Chapter XIV: Section IV: The Horse

The horse is subject to many diseases, not a few of which arise from the defective state of his stable. The best kinds of stables are large and lofty, well ventilated and drained, smoothly paved, and well provided with means for admitting the direct sunlight. The walls should be whitewashed occasionally, and for disinfecting and general sanitary purposes, four ounces of chloride of lime (bleaching powder) mixed with each bucket of whitewash, will be found extremely useful.

Farm horses are kept in stalls, which should not be less than six feet wide, and (exclusive of rack and rere passage) 10 feet long. For hunters and thorough-breds, _loose boxes_ are now generally used.

The mare commences to breed at four years, and the period of gestation is 340 days. She may be worked until within a fortnight of the time at which parturition is expected to occur. After foaling, the mare should be turned into a grass field (unless the weather is severe) and kept there idly for three or four weeks.

_Foals_ are kept with their mothers until they are about five or six months old: after weaning, their food must be tender and nutritious--well bruised oats, cut hay, bean or oatmeal mashes; carrots are very suitable.

Working horses are fed chiefly upon oats and hay, which undoubtedly are the best foods for these animals, both being rich in muscle-forming materials. Bruised oats are far more economical than the whole grains: and if the animals eat too rapidly, that habit is easily overcome by mixing chopped straw or hay with the grain.

According to Playfair, a horse not working can subsist and remain in fair condition on a daily allowance of 12 lbs. of hay and 5 lbs. of oats. According to the same authority, a working horse should receive 14 lbs. of hay, 12 lbs. of oats, and 2 lbs. of beans.

Beans are a very concentrated food, rich in flesh-formers, and are, therefore, well adapted for sustaining hard-working horses. They are rather _binding_; but this property is easily neutralised by combining the beans with some laxative food. Turnips, carrots, furze, and various other foods are given to the horse, often in large quantities. The following are some among the many dietaries on which this animal is kept:--

Professor Low's formula is, 30 to 35 lbs. of a mixture of equal parts of chopped straw, chopped hay, bruised grain, and steamed potatoes.

The daily rations of horses of the London Omnibus Company, are 16 lbs. of bruised oats, 7-1/2 lbs. of cut hay, and 2-1/2 lbs. of chopped straw.

Stage coach-horses in the United States receive daily about 19 lbs. of Indian meal and 13 lbs. of cut hay.

Mr. Robertson, of Clandeboye, near Belfast, gives the following information on the subject of horse-keeping:--

The year we divide into three periods--October, November to
May inclusive, June to September inclusive. During the first
period, the horses get about 18 lb. of chaff and 12 lb. of
crushed oats and beans; "10-1/2 oats and 1-1/2 beans" per head
per day. During the second period they get about 15 lb. of hay
chaff, 12 lb. of crushed oats and beans, and about 3 gallons
of boiled turnips per head per day. During the third period
they were turned out to graze during the night. In the day time,
whilst in the stable, each animal is allowed about 50 lb. of cut
clover, and about 12 lb. of crushed oats and beans per day. The
feeding is all under the charge of one person. He uses his own
discretion in feeding the animals, though he is not allowed to
exceed the quantities named. The horses to which I allude are the
same on which the experiments commenced two years ago--six cart
horses, one cart pony, and one riding horse. From Sept. 1, 1865,
to and including August 31, 1866, the cost of maintaining these
horses in good working condition; keeping the carts, harness,
&c., in repair; shoeing, c., was as follows:--

Oats, 14 tons, at 16s. per cwt. L112 0 0
Beans, 2 tons, at 18s. per cwt. 18 0 0
Hay, 13 tons, at 30s. per ton 19 10 0
Green Clover 15 0 0
Turnips 5 0 0
Night grazing 18 0 0
Engine, cutting chaff, crushing oats, &c. 7 4 0
Attendance 26 0 0
Blacksmith 12 0 0
Saddler 12 0 0
Carpenter 10 0 0
Five per cent. interest on value, L110 5 10 0
Depreciation in value 10 per cent. 11 0 0
------------
L271 4 0
Deduct cost of riding horse 35 0 0
------------
L236 4 0

L33 11s. 10d. per head; if we suppose the available working
days to be 300, allowing 13 for wet days, holidays, &c., the
daily cost will be 2s. 2-1/2d.; to this if we add 1s. 8d.,
the wages of the driver, we shall have a total of 3s. 10-1/2d.
as the cost of a horse, cart, and driver per day. I would only
add, in conclusion, that the horses are kept in good working
condition; and, as a proof of their good health under this
system, I may state that during the past two years we have not
had occasion to require the services of a veterinary surgeon.

Musty hay or straw should not be given to horses. Furze is said to be a heating food; but it is very nutritious, and when young, may be given as _part_ of the food of the horse.

Boiled turnips and mangels are often given in winter; but they are not sufficiently nutritious to constitute a substantial portion of the animal's diet. Oil-cake is occasionally given to horses; but seldom in larger quantities than 1-1/2 lbs. per diem. On the whole, experience is in favor of occasionally giving cooked food to horses; and the practice meets with the full approval of the veterinarian. To most kinds of food for horses, the addition of one or two ounces of salt is necessary.

In the _Agricultural Gazette_ for November 25, 1865, the following instructive tables are given:--

STABLE FEEDING DURING AUTUMN.

---+-------------------------+---------+---------+------+-----------+------
| Name and Address | | | | Clover, |Weekly
No.| of Authorities. | Hay. | Oats. |Beans.| &c. | Cost.
---+-------------------------+---------+---------+------+-----------+------
| | lb. | lb. | lb. | | s. d.
| | | | | |
1 | W. Gater, Botley | 168 | 63* | 32* | ... |12 0
2 | W. C. Spooner | 112 | 84 | 24 | ... |11 0
3 | T. Aitken, Spalding. | ... | 37-1/2 | ... | ad lib. | 7 6?
4 | " " | ... | 37-1/2 | 35 | ad lib. |10 O?
5 | T. P. Dods, Hexham. | ... | 105 | ... | ad lib. |10 6?
6 | " " | ad lib. | 105 | ... | ... |10 6?
| | | | | Straw |
7 | A. Ruston, I. of Ely. | ad lib. | 84 | 10 | ad lib. | 9 0
| | 1/2 | | | 1/2 Bran. |
| | | | | 1/3 bush. |
8 | A. Simpson, Beauly | 168 | 70 | 14 | 24 lb. |10 0
| | | | | Straw. |
9 | H. J. Wilson, Mansfield | ... | 52-1/2 | ... | ad lib. | 7 3?
10 | " " | 42 | 87-1/2 | ... | ad lib. | 9 0
---+-------------------------+---------+---------+------+-----------+------
In this table the asterisk (*) means that the grain is crushed or ground.

STABLE FEEDING DURING WINTER.

---+------------------+------+-------+------+--------+---------+------+------
No.|Name and Address. | Hay. | Oats. |Beans.| Roots. |Sundries.|Straw.|Weekly
| | | | | | | | Cost.
---+------------------+------+-------+------+--------+---------+------+------
| | lb. | lb. | lb. | lb. | lb. | lb. | s. d.
1 |Professor Low | | | | | | |
| --Elements of | | | |Potatoes| | |
| Agriculture | 56* | 56* | ... | 56+ | ... | 56* | 6 6
| | | | | | | |
2 |H. Stephens | | | | | | |
| --Book of the | | | |Turnips | | |
| Farm | 112 | 35 | ... | 112 | ... | ... | 6 0
| | | | | | | |
3 |J. Gibson, Woolmet| | | |Potatoes| | |
| --H. Soc. 1850 | ... | 84 | ... | 217+ | 217+ | 112 | 9 0
| | | | | | | |
4 |--Binnie, | | | | Barley | | ad |
| Seaton | ... | 70* | 28* | 243+ | 42+ | lib. |11 6
| | | | | | | |
5 |--Thomson, | | | | | | ad |
| Hangingside | ... | 84 | 14 | 336 | 14 | lib. | 9 6
| | | | | | | |
6 |W. C. Spooner, | | | | | | |
| Ag. Soc. Journ. | | | | | | |
| vol. ix. | ... | 63 | ... | 42 | ... | 196 | 4 9
| | | | | | | |
7 |T. Aitken, | ad | | | | | ad |
| Spalding, | lib. | | | | | lib. |
| Lincolnshire | (2/3)| 37 | 35 | ... | ... |(1/3) | 9 0
| | | | | | | |
8 |G. W. Baker, | | | | | | |
| Woburn, | | | | | | |
| Bedfordshire | ... | 60* | 20* | ... | ... | ... | 9 8
| | | | | | | |
9 |R. Baker, | | | | | | |
| Writtle, Essex | 70 | 42 | ... | ... | ... | 140 | 5 0
| | | | | | | |
10 |J. Coleman, | | | | | | ad |
| Cirencester | ... | 84 | 16 | ... | ... | lib. | 7 3
| | | | | | | |
11 |T. P. Dods, | | | | | | ad |
| Hexham | ... | 95 | ... | 56 | ... | lib. | 8 0
| | | | | | | |
12 |J. Cobban, | | | | | Linseed | ad |
| Whitfield | 84* | 60* | ... | ... | 3-1/2 | lib.*| 7 3
| | | | | | | |
13 |S. Druce, jun., | | | | Swedes | | 2 |
| Ensham | 112 | 52 | ... | 70 | ... | bu.* | 7 0
| | | | | | | |
| | ad | | | | | ad |
14 |C. Howard, | lib. | | | | | lib. |
| Biddenham | (2/3)| 52 | 17 | 84 | ... | 1/3* | 8 6?
| | | | | | | |
15 |J. J. Mechi, | | | |M.Wurzel| | ad |
| Tiptree. | 49* | 70* | ... | 210 | ... | lib.*| 7 6
| | | | | | | |
16 |W. J. Pope, | | | | | | ad |
| Bridport | 2* | 84 | ... | ... | ... | lib. | 9 0?
| | | | | | | |
17 |S. Rich, | | | | | | |
| Didmarton, | | | | | Grains | ad |
| Gloucestershire | 168 | 63 | ... | ... | 2 bush. | lib. |10 8
| | | | | | | |
18 |H. E. Sadler, | | | | | | |
| Lavant, Sussex | 140 | 84 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 9 9
| | | | | | | |
19 |J. Morton, | | | |Carrots | | ad |
| Whitfield Farm | ... |126 | ... | 350 | ... | lib. |10 9
| | | | | | | |
20 |E. H. Sandford, | | | | | Bran | ad |
| Dover | 56 | 42 | ... | ... | 12 | lib. | 5 6
| | | | | | | |
21 |A. Simpson, | | | | |Tail Corn| ad |
| Beauly, N.B. | ... | 49 | 7 | 105 | 21 | lib.*| 5 6
| | | | | | | |
22 |H. J. Wilson, | | | | | Bran | ad |
| Mansfield | 42 | 52-1/2| ... | ... | 21 | lib. | 6 6?
| | | | | | | |
23 |F. Sowerby, | | | | | | |
| Aylesby, North | | | | | | ad |
| Lincolnshire | 112 | 28 | Cut Oat Sheaf.| ... | lib.*| 8 0?
---+------------------+------+-------+------+--------+---------+------+------
Where an asterisk (*) is attached to any item, it is to be understood
that the corn has been bruised or ground, or the hay or straw has been
cut into chaff. Where a dagger (+) is appended, the article so marked
has been boiled or steamed. A mark of interrogation (?) indicates that
the result so marked is uncertain, owing to some indefiniteness in the
account given.

On feeding horses with pulped roots, Mr. Slater, of Weston Colville, Cambridgeshire, says:--

I give all my cart horses a bushel per day of pulped mangel, mixed
with straw and corn-chaff. I begin in September, and continue using
them all winter and until late in the summer, nearly, if not quite,
all the year round, beginning, however, with smaller quantities,
about a peck, and then half a bushel, the first week or two, as too
many of the young-growing mangel would not suit the stock. I believe
pulped mangels, with chaff, are the best, cheapest, and most healthy
food horses can eat. I always find my horses miss them when I have
none, late in the summer. I give them fresh ground every day. Young
store beasts, colts, &c., do well with them.

* * * * *

[Footnote 20: Five pounds of linseed will make about seven gallons of gruel, and suffice for five good-sized calves; considerable allowance must, however, be made for differences of quality in the linseed, that from India not being gelatinous enough, and therefore boiling hard, instead of "coming down kindly."]

[Footnote 21: "Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society," vol. xxxix.]

[Footnote 22: From Mr. Horsfall's Essay on Dairy Management, in "Journal of Royal Agricultural Society," vol. xviii., part i.]