56 NOTES FOR HUNTING-MEN 



horse's stomach ; and a really careful groom will 

 find it. A bad doer is useless in a hunting stable, 

 particularly in a poor man's ; but I believe there are 

 very few horses which cannot be got to take sufficient 

 food by a really competent man. Most horses 

 which are shy feeders at other times, wdll feed well 

 at night. Any horse, therefore, which you consider 

 is not doing himself and you credit, should be given 

 a good double feed the last thing at night, and 

 there will very seldom be anything left in the 

 manger the next morning. I always have a good 

 feed given at this time to every horse which has 

 been out that day, to make up for the feeds he has 

 missed when at work. 



A horse has a relatively small stomach, which* 

 I believe, scientific people will tell you is emptied in 

 four hours. He should be fed, therefore, in small 

 quantities at a time, and frequently. Three pounds 

 of corn at a feed is sufficient. This is a little more 

 than an ordinary quartern measure, which contains 

 about 2^ lbs. The great thing is to insist on 

 the horses being fed at regular intervals ; as far, 

 that is to say, as their work as hunters will 

 allow. 



I have my horses fed four, and, if necessary, 

 five times during the day — after the morning and 

 mid-day stable hours ; again at three ; after even- 

 ing stables, and the last thing at night. I am a 



