Care of Draught Horses

Tuapeka Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 5964, 27 July 1912, Page 4

Care of Draught Horses

The care of draught horses at any time of the year demands tlio attention of farmers and teamster* (-writes " Busticus" in th, ; Lyttelton Times). In winter time that raiv should not in the least degree be withdrawn, although -the 'teams may not be so actively engaged ai tiiev were at oth'T seasons «f the y'ar. Food a iid warmth form their chief requirements, and neither of theee things should ever he overlooked. It must bo remembered that horse has not as good digestive powers as cattle or sheep. The latter will digest coarse food much more, easily than tin: horse. It does not pay to give horses mouldy or smutty cram, mouldy hay, or spoiled food of any kind. Horses have died through being fed on these foodstuffs, while sheep and cattle have taken but little injurv on the same kind offered.' The sum- applies to plants and fodder affected with fungus growths such; a s smut and rust, or with ergot. It is therefore necessary that the food given to horses should be superior to that supplied to other animals. Roots ia re a great aid to horses in winter time. Carrots, mangles, and swe-ds are relished by all kinds of horses. Mangels should not be fed just yet to any animals, but must be ke;it till they gre properly ripe. At pi-r-sent mangels are liable lo cause scouring. H thiy can ijg f,. ( ) towards sprin" so muph th» "better. Molasses „ivl linseed arc 'both good .helps Howards feeding horses in winter time. They help to keep a good skin o« the anianmrals ; they add varietv to the feed and ar« often cheaper than a full ration of oats. Some* farmers feed molasses during the most <■ f the ,y<W, and horses get to relish it very much. Worses appear to do very ugll viblv

cut stabling, even, in a severe will-1 ter, provided that they are provided with good ruga. It is, iof course, unnecessary to cover «hem while working* but as soon as they knock off they should be covered. 'lf they -are resting while in the yoke, it is sounetinnee a good plan to throw a bag over the loins, if Mw dav is a cold r ire, but oven this precaution is very seldom taken. Horses which <iare stabled are more likely to take cold than ihoso which are fed on in the open. It has been pointed out lx>fore that a good cover and t-omc. decent shelter, such as a big gorse fence, plantation, or, bettor still, a straw stack, will enable horses to expend their food in keeping up their condition and forming fat and muscle, instead of using it to maintain the lieat of the body.

The grooming of -horses is -also an important factor in their well-being at any season of the year. A horse in heavy work sweats a good deal, and a proportion of waste material from the body becomes deposited on the skin and in the hair. Ifhcrses are keptvclipped there is not so much sweat poured through the skin as there is when the full weight of lwiir is being carried. -Nevertheless on a hot day, when a horse is in full work there is a certain amount of perspiration, and this should be removed. If grooming is not done regularly the skin •will become dirty and itchy, and therefore for the sake of healtlh, as well as appearance, grooming should not be neglected. On some farms horses are rubbed down immediately they come in, particularly if they a ro in a sweaty condition. A piece of hoop-iron is sometime used as a scraper, but a good cur-ry-comb and brush are handier and moiT effective to use. 'As a rule grooming is just as important in winter as it is in the warmer n-onths ;in fact, it is often more necessary because the food, if it consists, wholly of chaflF and oats, is not calculated to keep the skin in good condition! In spring the ycnuvg «rn>w helps to keep the skin riialht. Something of tho same sort of thing may 1« accomplished -in the winter bv feeding on root.:, .molasses, linseed, and similar foods. If the skin s kept in a nice healthy condition Infeeding and grooming the sweat pores are opened, and the horse will stand hard work much better th;>n if these little points ure neglected.