94 TRAINING YOUNG 



EXHAUSTION 



When the horse is overtired, the whole system 

 is overtaxed, and he will be unable to digest 

 his normal feed. When brought in in an 

 exhausted condition the horse should be well 

 bedded down in a large box, warmly clothed 

 and bandaged, given a warm bucket of oat- 

 meal gruel with some brandy in it (2 to 4 oz.), 

 and later a warm mash. A pint of porter in a 

 bucket of chilled water will help a tired horse 

 on his way home, and is obtainable almost 

 anywhere. 



FEEDING 



The principle of feeding young horses is : small 

 quantities and often. Avoid overloading the 

 stomach. Give a liberal allowance of chaff in 

 the feed ; this will increase mastication, and so 

 help digestion. Crushed oats have this advan- 

 tage : in the whole state some of the grain 

 may escape mastication and thus not be pro- 

 perly digested, but if the oats are crushed this 

 defect is obviated. 



Oats are a good muscle-producing feed, and for 

 a young horse coming on to hard food about 

 4 to 8 lb. will be found sufficient for the first 

 few weeks. This can be gradually increased 



