FOOD. 131 



and the waggou liorse, and every horse of slow draught, are concerned, 

 altogether unfounded. The quantity of straw in the chaff will always 

 counteract any supposed purgative quality in the bruised oats. Horses ot 

 quicker draught, except they are naturally disposed to scour, will thrive 

 better with bruised than with Avhole oats ; for a greater quantity of nutri- 

 ment -will be extracted from the food, and it will always be easy to apportion 

 the quantity of straw or beans to the effect of the mixture on the bowels 

 of the horse. The principal alteration that should be made in the horse 

 of harder and more rapid work, such as the post-horse, is to increase the 

 quantity of hay, and diminish that of straw. Two trusses of hay may be 

 cut with one of straw. 



Some gentlemen, in defiance of the prejudice and opposition of the 

 coachman or the groom, have introduced this mode of feeding into the 

 stables of their carriage horses and hackneys, and with manifest advantage. 

 There has been no loss of condition or power, and considerable saving of 

 provender. This system is not, however, calculated for the hunter or the 

 race-horse. Theii' food must lie in smaller bulk, in order that the action 

 of the lungs may not be impeded by the distension of the stomach ; yet 

 many hunters have gone well over the field who have been manger-fed, 

 the proportion of corn, however, being materially increased. 



For the agricultural and cart horse, eight pounds of oats and two of beans 

 should be added to every twenty pounds of chaff". Thirty-four or thirty- 

 six pounds of the mixture will be sufficient for any moderate-sized horse, 

 with fair, or even hard Avork. The di-ay and waggon horse may require 

 forty pounds. Hay in the rack at night is, in this case, supposed to be 

 omitted altogether. The rack, however, may remain, as occasionally useful 

 for the sick horse, or to contain tares or other green meat. 



Horses are very fond of this provender. The majority of them, after 

 having been accustomed to it, will leave the best oats given to them alone, 

 for the sake of the mingled chaff and corn. We would, however, caution 

 the farmer not to set apart damaged hay for the manufacture of the chaff. 

 The horse may be thus induced to eat that which he would otherAvise 

 refuse ; but if the nourishing property of the hay has been impaired, or it 

 has acquii'ed an injurious principle, the animal will either lose condition, 

 or become diseased. Much more injury is done by eating damaged hay 

 or musty oats than is generally imagined. There will be sufficient saving 

 in the diminished cost of the jDrovender by the introduction of the straw, 

 and the improved condition of the horse, mthout poisoning him with the 

 refuse of the farm. For old horses, and for those with defective teeth, 

 chaff is peculiarly useful, and for them the grain should be broken do^\^l 

 as well as the fodder. 



While the mixture of chaff with the corn prevents it from being too rapidly 

 devoured and a portion of it swallowed whole, and therefore the stomach 

 is not too loaded with that on which, as containing the most nutriment, its 

 chief digestive power should be exerted, yet, on the whole, a great deal of 

 time is gained by tliis mode of feeding, and more is left for rest. When a 

 horse comes in wearied at the close of the day, it occupies, alter he has 

 eaten his corn, two or three hours to clear his rack. On the system of 

 manger-feeding, the chaff being already cut into small pieces, and the 

 beans and oats bruised, he is alale fully to satisfy his appetite in an hour 

 and a half. Two additional hours are therefore devoted to rest. This is 

 a circumstance deserving of much consideration even in the farmer's 

 stable, and of immense consequence to the postmaster, and the owner of 

 every hard- worked horse. 



Manger food Avdll be the usual support of the farmer's horse during the 

 whiter, and while at constant or occasional hard work ; but fi om the 



