66 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



Dry and Soaked Feed. It is often claimed that soaked feed, 

 especially hard grain, is more easily masticated and its digestibility 

 is improved. This however is doubtful in the minds of many expe- 

 rienced horsemen and experimenters, for it has been found by actual 

 tests that healthy horses with good teeth digested dry beans and corn 

 as well as they did the same material which had been soaked in 

 water for 24 hours. Soaking or wetting the feed may sometimes be 

 of importance as regards the health of horses. The practice of cut- 

 ting trie roughage and feeding the grain with it causes the grain to 

 be eaten more slowly and may on this account be of considerable 

 value with some animals. Also the dust in some coarse fodders may 

 be avoided by sprinkling. 



Ground and Unground Feed. Opinions differ as regards the 

 advantages of grinding grain. For horses that are worked hard and 

 are out of the stable during the day, it is quite generally believed 

 that all grains with the possible exception of oats, should be ground. 

 For idle horses or those at light work, grinding is not thought to be 

 so essential. In other respects, providing the animals have time to 

 masticate their rations thoroughly, the grinding is not necessary ex- 

 cept in instances where animals have faulty teem. When the ration 

 is eaten hurriedly, grinding takes the place of mastication to some 

 extent and increases the assimilation. From all the American tests 

 and those which have been made in Europe, it appears fair to say 

 that there is no marked advantage in grinding grain for healthy 

 horses with good teeth. 



Cut and Uncut Fodders. It is the general opinion that when 

 horses have ample time for chewing and digesting their feed, there 

 is no necessity for chaffing or cutting hay and straw. When tho 

 time for feeding is limited, the cutting of these fodders is regarded 

 as somewhat advantageous; furthermore chaffed feed occupies less 

 space for storage than uncut hay or straw, and on that account can 

 be more readily handled. As some horses have a tendency to eat 

 their 'grain rations too rapidly, a decided advantage is gamed by 

 mixing a grain ration with moistened cut fodder. (Agr. Dept. 

 F. B. 170.) 



Watering Horses. Horses like other animals require water 

 which shoulcT always be of good quality. It may be assumed that 

 under any given normal condition the body contains a definite 

 amount of water. When any considerable amount of this is lost a 

 sensation of thirst is experienced. In addition to the water drunk 

 by horses, a considerable amount is obtained in the succulent food 

 eaten. The amount required is influenced by several factors, includ- 

 ing season of the year, temperature of the air, character of the feed, 

 peculiarities of the individual, amount and character of the work 

 performed. 



The amount of water needed increases with the temperature 

 and the amount of work performed. Less water is consumed when 

 grain and succulent foods form a considerable part of the ration. 

 In general, a horse will drink 50 to 75 pounds of water per day, how- 

 ever under the influence of warm weather or hard work the amount 

 may range from 80 to 125 pounds or even more, In some expert- 



