136 Management and Feeding of Heavy Horses 



companionship; and if there is any sentimentality about a heavy 

 horse he must figuratively shed floods of tears at the great change 

 in his life. Fortunately he is more philosophical than sentimental, 

 and generally adapts himself quietly to his new home, his new work, 

 and his new surroundings. His new home may be a very happy 

 one if he happens to be bought by one of those large companies or 

 large contractors who keep a great number of horses, and place in 

 charge of them an intelligent superintendent, who sees that they 

 are well fed, properly harnessed, worked regular hours, and placed 

 in charge of a careful carter. It is usual also in those large stables 

 to have a properly qualified veterinary surgeon to look after those 

 laid aside by sickness, and to advise on the feeding and treatment 

 of those in health and at work. One man is generally appointed 

 to feed a certain number of horses; he prepares the feed during the 

 day when they are out at work, has it ready for them when they 

 come in, and sees that each has what he requires, not given all at 

 once but supplied in small quantities as it is eaten up. This man 

 has to be at work early in the morning, so that he has the horses 

 all fed and ready for work when the carters arrive; and if they are 

 not returning for a midday meal, he has to fill their nosebags ready 

 to be taken out with them. 



The owners of the horses are in a different position from the 

 farmers who reared them, having to buy all the food required. 

 The farmer had to use chiefly the food produced on the farm ; he 

 could not always follow strictly scientific lines in his feeding, but 

 had to be guided by experience and circumstances. The owner of 

 the street horse can be guided by science as well as experience in 

 the feeding of the horses. The market prices of the various descrip- 

 tions of corn probably causes slight variations in the menu. 



A heavy horse at street work is supposed to require food per 

 day from which he can digest albuminoids 3.5 lb., carbohydrates 

 16 lb., fat I lb. A ration of 14 lb. hay, 12 lb. oats, 2 lb. beans, and 

 2 lb. bran each per day, would produce something approaching 

 the above digestive results. The quality of the hay makes some 

 difference; if clover hay is used the proportion of beans may be 

 reduced or substituted by maize; if meadow hay is used the beans 

 may be slightly increased. Timothy hay is a great favourite with 

 horse owners, and is now in great demand. When hay gets very 

 high in price it may be substituted in part by oat straw, and a little 

 additional weight of concentrated food added. If beans get dear, 

 peas may be substituted in part, and if oats get very high half the 

 quantity may be used and the other replaced by 4 lb. of maize and 

 2 lb. of barley crushed. Of course the grain used is of good quality, 



