* . Iv--'W 1
„ . ; , .M
10 The Conservative *
HOW TO CARE FOR A HORSE.
Dr. Junius H. Wattles , sr. , lectured
on "Our Friend , the Horse , " in the
First Christian church , Eleventh and
Locust street , last night. The lecture
was given under the auspices of the
Young People's Society of Christian
Endeavor. Dr. Wattles devoted the
first thirty minutes of his lecture to the
study of the prehistoric horse , from the
five-toed animal , scarcely larger than
a rabhit , increasing in size and speed
as the number of digits decreased , to
the three , the two-toed , and finally the
one-toed animal of to-day , the only
living mammal having only one toe
upon each extremity.
Equine Hygiene.
From the early history of the horse ,
and its arrival on the North American
continent , presumably from Asia , the
speaker passed on to a technical descrip
tion of the horse's anatomy. Every
person having horses in his charge , he
declared , should have a reasonable
understanding of common physiology
and hygiene , as it is by the intelligent
application of common rules , in regard
to health , that best results are obtained.
Clean water , clean feed boxes and clean
bedding are absolute necessities in the
life of a horse , said Dr. Wattles , and
should no more be neglected than in the
care of a human being. "Grain should
not bo given to the animal at noon , "
said the doctor , "until it has eaten hay
and rested for at least fifteen minutes.
This rule alone , will keep the animal in
better condition on one-third less grain ,
than when fed indiscriminately.
Proper Nutrition.
"It is necessary , also , that food fur
nished the horse should contain the
i proper nutrition , and that it be given
j in proper quantities , and at the proper
time. Hay and oats are the foods best
adapted to the horse. Wheat and corn
contain elements of nutrition in larger
quantities than hay or oats , but it is
not on excessive amount of nutritive
element , that is so much desired , as the
manner of combining these qualities
that are especially adapted to certain
animals , that makes a perfect food. A
horse may safely be given as much hay
as it will consume without waste , but
oats should never bo fed in such quanti
ties that the animal leaves a part of its
allowance in the box. Salt should be
kept where the horse may have access
to it at all times.
Education of a Horse.
"The has for '
day passed 'breaking
horses , " Dr. Wattles continued. "The
humane and intelligent man educates
them. Their instruction begins ai
birth. Men now begin the education of
a colt by placing a web halter upon the
future obedient servant , and loading
him about from time to time , teaching
t to obey commands given in a firm ,
) ut gentle voice. "
Harness.
Dr. Wattles condemned the popular
tendency to add superfluous parts to a
work harness , such as heavy housings ,
showy metal trimmings , rings and
other things that serve only to increase
weight. "A harness , " said he , "should
be made as simple as possible , of leather ,
well fitted , perfectly smooth , and with
out cloth lining , padding or stitching
where it touches the skin. The traces
should be made of a single thickness ,
when possible. Saddles , collars and
other parts of harness lined with cloth
or felt , confine the body heat beneath
; hem and prevent evaporation ; those
with coarse fiber and stitching produce
an irritation of the skin , and cause sore
backs and shoulders.
Veterinary Knowledge.
"The public should have some know
ledge of the cause and effect of some of
; he diseases and injuries that affect the
horse. So-called 'sweeney' is an atro
phy of the shoulder muscles , produced
by inaction , just as a man's arm , carried
in a sling , would waste in time. It is
the result , always , of an injury in
some other part of the body , and the
man who blisters the shoulder of a
horse in this condition should be prose
cuted. The diseased condition of the
eye , called 'hooks , ' is an inflammation
of the membrane , causing it to swell
and partly pushing it over the eye. It
would be just as reasonable to amputate
a man's finger to relieve an inflamed
condition of the eye , as to remove this
membrane. The usual treatment of
this inflamation is the most brutal ever
devised by man. The so-called 'scum'
is inside the eye , not outside , and you
can see what a vicious thing it is to
blow such substances as salt , sugar , and
even powdered glass into the eye to cut
off this membrane. Put a grain of salt
into your own eye and see how you like
it.
Diet and Pure Air.
"One of the commonest and most
fatal diseases of the horse , made so be
cause so little is known of its cause , is
colic , or acute indigestion. It is the
result , always , of improper feeding. It
may be caused by feeding grain when
very tired , or in too large quantities ;
allowing too great a period of time to
elapse between meals ; rapid exercise
immediately after feeding ; watering
immediately after meals , or by changing
foods and giving the same amount oi
the new as of the old , especially when
new oats , corn and hay first come into
market.
"Always have plenty of fresh , pure
air in the stable , as a horse requires an
immense amount of oxygen to purify
the blood. Avoid direct draughts and
furnish an abundance of clean , dry
bedding. Blanketing in the stable is
unnecessary if the temperature bo main-
; ained at 40 degrees , or above. Now
lorses that have just been brought into
the city , should not bo taken out in a
storm , or allowed to stand whore a
draught comes upon them , as , from
; hese things , pneumonia or pleurisy
almost always results.
"The inhuman practice of burning or
cutting the roof of a horse's mouth ,
when it is already suffering from an in
flamed condition , is another of the
abuses that should be corrected. This
condition is commonly called 'lampers , '
and means only an inflamation of the
mouth that should be treated by the
mildest of applications.
Natural Thirst.
"There is a popular idea that should
be exploded. That is that a horse
should not be given water when warm.
If we could understand the immense
amount of moisture thrown off through
the skin and lungs of the horse , we
could see how essential it is that the
horse should be watered , even if warm.
The only precaution that need be taken
is the same any sensible man would
take in drinking cold water , when
warm , not to give it to the horse in
large quantities , nor when it is very
cold. "
Horse Shoeing. j
The lecturer declared thatcalkings on
a horse's shoe are unnecessary , and
should not be tolerated. They cause an
uneven bearing to be placed upon the
foot , raise the foot from the ground ,
preventing frog pressure and produce a
contraction of the foot. He denounced
the practice of cutting a deep notch on
either side of the frog of the hoof ,
called opening up the heels , and said it
should be abolished. Instead of spread
ing the heels each time the frog touches
the ground , it presses the frog into the
notch made by the knife. The enamel
of the foot should not be rasped offas it
allows the foot to dry and crack , caus
ing irregular lines and sometimes a per
manent injury.
More Humane Safeguards.
"Another phase of the horse ques
tion , " said Dr. Wattles , "is the part
taken by the humane society to prevent
the abuse of animals. Would it not be
well to have the women of the society ,
as well as those who are not members ,
given authority to make complaints to
the police when abuse occurs , instead of
waiting to investigate ? The fact is ,
there are too few active members in the
society. So far as striking animals with
clubs , kicking them , or otherwise mal
treating them is concerned , the news
papers have done more than the society
to correct that evil , for public opinion ,
guided by the newspapers , is- the con-
troling factor in such actions. "
"Docking. "
While Dr. Wattles does not approve