688 Reading-Course for Farmers. 



allowance. Unharness at once and when the sweat has dried give him 

 a thorough brushing. If for some reason the horse is forced to stand 

 idle in the stable for a few days, the ration should be decreased. Other- 

 wise he will become stocky and his legs become swollen and stiff. 



During cold weather a more carbonaceous ration may be used. When 

 more food goes to furnish heat for the body, it is reasonable that a 

 horse needs a large proportion of heat-making food. Equal parts of 

 corn and oats by weight would be more satisfactory and ordinarily 

 much cheaper than a larger proportion of oats. Most farmers have 

 much less work for a horse in winter than in summer. It is an excellent 

 plan and much more economical to rough through the winter those 

 not needed for work. However, those reserved for work should have 

 good care and be fed according to the amount and kind of work per- 

 formed. 



In providing a ration, whether for summer or for winter use, due 

 consideration should be given to the cost. Roughage is ordinarily 

 much cheaper than grain, but a horse at work is unable economically to 

 dispose of a large proportion of bulky food. If considerable time and 

 energy must be expended in masticating rough feed, the usefulness of 

 the horse for work is lessened thereby. The more concentrated the 

 food, within proper limits, the less percentage of energy will be needed 

 to make it available. The proportion of grain to roughage depends 

 upon the amount and kind of work to be performed. A horse at hard 

 work should never be expected to consume more roughage than grain 

 by weight. 



Feeding the driving horse 



The driving or carriage horse is more difficult to keep in condition 

 than the work horse. The periods of enforced idleness occasioned 

 by lack of business engagements of his master or by inclement 

 weather are often followed by long drives and hours of over-exertion. 

 This irregular work weakens the constitution of the driving horse, 

 which generally has but a brief career. When daily driving cannot 

 be practiced, underfeeding is considered the safe course. 



In feeding this class of horses, the same general plan that has been 

 suggested for the work horse should be followed. When the horse is 

 not taken from the stable during the day, the concentrates, or grain 

 part of the ration, should at once be reduced by one-third and the 

 normal allowance should not again be given until the work is resumed. 

 Carriage horses are usually overfed, because of the desire of the owner 

 to keep them in the pink of condition. This overfeeding and irregular 

 exercise is the cause of most of the ills of the driving horse. Oats 



