60 HOUSIC MANAGEMENT IN INDIA. 



not been observed, only small quantities, with reason- 

 able intervals to allow of its absorption, should be 

 allowed ; say 10 "go downs " at intervals of five minutes, 

 assuming 20 " go downs " to the gallon. Considering the 

 quickness with which a horse digests his food, I think 

 we may assume that he may be watered, 2J hours 

 after being fed, without any ill consequences. The reason 

 that soft is better than hard water for horses a fact 

 known to every careful stableman is that the freer 

 this fluid is of impurities, possessing astringent properties, 

 the more readily will it become absorbed into the blood. 

 Respecting the celerity with which water is assi- 

 milated, I cannot do better than quote the following 

 extract from Seller and Stephens' Physiology of the 

 Farm: "That water passes with extreme rapidity 

 from the stomach of the horse, as from that of mammals 

 in general, is apparent from the well known fact that 

 a horse will drink within a few minutes a much greater 

 quantity than what his stomach can contain. It is 

 commonly supposed that the excess passes at once into 

 the highest part of the small intestines, namely the 

 duodenum. But this supposition is hardly necessary, 

 for it is proved that absorption of thin fluids takes 

 place from the inner surface of the stomach with an almost 

 incredible rapidity. This fact is established by many 

 experiments ; and moreover, that substances dissolved 

 in the water taken in have been found in the urine 

 within an incredibly brief period. " The obvious lesson 

 these considerations teach us is, that we should not be 

 chary in allowing a horse to drink when he wants to 

 do so, except indeed after feeding. 



