bad ventilation, or bad drainage, or neglect, either collectively or sometimes even singly, are often sufficient to develop wide-spread disease among all the animals subject to the same cause or causes. When a disease breaks out suddenly in a stable, and several animals are attacked at once, it usually depends THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 41 on their all being subjected to the same noxious influence. The causes, whatever they may be, usually affect first those animals which are weak and predisposed to disease of any sort; afterward those which are less predisposed, and ulti- mately may affect all in the stable. The disease is then said to be, and is by many believed to be, infectious or contagious. The earlier cases in any such attack do not in general arise either from infection or contagion. It must, how- ever, be borne in mind that the vitiated atmosphere pro- duced by the exhalations and secretions of a number of diseased bodies congregated in a badly ventilated place, intensify the original cause and lead to the further repro- duction of the disease. The prevalent ideas regarding infection and contagion, though under certain circumstances true, are, nevertheless, the source of much mischief; because these agents are often accepted as the adequate and irresistible cause of disease, and, therefore, no due or sufficiently careful search is made for the real and active source. Very few cases of disease, either in man or animals, are, under good sanitary arrangements, transmitted by infection or contagion. Certain predisposing conditions are required to enable the poison, whatever it may be, to take effect. It requires, for instance, a certain proximity of the patient; a confined, unchanged atmosphere, and, as a general rule, a delicate, ailing, susceptible subject. If these conditions are wanting, diseases seldom spread from one animal to another. Many complaints, however, which, in a clean, well- aired and well-drained, and not overcrowded stable, are quite unable to propagate themselves, become infectious or contagious under less favorable circumstances. The emanations from the sick hang thick and noisome in afoul, close, unchanged atmosphere, and by concentration and ferment acquire a positive power of disturbing health and reproducing disease. V. The Care of the Stable. — In country stables, there is no excuse for foul odors. Build your stable per- fectly tight, but with apertures that may be opened or closed 4:2 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. at will for the admission of air. The temperature of stables in their relation to health is worthy of consideration. The proper temperature is undoubtedly from sixty to sixty-five degrees. If it is possible, the stable should never go much below the freezing-point. The reason is obvious. It oc- casions severe loss of vital heat that must be supplied in some way. If the body becomes chilled, many functions are impaired, digestion especially. Bronchial affections, chronic coughs, pneumonia, and many inflammatory diseases are apt to arise. If to this is added vitiated air, the most serious consequences may arise from blood-poisoning, for it is while the animal is in an enforced state of quiescence that complications occur. Exercise promotes heat, full inflation of the lungs, and the system is enabled to throw off morbid action, and excretion is active. If these disa- bilities need care to guard against them in health, how much more necessary in actual disease ! In thus outlining something of the effects of proper ven- tilation in its hygienic effects, and the absolute necessity of plenty of fresh air, and its careful distribution and equable dispersion to prevent drafts or direct impingement on any part of the body, we have done all that may be deemed neces- sary. There is one thing more, however, to which attention may here be directed. We refer to the conservation of heat, and particularly for its value in all country districts. The hair is given to the animal both as a protection against the sun of summer and the cold of winter. The action of sun- light is a cumulative one; that is, any substance which, taking in its rays will accumulate heat far greater than the normal force. Take a glass-covered surface, for instance. All rays pass freely through it, but heat is given back feebly, hence the confined surface soon becomes intensely heated. The hair of animals is a poor conductor of heat. Hence, the rays of the sun have comparatively slight effect THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 43 on the body. In the winter the coat becomes long, and the heat of the body is entangled within the hair, and the animal constantly carries this bodily heat around with it in a still atmosphere; hence the reason why we are little sus- ceptible to the influence of cold in a still atmosphere, how- ever severe. Let the wind commence blowing, how quick the change ! The heat of the body is blown away; and if this is accomplished faster than the system can furnish heat, first a chill ensues, then stupor, and the animal or man certainly succumbs unless shelter is reached. Hence the absolute necessity of shelter to bring about the best hygienic results to our domestic animals. In the treatment of diseased animals, the subject of ventilation and drainage becomes of the first importance; for unless proper hygienic conditions are present, we can not successfully combat disease. VI. Stable Ventilation. — The ventilation of a stable may be effected by windows on the sides. It must be remembered, however, that abnormal exposure to light causes distress to the eyes, or one of them, and this induces disease and blindness. It is, however, only strong light that has this effect. A north light, which is diffused and has no bright sun-rays, has very little or no injurious effect in any way, and horses may quite safely stand in the full light with windows directly in front of them. A great deal of trouble is caused by dark stables, in which the horses stand in a sort of a twilight, or at times almost complete darkness, from which they are brought out into bright sunshine. This is painful and injurious to the eyes, and no doubt its constant repetition day after day will end in ophthalmia and the very common periodical disease of so-called moon- blindness, and finally complete blindness. If the windows must be necessarily exposed to the sunlight, it is desirable. 4-4 THE PRAIRIE FARRIER HORSE BOOK. perhaps, to shade the light in some way, that a horse may not stand in the full glare of it. This may be done by cov- ering the glass with white paint, daubed on with the stiff ends of the hairs of a brush, so as to give the effect of ground glass; or cover them with thick lime-wash in the same way. As a rule, stables for both cows and horses should be light and airy. Light encourages cleanliness, for it exposes dirt and filth, and makes a man ashamed of himself. The only precaution needed is to prevent the sun's rays from shining directly into the faces of the horses, and what is worse, into the stalls sidewise, so as to excite one of the eyes only. One way to provide this is: The sides are of pine lumber, twenty-six inches long, and one foot wide at the broad end, tapering to an inch wide at the other end. The wider ends are cut to a seg- ment, somewhat as on page 45. Quarter-inch holes are bored in the edge of one of these boards. A sash eighteen by twenty-six inches, with four lights of glass, is screwed to the front edges of the boards. The whole is then hung in place by a pair of butts, screwed to the lower side of the sash and to a board firmly nailed to the inside of the stable, in the rear of a stall. A flat piece of iron, with a quarter-inch hole, or a stout screw-eye, is fastened into the stable wall directly over one of the sideboards. Through this an iron pin is thrust into a hole in the edge of the side board, to hold the ventilator at any desired angle. When open, of course, a current of air is admitted, ventilat- ing the stable without exposing the hor.se to a direct draught. A better way, however, is described by " Stonehenge,'' as follows: All stable windows should be of iron, and if they are cast with iron bars six inches apart from center tc center, no horse will break the glass. Every other bar may be made to project so as to form the framework for THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE HOOK. 45 the glass, and in this way serve a double purpose. In building new stables, I should always prefer to place the windows close to the ceiling and above the mangers, so as to give the horse the fresh air where he wants it. If they are made to open in a valvular form, as represented below, on the same principle as has long been adopted in church windows, and as I have for years recommended for lighting and ventilating kennels, there is no down-draught, and every advantage is obtained from the fresh air without the disadvantage which ensues when it blows down upon the back or loins. In the engraving, (a) represents the window perfectly closed, in the state admitting light but no air; (d) shows the same window opened as far as the framework will allow, intermediate degrees being regulated by the ratched rod {c), which is fixed to the upper edge of the frame, and catches on the top rail of the sash. Iron frames of this shape may be obtained by order of any iron-founder, or they may be made of wood. The glass must be guarded with bars, either fixed to the sashes them- selves or to the framework. It will be seen in the figure {/>) that I have indicated with an C Ventilating Windows. arrow the direction which the air inevitably takes as it enters the stable. Of course these windows may be fixed in any wall other than that at the head of the horse, but I prefer the latter as being the nearest to the nostrils, where the air is wanted for the purpose of respiration. The size should be about two feet square. The additional cost is very trifling when it is considered that no other openings need be provided for the admission of air. Having thus provided for the admission of fresh atmos- pheric air, the next thing to do is to carry it off, when it has been used for the purposes of respiration. It is not safe to depend upon the wind for this purpose; and the only remain- 46 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. ing agent is the diminution in its specific gravity when air is warmed by respiration. By taking advantage of this principle, the foul air is carried off from the upper parts of Ventilating Shaft. the Stable if a shaft is fixed there for its passage. Some- times a small shaft is introduced over the head of each horse; but in practice it is found that one large shaft, a foot square or more, will purify a stable containing four or five horses. It is better to fix this about the middle of the stable, as regards its length, but near the heads of the horses, as shown in the sec- tion of a stalled stable. The tube may be made of wood, because it does not condense the steam as it ascends nearly so much as metal, and there is less dropping of water from Covered Head of Shaft. it. The Upper end of this shaft should be guarded from down-draughts, either by a cowl which will turn with the wind, or by a covered ventilator on the ridge of the roof. THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 47 Some years ago, in a work entitled " The Farmer's Stock Book," the writer summed up the matter as follows: "The arrangement of stables is important. The horse-stalls should be ample and have every appliance for convenience possible. The partitions should be of the most substantial character, and the pavement solid and of such material that it will not absorb urine. The harness-room should be as near the stables as possible, and at the same time in a separate room. There should be enough box-stalls, twelve feet square, to accommodate the sick horses and the mares at foaling-time. We advocate that horses be made as com- panionable as possible; that is, they should have a full view of each other and a chance to get their noses together, except in the case of vicious ones, or those inclined to be quarrelsome. These must be kept in stalls of the most solid description, with high walls and bars behind to pre- vent them from doing damage if they get loose. The reason why horses should be able to see about them is, there is nothing that will tend sooner to make an intelligent animal vicious and dangerous than solitary confinement. It will render men desperate. Even the dog kept chained is well known for his unreasoning ferocity." PART V. FEEDING AND GROOMING. I. The Care of the Horse. — It is worthy of remark, that in the feeding and grooming of horses lies the essence of good management; for good work here is the keynote of excellence in all care pertaining to the horse. The writer of this has gained much information, in years past, from a study of Youatt, who, in England, was one of the great lights in veterinary practice in the early part of the century. Youatt's observations, as commented on by Herbert, will pretty nearly "fill the bill." We therefore quote his remarks in the next department of our subject. II. Grooming. — This authority says: "Much need not be said to the agriculturist, since custom, and appar- ently without ill-effect, has allotted so little of the comb and brush to the farmer's horse. The animal that is worked all day and turned out at night, requires little more to be done to him than to have the dirt brushed off his limbs. Regular grooming, by rendering his skin more sen- sible to the alteration of temperature and the inclemency of the weather, would be prejudicial. The horse that is altogether turned out needs no grooming. The dandruff, or scruff, which accumulates at the roots of the hair is a pro- vision of nature to defend him from the wind and the cold." This, however, which may be true and correct as of the horse which is turned out every night during the greater part of the year, and which feeds only on grass, (48) THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 49 with some slight addition of oats and mashes, certainly is not applicable to the farm-horses of the United States, which are, for the most part, if not altogether, stabled for the greater part of the year, or in winter, at least; fed on artificial food; kept warm, to a certain extent; and which, of course, must be cleaned daily, especially after severe work or exposure to wet, if they are to be kept in health and working condition. "It is to the stabled horse," Youatt continues, "highly fed, and little or irregularly worked, that grooming is of the highest consequence. Good rubbing with the brush, or the curry-comb, opens the pores of the skin, circulates the blood to the extremities of the body, produces free and healthy perspiration, and stands in the room of exer- cise. No^ horse will carry a fine coat without either unnatural heat or dressing. They both effect the same purpose, but the first does it at the expense of health and strength, while the second, at the same time that it pro- duces a glow on the skin, and a determination of the blood to it, rouses all the energies of the frame. It would be well for the proprietor of the horse if he were to insist and to see that his orders are really obeyed; that the fine coat in which he and his groom so much delight is produced by honest rubbing, and not by a heated stable and thick clothing, and, most of all, not by stimulating or injurious spices. The horse should be regularly dressed every day, in addition to the grooming that is necessary after work." It is true, in a measure, that the necessity of regular dressing, wisping, currying, brushing, and hard rubbing is far greater in the case of highly pampered horses, fed in the most stimulating manner, principally on grain, kept in hot stables, always a little above their work, and ready at all times to jump out of their skins from the exuberance 4 50 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. of their animal spirit; yet it is necessary to all housed and stabled horses; and the farmer, no less than the owner of fast trotters, will find his advantage in having his horse curried and washed before feeding in the morning, in the increased play of his spirit, and in the gayety and fitness of the animal for his work; and if, when he brings him in at night, reeking with sweat, drenched with rain or snow, his thighs and belly plastered with thick mud, and his legs covered, as cart-horses' legs mostly are, with thick hair, saturated with cold water and clogged with particles of mud and sand, he neglects to have him thoroughly cleaned, and made dry and comfortable for the night, he not only commits an act of gross cruelty, but wholly dis- regards his own interest. Unless a horse be cleaned and groomed when in such a condition, he can not be kept in health; and if he be fed freely when in such a state — although the cart-horse is less liable to such ailments, from his hardier habits and less impressive constitution — the chances are that soon he will be attacked by inflammation of the bowels, or lungs, or with spasmodic colic — the race- horse, fast trotter, or highly bred and highly fed roadster would be so attacked to a certainty — and the failure to dry and cleanse the legs of such a horse, especially if there be a draft of cold wind blowing upon the heels from a crevice under the stable door, as is generally the case in common farm stables, will be almost certainly succeeded by that troublesome, dangerous, and foul disease known as "grease," or more commonly in the United States and Canada as "the scratches." III. Stable Temperature and Clothing. — It may be well to reiterate: the best average heat for a stable should be from sixty to not to exceed sixty-five degrees; that the air should be normally dry; for if there be any THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK, 51 moisture about the stables, it will hang about the horses in the shape of a mist, and the animals when they are brought into the open air, although their skins will be as fine as can be imagined, will shiver as if they had just made their exit from a warm bath. Herbert's advice is that a single good blanket, breast- plate, and roller will be a sufficient clothing, though a Holland sheet under the woolen rug is very serviceable in keeping the skin smooth and the coat unruffled. A hood and cover should be added when the horse is taken out for slow exercise. It is common in America in winter, in unusually cold weather, where horses are expected to be driven fast and to have to stand still alternately at shop doors or in visiting, to see them clothed, under their har- ness, in hoods and blankets. This plan can evidently do no good; the animal, while working fast, is as much more heated by the covering as he is afterward more protected by it when standing still; add to which, if the clothing be, as probably it will, saturated with perspiration while the animal is in motion, it will be frozen or rendered en- tirely cold and clammy so soon as the motion ceases, and will, in that state, affect the animal injuriously instead of beneficially; just as it would affect a man to wrap him up, when sweating profusely, in a heavy, wet overcoat. If anything of this sort be required, the only rational way is to have the blankets at hand, throw them over the backs of the animals and buckle them across their chests so soon as they are pulled up, removing them and restoring them to a dry place before again getting under way. Such is the rationale of out-door clothing. There is, however, no objection to the use of a water-proof covering over the loins of a horse when he is taken out to be used through the whole of a cold, rainy, or sleety day, if the team is to be used at an even, moderate gait. 52 THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. To return to the article on grooming: "When the weather will permit the horse," continues Mr. Youatt, " to be taken out, he should never be groomed in the stable, un- less he be an animal of peculiar value, or placed for a time under peculiar circumstances. Without dwelling on the want of cleanliness when the scurf and dust that are wasted from the horse lodge in his manger and mingle with his food, experience teaches that if the cold is not too great the animal is braced and invigorated, to a degree that can not be attained in the stable, by being dressed in the open air. There is no necessity, however, for half the punishment which many a groom inflicts upon a horse in the act of cleaning, and particularly on one whose skin is thin and sensitive. The curry-comb should be at all times lightly applied. With many horses, its use may be almost dispensed with; and even the brush need not be so hard, or the points of the bristles so irregular as they often are. A soft brush, with a little more weight of the hand, will be equally effectual, and a great deal more pleasant to the horse. A hair-cloth, while it will seldom irritate or tease, will be almost sufficient with horses which have a thin skin and which have not been neglected. After all, it is no slight task to clean a horse as it ought to be done. It occupies no little time, and demands considerable patience, as well as dexterity. It will be readily ascertained whether a horse has been well dressed by rubbing him with one of the fingers. A greasy stain will detect the idleness of the groom. When, however, the horse is changing his coats, both the brush and the curry-comb should be used as lightly as possible." IV. Finishing Touches. — In ordinary cleaning, in the morning, the head should be first cleaned. The hair should be lifted and loosened lightly — not pulled or torn THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 53 — with the curry-comb, and then rubbed well in all directions, both against and across the grain of the hair, as well as with it, until it is entirely clear from dust and dandruff. The ears should be gently pulled and stripped with the hand from the roots to the points; and the whole head should then be brushed smoothly and evenly as the hair ought to lie. The neck, back, shoulders, loins, croup, and quarters follow ; the same plan being used, except that in dressing these parts, while the comb is used lightly and dexterously with one hand, the brush is employed in removing the scurf with the other. The flexures of the skin at the insertion of the limbs are parts which require especial care, as the dust is most apt to collect in these places. This done, the horse must be thoroughly wisped all over with bunches of dry straw, till his coat is quite clean and glossy, when it may be gone over for the last time with a fine, soft brush. This being done, his clothes may be then put on, and the legs cleaned in the same manner, and finished off by a careful hand-rubbing. Flannel bandages, steeped in cold water, well wrung out, and applied loosely to the legs, and again covered by a tighter-drawn linen bandage, are often of great advantage, after severe work, in keeping down and checking inflammation, as well as in fortifying and strengthening the sinews when in a sound state, and in remedying and alleviating any slight slip or casual strain. The way of cleaning when the horse is brought in wet, weary, hot, dirty, and exhausted, is nearly identical. The ears should be first stripped and pulled, and tlie head made comfortable. The dry dirt should be scraped from the legs and belly. The legs should be plunged into tepid water and have all the dirt washed carefully away; they should be then carefully dry-rubbed with wisps of clean straw, and tightly swathed in flannel bandages, steeped in water as warm as the hand will bear. The whole neck and (6). Action in the True Trot. (54) THE PRAIRIE FARMER HORSE BOOK. 55 body should then — or, if there be sufficient force of hands in the stable, at the same time while the legs are being arranged— be thoroughly rubbed, till perfectly clean, dry, and in a glow of vigorous animal heat, with straw wisps. After this they should be lightly curried, brushed, and arranged; and then, nor until then, the clothes may be put on, the animal fed, his stall well bedded and littered down, and himself left to his repose, which, however hard his day's work may have been, will, if these precautions be taken, be both soft and light. Now all this applies especially to horses that are kept for pleasure, or for fast work. It applies fully as well to such as the farmer expects to sell for these purposes. It is no less important, approximately, that care like this be given a team that has been given more than ordinarily severe labor. V. Action of the Horse in Moving.— (^.) Outlines indicating positions of the horse in motion, after " Stone- henge." From the position of each limb, it will readily be seen from the figures how each of the feet are success- ively lifted. No. 4 being lifted last. (d.) The action in the true trot, which is a true rhyth- mic motion regularly, i, 2, 3, 4, is shown on page 54. (