VETERINARY HYGIENE AND DIETETICS. 79 



latitude of 35, or the southern border of Tennessee. None of 

 the clovers succeed in the cotton States. The only grass that 

 grows profusely in the cotton States is the herd grass. 



Pasture is the horse's natural food; the air his natural stable 

 and home. Diseases, except from accident, are seldom found in 

 the pastures. The horse is never so healthy and happy as when 

 roaming through the fresh meadows and deep green valleys. 

 Instead of the dusty walls of a stable, he is surrounded by na- 

 ture's own amphitheato-es. His bed among the ammoniacal 

 vapors of the stable is changed to one of perfume and flowery 

 l)eauty. The stable horse should have a run at pasture for at 

 least two months in each year. He here finds a specific for the 

 ills of stable confinement. It renews and purifies his blood, 

 opens the capillaries, sends out the oily fluids to the surface, 

 regulates digestion, relieves constipation, loosens the joints, 

 transforming the jaded horse into a healthy one, with glossy coat 

 and nimble limbs. The horse domesticated is a slave; the stable 

 is his prison. He often manifests his desire to be in the open 

 air by neighing while in the stable and by playing and capering 

 about when loosed from his prison. He grabs at every spear of 

 grass within his reach, and thus demonstrates his desire for his 

 natural food. A horse must be taught to eat the prepared foods. 

 He does not relish it except by an appetite depraved by long 

 hal)it. Even when pure, a great deal of the prepared food is not 

 healthy. If a horse be allowed a run at pasture for two months 

 in a year, the damage done by stabling maj be repaired. 



HAY AND FODDER. 



Timothy when properly cured is the best grass for hay. It 

 possesses more nutriment and retains it better through the pro- 

 cess of curing than other grasses. It should be harvested at 

 maturity while yot in bloom. It should be put in the barn while 

 free from rain. It is as necessary to have shelter for the hay as 

 it is for the horse. Good, ripe timothy loses only about one- 

 fifth of its weight in curing; herd grass, two-fifths; white clover, 



