FEEDING. 145 



It is estimated that a horse at medium work 

 needs 24 pounds of dry matter a day from which 

 he will obtain 2 pounds of protein, 11 of carbo- 

 hydrates and 6-10 of a pound of fat. 



The average weight of a trotting foal at birth 

 is no pounds. It gains about 3 pounds a day the 

 first month, 2^^ pounds during the second month, 

 2Yx pounds daily the third month and 2 pounds 

 daily the fourth month. 



Protein (pronounced pro'te-in, with the o as 

 in old, e as in event, i as in ill) is a tissue building 

 element. 



Carbohydrates and fats produce heat and 

 energy. The heat value of fats is 2^14 times as 

 great as carbohydrates. 



Oats have long been considered the best and 

 safest grain for horses. There is less danger in 

 overfeeding oats than any other grain because the 

 digestive tract cannot hold enough oats long 

 enough to produce serious disorders. Oats should 

 be fed whole. New oats are considered a dan- 

 gerous feed by some. Musty oats should be 

 avoided. 



Barley is preferred to oats as a horse food by 

 the Arabs, but on account of its cost is not widely 

 used in America except on the Pacific Coast. It 

 should be fed whole or crushed, but not ground. 



Wheat may be fed occasionally or as a part of 

 a horse's rations, but it is not advisable to use 



