298 THE STOCKFEEDER'S COMPANION 



(V) The diet should be light and laxative. 

 (d) If practicable, let horse run out to grass. 



Mashes and Gruels. 



The use of mashes and gruels are so important in 

 feeding sick animals, that they may be dealt with here. 

 The food must be easily digestible, very strengthening, 

 strictly limited in quantity, and attractive. Hard, 

 indigestible food should be avoided at such times. It 

 is also important that the food should have a laxative 

 tendency. These conditions are mostly fulfilled in 

 some of the common mashes, provided they have been 

 made with ordinary care. 



Bran Mash. Take 3 Ibs. bran and pour over it 

 3 pints of boiling water, add one dessertspoonful of 

 salt, and stir well. Cover over, leave for half an hour, 

 and feed to horse when cool enough. The horse should 

 not be given more than it is able to clean up each time, 

 as it quickly goes sour, and this does not then improve 

 the horse's appetite. 



Bran and Linseed Mash. For catarrhal affections 

 and ailments of the respiratory organs, linseed should 

 be included in the bran mash. It is at the same time 

 laxative, strengthening, and especially useful in the 

 case of hide-bound animals. In this case \ Ib. linseed, 

 i Ib. bran, i dessertspoonful of salt, are taken and 

 stirred in 3 quarts of water. Boil gently one to two 

 hours, taking care to stir frequently. It may then be 

 fed as a jelly-like mash, or in some cases mixed with 

 nice sweet hay chop. 



Malt mashes or malt coombs mashes may be made 

 in the same way. 



Linseed Jelly. This is a very useful laxative that 



