686 Reading-Course for Farmers. 



feeders to feed the same food continuously without regard to price, 

 whereas the ration could often be materially cheapened by a slight 

 change. 



Salt in limited quantities should be kept before the horse at all times. 

 While little is known from investigations on this subject, it is evident 

 from the extreme fondness of the horse for salt that it should be regu- 

 larly supplied him. It is best not to place too much before him at a 

 time as some horses will eat it to excess. 



The successful horseman will study each individual and modify the 

 ration according to the needs of each; one horse should have a little 

 more than the regular allowance, and the next possibly a little less, 

 because some horses are more difficult to keep in condition than others 

 doing the same work and under similar conditions. 



In handling horses we should remember that they are very sensitive 

 animals and that we cannot be too quiet in our treatment of them. 

 Striking them or shouting commands at them is an inconsiderate prac- 

 tice; it causes the animals to lose confidence in their master, thereby 

 rendering them less teachable, and destroys nervous energy, making 

 them less economical producers than if they were protected at all times 

 from these nervous shocks. 



Feeding the work horse 



The work horse has a hearty appetite, a vigorous digestion and responds 

 as does no other animal to intelligent care. He should be fed liberally 

 and frequently, the amount given being regulated by the size of the 

 animal as well as the amount and kind of work he is required to do. In 

 general, the horse should be supplied with something over tv/o pounds 

 of provender daily for each hundred pounds of weight. Of this about 

 two-thirds, the exact amount depending on the severity of the labor 

 performed, should be grain in some form. If the work is exceedingly 

 heavy, the grain in the ration should be increased and the hay diminished, 

 whereas, if the work is light, the grain should be diminished and the hay 

 increased. The morning meal should be comparatively light, consisting 

 mostly of grain. It should not possess much bulk. In many of the larger 

 stables the mid-day meal is omitted. But most horsemen hold that 

 some grain should be given at noon, which seems reasonable from our 

 knowledge of the horse's stomach. In any case, the mid-day ration 

 should not be large. The heavy feeding should come at night, after the 

 day's work is over and when the animal has ample time to masticate 

 and digest his food. A very good practice is as follows: For the 

 morning ration, feed one-fourth of the daily allowance at least one hour 



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