S2 THE ECONOMICS OF FEEDING HORSES 



energy is required from the horse to crush his corn and cut 

 up his hay, and this energy is a first charge upon the food 

 consumed. This can be saved to a considerable extent 

 by mechanical means. Moreover, time is taken to com- 

 pletely masticate a bulky meal, part of which can be 

 done by machinery, and thus the animal can get through 

 his food in the time that is usually allowed for a man's 

 dinner. This point is made more evident when it is 

 remembered that although a horse may have the same 

 meal-hours as his driver, the bulk of food he requires in 

 proportion to his weight is many times greater. Abnormal 

 digestive conditions often appear to arise from uncrushed 

 corn taken hurriedly, and, further, proper sifting removes 

 dust and foreign metallic bodies, thus lessening the 

 incidence of disease and death. When the saving (1) of 

 animal energy, (2) of time at the manger, (3) of loss 

 of working time due to diseases of the alimentary canal, 

 and even (4) of deaths, by the proper preparation of 

 foodstuffs is taken into consideration, this process is not 

 only justifiable and economical, but is a necessity. 



The degree of preparation and the machinery whereby 

 this is affected may vary considerably according to the 

 dictates of the horse-owner, the kind of foodstuffs used, 

 and the number of horses to be fed. Thus there are 

 variations in plant, from the simple chaff-cutter and 

 corn-crushers on one floor, with layer and shovel mixing 

 on the one below, up to the large provender mills of the 

 railway, horse-bus, and transport companies. In some 

 cases there is an additional small plant for soaking or 

 cooking. In the present chapter it is proposed only to 

 treat of chaff-cutting, corn-crushing, and mixing in the 

 dry state. The various processes of steaming and 

 cooking will not be described, as their use is not 



