FOOD. 197 



After all, "patent foods" contain matter which is as old as tlie hills. 

 Grooms and coachmen have, for a longer period than is to be reached by 

 the memory of man, had a confiding faith in certain charms, or nostrums. 

 Such innocent people have long held secrets for working wonders — 

 either by improving the coat, promoting condition, or creating spirit, etc. 

 These mysteries were made up either as balls or powders. So general 

 was this practice that certain veterinary surgeons kept particular articles 

 solely to meet the demands of such customers. These ingredients, 

 which were always retailed to ignorant people, late in the evening and 

 with much secrecy, are, in very many cases, even to particulars, the 

 same as are now the advertised "Blessings to Horse Owners." There 

 is, however, this difference : such things are, at present, purchased by 

 the proprietor, whereas they formerly were secretly procured by the 

 servant. The master esteems it commendable in him to administer such 

 stuffs to his animals; whereas, a few years ago, the retainer was as- 

 suredly dismissed from his situation, if not punished, who was detected 

 mixing any substance with the provender of his horses. 



With regard to quantity in the matter of diet. All animals are not 

 of one size, neither have all horses the same capacity of stomach. It is 

 usual to measure out so much corn as the allowance proper for a horse, 

 and to toss the quantity into the manger, without paying any attention 

 to the desires of the creature. Such a custom may be extremely con- 

 venient ; but it is very wasteful. Horses differ quite as much as men do 

 in their appetites. By the common practice, one animal receives more 

 than it requires, while another gets less than satisfies its cravitigs. Some 

 slight notice of the body's necessities should be insisted upon in those 

 who pretend to comprehend the quadruped ; and a master should in- 

 struct the servant that a creature endowed with life cannot be justly 

 regarded as a manufacturing machine. 



Then, as to the times of feeding. The horse is essentially a creature 

 of the night. Man may shake up the straw and lock the stable door; 

 but he does not, therefore, put the quadruped to sleep. Long hours of 

 watchfulness are apt to generate habits of mischief, as well as lead to 

 many indulgences which are no more than the results of want of em- 

 ployment, or the absence of amusement. The solitary confinement, 

 now popular in prisons, in workhouses, and in some schools, is evidently 

 wrong in principle ; more especially wrong is it, when practiced upon 

 children, as loneliness, acting upon immaturity of intelligence, invariably 

 leads to an evil desire, which is, in penal prisons, spoken of as "break- 

 ing out." 



The horse has to pass twelve hours of weary time awake, without 

 food and without supervision. Why should not one feed, at least, be 



