Feed and Care of the Horse. 319 



next time of feeding should be reduced accordingly. As a rule, 

 it will be safe to feed as much as the horse will eat with apparent 

 relish; and then, with plenty of exercise, he will not become 

 overloaded with fat. The hay, as well as the grain feed, should 

 be sound and free from mould and dust, and the stall should be 

 kept clean, well lighted and perfectly ventilated. 



"The amount of exercise to be given will vary somewhat with 

 the condition and habit of the horse. If he be in thin flesh, and 

 it is thought best to fatten him up, the exercise should be lighter 

 than it otherwise would be; and, on the other hand, if there is a 

 tendency to become too fat, this may be corrected by increasing the 

 amount of exercise that is given. Draft horses should rarely be led 

 or driven faster than a walk in taking their exercise, and they will 

 require much less of it than the roadster or the running horse 

 a moderate 'jog' daily will benefit them. I am clearly of the 

 opinion that in no one particular is there more faulty manage- 

 ment on the part of lazy grooms and stable hands than in the 

 matter of exercising stallions while doing service in the stud. 

 They should not be walked nor jogged so long that they will be- 

 come jaded or wearied, but should have enough of it daily to keep 

 the muscles hard and firm, the appetite good and to prevent them 

 from laying on an undue amount of fat. No draft horse, under 

 ordinary circumstances, should have less exercise than five miles 

 a day, and the roadster and running horse may safely have six 

 miles, which in some cases should be increased to eight or even 

 ten. 



"The point to be aimed at in the stable management of the 

 stallion is so to feed, groom and exercise as to keep the horse to 

 the very highest possible pitch of strength and vigor. The idea 

 which prevails among many stable grooms that feeding this or 

 that nostrum will increase the ability of a horse to get foals is 

 sheer nonsense. Anything that adds to the health, strength and 

 vigor of the horse will increase his virility or sexual power, 

 simply because the sexual organs will partake of the general tone 

 of the system; and, on the contrary, whatever tends to impair the 

 health and vigor of the general system will have a deleterious 

 effect upon the sexual organs. A healthy horse needs nothing 



