BEDDING. i6i 



Some ponies, like many of ourselves, are fond of taking 

 an occasional sip of fluid with their food, which they 

 will not relish unless they are allowed to do so. I 

 need hardly say that such ponies should always have 

 water within reach. 



BEDDING. 



The best kind of bedding is undoubtedly good 

 wheaten straw. When economy has to be studied, 

 sawdust and moss litter are excellent substitutes. 

 Against the use of both of these kinds of bedding there 

 is the slight objection that contact with them removes 

 the gloss off the coat ; a fact which is not of much 

 importance In the case of ponies that are clothed when 

 in the stable. Moss litter, and probably sawdust to a 

 less extent, are apt to Injuriously affect the soles and 

 frogs, unless the feet are frequently (at least, three 

 times a day) picked out, and unless the bed is kept dry. 

 Neither of these economical substitutes look so well in 

 the stable as straw. As they are very absorbent, their 

 fouled portions should be removed every morning and 

 evening. Moss litter (peat moss) makes an excellent 

 manure, especially for grass land, and, unlike straw 

 manure, need not be kept to rot. Mixing it with wood 

 shavings, which can be procured very cheaply, if not 

 for the mere carting away, from the yard of any builder 

 or carpenter, is a good way for keeping It dry without 

 much attention, and consequendy may be practised 

 with ponies which are wintered, or horses which are 

 summered on It. Sawdust Is almost useless for manure 

 unless kept for a long time to rot, when it should be 

 mixed with some other kind of manure. The bedding, 



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