FOODS FOR HORSES. 9 



of oats, as a rule, and it is an economical foodstuff to use. If 

 it is necessary to buy corn for the horses, it will generally be 

 cheaper to buy maize than oats. In comparing the respec- 

 tive cost of oats and of maize, it must be remembered that 

 a quarter of oats weighs from 304 to 336 pounds, while a 

 quarter of maize weighs 480 pounds. Supposing a good-class 

 sam})le of oats has been grown at home, it w^ill be a profitable 

 plan to sell all, or some, of them, if a satisfactory price can 

 be obtained, and to buy maize in their stead for feeding to the 

 horses. The entire daily allowance of corn may consist of 

 maize if no oats are available, but a mixture of maize and 

 oats is preferable, especially when the horses are worked very 

 hard. The maize used for horse-feeding purposes is of the 

 large, flat kind, generally known as '' dent " maize. When 

 buying maize, it should be seen that it is in sound condition 

 and free from jnouldiness. Whether maize is mouldy or not 

 can readily be detected by its smell. Mouldy maize often is 

 the cause of digestive troubles in horses, and such must, there- 

 fore, not be fed. Care should be taken to store maize in a 

 dry and airy place. 



Beans are a very rich food, and possess heating pro- 

 perties. They are highly strengthening, and a small allow- 

 ance ma}^ be usefully included in the corn ration of horses 

 when they are worked extra hard. They are unsuitable for 

 horses doing oidy a small amount of work, as, in that case, 

 they are liable to heat the system, and to cause the legs to 

 " fill." If a horse is in a very poor condition, and requires 

 feeding up, an allowance of beans w^ill help the animal to 

 lay on flesh quickly. On heavy land, a crop of beans may be 

 grown for the horses, if desired. As beans are an expensive 

 foodstuff to buy, their purchase for horse-feeding purposes is 

 not to be recommended. Beans must be " old " before they 

 are really fit as a food for horses, and they cannot be con- 

 sidered as " old " until at least six months have elapsed after 

 they have been harvested. 



Peas. — The same remarks that have been made in regard 



