FEED AND FEEDIXG. . 325 



must be held constantly in the proper position for that partic- 

 ular service. The same, if for any other purpose. Many 

 days will be necessary to teach the horse the meaning of every 

 motion of the rein, every pace required, and to constantly sub- 

 mit to the weight of the rider's hand. I can not give in this 

 work minute instructions on gaiting horses, but would remark 

 that every line horse should be properly trained and gaited 

 to enable him to appear to advantage. 



FEED AND FEEDING. 



The diet o'f the horse is very simple, and confined to a very 

 few articles. But it admits of sufficient variety to enable the 

 owner, in any part of the country, to supply his horse feed 

 from the productions of the district. The most important 

 articles of the horse's diet are the farinacious or starch-yield- 

 ing grains. Among these are oats, Indian corn, beans, buck- 

 wheat, wheat, and barley. Certain roots containing starch and 

 sugar are sometimes used as articles of the horse's diet, such 

 as potatoes and carrots. 



Various grasses and herbs are eaten by the horse in their 

 green state. They constitute what is called green feed or 

 green meat. Certain grasses and herbs are cut when they 

 reach a proper stage of ripeness, cured, and put up for future 

 use. This is called hay. The principle articles used as hay 

 in this country are timothy, blue-grass, clover, and red-top. 

 The nutritive qualities of these articles depend on the same 

 principles, whether used dry or green. Their nutritiveness de- 

 pends mainly on the sugar they contain. 



Whatever may be the food given the horse, its mode of 

 preparation will have much to do with its effect in sustaining 

 him. A diet containing but Jittle nutriment may be so given 

 as to do as much good as a much more nutritious diet care- 

 lessly given. Cheapness is an important object, to those who 

 have to buy their feed especially. To attain this end the feed 

 should be so prepared and so given that every particle of nu- 



