38 



FEEDING AND WATERING. 



plug and fastened to the top of the trough, the plug will 

 not be lost, and one will not have sometimes to reach into 

 cold water to pull out the plug. It pays to have plenty 

 of good troughs about the farm. 



The horse that eats his grain too hastily is sure, sooner or 

 later, to become a dyspeptic. Bolted food cannot be assim- 

 ilated, and hence is worse than wasted, as it deranges and 

 poisons the digestive organs. Some horses, whose stomachs 

 are already out of order more or less, from the vice of 

 too eager eating, will plunge their noses into the oats nearly 

 to the eyes, fill their mouths and fairly crowd the food 

 down their own throats. To prevent disease is always better 

 than endeavors to cure it. Realizing 

 this truth many a horse owner has tried 

 in various ways to force a slow consump- 

 tion of food in his stables. Some spread 

 the oats in the bottom of a large manger; 

 others keep a peck of small stones there, 

 from between which the horse is com- 

 pelled to pick his food. Good horsemen 

 of Xew York state have widely adopted the slow delivery 

 chute. It is built into the manger, as the cut shows, and 

 reaches to within half an inch of its bottom. A metal 

 manger should be used, or a wooden one lined with tin or 

 iron, as a greedy horse will destroy it by gnawing because 

 dissatisfied with rational eating. Colts brought up at such 

 mangers will rarely become gourmands afterwards, and are 

 doubly valuable lecause so seldom out of condition, with 

 resultant colic, etc. 



It is a waste of time and increase of trouble to go into the 

 loft whenever the horses are vo be fed. It is convenient and 

 economical to cut a week's supply of hay at one time, say 

 durincr a shower or when a change of work is desired. 



