THE I IMPROVED ART OF FARRiERY 19 



cussed under the three different heads of Herbage, 

 Grain, and Roots. 



1. Herbage forms the principal part of the food 

 given to horses, and is either green or dry. The green 

 herbage consists of grass, clover, i)e, tares or vetches, 

 lucern, sainfoin, and melilot ; the first of these is most 

 generally converted into dry herbage or hay, the others 

 are more generally given (since they are found more 

 useful in such a state) when green. Of grasses there 

 are several different sorts, and these are well treated 

 of and arranged by Sinclair, and merit the attention 

 of any who are interested in agriculture and the farm. 

 Clover is not esteemed so good as tares in what is 

 termed " soiling a horse,'^ and yet may be very pro- 

 perly used sometimes, especially with a sick horse, 

 which has been known to eat this in preference to 

 any thing else. Rye, or rye-grass, though looked upon 

 as not so nutritive as tares, is often preferred to clover, 

 but it has been found to purge occasionally, and there- 

 fore not always good for the horse. Tares are invalu- 

 able in some cases, for they are both medicinal and 

 nutritive in their nature. Many have entertained a- 

 stupid idea that they are apt to debilitate the system, 

 and to make the hair have a staring appearance : on 

 the contrary, they will be found very efficacious when 

 judiciously applied in cases of surfeit-lumps, when the 

 legs have begun to swell or the heels to crack, which 

 is not unusual in the summer. Lucern and sainfoin 

 may however be preferred to any of the former ; where 

 liidebind is prevalent they have been veiy speedy in 

 their effects, and have soon brought a poor horse into 

 good condition : this may arise from their being so 

 very easy of digestion, their nutritious qualities are 

 consequently more readily diffused throughout the 

 system. Hay is made from the green herbage, which 



