HOW TO FEED A HORSE. 131 



first six or eight miles the horse should be driven gently, 

 until he has unloaded his bowels, when his pace may be 

 increased, until he be within a few miles' distance of his 

 mid-day halting and feeding-place, when he should be 

 pulled up, so as to allow him to come in cool. Horses should 

 be watered often, when at work, say once in every eight 

 or ten miles ; but from a few swallows to the extent of 

 half a bucket, at the most, is sufficient. This will not hurt 

 them, even if they be hot, provided they be not exhausted, 

 and provided they be kept standing but a little while, and 

 be instantly put to their work, again, at a moderate pace. 

 It is an excellant plan to accustom them to drink water, 

 with a few handfuls of Indian meal, and a little salt stirred 

 into it, as this not only prevents the possibility of a 

 chill, but affords, in some degree, the support of a solid 

 meal. Some horses will drink ale or porter, freely ; all 

 horses may be taught to do so, by sweetening it with 

 brown sugar. It is a very useful and desirable quality, 

 in a horse. It is astonishing how much an exhausted 

 animal is sometimes reinvigorated, on a hot day, by a 

 draught of ale, and if he will — as we have seen many do — 

 eat a rye loaf cut in pieces and steeped in ale or porter, it 

 will do him more good than six quarts of oats. 



The mid-day halt of a horse should be long enough to 

 allow of his being thoroughly rested and cleaned, before 

 being fed ; he should have, as before, a lock of hay to 

 play with, while cleaning ; be watered sparingly, and then 

 be fed with four quarts, and have the rest of his water 

 shortly before starting. 



In travelling a journey, it is desirable to start as early 

 as possible in the morning, and to accomplish the most of 

 the days' journey before halting to bait. In summer one 

 would start at four o'clock, travel till ten or eleven, halt 

 and bait until five, and drive on until nine or ten; at 



