U \ ) UNITED STATES 'V BiGGLE Horse Book A concise; and practicai. treatise on the horse, ORIGINAI. AND COMPILED. ADAPTED TO THE NEEDS OF FARMERS AND OTHERS WHO , HAVE A KINDI^Y REGARD FOR THIS NOBI,E SERVITOR OF MAN. / "A/zuays speak to a Horse as yoii would to a Gentleman. " II-L^WSTRKTEID PHILADELPHIA WILMER ATKINSON COMPANY 1894 5 Copyright, 1894, By Wilmer Atkinson Company. PREFACE. The Author has not much to say by way of Preface. A portion of the raaterial contained herein has been contributed by practical Horsemen and Veterinarians of the highest standing in the United ^States. It contains much of the kindly wisdom of John Tucker and the gentle thought of Harriet Biggie as they have been displayed in the pages of the Farm Jotirnal. Much space has been given to the humane Training of the Horse, to his proper Housing and Feeding, to the Care of his Feet, and to the Education of the Colt. The Author is fully conscious of the incompleteness of the work, of its imperfections and omissions ; but he has done the best he could in the space allotted, and hopes his book will be of permanent value to all into whose possession it may come. JACOB BIGGLE. Elmwood Farm. INVOCATION. When cold and wet, please rub me dry, And do not beat me when 1 shy; Give twice a week a hot bran mash, With corn and oats, and salt, a dash ; Ten pounds each day of hay that's free From dust, all you should give to me ; Feed twice a week, instead of oats, A pair of carrots, 'twill shine my coat ; When hot, don't give me drink or grain ; When cold, don't stand me iii the rain ; Batten my stable warm and tight. And see that it's kept clean' and light. In winter, blanket close and bed me deep, And you'll find I'll pay you for my keep. ACKNOWLEDGMENT. The Author would gratefully recognize the important aid rendered in the preparation of this work, by the writings of Doctors Salmon, Michener, Harbaugh, Trumbower, Law, Liautard and Holcomb, Veterinarians of the highest ability in America, and to Mr. Hollister Sage, of Connecticut, who contributed much useful data, and to the Pennsylvania Engraving Co., and James M. Bryant, Illustrators and En- gravers, of Philadelphia. 1^^^^^^ fe*' ■* ■ V-mm W^ hi' s ^g^pfe^. 1 ^^^^^ i 1 «mi'-*f*^:.^^^^ 1 ^^w ■fc^ IWfca CONTENTS. Preface 5 Invocation 6 Acknowledgment 6 History ii Horse Maxims 13 CHAPTER I. — THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. Cleveland Bay — Yorkshire Bay — French Coach — The Morgan — The Hackney — Horse for Draught ; for the Farm — The Good Mule — Shetland Pony 15 "■ CHAPTER II. — FEEDING AND WATERING. Observations on Feeding — Rules for Watering — Salting — Feeding Conveniences and Watering Tank and Trough — General Notes 31 CHAPTER III. IN THE STABLE AND AT WORK. The Stable Should Be Light, Clean and Free from Bad Odors ; the Floor Even — Grooming — Bedding — Conveniences — The Good Teamster — Overloading — Trotting Down Hill 40 CHAPTER IV.— WHIMS and vices. Managing the Balky Horse — Tail Rubbing — Kicking — The Puller — Pawing — Rolling in the Stable — Tearing the Blanket 50 CHAPTER v.— harness hints. Halters — The Collar — Blinders — In Fly-time — Triple Reins — Leading a Broncho — A Harness Closet — What Harriet Says 53 CHAPTER VI. — AILMENTS AND REMEDIES. Most Ailments Come from Improper Feeding and Watering — Importance of Having a Good Teamster — Worms — Indigestion — Colic — Sore Shoulder — Choking Distemper — Heaves — Dysentery .... 58 lO CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. — AILMENTS AND REMEDIES — CONTINUED. Glanders — Gorged Stomach — Lockjaw — Choking — Hooks — Lice — Knuckling — Ring Bone — Spavin — Scratches — Itching Skin — Overdriven Pace .... 63 CHAPTER VIII.— DOCTORING. Giving Medicine — Medicine Ball — Injections — Physic — Condition Powders — Ending a Horse's Life ... 70 Mare Maxims 74 CHAPTER IX.— MARE AND COLT, Have an Aim in Breeding — Breeding Farm Horses — The Foal — Feeding the Colt — General Observations 75 CHAPTER X. — THE colt's education. It Should Begin Early — Some Methods — Gentleness Necessary — Tying Securely — Forming Good Habits — In General 83 Colt Philosophy 89 CHAPTER XL— the foot. Description — The Barefooted Horse — Some Ailments of the Foot ; Flow Caused and Cured 90 Horse Maxims 96 CHAPTER XII.— shoeing. Proper Treatment of the Feet in Shoeing — Mistakes Pointed Out — Fitting the Shoe to the Foot — Con- tracted Feet-^Interfering and Striking — Frequent Shoeing Necessary. 97 Miscellaneous Maxims 103 CHAPTER XIIL— A word from Harriet. Making the Horse Happy — A Cheerful Animal the Most Useful — Importance of Gentleness — The Horse's Good Qualities Pointed Out — The Docked Horse. . 105 Colt Philosophy iio tH AFTER XIV.— age of a horse. How to Tell the Age of a Horse by His Teeth — The Age in Verse , iii CHAPTER XV. — some good books for horsemen. 116 Index 119 HISTORY. In all authentic history of the human race, we find the horse mentioned as the servant and companion of man. When the horse was first domesticated is not known, nor do we know of what country he is a native. Central Asia, Arabia and Central Africa each claims this honor, and we will not dispute the claims of either. In the time of Moses, horses were used in Egypt ; and later on, Solomon kept and used large numbers of them. From Job's vivid description it is evident that they were used and well bred in the countries farther east. Horses are represented in the carvings on the ruins of ancient Ninevah and in the marble friezes of the Greek Parthenon. \\Tien the Romans invaded Britain, they found the natives using horses of superior quality, and took some of them back to Rome. It is supposed that the Spaniards brought horses to South America as early as 1535, and that soon afterwards others were shipped to Paraguay. From these importations, it is thought there resulted the coimtless herds that have since spread over South America, and, passing the Isthmus of Panama, wandered into Mexico and California. In like manner, Evuopean settlers carried this noble animal to Australia, where, as in America, he has multiplied to a prodigious extent. He has, indeed, been diffused by the agency of man throughout the whole inhabited globe. REFERENCE 0. Poll or nape of the neck. 1. Neck. I^. Jugular gutter, 2. Withers. 3. Back. 4. Loins. 5. Croup. 6. Tail. 7. Parotid region. 8. Throat. 9. Shoulder. 10. Point of the shoulder. 11. Arm. 12. Elbow. 13. Forearm. 14. Chestnut. 15. Knee. 16. Canon. 17. Fetlock. 18. Pastern. 19. Coronet. CHART. 20. Foot. 21. Xiphoid region. 22. Ribs. 23. Abdomen. 24. Flank, 25. Sheath. 26. Testicles. 27. Buttock. 27 bis. Angle of buttock. 28. Thigh. 28 bis. Haunch. 29. Stifle. 30. Leg. 31. Hock. 32. Chestnut. 2)2)- Canon. 34. Fetlock. 35. Pastern. 36. Coronet. 37. Foot. HORSE MAXIMS. John Tucker says : Proper food and lots of sentiment ivill make with good blood a good horse. The brush -will save oats. There is a great deal of saving i7i a walk. It is all right to feed the horse hay only tzuice a day and the most at night. Find some tvay of keeping the horses busy all winter. Thtis only will they keep sound and be ready for hard spring work when it comes. It is expensive to 7oarm ice-zvater inside the stock. Horses cat dii't and gnazo their mangers from habit and because they want to. Ask the horses if they can'' t help out the hay mow by eating the straw sprinkled zvitJi bran. If you mtist ptit frosty bits in some mouths, let it be your own. Stifferirig begets sympathy. 14 HORSE MAXIMS. Harriet Biggle says : There are oats ut the currycojiib. There is more profit in coaxing than in kicks. Do not push the plozv team the first zveek or you may get behind. If they throw up their heads and act titnidly look after your st'ableinan. Such acts speak lotider than words. Carry the bridles zvith you to the house when yozi go to breakfast and ptit the bits near the stove while yoti eat. Be gentle, be kind, be patient. Always speak to a horse as yeu would to a gentleman. A horse can travel safer and better with his head hang- ing dozun or free than it can when it is checked up. By all means, let your horse have its head. The three greatest enemies of the horse a7-e idleness, fat and a dumb blacksmith. Did you ever think of it? The whip is the parent of stubbornness. It is sure to be found somewhere in the pedi- gree of evejy balky horse. In training a young horse, use as intelligent brain instead of a crziel whip. Many a horse stands up all night because its stall is not made comfortable to lie down in. You cannot whip terror out of a horse or potind courage into one. Kindness and reasonable persuasion are the best weapons to use in training and educating a horse. If he .shies or frightens, soothe and encourage him, rather than beat and abuse him. Give to me nutritious food ; Give me vi^ater pure and good ; When the chilling winds do blow, Over me a blanket throw ; Shield me from all cruelty ; When I'm old be kind to me. CHAPTER I. THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. Cleveland Bay — Yorkshire Bay — French Coach — The Mor- gan — The Hackney — Horse for Draught ; for the Farm — The Good Mule— Shetland Pony. Realizing that lack of space forbids a description of every breed and type of horse known, it is our aim to describe only a few horses that fad and fashion," which usually mean practical utility, have brought to the front of modern popu- larity. THE CLEVELAND BAY constituted a well-established breed in the Cleveland district, Yorkshire, Eng., as long ago as 1 740. It was named from the location and his invariable color, ranging from light to very dark bay. For at least 150 years the Cleveland Bay has been renowned as deep enough in breeding to insure transmission of his popular and solid constitution and bay color, and has been considered the best general -purpose horse 'bred in England. During that time a few farmers kept the blood of the Cleveland Bay pure, and refused to mix it with other horses of the district. Some of the long- time farm leases of Yorkshire provide that the favorite Cleveland Bay mare and her progeny should be bred pure on that farm during the term of the lease, and this has pre- served the breed in all its renowned essentials. Such breeders now show with pride their records of breeding, of prizes won, and of profits for their favorite breed. Thirty years ago a few breeders thus owned most of the mares that had been bred pure, when a sudden demand sprung up for i6 THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. horses with level heads, good constitution, large bone and endurance, and drew attention to this breed. Then its friends were rewarded by large prices for their horses. From that time they have been most carefully bred. They are especially desirable for family teams because of their fine style and action, level heads and good disposition. The CLEVELAND BAY FILLY. farmer trusts his hired men with them in the field because they are adjustable, and sends the women to market with them and to church in good style without fear of fractious conduct or a runaway. They are intelligent, sensible, good roadsters and stylish. For this reason they arfe unexcelled as teams for wealthy city men who are willing and able to pay a good price. The cut represents the two-year-old filly THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. I7 owned by The Cleveland Bay Horse Company, of Paw Paw, Mich. She is a fair specimen of a beautiful breed. THE YORKSHIRE BAY. Among the finest carriage horses in the world is the high- class Yorkshire Bay, combining as he does the quality and grace of the thoroughbred with the strength, color and beauty of form of the Cleveland. He is an ideal of all that is mag- nificent and useful in the carriage horse. His color is a rich, shining bay, his coat is as bright and fine and as glossy and as iridescent as that of the race horse ; his legs, mane and tail are raven black, setting off the splendor of his golden color. He is strong and lengthy ; he stands over a great deal of ground; his top has the flowing lines of the Cleve- land back and level quarter ; his ribs are well sprung ; he carries his neat head and arched crest as well as his high-set tail with all the pride and grace of an Arab, and no bearing- rein is needed to make him bend. At rest and in action he is a golden picture of stateliness. There may be other breeds that lift the knee higher, but the movement of the Yorkshire Bay is fine and free ; it is not a mere snapping of the knee and flexing of the hocks, but he moves smoothly, evenly and with liberty from the shoulders and thighs ; step- ping lightly and airily, yet with a long reach, he covers the ground swiftly and with ease. The Yorkshire Bay is a created type ; its home is the north and east ridings of Yorkshire. It has been formed by selection and crossing the Cleveland directly or indirectly with the thoroughbred. THE FRENCH COACH horses are a combination of power, endurance and ele- gance that represents the outcome of centuries of government protection, and the careful breeding of the best horses ob- 1 8 THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. tainable, controlled by the best minds trained for the purpose and supported by unlimited means. No other civilized na- tion has ever taken the uninterrupted interest in the improve- ment of the equine race that France has evinced. As early as the Feudal Ages her stock of horses had a far-reaching fame, due to the individual necessity of the knight. As the government became more centralized, the powers of state became responsible for the production of a higher class of horses for military protection and equipment. As early as 1690 statistics prove France to have had 1,600 horses in her federal studs, A century later this number had increased to 3,239 stalhons that sired 55,000 living colts. From 1815 to 1833 France bought 1,902 stallions for public service, and of these 223 came from Arabia and other foreign countries. The remainder were selections principally within her own borders. In 1 833 a royal stud-book was established, and since then the improvement in horses has been greater than ever. The government has kept one central object con- stantly in view, to encourage the people by every possible means to a higher standard of breeding, and at the same time to furnish them the means by which to accomplish this purpose, by introducing in every locality the finest of the different breeds and types, which are offered for service to owners of choice mares at nominal fees. The animals men- tioned are not all owned by the government, but many are owned by individuals, and having been inspected and ap- proved by the authorized officials, are employed at 300 to 3,000 francs per annum, and others still, though not salaried, are recommended governmentally as worthy of public patronage. To prevent the use of inferior stock, all horses not authorized by government are excluded from service. Besides this, large sums are annually expended as prizes for choice colts reared under governmental auspices. 20 THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. Gemare, the horse shown, is a stallion belonging to J. S. Sanborn, of Elmwood Stock Farm, Lewiston Junction, Me. Eight half brothers of this horse are owned by the French Government and stand in the national haras, and seventy- eight of his half brothers and sisters have been winners in the annual races of France. He is bay, sixteen hands, and weighs 1,250 pounds. His sire is the government stallion Phaeton, dam Esperence. THE MORGAN. The Morgan is termed by many the "American Hack- ney." He is known as a stayer. The ambition among old Norfolk trotter enthusiasts was not to go a mile in two minutes, but an unlimited distance in a limited time. The aim was 100 miles in ten hours to saddle, and the Morgan has the ability. Cir- cumstances of locality have influ- ^ .»^«..T«-a>™«™«^ — «,™ , enced this breed for such a purpose THE MORGAN HORSE. "lore than any other class of horses. The hills of New Eng- land prevent stretches of speed and encourage staying powers against adverse conditions. The old Morgan appears to have had size and contour similar to the old Norfolk, with greater substance. For long, steady, untiring work, the Morgan will unquestionably come to the front again iii popularity. The history of the breed dates back to the foaling of Justin Morgan in 1793. This horse was taken from his home at Springfield, Mass. , when two years old, to Vermont. His breeding is believed to be as follows : Sire True Briton, by Morton's Traveler, by Croft's Partner, by Jigg, by Byerly THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. 21 Turk, whose dam was by Curwen's Bay Barb. Justin Mor- gan is conceded to have much Arabian blood in him. He was dark bay, fourteen hands and 950 pounds. His walk was rapid and trot a smooth stride, and he was noted for courage, untiring action and beauty. He left six entire sons, Hawkins, Sherman, Bulrush, Fenton, Revenge and Wood- bury. Sherman, Bulrush and Woodbury left stock that has made them famous. From the first came the Blackhawks, Ethan Aliens, Lamberts, Knoxes and Herods ; from Bul- rush the MoiTils and Fearnaughts, and from Woodbury the Golddusts and Magna Chartas. Each of these families now has numerous members in the 2.30 list. The Morgan is a trotting roadster, only that instead of turning off a fast mile he rapidly covers many miles with ease. His animation and eagerness make him a general favorite, whether for pleasm-e or business. The Morgans are a long-lived race. Justin died at 29, Sherman and Gifford at 26, Revenge at 22, Bulrush at 35, Billy Root at 23 and Royal at 37. Their prepotency for 100 years has been remarkable. The engrav- ing is of Sultan, a perfect Morgan owned and bred by The Morgan Horse Company, of Carpentersville, 111. THE HACKNEY. Many persons make the mistake of believing every com- pactly built horse a Hackney, when in truth this animal is a distinctly English-bred trotter of exact type and antiquity of origin, dating, his lovers say, as far back in English litera- ture as 1 1 70. A Hackney should be bred for quality as much as possible, and he must have bone and muscle enough to do the work required of him. The demand is for power enough to draw four persons ten to twelve miles per hour without trouble. ' The Hackney has made some remarkable 22 THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. records as a trotter, and is by no means devoid of track qualifications. THE DRAUGHT HORSE. Few men who buy horses will ask whether they are Nor- man, Clyde, Belgian, Percheron or Suffolk. They only seek large, handsome, good horses, reasonably sound, with free action, and will pay good money and be glad to get them. They are all grand horses, and, except for the heavily haired leg -or clean leg, no man can tell one from another. All are most valuable and come from one source. They have THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. 23 become what we see them by dimatic influence, feed and environment. We must have weight to suit the city markets. A proud-stepping, vigorous, powerful Draught Horse, with beautiful form, is eagerly demanded by commerce. Only high-class mares and the best Draught sires can produce such horses. Too many small chunks are bred. They fail to bring Draught Horse prices, and their breeders then pro- nounce Draught Horse breeding a failure. A requisite for the farmer's horse is early maturity, or size and strength to perform much of the farmer' s necessary work while growing or being fitted for market, and this without break- ing down or being in- jured in any way by such work. He should be of medium size, evenly proportioned with flat limbs power- fully jointed, but not coarse. Bays, browns and chestnuts are the favorite colors. Select animals with a swinging road gait that will draw two men a mile in four minutes or ten miles an hour, a horse that can go fifty to sixty miles in a day without feel- ing it. The action should be courageous and free, and he should have bottom enough to repeat the performance as frequently as one may desire. It is not difficult to get a high price for such horses. The man who has any Hackneys, French Coachers, or Cleveland Bays is not far out of the way. HEAD OF DRAUGHT HORSE. 24 THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. There is no brighter possibility for the farmer than in breed- ing large, young native mares of amiable disposition to full- blood stallions, thus obtaining half-blood grades at slight cost. Such animals are as good for all practical purposes as if full-bloods and sell as well for all purposes except breeding. ■ ^4.-' "' ''^^i^WBliltiii^v^i^ii '^■^^H^^^^^BhI^H^h ' ~ '=^|^P^^^^^|HBb • ': WW - jMI;: CLYDESDALE. Why does not some enterprising breeder make a specialty of intelligence in horses, as has been done in the case of the dog with marvelous results ? There would be money in the thing. Let the breeder of horses school himself to sell his stock for just what it is. He will quickly make a good name for himself, and be able to get for his really good horses enough THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. 2$ to more than recompense what he loses in telling the truth about the poorer ones. A good riding horse should have a long neck and carry its head high. The rider wants to see some horse ahead of him. The pony ate the parson — How came that to pass ? The pony heard the parson say^ ' ' Alljlesh is grass. " THE GOOD MULE. "It is a poor mule that won't work both ways." Having made a business of rearing mules for market, I have learned many things concerning the breeding and use- fulness of this animal that those persons should have who are convinced he is a vicious and untrustworthy brute. To breed anything like the ideal mule, greater care must be exercised in the selection of sire and dam than is neces- sary in producing a model horse. How many ill-shaped, ugly mules we see, each the result of careless breeding ! I have been taught by obsei^^ation that more depends upon the sire than upon the dam in getting an ideal mule foal. Good points, however, come readily from both sides. Some men, in selecting a Jack, look to his height, and, for such, the more daylight found under him the better. What foolish men ! The Jack must be low and heavily quartered, with large bone and a neat head. This sire will bring good mules nearly every time. Some men who own curby, heavy crooked mares say, '* They'll do to raise mules." This carelessness, coupled with ignorance, accounts for the great number of degenerated hybrids. A mule possesses keener instinct than a horse, and for this reason is easily trained. He should be handled from the very beginning of his life. A small leather halter should 26 THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. be worn about the stable for the purpose of holding him while being patted and rubbed about the head. This kind treatment will win respect for the owner of the most stubborn little hybrid for all future time. I have never found an ex- ception to this rule. I have found, however, that by tickling and teasing, it is easy to get an all-round kicker. The young mule should be bitted when rising in his second year and harnessed to light work. I have never seen a mule that I could not train to be good and gentle by handling him THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. 27 firmly, but easily and quietly. A good, tough mule will usually show it when a stranger approaches him. He will be shy. This shyness is his staple virtue and means snap. What is the mule best adapted to ? and what is he not adapted to ? I use mules only on my farm and have no horses. The mule is harnessed for all purposes, from plowing in new ground to attending funerals — both solemn occasions. He has a swinging gait, peculiar to himself, that makes him a speedy animal for such farm work as mowing and raking, cultivating and reaping. He is especially well adapted to the coach, being sufficiently speedy and exceed- ingly plucky and handsome enough for any king to sit behind. General George Washington, much noted for keeping handsome horses, was also an extensive raiser of mules. Among the hills of Pennsylvania, where lumbering and mining is so extensively carried on, the mule is king of the collar. In this county (Westmoreland) the mule market is always good. I am happy to say the tariff never affects our mule market very much. Among the mountains of Western Pennsylvania the mule is an indispensable beast, as much as on the cotton and tobacco plantations and in the cane brakes of the sunny South. John A. Brant. RuFUS Mason says : To a young man cotirting a girl whom he suspects is not qtiite as sensible as she ought to be, he can go on horseback ; but the day after the wedding, trade off the horses and get a first-rate mule team. She won't dress so fine to ride behind mtdes ; and, seeiitg that . the mules are sensible and businesslike, she will have a good example before her. SHETLAND PONY. The Shetland ponies are from thirty-four to forty-four inches high. They are very hardy and strong, with long 28 THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. manes and tails. These are a protection to them in the cold climate in which they are reared. They have long and shaggy coats. After being in America a few years, their coats become finer. The Shetland Islands, where they come from, are north of Scotland. The pasture is scanty and the climate severe. This is why they have become so small. They will carry a full-grown man, but the trouble is to find a good place for the rider's feet. But they are just adapted to the boy and girl. A child will get more fun, physical development and ruddy health to the square inch with a pony than in any other way. The child who has a pony should be taught to care for it. In this way the little boy or girl can take in horse sense, and this knowledge of how to do things will be of great benefit to them. The pony will think more of them and they will think more of the pony. There is now a THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. 29 great demand for ponies, and there will be more as people find out how much good it is for the children to own them. The picture represents Sparkle, a beautiful specimen owned by J. jSIurray Hoag, of Maquoketa, Iowa, who im- ports large numbers of them. 30 FEEDING AND WATERING. .^^^-^-^ ^^^^. ^F^^^^--^!!:^^:::^^ ^^^^^^m V ^^^^^^^ " / 111' A ■" ' \\? / \\ // ] 1 .Mm^mm- SHOWING DIGESTIVE APPARATUS,* I. Mouth. 10. Caecum. 2. Pharynx. II. Small intestine. 3. CEsophagus. 12. Floating colon. 4. Diaphragm. 13. Rectum. 5. Spleen. 14. Anus. 6. Stomach. 15. Left kidney and its ureter 7. Duodenum. 16. Bladder. 8. Liver, upper extremity. 17. Urethra. 9. Large colon. * Haines, after Megnin. From Prof. Michener iu U. S. Gov. Report on Diseases of Animals. CHAPTER II. FEEDING AND WATERING. Observations on Feeding-^Rules for Watering — Salting — Feeding Conveniences and Watering Tank and Trough — General Notes. Of food and drink give me the best. From brtital treattnent keep me free ; Give me when tired a little rest, And see how tisefid I can be. A horse has a smaller stomach than an ox and conse- quently it must be fed less at a time. It has less power to digest coarse foods. It eats much slower, as it must do all its chewing before the food is swallowed. For these reasons it requires a longer time to eat and its food should be more concentrated. It wants only a little coarse food at a time. Most people feed too much rather than too little. Two pounds per day of hay and grain for each loo pounds of live weight, is usually enough for good working condition. A general all-round good ration for any horse consists of six parts bran, three of oats and one of linseed-oil meal. It is a grand combination for muscle, for work and for health. In cold weather corn should be added, and the cornmeal, oats and bran may ba of equal weight, still adding a little linseed meal. Feed a small amount of hay twice a day. There is no doubt that farmers generally depend too much on corn to feed their work horses. Corn is good to lay on fat, but muscle is what a work horse needs, to give which 32 FEEDING AND WATERING. oats are a much better feed. However plentiful corn may be, it should be fed sparingly. Lay on as much muscle as you please, the more the better, but a horse overburdened with fat is unable to stand as much hard work as one whose muscles are better developed. Great care and regularity should be given to watering and feeding. The water should in summer be clean, fresh and cool, and in the winter should be free from ice. Every horse ■ should have cut hay, straw, corn-fodder, or wheat chaff, wetted and mixed with bran, at least once a day the year round. In the hot weather a horse should not be fed much com. Bran and oats are much better. The more work the more feed, of course. The practice of feeding the horse when tired and thirsty is altogether too common, and then too with the extra thirst of a full meal allow it to gorge itself with water. When this is done the horse should remain quiet for a full hour before starting on the road or at hard work to get space for its lungs to play and its heart to beat, by the digestion of the food and its removal to the bowels. Did you ever get in your mouth or on your plate some potato that had soured in the hot weather? If so, you know something of the misery a horse must suffer when compelled to take all his food from a sour manger. Cut food, moist- ened, is very likely to sour the manger. The good horseman will always bend over it when tying his charges. Sourness is easily detected and easily cured by a pail of scalding water. A pinch of charcoal dust thrown in the manger daily will help keep things sweet and prevent acidity in the horse's stomach. If the horse eats lots of grain and does not do well, it must have sore teeth or a poor digestion. It is an easy thing to have the teeth smoothed so it can eat well. If the trouble FEEDING AND WATERING. 33 is in the stomach, feed less grain. Too much grain will often make a disordered stomach, and the animal will do better on less. The breath of a horse or any other animal upon its food is unwholesome. For this reason put into the manger only food enough for one meal. jMeal is not a natural food for a horse which can chew well. They eat it too fast and it does not get enough saliva with it to digest well. The saliva is the first secretion in the process of digestion and it must do its part to have the food agree fully with the animal. Green forage crops must be fed with discretion and not largely at first, or the result will be profuse sweating, result- ing in weakness, and sometimes colic. It is never safe to turn horses with strong, unsatisfied appetites for green crops loose in the rank growth. Every barn should have a bran bin which should be re- plenished annually at the time when bran is low in price. Its cost per ton is usually as low or lower than that of the best hay. Bran should be fed liberally when the old coat is shedding, and each horse should be treated to a daily ration in summer. Its tendency is laxative, keeping the entire system cool, and its effect upon the skin excellent, prevent- ing surface irritation common among animals fed largely upon corn. Four quarts of bran with a pint to a quart of oil meal lightly salted will appeal keenly to the horse's taste. Potatoes are an excellent food for horses during the winter, in connection with other food, keeping their bowels open and their skins loose. There is nothing better than sweet apples to help put a horse in fine condition. Give them four quarts at a mess three times a day with the grain. Few people realize the value of sweet apples as a relish for horses. 34 FEEDING AND WATERING. One of the most useful foods whether green or hayed is oats and peas. The crop is easily raised in large quantities on rich land well prepared, where one-half bushel of peas are sown with two and one-halfbushelsof oats per acre. As soon as the peas are in full bloom the fodder is ready for use, and all should be cut for feeding or drying before the peas are ripe. If it should happen to be dull weather and the crop matures, no harm has been done, because it can be cured, run through the threshing machine and straw cutter, moist- ened, and the ground oats and peas sprinkled over it. Experienced horsemen understand that with a heavy feed of oats, at night, and a light breakfast, a horse gets a reserved stock of muscular strength laid in in advance, and travels faster and further than one having a hearty morning feed. A warm bran mash does good occasionally. Don't let the bowels of any horse become constipated. A night pasture for work horses will help to cool their blood. Give them their grain ration just the same. There are a few horses whose stomachs will not tolerate rye in any form ; will either get colic or staggers. Rye is always a dangerous feed when given alone. Spasmodic salting is all wrong for any animal, and espe- cially for horses. It may cause colic, and often does. The horse eats too much salt at a time, if only salted now and then, and when this is the case the coats of the stomach and the bowels are irritated, and congestion takes place and ex- cessive thirst. The horse then drinks too much and a chill follows, and this makes more congestion and inflammation may follow, and colic and a set-back, if not death. What is the use of such doings ? It is just as easy, and easier, to be more sensible, and to keep salt before the horse all the time, and then it will partake as directed by its instincts, and FEEDING AND WATERING. 35 only a lick will be eaten. Prepare the horse for the con- stant supply by giving it a little every day for a week, and then no harm will come. Teamsters should feed their own horses, and every team- ster who takes pride in his team should handle the measure himself, and should make appetite and digestion of food a subject of study. Horses refuse their feed because of overwork, too little exercise, or because the food is not right in some way, sore- ness of mouth or teeth, or general faulty management. If the trouble is due to overfeeding, short rations for a day or two will remedy it. Food that is not eaten within a reason- able time should be removed from the manger and the ration correspondingly reduced. No animal should have more than he will eat up clean. When a horse refuses to eat and becomes thin and weak for no apparent reason, he should have some condiment to increase the appetite. A good combination is the following : Ground oats and corn, of each five pounds ; oil meal, four ounces ; salt, two ounces ; a dessertspoonful of powdered gentian, and a small tea- spoonful of dried sulphate of iron. If the animal refuses the ration a little starvation will make him taste it, when his dislike will cease at once. Begin -with a small quantity of this mixture for each meal, and increase it gradually until a full ration is being fed. "Water your horse before you give him hay. Give him hay before you give him grain. Give the concentrated food last. His stomach is not large enough to hold all at once. The digestion of food is frequently badly retarded or pre- vented by mistakes in watering. Water should always be offered the horse twenty minutes before he is fed, and never less than two hours after feeding. The drink is rapidly taken from the stomach by the intestines, and the time men- 36 FEEDING AND WATERING. tioned is sufficient to distribute three or four gallons of water throughout the digestive tract, diluting the salivary secretion so as to supply all water needed for digestion of the food. When regular watering is practiced no water will be craved soon after food. To observe this method prevents the wash- ing of undigested food from the stomach into the intestines, where it ferments, producing gas and resulting in colic. (^ THE BARN TANK. There is no greater convenience in and about a horse barn than water obtainable instantly and at wholesale. Many persons are not situated where they can have pipe water at command, and will delight in arranging a tank in the upper part of the barn which may be kept full by the use of a hand or power pump. This tank should have an overflow pipe so that it will never ■-py^yNj^^^xV be filled so full as to make trouble. It need not be anything more than a cask well hooped and painted. A lOO-gallon box lined with metal will answer better, perhaps, in quickly supply- ing drink for the horses, water for sponging their feet and legs, washing carriages, washing the floors and windows, etc. A hose is a great aid to the rapid washing of windows, and with a tank in the loft one is as independent of city water works as of Niagara. In connection with the water system every one should have a slatted platform an inch or two above the ground, where the wagons may be drawn for washing. Here the water and mud are instantly washed away, so that the hands and sponge are kept clean avoiding varnish scratching, and the feet are not kept in a puddle. FEEDING AND WATERING. 31 The most economical troughs are those made from plank. Use /m