WANT OF APPETITE. 73 



capacity of the digestive organs. The author has visited 

 stables containing from ten to one hundred horses : out of 

 that number no two could be found that would correspond 

 exactly in external conformation, or muscular capacity ; they 

 weighed from seven to eleven hundred pounds. Upon a little 

 reflection, it will be seen that some of these horses would 

 require less food than others ; yet they all had their twelve 

 quarts, and as much hay as they could cram down. The 

 evil consequences of overfeeding are sometimes gradual in 

 their progress, and often so slow as to escape observation ; so 

 that when it amounts to a serious disorder, the cause is often 

 lost sight of. Every man must be aware how important it is 

 to know the cause of the malady before an attempt to cure 

 is made. 



Very few men notice the quantity of hay a horse eats, and 

 there are but few who attend to its quality ; yet every one 

 will admit, that it is necessary to limit the allowance of hay, 

 whether we regard the expense of the article or the horse's 

 health. If a horse stands idle in the stable for a whole day, 

 with as much hay before him as he will eat, he generally eats 

 too much, especially if he has but little corn and too much 

 water. The increased capacity of the stomach, which gen- 

 erally results from overloading that organ, is frequently accom- 

 panied with increased appetite. So craving, or morbid, is 

 the appetite, that the animal will eat his bedding, or any 

 thing that comes in the way, until the stomach is sufficiently 

 filled to allay the sensations of hunger. When a horse eats 

 an immoderate quantity of hay, he is always craving after 

 water ; so great is the thirst, that the horse generally loses 

 that delicacy of taste and smell that is natural to him, and 

 will drink any water that comes in his way. The best way 

 of correcting this morbid appetite is, to turn the animal out 

 to pasture, (if the season permits,) where there is but little 

 grass, so that he may be obliged to work for a living. Here, 

 if it is not too late, the stomach will gradually contract ; and 

 as it diminishes in capacity, it will increase in strength. In 

 the same ratio will the digestive organs be improved, and the 

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