84 ON FEEDING AND THE FOOD. 



for a much longer time on an empty stomach. If two hors- 

 es are driven or ridden fifty or sixty miles under similar 

 conditions as to the weight they have to draw or carry, and 

 the one is taken at the rate of six miles an hour, which will 

 keep him fasting from eight and a half to ten hours, accord- 

 ing to the distance, while the other is traveled fast enough 

 to do it in six or seven hours, the latter will be less exhaust- 

 ed than the former, though even he would be all the bet- 

 ter for a feed in the middle of the journey, the time devo- 

 ted to this act being easily picked up by the increased 

 energy which would be given in the corn. 



The human stomach will bear hunger far better than that 

 of the horse, and if the rider or driver feels his appetite 

 pretty keen, he may be satisfied that the animal which car- 

 ries him is still more in want of food. The kind of work 

 which the horse is intended for, afiects not only the quanti- 

 ty of food required, but also its quality. Thus, very fast 

 work, such as racing and hunting, strains the muscular 

 system, as well as the heart and lungs, to the utmost, and 

 therefore the food which is best fitted for the development 

 of the former to the highest degree, should consist of those 

 kinds which present the elements contained in the muscu- 

 lar tissue in the largest proportions consistent with due 

 performance of the digestive organs. Modern researches in 

 organic chemistry have thrown considerable light on the 

 subject of digestion. It is now ascertained beyond doubt 

 that food consists of two characteristic elements, one being 

 for the nourishment of the body, while the other contributes 

 to the support of combustion in the lungs. The former 

 contains nitrogen, the latter does not. Thus, flesh, grain, 

 and pulse contain nitrogen, and are capable of affording 

 nourishment, while oil, fat, and starch, are only able to sup- 

 ply carbon for the purpose of respiration and nutrition to 



