FARMERS' REGIS T E R. 



479 



tells us, that one Ion of oals made into bread 

 yickls more nutriment than six tons of the raw 

 ariicle, and that in Sweden this has been proved 

 by exfierienre. It has never been prov(»d in 

 Scotland, and I dare say ii never will. It is iriie, 

 however, that a bread composed of oatmeal and 

 rye, in ecjiial quantities, has lonii been us(>d for 

 horses in Sweden. It is brol\en down and mixed 

 wiiii cut siraw. It is in common use overdiHer- 

 ent parts of Germany. I cannot learn any par- 

 ticulars as to the mode of makinir, nor of the quan- 

 tity given nor ol the horses' condition. In France 

 many attempts have been made to produce n bread 

 that would wholly or partially supersede oats, 

 which seem to be comparatively precious on the 

 continent. BucU-wheat, rye, barley, wheat, and 

 potatoes have been tried in varying proportion, 

 and, according to several accounts, with success. 

 But it does not appear very distinctly why these 

 articles should be converted inio bread, which is a 

 costly process, rather than given raw or boiled. It is 

 indeed alleged that some of the constituent prin- 

 ciples are not diirestible until iliey have under- 

 gone fermentation ; and it may be so, but no proof 

 is shown that I have seen. 



Linseed in small quantities, either whole or 

 ground, raw or boiled, is sometimes given to sick 

 horses. It is too nutritious for a levered horse, 

 but is very usel'jl lor a cough, and it makes the 

 skin loose and the coat glossy. Half a pint may 

 be mixed with the usual ii^ed every night. For a 

 coujih it should be boiled, and given in a bran 

 mash, to which two or three ounces of coarse su- 

 gar may be added. 



Oil cake, ground and given in the boiled meat, 

 when not very rich, consisiing chiefly or entirely 

 of roots, is much stronger than bran, and stronger, 

 perhaps, than oatmeal seeds. Two to lour pounds 

 per day is the usual allowance. It makes the hair 

 glossj'. Horses seem to tire of it soon, but, the 

 tarmer will find it useful lor helping his horses 

 through the winter. 



Hempsecd used to be given to racers a few days 

 before running. It was supposed to be invigorat- 

 ing and ''good for the wind." I believe it is not 

 now employed, except occasionally to stallions 

 during the travelling season. Some give lour or 

 six ounces every night. 



Sugar. — Mr. Black, veterinary surgeon of the 

 14ih Light Dragoons, inlbrmed me that sugar 

 was tried as an article of horse lood during the 

 Peninsular war. The experiment was made at 

 the Brighton depot upon ten horses, during a 

 period of three months. Each got eight pounds 

 per day, at lour rations. They took lo if very 

 readily, and it was remarked tfial their coats be- 

 came fine, smooih, and glossy. They got no 

 corn, and only seven pounds ofhay, instead ofthe 

 ordinary allowance, which is twelve pounds. The 

 sugar seemed to supply the place of corn so well, 

 that it would probably have been given to the 

 horses abroad. But peace came, and the circum- 

 stances which rendered the use of sugar (or corn 

 desirable, ceased. The horses returned to their 

 usual diet; but several of those that were the 

 subjects of this experiment became crib-biters. 



That the sugar might not be appropriated lo 

 other purposes, it was slightly scented with as- 

 aliptida, which did not produce any apparent effect 

 upon the horses. 



•' Fruit, as gourds and sweet potatoes in 



America ; f\as and chestnuts in Spain and Italy ; 

 apples in some parts of France ; and numerous 

 other fructified exotics, are occasionally employed 

 as food for horses."* Horse chestnuts, it is said, 

 " would probably Ibrm a valuable anicle of medi- 

 cinal Ibod (or horses. In Turkey the nuts are 

 (.'found, and mixed with other food ; and they are 

 regarded as a remedy (or broken wind, and ser- 

 viceable to horses troubled with couirhs."! Haics, 

 the fruit ofthe hawtliorn, have been employed by 

 West of Hampshire, as an anicle of (bod lor farm- 

 horses, Willi what profit I have not learned. " The 

 people of Medjid (ijed their horses regularly on 

 dates. At Deyrach, in the country ofthe Flassfe, 

 dates are mixed with the clover. Barley, however, 

 is the most usual (bod in all parts of Arabia. "J 



Flesh. — The structure of the horse does not 

 seem adapted to the assimilation of animal food. 

 But some seem to have no dislike to it ; and it is 

 well to know that it may to a certain extent, sup- 

 ply the place of corn. I have seen iliem lick blood 

 repeatedly and greedily. Bracy Clarke says he 

 has " seen a wcll-attf^sted account in a magazine, 

 ofa colt that was in the habit of visiting a pantry 

 window which looked into his paddock, and of 

 stealing and eating mutton, beef, veal, and poultry. 

 Pork he seemed to reject. In the East Indies, 

 meat boiled to rags, to which is added some kinds 

 of grain and butter, is made into balls and forced 

 down the horse's throat. — Carpenter'' s Introduc. 

 to the Wars nf India. Also sheep's heads during 

 a campaign are boiled for horses in that country. "§ 



" Whilcatthe stable of Mr. Mellings, of Wake- 

 field, the groom would let me see a flesh-eating 

 horse.- He brought about a pound of roasted beef 

 and as much raw bacon, which, he warmed. I 

 look away the hoise, while the groom put the 

 meat in one corner of the manger, and a leed of 

 oats in the other. I put in the horse and directed 

 his nose to the corn, but he daried from that to the 

 bacon, which he greedily <levoured. He then ate 

 his corn. The irroom said this horse would finish 

 the bone of a leg of mutton in a lew minutes, and 

 that roasted meat was his (iivorite dish. "|| The 

 wealthy people of Medjid frequently give fiesh to 

 their horses, raw as well as boiled, together with 

 ihe offals of the table. " I knew a man at Hainah 

 in Syria, who assured me that lie had ofien given 

 his horses washed meat afier a journey, to make 

 them endure it with greater (iicility. The same 

 person related to me, that, apprehensive of the 

 governor ofthe town taking a liking to his favorite 

 horse, he fed it lor a fortnight entirely on roasted 

 pork, which raised its mettle to such a height that 

 it became absolutely unmanageable, and could no 

 lontrer be an object o( de-sire lo the covernor."!! 



Fish. — ''In Iceland, ii is staled by Bulibn, that 

 dried fish is made the food of horses ; and my 

 friend William Bullock, senior, lately inlbrmed me 

 he saw them in the same practice in Norway."** 



Eggs are someiimes given lo stallions in ihe 

 travelling season, (or exciting desire, and to other 



* Blaine's Vet. Outlines, p. 94. London, 1S32. 



t Cuinp. Grazier, p. 629. 1833. 



X Past and present state ofthe English racer. Hook- 

 ham, 1S36. 



§ Clarke, Pharmacop. Equina. Lend, 1833. 



II The Veterinarian, Vol. v. p. 25. Letter from Mr. 

 Garland, V. S. Wakefield. 



II Past and piepent state of (he English racer. 183(>. 



'* ii. Clarke, Pharm. Eq. 



