100 DISEASES OF ANIMALS. 



on grain, lie should be accustomed to it, else the sudden 

 change may prove injurious. Oats are not so solid food 

 as Indian corn, of course less liable to injure the horse. 



If grain be given mostly at night, it will become well 

 digested, and nourish and strengthen the horse ; but if 

 fed freely just before starting, the horse v>ill travel with 

 difficulty ; the digestion will not be complete, and the 

 food will pass off without affording proper nourishment. 

 Hard driving after eating is more injurious than eat- 

 ing after hard driving. 



Many persons, on starting from home, or on the road, 

 will stuff their horses with fodder, and then with grain, 

 which they will eat, though full enough before ; like the 

 thoughtless child, who will eat a piece of pie, though 

 already pretty full. Hard driving, under such circum- 

 stances, is ruinous ; the horse should go moderately till 

 the contents of the stomach are reduced. 



Wlien travelling, allow the horse to drink often, and 

 but little at a time, especially if he be heated, and the 

 water cold ; then he will not wish to drink to excess ; 

 and when he stops, let him cool before drinking. IMean- 

 while, he may eat moist food. If a horse grows costive, 

 give him some mashes of scalded bran, or a mess of 

 potatoes or carrots, at night. 



After travelling, a horse's feet should be picked, and 

 all dirt and gravel washed out. In hot weather, wash- 

 ing his legs is proper, but they should always be well 

 rubbed and dried, afterwards. In cold weather, cold 

 water is injurious to the heels, and apt to bring on swell- 

 ing, and the grease. Washing a horse's legs and feet 

 in brine prevents stiffness in the joints, and it makes 

 the hoofs tough. [For further directions on this subject, 

 see Food, Water, Feeding on Hhe Road, General Man- 

 agement, &c.] 



FEEDING ON THE ROAD. 



JMany persons, in travelling, feed their horses too 

 much and too often — continually stuffing them, not 

 allowing them time to rest and digest their food; of 

 course they suffer from over-fulness, and carrying 



