36 THE HORSE : ITS KEEP AND MANAGEMENT. 



I do not think it is worth while wasting space 

 to tell the farmers what to give their horses, as most 

 of them are brought up to their business, or 'at any 

 rate should be. There are two things, however, which 

 I think it will not be out of place for me to mention. 

 These are when they sow the wheat in the autumn, 

 the horses have to work harder than any other part 

 of the season, many of the farmers do not give their 

 horses any extra corn, consequently they go down in 

 condition, and are not able to pick up again till the 

 following spring. This is a great drawback to many 

 farmers. 



When the horses are working hard during the 

 autumn they should have at least half as much again 

 corn and good hay, as horses become faint during 

 the autumn, the most trying time for horses, because 

 they are changing their coats as well as working so 

 hard. I have known farmers at that time of the year 

 work their horses for nine hours, and never give them 

 food or water. This is what may be termed cruelty to 

 animals, of course it is done without a thought. I 

 know it is done perhaps more in Bedfordshire, 

 Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, and several other 

 counties. If farmers would only go to the expense 

 of a nose bag, while the men are having their lunch 

 the horses could have a feed as well. If this is done 

 they would do their work much easier. I am 

 pleased to say this is carried out in many parts of 

 the country, especially in the South and the extreme 



