GRAIN AND VEGETABLES 41 



In recent years crushed oats have been fed by many 

 truckmen and others, and they beheve that this is not 

 only economical, but also that it tends to prevent colic. 

 It is certainly well to feed crushed oats to horses who 

 bolt their grain so hastily that many oats pass through 

 them whole. Machines for crushing can be procured 

 — small, hand machines, and also large machines to 

 be run by electric or other power. The oats can be 

 crushed more or less — but preferably only just enough 

 to break open the husks. 



Ground oats soon become sour, and anyone who 

 feeds them should make sure that they are freshly 

 ground. 



BRAN 



Next to oats there Is nothing so useful In a stable as 

 bran. A few horses that have a tendency to looseness 

 of the bowels cannot be given bran even in the dry 

 form, but most horses, especially work-horses, need a 

 bran mash once a week, and when work Is light they 

 would be better for a bran mash twice a week. Six 

 quarts of bran Is about the ordinary quantity for a bran 

 mash, and It is made by pouring boiling water upon 

 the bran, then thoroughly mixing It and covering It up 

 and leaving it to steam for ten or fifteen minutes, or 

 perhaps longer, and then feeding it to the horses, luke- 

 warm in hot weather and hot in cold weather. It has a 

 slightly loosening effect upon the bowels, tends to purify 

 the blood, and contains some nutriment. 



In the case of a hard-worked horse that receives a 

 good deal of grain. It Is well. In summer, to add a 



