22 FEEDING. 



better to give a higher price for English beans than to 

 use the Egyptian at any price ; the latter are said to be 

 impregnated with the eggs of insects, which adhere to 

 the lining of the horse's stomach, causing him serious 

 injury. In India horses are principally fed on a kind 

 of small pea called "gram" — in the United States their 

 chief food is maize ; the oat-plant not succeeding well 

 in either of those regions. 



Bran, — Food should be varied occasionally, and all 

 horses not actually in training ought to have a bran- 

 mash once a-week. The best time to give this is for the 

 first feed after the work is done, on the day preceding 

 the rest clay, whenever that may be. 



Even hunters, after a hard day, will eat the bran 

 with avidity, and it is well to give it for the first meal. 

 Its laxative qualities render it a sedative and cooler in 

 the half-feverish state of system induced by the exer- 

 tion and excitement of the chase ; and according to my 

 experience, if given just after the work is done, the 

 digestive process, relaxed by the bran, has full time to 

 recover itself by the grain-feeding before the next call 

 is made on the horse's powers. If the bran is not 

 liked, a little bruised oats may be mixed through it to 

 tempt the palate. Whole grains of oats should never be 

 mixed with bran, as they must of necessity be bolted 

 with the latter, and passed through the animal entire. 



Mash. — When only doing ordinary work, the follow- 

 ing mash should be given to each horse on Saturday 

 night after work, supposing your beasts to rest on 

 Sunday : — 



Put half a pint of linseed in a two-quart pan with 

 an even edge ; pour on it one quart of boiling water, 

 cover it close, and leave to soak for four hours. 



