294: Feeds and Feeding. 



"With the beginning of the season (we quote directly from 

 the author) 1 while the jogging, the first part of the trotting 

 horse's preparation, is in progress, the strength of the feed may 

 be increased, though not up to the extent that will be requisite 

 when the work is made longer and sharper. He may have, dur- 

 ing this first part of the preparation, from eight to ten quarts of 

 oats a day, according to his capacity as a feeder, and the demands 

 made by nature for supply of strong food under work. As the 

 oats are increased, the horse will want less hay, but may still have 

 all he will eat up clean. After taking his feed of oats, he will not 

 consume as much hay in general; but some horses are such gluttons 

 that it is necessary to limit them as to hay almost from the first. 

 There are even some who will eat the straw of their bedding when 

 they have had all the grain and hay that should be fed to them; 

 and, with these, it sometimes becomes necessary to put on the muzzle 

 long before the time for the trial or the race. No carrots are now 

 to be given, and I believe corn to be unnecessary and often mis- 

 chievous. It is heating, and does not contain as much of the stuff 

 that goes to make up hard flesh and elastic muscle as oats. There 

 may be instances, however, in which a light feeder can be got to eat 

 up his oats, and a handful of corn as well, when the latter is mixed 

 with them. In such a case it is well to give it; but in no case should 

 corn be used as a substitute for the allowance of oats the horse in 

 training ought to have. 



"While the jogging and after preparation are going on, a bran 

 mash now and then will be proper. Probably about once a week 

 will be often enough and not too often; but this will be indicated 

 by the condition of the horse's bowels and by his constitutional 

 tendencies and requirements. If his bowels are relaxed, the use 

 of the bran rnash is not apparent; and if he is of the light, washy 

 order, never having much substance, and easily melting away when 

 put into sharp training work, mashes are to be given more sparingly 

 than with one of the opposite character. The trainer is never to 

 relax his vigilance of observation, or let his judgment go to sleep 

 and trust to arbitrary rules. . . . During the fast work, prepara- 

 tory to the coming trial, the horse will have been put upon his 

 largest allowance of strong food. Some will not eat more than eight 

 or ten quarts of oats a day; and it is necessary to be very vigilant 

 and careful that these light feeders are not over-marked in work. 

 Twelve or thirteen quarts is about what a good feeder ought to have. 



1 Loc. cit., p. 99. 



