DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 41 



gish in their action. Linseed tea is very often given in irritable or 

 inflamed conditions of the digestive organs. 



Potatoes. — These are used as an article of food for the horse in 

 man}" sections. If fed raw and in large quantities they often produce 

 indigestion. Their digestibility is favored by steaming or boiling. 

 They possess, in common with other roots, slight laxative properties. 



Beets. — These arc not much used as food for horses. 



Caekots. — These make a most excellent food, particularly during 

 sickness. They improve the appetite and slighth" increase the action 

 of the bowels and kidneys. They possess also certain alterative prop- 

 erties. The coat becomes smooth and gloss}- when carrots are fed. 

 Some veterinary writers claim that chronic cough is cured by giving 

 carrots for some time. The roots may be considered, then, as an 

 adjunct to the regular regimen, and if fedin small quantities are highly 

 beneficial. 



Grasses. — Grass is the natural food of horses. It is composed of 

 a great variety of plants, differing widely as to the amount of nourish- 

 ment contained, some being almost entirely without value as foods and 

 only eaten when there is nothing* else obtainable, while others are 

 positively injurious, or even poisonous. None of the grasses are suf- 

 ficient to keep the horse in condition for work. Horses thus fed 

 arc "soft,'' sweat easily, purge, and soon tire on the road or when at 

 hard work. To growing stock, grass is indispensable, and there is 

 little or no doubt but that it acts as an alterative when given to horses 

 accustomed to grain and hay. It must be given to such horses in 

 small quantities at first. The stomach and intestines underg-o rest, 

 and recuperate if the horse is turned to grass for a time each jear. 

 It is also certain that during febrile diseases grass acts almost as a 

 medicine, lessening the fever and favoring recover3^ Wounds heal 

 more rapidh" than when the horse is on grain, and some chronic dis- 

 orders (chronic cough, for instance) disappear entirely when at grass. 

 In my experience, grass does niore good when the horse crops it him- 

 self. This may be due to the sense of freedom he enjoj'S at pasture, 

 to the rest to his feet and limbs, and for many other similar reasons. 

 "When cut for him it should be fed fresh or when but slightly wilted. 



PREPARATION OF FOODS. 



Foods are prepared for feeding for any of the following reasons: To 

 render the food more easil}^ eaten; to make it more digestible; to 

 economize in amount; to give it some new" propert}^; and to preserve 

 it. We have already spoken of the preparation of drjdng, and need 

 not revert to this again, as it only serves to preserve the different foods. 

 Drying does, however, change some of the properties of food, /. (?., 

 removes the laxative tendenc}" of most of them. 



The different grains are more easily eaten when ground, crushed, or 



