364 THE HORSE 



with highly stimulating food the bran mashes are an 

 excellent corrective, and prevent the beginning of many 

 minor ailments. For the last fortnight or three v^eeks 

 before a race a good handful of split beans or peas may be 

 given each day, stopping them again as soon as the race is 

 over, for if given always they lose their stimulating effect. 

 There is nothing like a little change. When the beans are 

 stopped a handful of lentils may be given instead, which 

 are of assistance to young horses in providing much bone- 

 making material. Effort should be made to provide a little 

 green food, whatever is in season, a handful of tares, young 

 green corn, clover, dandelions, watercresses, chicory, and the 

 green tops of celery all being excellent, besides carrots 

 during the season for them. Only a small quantity should 

 be given, the object not being to provide a meal but merely 

 a little change, which is also cooling to the blood. The 

 great thing is to follow the dictates of Nature, but also 

 strictly to regulate them. 



Another craving of a horse which has been long in the 

 stable is for earth, and a little undoubtedly has an excellent 

 effect upon the acid secretions of the stomach. If a horse 

 has had none for a long time he will gnaw the turf at the 

 first opportunity, and biting pieces off will champ them with 

 the greatest satisfaction, raising his nose high in the air 

 whilst he does so ; and he prefers doing this to paying 

 attention to the sweetest, most luscious grass, which will 

 not be noticed till he has had his fill of earth. After 

 a morning or two he will start grazing at once, for the 

 small quantity of earth his system needs is then swallowed 

 along with the herbage he picks up. When there is no 

 opportunity of allowing the horse to graze for a minute 

 or two, a substitute can be found by placing a lump of 

 chalk in the manger ; and I have known in Spain a native 

 custom of putting a small quantity of chalk, obtained from 

 the chemist, in a bran mash ; or mixing it up into a mess 

 like porridge, which the horses eat of their own accord. 



Another custom of the Spanish farmers was to drive their 

 horses down from the mountains to the vicinity of the sea- 

 shore, when the warm weather began in the spring, and the 



