54 THE HORSE BOOK. 



periments have, however, shown that the addi- 

 tion of this material to a horse's grain ration 

 makes no appreciable difference in the manner 

 in which the grain is digested. If a stallion is 

 a very hoggish feeder it may pay to mix hay 

 cut or chopped in half or three-quarter-inch 

 lengths with his grain, for the reason that the 

 sharp ends will keep him from bolting his food, 

 but when the ration is fed as a mash the cut 

 hay soon gets soft and is bolted with the rest 

 of the food. 



Most stallions get too much hay ; in fact, that 

 is true of most farm horses. A good rule to fol- 

 low as a basis for finding out how much grain 

 and hay to feed is to allow one pound of each 

 to every hundredweght the horse weighs. Some 

 will need more, some less. With this as a basis 

 of experiment the ordinarily observant man 

 will soon be able to tell, by noticing condition 

 closely, how much the horse needs. In all cases 

 feed enough just so he comes good and hungry 

 to the next meal, and feed three times a day. 

 This basis will hold good for feeding all horses 

 on the farm. Feed most of the hay at night. 

 For instance, if 17 or 18 pounds of hay are to be 

 fed per day, feed five or six in the morning, 

 none at noon and the remainder at night. If it 

 is not all cleaned up feed less. I also believed 

 once that grass during the season was good for 

 a stallion. I do not think so now, especially if 

 the horse is worked. 



