THE HORSE. 79 



distinct when slightly damped by breathing upon it. 

 Old hay is often musty, without having been heated. 

 None but a hungry horse will eat it, and when eaten 

 in considerable quantity it is said to be " bad for 

 the wind." In truth it is bad for every part of the 

 body. In some places they sprinkle this musty hay 

 with a solution of salt, which induces the horse to eat 

 it ; but even thus it answers better for bedding than 

 for feeding, and to that purpose the horse applies 

 the most of it. 



Weather-beaten Hay is that which has lain in the 

 sward exposed to the rain and the sun. It is musty, 

 full of dust, sapless, bleached or blackened, and des- 

 titute of seed. Such, also, is the state of that which 

 has stood too long uncut. All hay should be cut a 

 few days before the seed is quite ripe. After it has 

 lost most of its seed and its juices, little is left to 

 afford nutriment. 



Salted Hay, that is, hay with which salt has been 

 mingled at the time of stacking it, is not much used 

 ill Scotland. It is not to be had. I can tell nothing 

 about it. Horses are said to prefer it to any other. 

 But the principal motive for salting hay is to pre- 

 serve it when the weather requires that it be stack- 

 ed before it is sufficiently dry. Salt prevents or 

 checks fermentation. It darkens the. colour of the 

 hay and makes it weigh heavier, for salt attracts 

 moisture. Salt, I think, should not be forced on the 

 horse. It may excite too much thirst. Given apart 

 from the food, he may take all that is good for him. 

 Damaged hay is often sprinkled with salt water, 

 which seems to render it less disgusting, and may 

 possibly coiTect its bad properties. It should be 

 wetted as wanted, for it soon becomes sodden and 

 rotten. 



The Daily Quantity of Hay allowed to each horse 

 must vary with the quality and the work. If the 

 grain b*^ Hmited, the horse will eat a greater weight 



