8o THE CARE OF HORSES 



be left to their discretion ; while others, if permitted, 

 will swill, and render themselves incapable of work, 

 by causing immoderate perspiration and distress of 

 wind. When work is done a reasonable quantity 

 may be allowed. Half a stable-pailful is generally 

 sufficient for the morning. 



If you add chaff to his corn, the horse must take 

 more time to eat it, and thus time is given for the 

 commencement of digestion before fermentation can 

 occur. In this way chaff is very useful, especially 

 after long fasts. 



For the agricultural horse and the cart-horse 

 8 pounds of oats and 2 pounds of beans should be 

 added to every 20 pounds of chaff; 34 or 36 pounds 

 of the mixture will be sufficient for a moderate-sized 

 horse, even with hard work. The dray and large 

 waggon horse may require 40 pounds. Hay in this 

 case may be omitted altogether. 



Where the manger system of feeding is not adopted, 

 or when the hay is still given at night and chaff and 

 corn in the day, there is no error into which the 

 farmer is so apt to fall as that of giving an undue 

 quantity of hay, and that generally of the worst 

 kind. With too much hay, the greedy horse will be 

 eating all night instead of taking his rest, and when 

 the time for the morning feed arrives his stomach 

 will be still full. 



It is a good practice to sprinkle the hay with 

 water in which salt has been mixed, as it is more 

 palatable to the animal. 



So much for the feeding ; now a word about the 

 food. 



Oats 



In almost every part of Great Britain oats have 

 been selected as that portion of the food which is 

 to afford the principal nourishment. They contain 



