FEEDING AND CONDITION 43 



drink and I never found them any the worse 

 for it. 



When horses are given water freely and when 

 they know that they will not be stinted in the 

 supply they do not drink nearly so much as 

 they do when their supply is irregular. The 

 quantity they will drink ranges according to 

 Capt. Hayes from four to ten gallons per day 

 according to the weather and the work they 

 are doing. Long and severe work of course is 

 provocative of thirst as it increases evaporation. 

 The first thing a groom should do on entering 

 the stable at 6 o'clock in the morning is to give 

 his horses water. Some would only give a few^ 

 mouthfuls then but this depends entirely upon 

 the length of time which ensues before they are 

 taken out to exercise. Horses should not be 

 given as much water as they will drink within 

 an hour of being taken out to exercise, but if, 

 as was the case with my horses, more than an 

 hour elapsed before they went out of the stable, 

 they will take no harm from having a hearty 

 drink. At any rate my horses never did. I 

 must however point out that their exercise was 

 always at a slow pace, which in my opinion 

 exercise ought always to be. 



After the water a feed of oats should be 

 given and then by about half-past seven or a 

 quarter to eight the horses should be exercised. 

 This should occupy from two hours to two hours 

 and a half. Immediately on their return from 

 exercise they should be watered, and then they 



