GBOOMINO.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[GEOOMIN&. 



he is too plentifully fed, and leaving hay for 

 the sake of oats : this should be guarded 

 against ; therefore, if hay that is good and 

 clean in moderation, is given to him, it is better 

 to shorten his allowance of oats, to bring his 

 stomach to a comparatively small quantity. 

 His morning's racking should be one quarter 

 of his daily allowance, which, on the average, 

 is about three pounds for his breakfast ; for 

 abundant feeding in the morning is not good. 

 A horse cannot work agreeably to himself when 

 over-full; and, therefore, the plan of feeding spar- 

 ingly in the morning should be adopted. If you 

 want some exertion from him, do not suppose 

 that a full belly will make him perform it better. 

 It is the food that he has digested, and from 

 which he has obtained that nutriment and its 

 consequent stimulus that is to support him in 

 his work, and not what you cram into him at 

 the time you want him for great exertion. A 

 good horse, in proper condition, will not flag 

 in twelve hours, if he is required to be at 

 work that time, and, on a moderate computa- 

 tion, supposing he has carried his rider a hun- 

 dred miles, without, as it is termed, drawino- 

 bit. This, however, is not to be expected from 

 every horse ; none but thorough good animals, 

 in proper condition, can undergo such extra- 

 ordinary exertion. 



The quantity of hay which should be given 

 should be well shaken, to clear it from dust 

 and seeds ; aud if it is very dry, as it some- 

 times will be, it ought to be sprinkled with 

 water, to make it more agreeable to the horse, 

 when he will eat it with better appetite. Many 

 horses, when they perceive, or instinctively 

 suppose they are going out with the hounds, 

 or have seen the rider come into the stable 

 with his scarlet coat on, and in Ms ivhite cords, 

 refuse to eat their hay or oats. This, we ima- 

 gine, arises from an impatient anxiety re^^ard- 

 ing the animating prospect of the chase, of 

 which most horses are fond, but some uncom- 

 monly so ; but whether they disregard their 

 food from this feeling, or whether they refuse 

 it, knowing they will be better able to gallop 

 with an empty stomach, it is difficult to deter- 

 mine; certain it iw, however, that horses never 

 perform the worse for it ; and it may be taken 

 as not a bad prognostic, when a horse refuses 

 his food under such circumstances. It is verv 

 common, however, for a horse to be off his food 

 110 



after any great exertion; and this is by no 

 means a pleasant circumstance, especially to a 

 true horse-man. 



After having racked with hay, the next feed, 

 as it is termed, is to serve him with oats. Here 

 we are proceeding in the routine that is to be 

 daily observed ; for, were we to treat of things 

 out of this regular order, young hands might 

 be studying what they should do, and what 

 ought to be done first ; aud it is no uncommon 

 circumstance to see some, that have been in the 

 stable employment for a considerable length of 

 time, not know what to do first, and occasion 

 themselves trouble and loss of time, by doing 

 that which is not urgently required. In serv- 

 ing the oats, whatever is deemed a sufiicieut 

 allowance for the horse, for the day, whether 

 it may be three quarterns or a peck, one- 

 fourth of the quantity should now be given. As 

 sweet and clean food is most agreeable to the 

 animal, as well as beneficial, carefully sift the 

 corn from dust, blow away the chaff, and pick 

 out anything which may be deemed unfit or 

 unpleasant. Frequently will be found among 

 them, rat's dung and cat's dung; therefore clear 

 the manger with a whisp of hay or straw, and 

 throw in the oats ; let them be spread with the 

 hand, to prevent the horse from taking too 

 greedy a mouthful at a time, and swallowing 

 them without chewing. 



While the horses are eating their first feed of 

 corn, which, it must be recollected, is to be 

 given immediately on entering the stable in 

 the morning, prepare the saddles and exercising 

 bridles, that they may be ready to be taken 

 out. These being ready, and placed on for 

 exercise, give the horses a ie^ff go-downs of 

 water ; then, if it be an establishment of some 

 considerable extent, give orders to the stable- 

 boy to make fair the stable during your ab- 

 sence, in the following manner. If it should 

 be a single- horse stable, this process may not 

 be required so minutely : first, throw all the 

 dung otf the litter, clear out behind, then turn 

 up the driest aud best of the litter under the 

 manger, and the wet and muck turn out behind ; 

 this being removed to the dung-heap, sweep 

 clean out, then take a bucket of water, and wash 

 the stall out well. After the water is run and 

 swept away, take the bedding that has been 

 put under the manger, and place it behind the 

 horse's stall, against the wall ; by doing so, aR 



