proach-ed an equally well-dressed Walking Horse ( braid and all ), who was at least 17 hands , untied him from a truck bumper and from a stump mounted herself while the big horse stood waiting for the word ' go '! This was obviously an ex-show horse , yet his manners were perfect .
We were also impressed by a little girl about nine years old , riding alone on a GO BOY gelding just prior to the start of the first Sunday afternoon brace . She sat the big horse , confident of his every move , in and out of crowds of people , around cars and by other horses until she was in line with the gallery headed for the starting point .
Our VOICE Art Director , Walter Williams , went along on the trip and experienced his first long tenure in the saddle . We selected a little black Walking mare for him to ride , and six hours later he was none the worse for his experience . He said all he had to do was head her in the right direction and she just went slow or fast according to the rest of the horses . Gaits he did not know . . . but comfort he easily recognized .
Our trip to the 1964 Shooting Dog Field Trials Championship proved most enlightening . We learned , first hand , what the Brantleys , Dements and other fathers of the Tennessee Walking breed have known for many years : that the Tennessee Walking Horse , by virture of his breeding , temperament and inborn gaits , is the nation ’ s greatest pleasure horse . True ... he is famous for his modern “ show horse ” ability , but perhaps he is more famous , and has been for generations , for his ability in the field . At least we now know of several hundreds sportsmen who will swear by the Walking Horse as the “ only ” horse to take hunting with Ol ’ Sport .
IF YOU MOVE . . . Please send us both your old address and your new . Allow 30 days for change .
VOICE PUBLISHING COMPANY P . O . Box 3054 Chattanooga , Tennessee 37404
Vilamins and Horses .
Funk , a Polish scientist working in London , first postulated vitamins ( he called them vitamines ; later the “ e ” was dropped ) in 1912 . But only in the last few years has it been possible to see or touch any of them in pure form .
The lack of vitamins in a horse ration may , under certain conditions , be more serious than a short supply of feed . Deficiencies may lead to failure in growth or reproduction , poor health , and even to characteristic disorders known as deficiency diseases .
Unfortunately , there are no warning signals to tell a care taker when a horse is not getting enough of certain vitamins . But a continuing inadequate supply of any one of several vitamins can produce illness which is very hard to diagnose until it becomes severe ; at which time it is difficult and expensive — if not too late to treat . The important thing , therefore , is to insure against such deficiencies occurring . But horsemen should not shower a horse with mistaken kindness through using shot-gun type vitamin preparations . Instead , the quantity of each vitamin should be based on available scientific knowledge .
Certainly deficiencies of vitamins A and D are encountered . Indications are that vitamin E serves as insurance against destruction of vitamin A , and makes for improved reproduction and performance . In experiments conducted in Canada , it was found that alpha tocopherol , a stable form of vitamin E , ( 1 ) increased the conception rate of mares , ( 2 ) improved the breeding behavior , sex drive , sperm quality , and condition of stallions , and ( 3 ) enhanced the stamina , temperament , feed consumption , and track performance of race horses .
Although some of the B vitamins and unidentified factors are synthesized in the cecum of the horse , I doubt that this microbial activity is sufficient to meet the needs during the critical periods — growth , reproduction , and when animals are subjected to great stress as in showing or racing . Also , there is reason to question the efficacy of absorption this far down the digestive tract ; for , in comparison with other animals and man , the cecum is on the wrong end of the digestive tract . For these reasons , in valuable horses it is not wise to rely solely on bacterial synthesis . The B vitamins , along with unidentified factors , may be provided by adding to the ration such ingredients as distillers dried solubles , dried brewer ’ s yeast , and dried fish solubles , usually through a reputable commercial feed .
YOU ARE ASKING
My mail has been heavy . Here are my answers to a few of the timely questions that I have received :
Q .— Should girls take Animal Science in college ?
A .— Yes . But they should prepare themselves for certain areas of work . For example , if they become proficient in shorthand and typing , in addition to taking the regular in Animal Science , they will be in demand in the area of communications and as administra-
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