FEEDING. 341 



grain produces scouring ; when this is the case, it must of 

 course be given whole, but this very rarely happens with 

 bruised grain when mixed with chaff, as we have above 

 recommended. Horses that are driven rapidly in harness 

 are more liable to be purged with bruised grain than those 

 of slow draught ; and it has been found that diminishing 

 the proportion of straw-chaff, and increasing the quantity 

 of hay in the proportion of two trusses of hay to one of 

 straw, has had the effect of obviating this. For horses 

 which are used as hunters, the quantity of oats must be 

 materially increased, as affording a substantial meal of con- 

 siderably less bulk, and consequently does not distend the 

 stomach so as to press upon the lungs, and thereby impede the 

 process of breathing, as it will be seen by an examination of 

 our figures, 1, 2, and 3, of plate ix, that these organs lie 

 close to each other. It must be understood that the same 

 applies to the race-horse as well as the hunter. 



Horses which are accustomed to bruised grain and chaff, 

 become so fond of it that they prefer it to the oats or beans 

 alone. We cannot too strongly impress upon the owners of 

 horses the danger of feeding them on either grain or hay 

 which has become musty, as either are almost certain to 

 induce disease ; and although no particular complaint is 

 manifested, the horse is sure to fall off in condition. One 

 great advantage in manger-feeding is that the horse when 

 returning from a fatiguing journey or hard gallop, is sooner 

 enabled to fill his stomach and lie down. If the rack is 

 used, it takes from two to three hours to eat his fill, whereas 

 a little more than an hour will suflSce with bruised grain 

 and chaff, which gives him so much more additional time to 

 rest, which is of vast importance to such horses as are used 

 in mail and stage-coaches. 



When small farmers or others unfortunately possess musty 



