FEEDING THE HORSE 201 



dry corn stover is excellent horse feed. Alfalfa hay or red 

 clover are rich in protein and lime, and may be fed to advan- 

 tage when care is used. Dust must be avoided, and the 

 leaves should be free of mildew or mould. A combination 

 of alfalfa or clover with corn makes nearly a balanced ration 

 for the work horse. There is considerable difference of 

 opinion among American horsemen as to the suitability of 

 these feeds for horses, but in France alfalfa has long been 

 extensively fed to horses, while in the western United States 

 it has been shown to be an excellent roughage for horses 

 when well cured. Corn silage may be safely fed to horses 

 in limited amounts, but it is important that it be bright and 

 well cured, free of all mouldy matter; otherwise serious 

 results may occur. Horses do well on pasture, especially of 

 mixed grasses or of some sort of blue grass, of which Ken- 

 tucky blue is the more common sort. 



Feeding the brood mare. It is important to keep the 

 brood mare in good condition. She should be kept at rea- 

 sonably steady work, and fed so as not to lose in weight or 

 appear thin and run-down prior to foaling. She may be 

 fed as any work horse might be, and kept in good working 

 order. If used for breeding purposes only, the brood mares 

 are, as a rule, run on pasture for at least half the year, and 

 are fed little grain if the grass is good, otherwise special feed 

 is also given. A light feed of concentrates, especially oats 

 or bran, is recommended. Only a light ration of these con- 

 centrates should be given just before foaling. The stall for 

 foaling should be very clean and disinfected. At foaling 

 time but a light mash should be given, to be followed by 

 grain in small amount. If all goes well, the mare may 

 gradually go on to regular full feed, and return to work in 

 ten days or so. As the colt grows, the need for increasing 

 the feed of the mare will become apparent. If she is a good 

 mother, and nurses the colt well, furnishing plenty of milk, 

 she will need much more good food than she would other- 



