Today's Horse Farm: Sun-Up to Sun-Down (1942, sound)

thank you [Music] hidden in the quiet valleys of the United States are many horse breeding farms these Supply the growing demand for good horses for today there are over 10 million horses in the United States twice as many as in 1920. it is morning at Hidden Valley Farm and only Bonnie and her Colt Toby are awake Bonnie wants everyone to get up she is the pride of the farm as she is a grand champion and was imported from France in Paris she was judged one of the 10 best percherons in the world Bonnie is her pet name yes Buttercup the cap is just waking up too he is hungry and wants his mother and he doesn't care who knows it [Music] Bonnie and her stablemate black Mammy are both eager for the day to start horses that are good friends are placed in adjoining stalls because they will be happier and so do better work they are also teamed together in harness Pat hurries with his morning chore he has charge of the draft forces and all day long he takes care of them All Right Toby don't rush mama your turn will come later in the summer these horses will be shown at the fairs and horse shows and must be in perfect condition ah at last it is black Mammy's turn Bonnie watches all that goes on as the farm wakes up Gallant Knight the big stallion brought from France is being taken out for exercise in his own pattern Bonnie I think would like to go along Gallant Knight has a powerful Neck Deep chest and strong back his coat should be fine strong workhorses stallions like this raise the standard of horses on American Farms well Bonnie would like to go out to pastor with him but her turn will come later and there he goes black Manny is patient she is glad she is not gray cloud who she sees is going to be groomed gray cloud and her six weeks old Colt will be kept in their own Paddock gray cloud has won many ribbons and so her cult is very valuable on a breeding Farm every horse has individual care proper feed keeps a horse strong then he can do more work oh don't hide youngster nobody is going to hurt you a cold can stand a few hours after it is born and soon runs around like an old timer as in everything else there is the correct way to groom a horse Jon uses a curry comb a brush and a cloth the rubber curry comb cleans out the dirt without scratching or irritating the skin the brush takes off the dirt and the cloth Smooths down the hair yes Colts like babies need many naps John begins at the head and combs gray clouds forelock and brushes her head then with a few expert sweeps of the brush he cleans the back inside legs and ankles receive a good grooming the fat locks the hair on the ankles are well combed gray cloud knows that John is caring for her and so she spans patiently and John is mighty proud of the fine coat of this Champion mayor large Farms have their own blacksmith chops here the blacksmith is shoeing a horse he has already trimmed the hook and fashioned the iron shoe to fit exactly now he Nails it firmly in place this does not hurt the hook which is a horny material like well like our fingernails he drives the nails expertly and never touches the tender part of the hook with a quick Twist of the wrist he breaks off the nail and fastens it horseshoes should be replaced regularly or Without You The Hook would split and wear down to the fender quick when working on hard roads when turned to pasture the shoes are removed to rest the feet and also the horses are less likely to injure each other by kicking raw edges are smoothed with a file or rat and the job is finished sometimes horses and dogs become such close friends that the horse cannot sleep if the dog is not in his stall at night when the horse is shipped by train to another place the dog goes along so that the horse will be sure to sleep well at last it is time for the men to take Bonnie and black Manny out to pasture Bonnie is proud of her quote and she likes the hours spent grazing grass is very good food for a horse horses on the Range live on grass alone it contains the vitamins and minerals necessary for a well-balanced diet however well cared for horses are given additional food to help them develop and to make them stronger Bonnie watches her friends as they are brought in from pasture to do the afternoon work on the farm these horses will change places with the horses which have been working all morning Hidden Valley Farm raises many different kinds of horses including Percheron belgians Tennessee walking horses and Kentucky saddle breath horses most of these are Percheron the breed of heavy Workhorse many of these were imported from France several are worth thousands of dollars these draft forces are built for power not speed they must have weight to haul the heavy loads they weigh between fifteen hundred and two thousand pounds the horses are driven in carefully to avoid excitement and injury in The Paddock the men examine each horse for injuries that might need attention and those that need treatment are separated from the others on a breeding Farm most of the herd are mered they do the farm work but are also used for breeding after the noon feeding in the paddocks those not needed for some reason will again be turned out to pasture come on a youngster Bonnie is hungry and anxious for her noon dinner Pap brings her a mixture of Oats barley dried beet pulp and molasses she has the best of everything because he is getting her in top condition for the coming Fair well well that does taste good doesn't it Toby yes little Toby start eating the same food as his mother when he is a month old he will also take milk from his mother until he is six months old and then he will be weaned baby quotes take milk from their mothers about once an hour Toby is shy suspicious and curious he wants to know about everything and on the other side of the fence The Grass Is Always Greener the horses needed for the afternoon work are harness and hitched each horse has its own set of harness which is made to fit him collars must be padded and fit comfortably rubbing or pinching will cause sores a horse well-fed well-shot and properly harnessed will do better work these horses do all the heavy work around the farm this team hauls hay to the different paddocks and pastures some horses eaten pasture some in paddocks and some in their own stall Pat sprayed the barn seven times a day because the Flies annoy the horses and keep them from resting John is cleaning out the Stalls in the modern sanitary stable clean strong well shaken up is the best bedding stalls should be cleaned morning and night and fresh drinking water should always be on hand now it is time to bring the horses in for the night Bonnie is glad to return to her comfortable stall where her supper is waiting Toby will sleep in the stall with his mother hi up there young fella many of the horses will spend the night in the pasture some sleep lying down and some standing up there she goes the pride of Hidden Valley Farm a champion in her own right and the mother of Champions thus we see how careful and scientific care have produced these gentle and intelligent friends and helpers of mankind foreign [Music]