On Feeding Horses

Benjamin Fivmklin ha-; said tlint. "K ;.ci-'i .■■■ kees -i denr school, bnt rn in no otlier." Thí i ís imleeil very trtie, yol notwitlistaiidhig, ïïi'ïdiii) i'.iiii ilny tn dn v. piiying deary fot1 oúr experiencé. ïbóiisands of liorses iumI caUlo are ]st annually by injudieïous modes of feeding wliich a ilttlc care or foretliought ox atteution to the warnings of experienca vroukl have averted. Physicians teil us that (til sudilen chancea in our diot and modes ot' living are more or less iniirloiia and often dsiigerons. This is the it.sh] i oi' oxperienoe, yet we pay very iil tle attention t it. Ttaey calcúlate w'ulia guod dcnl of' certaiuty that in the ftutunin inontlis they will have lentyof practice on diarrheea, dysenIcry, cholera morbus, etc. Agaui in die Spriug months diseases of the chest, :uh1 liiugs, and throat, will prev.iil. ;ui i so ou. Yet the great masses ot' mankind take uo heed whatever. - The couscqiiencea ure often sad to contémplate, vet we 8till blindly and ighorantly travel on. We have reason to bolieve that mals in the state of nature are not rauch troubled with disease - tlieir instiucts teadi them to avoid improper food and excess, bui (lic case is very different when thoy bcooine subservicnt to man. Dnring niy prnctiee and experience as a vetcrin -iry sunjoon, I have been curions to note tho Ultímate coinicciion of cause and effect Ln the nuil Ut ui' feediug horses. I Imvc observed thatwhen we begin tó feed with ncw hay,new oais, uew corn (moreeapecially) We have a great number of cases of diseases of the stoniach nul bdwelsin the forra of tympauites,ga3 tritis, inflamation ol'tlie bowels, eolio, fei-s, dysentei'y, etc, etc. Now uil thie i o ol' serious 1' niostly bi"onght on by improper feeding ni! management in othcr pespeots. Tiiat DhoD8anda ol' horees and cattle are lost animal by tliese diseases alone, no onc can deny. Those who raisn a consideüable amount ol' live stock will do vreD to attend to tho followiug hints. Rominating auiraals (those who chew Jieir cud) naerely erop thoir food in ihe flrst instance aud it passes intO the rimen or paunch and is al'terward retilrnod to the month and masticated attheir leisure, lt will bc observed thatcows and oxen eliew theircud whcH at rest. This is a natura] and necessary requiremenl. The food is thereby intima tel y mixed wuh the snlivn, which, with the uaslric juice, is essen tial to the plinunation of uutriment. Think, then, of the evil of pul ting a yoke of eau Ie to hard work immediately after feeding. The norse, nowover, is differently constituted; hia stomuch is (taking lus si.e into conaideratiou) very small - admirably adapted to his moción of speed; and those who are most experieuced in the care of hoi-ses, aiid who require fast frork, are very caroful as to their mode of feeding. Horses trained for racinL: and trotting get very little hay, and the same rule applies 10 well-conductqd livery and omnibus stables. This is the result of experieneo. Let us t-hen take a lesson Irom tliem ; it will bc usefnl. i u European eountries the liorses which are used for agricultura! purposes :ue of a heavy, ponderous bui ld, in general well adapted iorslow work; and it is the eustom to drive them at a slow, eveu, pace, and cut feed is very generally adopted with advantage, - The American farmer is, howcver, diffen ntiy cii'cnmstanced ; he wants his horse for general purposes, añil has as niuch last as slow work, and, as i rule, it would be well to avoid feeding or watering horses either immediately 6eforepr immediately qfter meals. ü-ive them a liltle time at'ler feeding and let them grind their owu food. If you ch.'uige their food do n gradually, mi ok.1 and iiüw bay togother tbr a while in the conunc ■nouineiii ; the Biinie vitli