THE STABLE AND ITS MANAGEMENT 231 



with barley, beans, pease, corn, turnips, and 

 many other things easy to obtain and not at all 

 expensive. A little nibble of fresh grass occasion- 

 ally is also a grateful change, but not much of this 

 should be given when a horse is doing steady 

 work. The allowance of oats in the United States 

 army is ten quarts a day. This with plenty of hay 

 is a good allowance and will keep a horse in good 

 condition, but a hearty eater can make way with 

 twelve quarts a day and be all the better for it. 

 The hay should not be fed from a rack over the 

 manger, but from the ground. When carrots are 

 fed they should be sliced ; whole they might choke 

 a horse. When corn is fed it should be given on 

 the cob. In this way the horse improves his teeth 

 and helps his gums, while he is obliged to feed 

 slowly. 



A horse should be watered before eating, and 

 the last thing at night before the stable is closed. 

 And when the horse comes in tired he should be 

 given a mouthful of water, even before he is per- 

 mitted to drink his fill. I have seen stables where 

 there was running water in a trough in each stall. 

 I do not recommend this, nor yet a common 



