Feeding Horses

There is no better forage for horses than clean pastures. Moreover, pastures provide exercise with plenty of sunshine and fresh air. Feeding on pastures is the ideal existence for young stock and breeding animals.

Legume pastures are excellent for horses.

Horse pastures should be well drained and not too rough or stony. Shade, water and minerals should be available on all pastures.

Horses cannot consume very large quantities of roughages. Of all the concentrates, oats is the most important.

Water is essential to the various physiological processes of the horse. The average mature horse will consume about 12 gallons of water daily. In addition to the type, and the work performed, weather conditions and the kind of feed consumed also effect the quantity of water desired. Regularity and frequency of watering are desirable and that it is dangerous to water heavily a horse that is very warm or the one that has been deprived of water for a long time.

Frequent but small waterings between feedings are desirable during warm weather or when the animal is put to hard use. It is always better to water frequently in small quantities.

Horses are often fed too much hay or other roughage, and labored breathing and qiuck tiring is the result. Usually, young horses and idle horses can be provided with an unlimited allowance of hay. Much good will result from feeding young and idle horses more roughage and less grain. If possible, it is wise to have more than one kind of hay in the stable.

Exercises

1. Find the equivalents in the text:

Обеспечивать, потреблять, грубая пища, овес, сено, взрослый, важный, лишить, затрудненное дыхание, частота.

2. Match the beginning and the end of the sentences:

	Don’t give animals too much water	are most important for horses.
	It is better to have several kinds of hay.	is essential in horse ration.
	Legume pastures	in order to get more exercise.
	Water is essential	if they were deprived of it for a long time
	Young stock should be pastured	to have several kinds of hay.

3. Ask 4-5 questions to the text. Work in pairs.

Peculiarities of Foaling

Necessary preparations. In selecting a brood mare, it is usually advisable either to obtain a young three or four year old or to prove the sure and regular breeding habits of any old mares.

The average gestation period of mares is 336 days, or a little over eleven months. This will vary with individual mares and may range from 310 to 370 days.

The most natural breeding season for the mare is in the spring of the year. Usually mares are gaining in flesh at this time; the heat period is more likely to conceive. The springborn foal may be dropped on pasture with less danger of infection and with an abundance of exercise, fresh air and sunshine to aid in his development. Such conditions are ideal.

A breeding record should be kept on each mare so that it will be known when she is to foal. The careful and observant horseman will be able to make certain definite preparations in time. The period of parturition is one of the most critical stages in the life of the mare. Although Pegigree and performance are of great importance, careful housing is most important on this stage.

First hours after the parturition. Once the foal and mare are up, the stall should be cleaned. Wet bedding should be removed. The floor must be sprinkled with lime; and clean, fresh bedding should be provided. If the weather is extremely cold and the mare hot and sweaty, she should be dried soon after getting on her feet. The mare must be given small quantities of water. As far as feeding is concerned, usually, for the first week, no better grain ration can be provided than oats. The quantity of feed given should be governed by the milk flow, the demand of the foal, and the appetite and condition of the mare. Usually the mare can be back on full feed within a week or ten days after foaling.

The good horseman will be able to discover difficulties before it is too late. If the mare has high temperature, something is wrong and the veterinarian should be called. As a precautinary measure many good horseman take the mare’s temperature a day or two after foaling.

Immediately after the foal was born and started breathing, it must be dried with warm towels. Then it should be placed in one corner of the stall on clean, fresh straw. The eyes of a newborn foal must be protected from a bright light.

Weaning time. Weaning of the foal is more a matter of preparation than of absolute separation from the dam. Foals are usually weaned at four to six months, depending on conditions. When either the foal or the mare is not doing well, when the mare is being given heavy work, it may be advisable to wean the foal at a comparatively early age. On the other hand, when both the mare and the foal seem to be doing well, or when it is desirable to develop the foal to the maximum, the weaning may be delayed until six months of age.

When the preliminary precautions and preparation for weaning have been made, the separation should be accomplished. There should be no opportunity for the foal to see, hear or smell its dan again. Perhaps the beast arrangement is to shut the foal in the stall to which it has been accustomedand to move the mare awayto new quarters. After the weaning have remained in the stable for a day or two and have quited down, they mist be turned out to pasture.