FOOD 215 



wrong 'un. The one thing that amazes the 

 range man is the astounding number of ail- 

 ments contracted by civiHzed horses on only 

 four legs in a Hmited span of years. It is a 

 strong presumption that there must be some- 

 thing in civilized horsemastership to account 

 for the general unsoundness of the stock, the 

 lack of endurance, the total failure in mobility. 



The vital needs without which a horse will 

 perish are water and grass. It is considered 

 that the water flowing from limestone rocks, 

 which carries carbonate of lime, is best for 

 building bone. It seems quite possible that 

 other mineral bearing waters have their use- 

 fulness in supplying elements needed for 

 blood, muscle, or nerves. 



The natural food of a horse is sun-cured tuft 

 grass growing in arid regions, but a perfect 

 imitation is the usual mixed feed of oats, chaff 

 and bran, with the common equivalents used 

 for varying diet. Next in value is the upland 

 pasture of damp chmates, worst is the meadow 

 grass. The conditioning of horses in any green 

 pasturage depends upon grain, but one should 

 not in any feeding neglect rock salt. 



If sunshine and fresh air were vital needs pit 

 ponies would not live. Sun and air are no more 

 necessities to a grown horse than eyesight is to 



