WORKING CONDITION, HYGIENE, ETC. 33 



obtained all at once, but that time is required to get a liorse 

 tit wlien it is out of condition. Once a horse has been got into 

 working condition, it will remain lit, so long as it is regularly 

 worked and fed on a suitable allowance of corn. 



Working Condition. _A horse that is in proper work- 

 iijg condition carries no superfluous fat, its muscles aie .veil 

 develojjed, j^rominent, and hard, its coat is glossy, its 

 eye looks bright and lively, and it performsi its work in a 

 willing manner, while it does not sweat easily, nor does its 

 breathing become distressed when the animal is severely 

 exerted. If a horse is actually fat, it is not in good working- 

 condition : it sweats easily, its wind is short, and the muscles 

 do not show up prominently, the body having a flabby, sleek, 

 and fat appearance. A fat horse can easily be got into proper 

 working condition by working it harder, and, if necessary, 

 decreasing its allowance of corn. As pointed out in Chap- 

 ter II., the amount of corn fed to tlie horses should be 

 governed by the amount of work they have to do. 



Hygiene. — The chief things required to keep stabled 

 horses in health are suitable food, sufficient water, and regular 

 work. Errors in feeding are one of the main causes of illness 

 in horses, while want of work or exercise also often causes 

 ill-health. Tlie feeding has been fully discussed in previous 

 chapters; it is merely necessary here tO' emphasize the impor- 

 tance of j^roviding the horses with a sufficiency of laxative 

 food, so as to keep the bowels in good order, and to avoid 

 constipation. The state of tlie dung is an excellent index to 

 the condition of the bowels. If it be hard, very dry, and 

 closely balled into small dark-coloured pellets, the bowels 

 are constipated. In that case, more laxative food must be 

 given, in order to relieve the constipation. When the bowels 

 are in the condition in whicli they should normally be, the 

 dung is well, but not closely balled into pretty large pelle*« 

 while it is fairly moist, and of a healthy colour, being neithef 

 very dark nor very light, and any disagreeable smell is entirely 



D 



