8 



horses were maintained at the usual standard. This was accomplished 

 in the instance cited by demonstrating the value of Indian corn, against 

 which there was a prejudice in France, and substituting it in part for 



oats. 



The returns from scientific studies are not alwaj's so immediate, but 

 the results are usually of use when the experiments have been well 

 planned and carried out. 



The problem of horse feeding is one which each feeder solves more 

 or less for himself, the opinion regarding what is and what is not sat- 

 isfactory feed varying more or less with the time and place. Opinions 

 may differ as to the value of this food or that, but it is evident that 

 the actual food requirements of a horse performing a given amount of 

 work can not vary as a result of a change of opinion on the feeder's 

 part. With horses, as with all animals, including man, the real prob- 

 lem is to supply sufficient nutritive material for building and repairing 

 the body and furnishing it with the energy necessary for performing 

 work, whether it be that which goes on inside the body (the beating 

 of the heart, respiratory movements, etc.), or the work which is per- 

 formed outside the body (hauling a load, etc.). The body temperature 

 must also be maintained at the expense of the fuel ingredients, but 

 whether material is burned in the l)ody primarily for this purpose, or 

 whether the necessary heat is a resultant of the internal muscular 

 work, is not known with certainty. 



The problem of successfully feeding horses differs somewhat from 

 that encountered in feeding most domestic animals. Cattle, sheep, 

 and pigs are fed to induce gains in weight, i. e. , to fatten them, or in 

 the case of milch cows to produce gains in the form of a body secre- 

 tion (milk) rather than as fat in the body. In a similar way sheep 

 are fed for the production of wool, and poultry for the production of 

 eggs. Sometimes cattle are also fed as beasts of burden. Horses are 

 fed almost universally as beasts of burden, whether the work consists 

 in carrying a rider or drawing a load. 



Mares with foal require food for the development of their young, 

 and after birth > the colt needs it for the growth and development of 

 the body as well as for maintenance. Such demands for nutritive 

 material are common to all classes of animals. Sometimes horses are 

 fed to increase their weight; that is, to improve their condition. For 

 instance, animals are often fattened by horse dealers before they are 

 sold. However, generally speaking, the problem in horse feeding is 

 to supply sufficient nutritive material for the production of the work 

 required and at the same time to maintain the body weight. The 

 almost universal experience of practical horse feeders, and the results 

 of many carefully planned experiments, agree that there is no surer 

 test of the fitness of any given ration than that it enables the horse 

 fed to maintain a constant weight. If the animal loses weight it 



