226 FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



Grinding grain. — Where oats are mixed with chaffed hay, there is no 

 advantage in crushing the grain if the horses have good teeth. It is 

 also doubtful if it pays to crush or grind oats when fed alone, except 

 perhaps for hard-worked horses which have but little time in the stable, 

 or for those which bolt their grain or have poor teeth. All small, hard 

 grains, such as wheat, barley, rye, and kafir, should be ground or, bet- 

 ter, rolled. Com is preferably fed on the cob. 



Soaking or cooking grain. — AVhen such grains as wheat and l^arky 

 cannot conveniently be rolled or ground, thej^ should be soaked ^efore 

 feeding, to soften the kernels. Ear corn that is so dry and flinty as to 

 injure the horses' mouths should also be soaked or ground. 



The custom of cooking even a small portion of the feed given to 

 horses has almost ceased, since experiments have shown that uncooked 

 feed gives just as good results. 



Watering the horse. — Extensive tests have shown that horses may be 

 watered before, after, or during a meal without interfering with the 

 digestion or absorption of the food eaten. Therefore, individual cir- 

 cumstances and convenience should determine the time of watering, 

 but when a system is once adopted it should be rigidly adhered to, for 

 a change from one system to another lessens the appetite. A horse long 

 deprived of water or having undergone severe exertion should be 

 Avatered before being fed, but it is dangerous to allow a horse much 

 water when very warm. A moderate drink taken slowly will refresh 

 him and do no harm. 



About 10 to 12 gallons, or 100 lbs., of water should be provided daily 

 for each horse. In warm weather and when at hard work, horses will 

 drink more water than at other times, owing to the greater evaporation 

 of water from the body. The nature of the feed also affects the quan- 

 tity of water drunk. 



Salt. — The horse shows great fondness for salt and thrives best when 

 regularly supplied with it. A reasonable allowance is two ounces per 

 head daily. 



III. Hints on Feeding and Caring for Horses 



General hints on caring for horses. — There is great truth in the 

 Arab saying, "Rest and fat are the greatest enemies of the horse." 

 Regular exercise or work is necessary for health and a long period of 

 usefulness. A mature horse should travel not less than 5 to 6 miles 

 daily and the highly-fed colt should have abundant exercise. When- 

 ever a horse is not working, reduce the grain, even to one-half, to 

 avoid digestive troubles. 



To maintain health, horses should be housed in well-ventilated quar- 



