BE A RING- REIN — BEDDING 



most excellent food for horses in hard work, but they must 

 be given judiciously, and in addition to other food. Roughly 

 speaking, the allowance of beans per feed should be from 

 one-eighth to one-twelfth of the weight of the grain supplied. 

 If supplied to horses doing easy work, excepting as an 

 occasional pick-me-up, beans will be found too stimulating 

 and heating; hence they may cause legs to fill, and other 

 troubles. It may be added that beans are often the subject 

 of attacks from insects which perforate the skins and render 

 them unfit for horses to eat. (See Feeding^ 



Bearing-rein. — The use of the bearing-rein is widely 

 condemned by many people who do not recognise the 

 undeniable fact that there are some horses which it would be 

 difficult, if not unsafe, to drive without some such assistance 

 as it supplies being afforded the coachman. At the same 

 time there are thousands of cases in which it is not necessary, 

 and even in those where it is, the bearing-rein should never 

 be too tight, and if the horses wearing it are standing for 

 any time it should be unhooked from the pad. It con- 

 sists of a rein fastened to the cheeks of the bit which pass 

 through the ear-rings of the headstall to a hook in the pad, 

 and its object is, or should be, to assist the driver in con- 

 trolling the puller or horse that is liable to stumble. As, 

 however, it causes its wearer to carry his head better, it is 

 often utilised for the purpose of improving his appearance. — 

 (See Bridoon, Harness.) 



Bedding. — Straw, peat moss, sawdust, sand, and brackens 

 are all utilised for bedding horses in various parts of the 

 country. Of these, straw is incomparably the best. It 

 possesses one disadvantage, however, as it is often eaten, 

 and if so it is liable to disagree with the horses ; besides 

 this, there is the matter of cost to be thought of where 

 economy has to be considered. Still, straw looks, and is, 

 the best of all beds for a horse. Wheat straw is to be 

 preferred for stable purposes, as it lasts longer and is the 



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