CHAPTER X 

 STABLE MANAGEMENT 



Food and AVatee. 



THE first necessity, after having obtained a horse, is to 

 look after its wants in the way of food and water. 

 Here, at the very outset, the tyro may easily go wrong, 

 with mischievous results, if left entirely to his own 

 devices. It will probably never occur to him that it can 

 matter in the least whether the animal takes food or water 

 first, and it is far from improbable that in mistaken 

 kindness, if he thinks on the matter at all, he will suppose 

 since hay and corn must be such dry food to eat, it will be 

 pleasanter to have the water afterwards, to give the meal 

 " a good wash down." It is what he would, no doubt, treat 

 himself to if placed in a similar predicament, and yet he 

 could not do a worse thing, or one more likely to bring on 

 colic, or similar internal trouble. The horse having such 

 a very small arrangement for a stomach, it is necessary that 

 the digestion should be proceeded with after it has passed on 

 into the intestines, and for this reason it must not be unduly 

 hastened during its passage downwards ; but if a big draught 

 of water is suddenly poured into the masticated mass this 

 is hurried onwards before it is sufficiently ready, and then 

 Nature resents the undue interference with her arrange- 

 ments. 



It is different if water is always present, and the animal 

 can help itself when it pleases, and this is far the preferable 

 plan — though not always convenient to carry out, besides 

 being opposed to the prejudices of untutored stable-helpers. 

 "When a horse can drink at any moment it likes it never 



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