On The Land

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LIII, Issue 12, 12 February 1932, Page 8

On The Land

THE FARM HORSE

CARE AND TRAINING,

Advice on the handling and management of foals was given by Mr A. Edwards (Taragoro) of South Australia, in a paper read at a recent farmers' conference. He maintained that foals should be handled when young, tied up and taught to lead, and should be broken in when about 2i years old. If the colt was of an awkward kind, rather heavy in the limber for his body, he should be left a little longer.

Heavy and continuous work should be avoided for a while, and the hours per day should not be long. The hoofs should be watched for cracks and breaking away. In the light class of soils the hoofs grow very quickly and spread out like frying pans, consequently they broke off on stumps and caused lameness. Cracks which developed were usually treated with tar or by shoeing.

It was better to have collars rather on the small side than too large, and they should fit close to the neck. Shoulders of horses being of different shapes required different shaped collars. He had soaked a new collar in water and put it on the horj«j while wet, with good results. If horses were not overloaded, shoulders well groomed before the collars were put on, and the shoulders of young horses were washed with cold water with a little salt added, sore shoulders should not cause very much worry.