86 THE ECONOMICS OF FEEDING HORSES 



pieces of iron coated over with dirt seem to escape these 

 extractors, and often intestinal stones show centres con- 

 sisting of small pieces of zinc-plate, which have most 

 likely come from the sides or bottom of a defective manger. 



The soaking of food is resorted to by some horse- 

 owners on the plea that it increases the digestibility of 

 crushed grains. Experimentally, however, this is found 

 to be incorrect. Often horses will '' eat up " much 

 better when their food is damped, because they cannot 

 then sort out the corn from the chaff. This may be an 

 advantage in some cases, but it is also a way of getting 

 animals to eat inferior food, with subsequent alimentary 

 derangement. 



In winter hot food is often given to animals after a 

 hard day's work. A certain amount of heat is supplied 

 thereby, and the warm mixture is greatly relished, but 

 the digestibility of the food is probably reduced. 



The purchase of feeding mixtures ready to put into 

 the mangers should never be resorted to, inasmuch as 

 the ingredients may not be in the proper proportions, 

 although the total weight may be correct. Moreover, 

 inferior stocks of grain have to be got rid of, and 

 there are many ways of deceiving the horses, who are 

 often left to judge the fitness of their food by eating 

 or refusing it. Notice is rarely taken until the damage 

 is done — i.e., when the animals are obviously losing flesh 

 or suffering fatigue easily. Prepared foods are often 

 adulterated, as witness some of the injurious and useless 

 materials which have been shown to be present in some 

 calf foods. 



As will be gathered from a previous chapter 

 (Chapter III. — Digestion and Digestibility), the employ- 

 ment of various appetizers has more disadvantages.than 

 advantages. 



