HINTS TO HORSE KEEPERS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1783, 7 November 1879, Page 4

HINTS TO HORSE KEEPERS.

■ To hear them talk (says a correspondent of •" Castner's Rural Australian ") one might be led to surmise that nothing new, or different and better than the prevailing practice, could be broached ; but I beg leave to state that the horses doing the hardest work on -the farm are very far from being judiciously and generously treated. Too much corn is given in warm weather, favoring the formation of bots, creating also great thirst for water almost invariably given cold, instead oiwith the chill taken off, and a hankering for an alterative like fresh grass; all of ■which alternately tend- to the extremes of heating and chilling, greatly impairing the -efficiency, much sweating and,,per contra, rapid cooling off, weaken sensibly. A mixture of straw chaff, without, succulent green food, is in order and precludes its being physic instead of food. Straw chaff likewise prevents the " balling " on the stomach Of hay cut very fine, and isa.g-od adjunct •io the grain, fed whole or 1 bruised, because •the animal, if leastwise greedy or.a nervous, rapid feeder, is not so apt to bolt food,_ but -must chew and salivate. 'Where the bruising of corn or oats is impracticable, their value is largely increased by being .steeped, in boiling hot water, covered several hours previous to being needed. The surplus water should not be rejected, but will be useful in blending the soaked com. or oats with the straw chaff, which cannot be blown off and separated from the , grain by knowing horses. I should .prefer-rye straw for the purpose ; it tends to impart a glossy float. I deprecate turning sweaty, dusty,.tired and hungry horses after a day's'hard'labor to pasture over night, in lieu of making them comfortable in a ventilated, .olean stable -with flooring, covered somewhat wfth straw, topped off with just suiffieient long straw to prevent their getting dirty by lying on the moist or filthy mass. This relates more especially to stallions and geldings. A chilly night spent in the open air, with, maybe heavy fogs or dew. the animals besides : tramping down and defiling as much .or more than they eat, are not calculated to maintain, still less enhance, tV eir efficiency ._ Who will invariably practice for himself | and try to induce his farmer neighbours -to take off the harness - at least the collar—at noon before feeding, and thus easing hisi team? Who, farther, will dispense with all and any straps not absolutely indispensable. ] A farmer of large experience insured 'his mares being served by tbe studs located at .a. distance, by just giving for a week or so the moderate messes, slowly increased, of well-; boiled or steamed sound rye meal, by way ot condiment. He gained much in time, being , rarely compelled to -take the mares again j owing, I surmise, to a considerably aug- j merited chance of fertility. In this connec- I tion it occurß to me to add the fact that horses whose foreqnarters are the heaviest, take their characteristics from the sire, whilst those with heavy hindquarters more resemble the dam, I lore horses, and the desire to see them more wisely and kindly used is my excuse for broaching the theme.