40 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



Take, for instance, the hours of feeding. In my 

 younger days horses were fed four times a day. 

 At six o'clock the horse got watered and a feed 

 of corn which he ate whilst the groom was cleaning 

 the stable and getting his own breakfast. Then 

 he was exercised and on his return from exercise 

 he was well dressed, and this over, given a lock 

 of hay. At noon he was fed again, and again 

 at four o'clock when he had a brisk rubbing 

 down. Then at half -past seven he was fed for 

 the last time and at each feeding he had a good 

 quartern of oats and some long hay. Twice a 

 week he got a bran mash, and if the work was 

 very severe a handful of split beans was added 

 to his corn. Carrots of course were always 

 given or if the carrots were a failure a small 

 quantity of swede turnips sliced. 



For some reason — ^but for what reason I 

 cannot guess, except that it is a saving of trouble 

 — the old plan of feeding four times a day was 

 abandoned and horses were fed three times a 

 day, viz. about six in the morning, some time 

 before noon, and about six in the evening. This 

 plan of feeding seems now to be generally pre- 

 valent and it is on this plan that I shall ground 

 the routine of feeding and general stable manage- 

 ment. 



Before doing so however I must point out 

 that there is still another method which I have 

 seen adopted and I am bound to say that, though 

 personally I do not approve of it, it seems to 

 have a thoroughly satisfactory result. In this 



