370 THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



Bran, or the ground husk of the wheat, used to be frequently given to sick horses 

 on account of the supposed advantage derived from its relaxing the bowels. There 

 is no doubt that it does operate gently on the intestinal canal, and assists in quick- 

 ening the passage of its contents, when it is occasionally given ; but it must not be 

 a constant, or even frequent food. Mr. Ernes attended three mills at which many 

 horses were kept, and there were always two or three cases (jf indigestion from the 

 accumulation of bran or pollard in the large intestines. Bran may, however, be use- 

 ful as an occasional aperient in the form of a mash, but never should become a regu- 

 lar article of food. 



Beans. — These form a striking illustration of the principle, that the nourishing or 

 strengthening effects of the different articles of food depend more on some peculiar 

 property which they possess, or some combination which they form, than on the ac- 

 tual quantity of nutritive matter. Beans contain but live hundred and seventy parts 

 of nutritive matter, yet they add materially to the vigour of the horse. There are 

 many horses that will not stand hard work without beans being mingled with their 

 food, and these not horses whose tendency to purge it may be necessary to restrain 

 by the astringency of the bean. There is no traveller who is not aware of the differ- 

 ence in the spirit and continuance of his horse whether he allows or denies him beans 

 on his journey. They afford not merely a temporary stinmlus, but they may be daily 

 used without losing their power, or producing exhaustion. They are indispensable 

 to the hard-worked coach-horse. Washy horses could never get through their work 

 without them ; and old horses would often sink under the task imposed upon them. 

 They should not be given to the horses whole or split, but crushed. This will make 

 a meterial difference in the quantity of nutriment that will be extracted. They are 

 sometimes given to turf horses, but only as an occasional stimulant. Two pounds 

 of beans may, with advantage, be mixed with the chaff of the agricultural horse, 

 during the winter. In sununer the quantity of beans should be lessened, or they 

 should be altogether discontinued. Beans are generally given whole. This is very 

 absurd; for the young horse whose teeth are strong, seldom requires them ; while the 

 old horse, to whom they are in a manner necessary, is scarcely able to masticate them, 

 swallows many of them which he is unable to break, and drops much corn from his 

 mouth in the ineffectual attempt to crush them. Beans should not be merely split, 

 but crushed ; they will even then give sufficient employment to the grinders of the 

 animal. Some postmasters use chaff with beans instead of oats. With hardly- 

 worked horses they may pnssibly be allowed; but, in general cases, beans, without 

 oats, would be too binding and stimulating, and would produce costiveness, and pro- 

 bably megrims or staggers. 



Beans should be at least a twelvemonth old before they are given to the horse, and 

 they should be carefully preserved from damp and mouldiness, which at least disgust 

 the horse if they do no other harm, and harbour an insect that destroys the inner part 

 of the bean. 



The straw of the bean is nutritive and wholesome, and is usually given to the 

 horses. Its nutritive properties are supposed to be little inferior to those of oats. The 

 small and plump bean is generally the best. 



Peas are occasionally given. They appear to be in a slight degree more nourish- 

 ing than beans, and not so heating. They contain five hundred and seventy-four 

 parts of nutritive matter. For horses of slow work they may be used ; but the 

 quantity of chaff should be increased, and a few oats added. They have not been 

 found to answer with horses of quick drauglit. It is essential that they should be 

 crushed; otherwise, on account of their globular form, they are apt to escape from 

 the teeth, and many are swallowed whole. Exposed to warmtii and moisture in 

 the stomach, they swell considerably, and may painfully and injuriously distend it. 

 The peas that are given to horses should be sound, and at least a twelvemonth old. 



In some northern counties pea-meal is frequently used, not only as an excellent food 

 for the horse, but as a remedy for diabetes. 



Linseed is sometimes given to sick horses — raw, ground, and boiled. It is sup- 

 posed to be useful in cases of catarrh.* 



* " Mr. Black, veterinary surgeon of the ]4th Dragoons, says that sugar was tried as an 

 article of food during the Peninsular War. Ten horses were selected, each of which got 8 

 jiounds a day at four rations. They took it very readily, and their coats became fine, smooth, 



