FEEDING NOTES.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 119, 31 May 1876, Page 2

FEEDING NOTES.

The following very practical directions as to the feeding and keeping of horses, are condensed from remarks made during a very interesting discussion upon the management of farm horses, at an annual meeting of the Dalrymple, Scotland, Farmer’s Society. Their author. Mr Campbell, of Dalrymple, was formerly driver of the Marquis of Hastings’ coach to Edinburgh, and was acknowledged to be one of the best whips in Scotland. His ideas upon stable management are therefore worthy of attention. The first thing to be done in the morning, Mr Campbell tells us, “is to try each horse with water/' then half a feed of grain, or better still, a proportion of beans. All the dry straw about the horse to be put up below his manger, then the stable to be thoroughly cleaned out. The horses to be well cleaned with curry-comb and wisp as preferable to the brush for that class of horses. When the horses are thoroughly dressed over, which in all should occupy about an hour, give them another feed of oats. Then at dinner-time, we shall say 1 o’clock, the horses to be watered, and a feed of corn and forage put into their racks, racks above the horses’ heads being entirely disapproved of, as it , is unnatural for a horse to have his food in that position. When the horses come in at night at 5 or 6 o’clock, each man should pick out his horse’s feet at the stable door, then take them in and unharness them, if they

hj Yj not Lad water before coming in let them have it now; then each horse to have a small pailful of boiled food. At 8 o’clock the men must again be at the stable, and must strip themselves to give a thorough dressing, being careful with the comb about any tender places, such as behind tlie forelegs and inside the thighs, for fear of Scratching the Skin, When the men are done, the master’s duty is to examine the horses to see that they are properly dressed, nlid if not. to point it out and have it properly done. This should occupy nearly nil hour. Then give another pailful of boiled food to each horse, With hay ■or straw in the rack again, The bed should then bo made down with a little fresh litter over the top. The bed should be thinnest under the horses feet, and gradually thicken towards the sides. The stable then to bo swept and shut Up for the night.