FEEDING. 9 



of necessity swallow some of them unmastlcated or unbroken. 

 This is more especially the case when two or more horses are 

 feeding together without a separation ; each of tliera is eager to 

 finish his allowance as quickly as possible, in order to rub his 

 neighbour ; and in doing this, however perfect his teeth may be, 

 he cannot avoid swallowing some of his corn without chewinrr it. 



In the usual way of feeding and treating horses, no attention 

 is paid to the state of the stomach when they are put to work, 

 but frequently they are put into a chaise, or coach, or ridden off 

 at a quick rate with their stomachs loaded with food ; the conse- 

 quence of this has often been gripes, inflammation of the bowels, 

 and even sudden death. In the simple and economical mode of 

 feeding I recommend, the horse is always ready for his work, 

 digestion goes on rapidly, every particle of nutriment that is con- 

 tained in the food is extracted by the stomach without any in- 

 jurious exertion, and is converted into pure blood. But when 

 the stomach Is loaded, as in the other case, even with good food, 

 digestion is always imperfect, and performed with difficulty ; and 

 when the hay, as it often is, is bad, the consequence is still worse. 

 The stomach, by such management, is sure to become in time 

 more or less diseased ; and when this happens, a foundation is 

 laid for many diseases. 



Thus, besides the additional expense of this imprudent method 

 of feeding, many disorders are engendered by it ; and, I may 

 safely add, that a horse so fed will not do his work half so well 

 as one that is fed properly. A horse whose work consists in 

 travelling a stage of twenty miles thx-ee times a week, or twelve 

 every day, should have at least one peck of good oats, and never 

 more than from eight to twelve pounds of good hay iti twenty- 

 four hours.* 



Hay, as it is often given, is too dry for mastication, and often 

 for digestion. For hay that has been suffered to stand until the 

 seed becomes ripe is very deficient in nutriment, and difficult of 

 digestion ; and however perfectly it may be masticated, will only 

 serve to oppress the stomach, without affording any thing that is 

 capable of being formed into good chyle. Hay that has been 

 kept more than one year becomes dry and deficient in nutriment, 

 especially when kept in small mows, and exposed to the wind. 

 AVhen such hay, therefore, is given to horses, it requires to bo 

 moistened with water, and given in moderate quantity. 



The hay, as well as the corn, should, if possible, be divided 



* In stating eight pounds as the daily allowance of food for a saddle-horse, 

 Lis stomach is supposed to be in a healthy state, and not stretched by immo- 

 derate feeding. In this healthy state of the stomach the appetite is always 

 moderate, both for hay and for water. AVlien the stomach has been accus- 

 tomed to a mucii larger allowance, the necessary reduction in the rpiantity of 

 hay should be gradual. 



