74 THE HORSE. 



green food relaxes the bowels and increases the se- 

 cretion of urine and of perspiration. Very often it 

 produces an eruption on the skir., particularly when 

 given along with a large allowance of grain. When 

 the horse is permitted to eat what he pleases, the 

 belly becomes large. Thesje effects may be termed 

 immediate. They are most apparent at the com- 

 mencement, but are visible so long as the horse re- 

 ceives any considerable quantity of grass. Green 

 food produces other effects not so easily traced. 

 Wounds heal more kindly, inflammatory diseases 

 are not so fatal, and chronic diseases frequently 

 abate, or they entirely disappear, under the use of 

 grass. The horse, however, is always soft, when 

 fed much on green food. He sweats a great deal, 

 and is soon exhausted by his work. 



Clove?', Rye-grass, Tares, Lucerne, Saintfoin and 

 the Oat-Plant, are all used as green food. So far 

 as the horse is concerned, one seems to be as good 

 as any of the others. They appear to produce the 

 same effects as grass. Amid such variety we might 

 expect to find some difference ; but I have not been 

 able to perceive any. Some horses, indeed, like 

 one article better than another, but this &eems to be 

 mere taste, for no one of them appears to be gene- 

 rally preferred nor rejected. There are various 

 opinions, however, as to the comparative value of 

 these articles. Some affirm that clover is less nutri- 

 tious than rye-grass, some that tares are poor watery 

 feeding, and others that lucerne and saintfoin are 

 the best of the whole lot. But opinion on the sub- 

 ject seems to be quite vague. Whatever one affiiTns, 

 another will be found to deny. In Scotland, lucerne 

 and saintfoin are very little used ; but clover, rye- 

 grass and tares are given each in their season, as if 

 one were equal to another. 



Beans, wheat, rye and oats, the whole plant, are 

 sometimes, but very seldom, and never regularly 



