306 THE 



Horses should be fed slightly less on idle days than 

 when employed. Much of the trouble, particularly 

 bowel -complaints, on Mondays is due to over-eating 

 on Sundays. When a record was kept with farm -work 

 horses, it was found that there were more than twice 

 as many indisposed horses on Monday as on any other 

 day. When the Sunday's ration was slightly reduced, 

 the health was equally good on all days. When prac- 

 ticable, work-horses should have some exercise every 

 day. This can most easily be secured by turning them 

 out for a few hours in a paddock, on idle days. If 

 the horses are at severe work, they do better on dry 

 food than on green grasses and clover. If horses are 

 allowed all the green food they desire at night, bowel 

 trouble may occur the next day if the weather is warm 

 and the work hard. 



Not infrequently the hay runs short in late spring 

 and grass is fed in the stables as a substitute. This 

 is all very well if the work is light. New hay, while 

 still heating in the mow, is always dangerous. The 

 health of a horse at hard work is governed largely by 

 the food he consumes. A little grass mixad with old, 

 dry hay may be fed safely, but new hay passing 

 through a sweat should never be used. In hot weather, 

 horses at severe work in the fierce sun do best if they 

 are kept in comfortable stables at night and are fed 

 on roughage and concentrates of 'the previous year's 

 growth. Some horsemen understand this, and will pay 

 more for old than for new oats or hay. So the hay- 

 buyer does not bale hay for the city until it has gone 

 through the "sweat" in the mow or stack. 



