86 ' HORSES: 



evinces a strong inclination for a draught. So, too, 

 at the sight of food, he, hke the man, will exhibit his 

 desire for a lunch, in season or out — that is, for a little 

 palate-tickling, whether food be needed or not. If 

 his habit is to eat three meals, he will take four, and, if 

 it is presented, take the second three hours after the 

 first, instead of saying, like a man, " No, thank you, 

 it isn't my time ! " Thousands of us have learned 

 from experience that we enjoy more, and are better 

 nourished by waiting full time. But as the " time " 

 draws near, we begin to think about it, and thus 

 work up an appetite, times without number, for a 

 dinner which we do not need, but which is certain 

 to make us feel uncomfortable. We find that thou- 

 sands of men have adopted the two-meal, hundreds, 

 indeed, the one-meal-a-day system, and find a great 

 advantage in so doing. The principle that a man 

 may adopt, from knowledge and conviction in the 

 matter of his own diet, he may also extend to his 

 horse; the latter does not require the convincement 

 of his reason or intellect in the premises, but readily 

 accepts his needed food in four, three, or two install- 

 ments. In either case he will (on the four, as well as 

 on the two-meal plan) accept a lunch at any hour, un- 

 less he has, -from excess or some other cause, become 

 " off his feed." But, given enough (and this he 

 should always have, to be sure), he will thrive and 

 enjoy all that his nature makes possible. Give him 

 too much (whether at two or more meals) and he 

 must suffer for it. He can digest as much on the 

 two-meal plan as on the three. Just as he can accom- 



