236 THE HORSE. 
a half to ten hours according to the distance, while the other is travelled 
fast enough to do it in six or seven hours, the latter will be less exhausted 
than the former, though even he would be all the better for a feed in the 
middle of the journey, the time devoted to this act being easily picked up by 
the increased energy which would be given by the corn. No horseman of 
experience is ignorant of these facts, and after a long day the hunting 
man who knows what he is about will always be seen on the look out for 
a feed of corn or a pint of oatmeal for his hunter, before he attends to his 
own wants. The human stomach will bear hunger far better than that of 
the horse, and if the rider feels his appetite pretty keen, he may be satis- 
fied that the animal which carries him is still more in want of food. The 
kind of work which the horse is intended for affects not only the quantity 
of food required, but also its quality. Thus very fast work, as in racing and 
hunting, strains the muscular system as well as the heart and lungs to the 
utmost, and therefore the food which is best fitted for the development of 
the former to the highest degree consists of those kinds which present the 
elements contained in the muscular tissue in the largest proportions con- 
sistent with the due performance of the digestive powers. ‘These are found 
in oats and beans, but nature herself teaches every animal instinctively to 
keep within such limits as are safe, and hence it is found that though 
every horse will greedily devour a peck or a peck and a half of corn daily, 
yet he will not go beyond this quantity even though it is not sufficient for 
his wants, and in spite of his being deprived of every other kind of food. 
The demands of his muscular system are supplied by the corn, but there 
are certain saline matters in hay which are not found in the former, and 
being necessary for the performance of several important functions the 
stomach receives its warning through the appetite and no more corn is 
received into it. On the other hand, the hard-worked horse fed on hay 
alone craves for corn, and will greedily devour almost any quantity put in 
his manger until he upsets his digestive powers, when the appetite for it 
ceases. It is found by experience that a certain proportion of hay and 
corn is best adapted to each horse according to the work he has to do, and 
his own particular constitution, so that in laying down rules-for feeding 
it is necessary first of all to ascertain what demands will be likely to be 
made upon the system. Few owners of carriage-horses would like to see 
them driven to the door with their muscles showing the lines between them 
as they ought to do in a racehorse when fit to run. Such a state of high 
training as will put the latter in condition would be impracticable for the 
former without wearing his legs out, and not only destroying his rounded 
and level appearance but taking away the air of high spirit and life which 
tends so much to gratify the eye. Hence the feeding suited to give the 
one nothing but muscle is not fitted for the other, who must have more 
hay and less oats, as well as less work. So also in deciding upon the 
proportion, if any, of oats and beans, regard must be had to the amount 
of work which is demanded, for there can be no doubt that while admitting 
the good effects of beans in large quantities upon the severely tried cab 
or omnibus horse, they are injurious to the carriage horse, whose blood 
soon becomes heated under their constant use. Lastly, the peculiar con- 
stitution of each horse must be studied before it can be known whether the 
average quantity and quality of food which will suit the majority of horses 
doing the same kind of work, will be enough or too much for him. Some 
washy animals pass their food through them so quickly that they do not 
absorb from it one half of the nutritive elements contained in it. These 
must be fed largely if they are kept at work, and those articles of food 
ee 
