1,S6 FOOD. 



his rest — when the time for the morning feed arrives, his stomach mil be 

 ah^eacly filled, and he will be less capable of work from the want of sleep, 

 and from the long-continned distension of the stomach rendering it impos- 

 sible for the food to be properly digested. 



Of the value of Tares, as forming a portion of the late spring and sum- 

 mer food of the stabled and agricultural horse, there can be no doubt. 

 They are cut after the pods are formed, but a considerable time before the 

 seeds are ripe. They supply a larger quantity of food for a limited time 

 than almost any other forage-crop. The Vicia sativa is the most profitable 

 variety of the tare. It is very nutritive, and acts as a gentle aperient. 

 When surfeit-lumps appear on the skin, and the horse begins to nib him- 

 self against the divisions of the stall, and the legs swell, and the heels 

 threaten to crack, a few tares, cut up with the chaff", or given instead of a 

 portion of the hay, will aff"ord considerable relief. Ten or twelve pounds 

 may be allowed daily, and half that weight of hay subtracted. It is an 

 erroneous notion, that, given in moderate quantities, they either roughen 

 the coat or lessen the capability for hard work. 



Rye Grass affords a valuable article of food, but is inferior to the tare. 

 It is not so nutritive. It is apt to scour and, occasionally, and late in the 

 spi'ing, it has appeared to be injurious to the horse. 



Clover, for soiling the horse, is inferior to the tare and the rye grass, 

 but nevertheless is useful when they cannot be obtained. Clover hay is, 

 perhaps, preferable to meadow hay for chaff". It will sometimes tempt the 

 sick horse, and may be given with advantage to those of slow and heavy 

 work ; but custom seems properly to have forbidden it to the hunter and 

 the hackney. 



LuCERN, where it can be obtained, is preferable even to tares, and Sain- 

 foin is superior to lucem. Although they contain but a small quantity 

 of nutritive matter, it is easily digested, and perfectly assimilated. They 

 speedily put both muscle and fat on the horse that is worn down by labour, 

 and they are almost a specific for hide-bound. Some fanners have thought 

 so highly of lucern as to substitute it for oats. This may be allowable for 

 the agricultural horse of slow and not severe work, but he from whom 

 speedier action is sometimes required, and the horse of all work, must have 

 a proportion of hard meat within him. 



The Swedish Turnip is an article of food the value of which has not 

 been sufficiently appreciated, and particularly for agTicultural horses. Al- 

 though it is far from containing the quantity of nutritive maiter which 

 has been supposed, that which it has seems to be capable of easy and com- 

 plete digestion. It should be sHced with chopped straw, and without hay. 

 It quickly fattens the horse, and produces a smooth glossy coat and a loose 

 skin. It will be good practice to give it once in the day, and that at night 

 when the work is done. 



Carrots. — The virtues of this root are not sufficiently kno^vn, whether 

 as contributing to the strength and endurance of the sound horse, or the 

 rapid recovery of the sick one. To the healthy horse they should be given 

 sliced in his chaff". Half a bushel will be a large daily allowance. There 

 is little provender of which the horse is fonder. The follo^wdng account 

 of the value of the carrot is not exaggerated by Stewart in his Stable 

 Economy. ' This root is held in much esteem. There is none better, nor 

 perhaps so good. When first given it is slightly diuretic and laxative ; 

 but as the horse becomes accustomed to it these eff'ects cease to be pro- 

 duced. They also improve the state of the skin. They form a good sub- 

 stitute for grass, and an excellent alterative for horses out of condition. 

 To sick and idle horses they render corn unnecessary. They are beneficial 

 in all chronic diseases connected with breathing, and have a marked 



