rooD. 143 



would have for his hay, and the necessity of sweet and untrod- 

 den pasture for his cattle. On the 

 ^^ whole, however, turning out in this way, 

 when circumstances 

 ^ will admit of it, will 

 be found to be more 

 beneficial for the horse, 



OUT TO GRASS. 



^m The horse of the in- 

 ferior farmer is sorae- 

 ^^^=^" times fed on hay or 

 grass alone^ and the 

 animal, although he rarely gets a feed of grain, maintains him- 

 self in tolerable condition, and performs the work required of 

 him ; but hay and grass alone however good in quality, or in 

 whatever quantity allowed, will not support a horse under hard 

 work. Other substances, containing a large proportion of 

 nutriment in a smaller compass, have been added ; a brief 

 enumeration of which follows, and an estimate is formed of their 

 comparative value. 



In almost every part of Great Britain and this country, oats 

 have been selected as that portion of the food which is to afford 

 the principal nourishment. They contain from seven hundred 

 and forty-three to seven hundred and fifty parts of the nutri- 

 tive matter. They should be about, or somewhat less than, a 

 year old, heavy, dry, and sweet. New oats will weigh ten or 

 fifteen per cent, more than old ones ; but the difi'erence consists 

 principally in watery matter, which is gradually evaporated. 

 New oats are not so readily ground down by the teeth as old 



