THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF FEEDING 2G7 



hind of work which tlie horse is intended for affects not only the qu.antity 

 of food required, but also its quality. Thus very fast work, as in racing and 

 hunting, strains the muscular system as well as the heart and lungs to the 

 utmost, and therefore the food which is best fitted for the development of 

 the former to the highest degree consists of those kinds which present the 

 elements contained in the muscular tissue in the largest proportions con- 

 sistent ivith the due performance of the digestive powers. These are found 

 in oats and beans, but Nature herself teaches every animal instinctively to 

 keep within such limits as are safe, and hence it is found that though 

 every horse will greedily devour a peck or a peck and a half of corn daily, 

 yet he will not go beyond this quantity even though it is not sufficient for 

 his wants, and in spite of his being deprived of every other kind of food. 

 The demands of his muscular system are supplied by the corn, but there 

 are certain saline matters in hay which are not found in the former, and 

 being necessary for the performance of several important functions, the 

 stomach I'eceives its warning through the appetite and no more corn is 

 received into it. On the other hand, the hard- worked horse fed on hay 

 alone craves for corn, and will greedily devour almost any quantity put in 

 his manger until he upsets his digestive powers, when the appetite for it 

 ceases. It is found by expex'ience that a certain proportion of hay and 

 corn is best adapted to each horse according to the work he has to do, and 

 his own particular constitution, so that in laying down rules for feeding 

 it is necessary first of all to ascertain what demands will be likely to be 

 made upon the system. Few owners of carriage-horses would like to see 

 them driven to the door with their muscles showing the lines between them, 

 as they ought to do in a race-horse when fit to run. Such a state of high 

 training as will put the latter in condition would be impracticable for the 

 former without wearing his legs out, and not only destroying his rounded 

 and level appearance, but taking away the air of high spiiit and life which 

 tends so much to gratify the eye. Hence the feeding suited to give the 

 one nothing but muscle is not fitted for the other, who must have more 

 hay and less oats, as well as less work. So also in deciding upon the 

 proportion, if any, of oats and beans, regard must be had to the amount 

 of work which is demanded, for there can be no doubt that while admitting 

 the good effects of beans in large quantities upon the severely tried cab 

 or omnibus horse, they are injurious to the carriage-horse, whose blood 

 soon becomes heated under their constant use. Lastly, the peculiar con- 

 stitution of each horse must be studied before it can be known whether the 

 average quantity and quality of food which will suit the majority of horses 

 doing the same kind of work, will be enough or too much for him. Some 

 washy animals pass their food through them so quickly that they do not 

 absorb from it one-half of the nutritive elements contained in it. These 

 must be fed largely if they are kept at work, and those articles of food 

 must be selected for them which have a tendency rather to confine 

 the bowels than to relax them. Independently of this extreme case it 

 never can with certainty be pronounced beforehand what amount of food 

 will keep an untried horse in condition, but in a large stable an average 

 can easily be struck, and it is this quantity alone which can be' estimated 

 here. In the following pages, therefore, I shall give a description of the 

 several alimentary wants of the horse, and then show in what propor- 



