FARM HORSES.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1334, 18 January 1881, Page 3

FARM HORSES.

Notwithstanding the wide application of fefceain to almost all branches of industry, the horse still remains tho chief motive power of the farmer. In .some countries much of the ploughing is done by steam, but in the case of our own Waikato farmers we cannot expect to see it employed for that puipo&e while fuel remains at anything like the present price, and while all kinds of blacksmith's work are so expens-ive. This is all the more to be regretted when it is considered that a vory large portion of the plain land, on account of its smoothness, is admirably adapted for the employment of machinery. The expense of ploughiug has been much reduced by the introduction of suitable double-furrow ploughs. The saving effected by the use of those implements, however, is principally in the amount of manual labour required, and not in horseflesh. It may be thought that because three horses plough two furrows with a double plough, while with a single plough it requires two horses to turn over one fuirow, the double implement saves a horse as well us a man; but a moment's consideration will show that the saving m horse-flesh is not so great as it appeals to be at first sight. Suppose the furrows turned over by both implements to be of equal sizes, the amount of strength requned to di.iw the double-plough will be neaily double of that required for the single one. and if the horbes drawing the former aie worked up to their sticngth, which is usually the case, those uhed in the * double-plough must be over-taxed, or else the farmer must piovide hiinsult with moie powerful and consequently more expensive horses. It is a well known fact that, to keep horses up to a certain condition, they must bo supplied with strengthening food accoiding to the amounnt of muscular exertion required of them. Therefore, if three horses are to perform in a double plough the same amount of work that four hoi&es do m two single ploughs, the three-horse team should receive as much food as the four that are di awing 1 the two single -ploughs. The stamp of horse required by the farmer, depends very much upon the natuie of his land, Tho horees that would be suitable to a farmer on light land, would be of little use to a man whose farm consists of heavy clay soil. It is of the first importance that hoisen should be strong enough for their work, so that they can pprform it without distress ; but most farm work is of a nature to require activity rather than great ■strength. In hari owing, for example, a huge, sluggish brute that could almost move a mountain at a dead pull, would work harder than a horse- of smaller strength but greater activity, as, in addition to tho diaught of the harrows, it would have the extra labour of conveying its heavier weight o\er the rough ground. It must be remembered that the strength of the harness horse is divided between pulling tho load and the exertion of travelling, so that the more strength it exerts in locomotion the less will be the power left for pulling, and the force expended in moving must be in proportion to the pace at which it travels. A small active h*>rse will of Een perform more general farm work, on account of its superior travelling powers, than a larger horse that could move half a8 much again at a dead pull, but which is unsuited for smart walking-. It is not unusual to hear comparisons drawn between the horses used on the Canterbury Plains and those in other parts of the colony, and not in any way favourable to the former. This is perhaps because the soil of the Plains is so ' easily worked, and the roads are so level that the want of high-class horses is not seriously felt, and farmers are averse to buying more expensive animala than they require — hence the limited market for high-class horses of which importers and breeders complain. In the Timaru and Oamaru districts the draught horses are, as a rale, much superior to those further north, for the reason that the country in the southern districts is of a hilly nature, necessitating the employment of heavier and more powerful horses, both for ordinary farm work and for draying on the road. But whether light or heavy, v it is extremely desirable that a horse should be good of its kind. Because farmers on level and sandy land do not require particularly powerful horses, is no reason why they should continue to use and breed an inferior stamp of animal. A few -words with regard to the management of farm horses. A farmer should never allow his horses to get in low condition. It is the most narrcw -minded and short-sighted economy, that induces a man to stint his horses in order that he may sell a few extra bags of oats. A halfstarved horse will never perform as much work as one in good condition, and as the horse takes such, an important part in the work of the farm, it is only -fair, and right that he shoulqLreceive as much of the pro- ( duce aa will keep his coat ' sleek and his ribs covered! The state in which a farm is kept indicates pretty clearly the dhaxao*" ter of the farmer, and from the condition

of a horse we may judge of the liberality or stinginess of its owner. A lean, roughcoated team is not a pleasant sight, and shows that its owner is not in prosperous circumstances, or elso that he deems it politic to stint his hoises and thus proclaim his inhumanity and want of sense. Horses are of very sensitive temperaments, and require careful usage. They, expend their strength willingly in the service of their masters, but soon learn bad habits : therefore a farmer should be careful as to ■whom, he entrusts the care of his team.