198 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



better than long hay, and goes further, there not 

 being so much waste ; but in small stables it is 

 not always that the requisite labour can be spared 

 for frequent crushing and chopping, and if this 

 is the case it is better not attempted at all. 

 Neither oats nor hay must be new, which the 

 evacuations will speedily disclose, but if well 

 harvested both may be used after the beginning 

 of the New Year. The evacuations are sure 

 guides to the state of health. If they are too 

 light, or too dark in colour, probably the hay is 

 in fault, and may be musty or bad. New hay, or 

 oats, makes them very loose, and watery. If 

 they are not "balled," and are offensive, the 

 digestion is out of order, and should be at once 

 attended to, bran mashes and bicarbonate of soda 

 being a safe remedy ; the latter being changed 

 for flowers of sulphur after two or three doses, 

 mixed in the mashes. When there is no glaze 

 on fresh droppings, and they appear instead 

 dull and clayey, at once administer sulphate 

 of magnesia (Epsom salts), as the indications 

 betoken the liver is out of order, and if taken in 

 time further trouble may be averted. 



Oats should never be left long in the manger 

 after feeding in the daytime, and half an hour 

 afterwards any corn that has not been finished 

 up should be removed. Nothing sickens a 

 delicate feeder more than having oats always in 

 the manger ; and if the horse knows the remain- 

 ing ones will be taken away, it is much more apt 

 to make an effort to consume them. It is 

 difit'erent with the last feed at night, for many 

 horses, especially nervous ones, will feed when 

 all is quiet at night, which eat very sparingly 

 in the daytime. Such horses may often with 



