148 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



sldei'ubly prolonged. There Is more difficulty in accompHsliinrr 

 this when the disease is of long standing, or acquired by hard keep 

 when a colt, or derived from the sire or dam. Bran is an excellent 

 diet for such horses, with a moderate quantity o^ good hay. A 

 small quantity of oats may be given now and then, according to 

 the horse's work. When only a small quantity of oats is thrown 

 into the manger, they are eaten with greater relish, and are more 

 perfectly digested. A mild dose of physic is often useful, and 

 afterwards a few tonic balls. In summer, a run at grass will do 

 good ; but the horse must not be turned at first into good pas- 

 ture, where he would be able to fill his stomach quickly ; short 

 sweet grass should be chosen. When a considerable reduction 

 is suddenly niade in a horse's diet, he may feel at first dispirited 

 and weak ; therefore it should be done gradually. 



Professor Coleman was of opinion that a mail-coach horse, 

 which is allowed two pecks of corn a day, requires only five 

 pounds of hay. I once was employed to examine some mail- 

 coach horses, and found that nine horses were consuming nine 

 hundred of hay a Aveek, with an allowance of two pecks of corn 

 a day each ; that is, nearly sixteen pounds a day for each horse. 

 In another coach concern, whose horses I examined, the allow- 

 ance was seven hundred of hay a week for eight horses, and the 

 same quantity of corn. In this establishment a very useful rule 

 was uniformly adoi)ted, which was, to keep the horses without 

 food two hours before they started. This the owners had been 

 taught by the loss of three or four horses, in consequence of 

 working them with too much food in their stomachs, and too 

 much dung in the large bowels, I do not think, however, that 

 a horse in regular mail work, which eats two pecks of oats a 

 day, is capable of eating sixteen pounds of hay, and that there 

 must have been a great deal wasted. I remarked, when four of 

 them were taken out to put to the coach, that there were some 

 oats left in the manger, perhaps from a quarter to half a peck ; 

 so that it was evident that the allowance both of hay and oats 

 was more than they could make use of: and if we suppose that 

 six pounds of hay per day might have been taken from each 

 horse, for the benefit of his health, it would have saved the 

 proprietor three hundred of hay a week, or nearly eight tons a 

 year. 



As coach proprietors purchase horses of all ages, and, conse- 

 quently, of various habits and appetites, also with stomachs and 

 bowels of various capacities, and greatly diversified with regard 

 to condition, or nervous and muscular powder, they would find 

 great advantage from attending to a horse's feeding, until they 

 are perfectly acquainted with the state of his appetite, and, con- 

 sequently, of his stomach and digestive organs generally. This 

 would enable them to keep their horses in the best condition, as 



