46 CHAPTER 5. 



76. Hay. 



For horses in ordinary work the cavalry allowance of twelve pounds 

 per diem is sufficient. It is very commonly thought that horses in hard 

 work should be limited in regard to hay; but if, as has been recom- 

 mended above, horses in such work are allowed as much oats as they 

 will eat, it is unnecessary and injudicious to put an arbitrary limit on 

 their hay. Practically it will be found that horses, which are not 

 limited in regard to oats, will not usually consume above six pounds of 

 hay per diem ; and nobody probably would wish them to have less. 



A horse cannot be maintained in health on grain alone. The stomach 

 needs a certain amount of mechanical distension, and without it will not 

 act properly. The same fact is noticed in man, in whom highly concen- 

 trated foods, however nutritious, will not maintain health or even life. 



77. Chopped hay. 



Chopped hay has been highly recommended, but except a little for the 

 purpose of mixing with the corn of greedy feeders, the author cannot see 

 any advantage in its use. The argument commonly put forward in its 

 favour, namely, that by chopping the good and bad parts are so mixed 

 that the horse must eat the bad with the good, in his opinion tells seri- 

 ously against the plan. A horse is better without bad hay in his 

 stomach than with it. Bad forage of any sort is false economy, and the 

 horse in rejecting it shows more sense than his master in trying to force 

 him to eat it. Hay should always be chopped at home, as that sold by 

 dealers is generally made from inferior and damaged growths. 



If horses are fed from the nose-bag, as is the practice where the hours 

 of work are long, chopped hay must of course be used. 



78. Waste of hay. 



Great waste of hay is frequently occasioned by careless servants 

 stuffing the rack with perhaps half a hundredweight. Then indeed the 

 horse selects only the very choicest locks, and pulls about and breathes 

 over the remainder and eventually tramples it under his feet. If no 

 more than twelve pounds are given with three feeds of corn, or half that 

 quantity where the horses have an unlimited supply of corn, they will 

 not in general waste or reject much that it would be good for them to 

 eat. With some horses, however, it is necessary, in order to avoid 

 waste, to divide the hay into four instead of the usual two portions 

 during the day. 



79. Quality and value of hay. 



The quality and value of hay depend 



1st. On the grasses and herbage of which it is composed. 



2nd. On the soil on which it has been grown. 



3rd. On the time at which the grass has been cut. 



4th. On the way in which it has been " saved." 



