114 



HEALTH AND DISEASE 



all that the animal's system is capable of taking with advantage. Beans 

 and peas will be useful later on, when the animal has recovered from its 

 exhaustion. 



Beans and peas, which would seldom be given until they are at least 

 a year old and, therefore, make a very decided call upon the energy of the 

 masticatory organs, are likely, to some extent at least, to escape even from 

 the powerful grinders of the horse. They should consequently always 

 be crushed and given mixed with the ordinary rations in the quantities 

 previously mentioned. 



Linseed. Excepting for sick horses, or animals in poor condition, 

 linseed is not employed as an article of diet. Its occasional use in the 

 form of linseed mash is a favourite device of the stableman for improving 

 the appearance of an animal's coat. When given for the purpose of 

 restoring lost condition it will be mixed with other food to the extent 

 of about 1 Ib. per day. 



Linseed is always ground, soaked, and boiled before being mixed with 

 other food. The best plan is to boil it for a short time, as in making 

 linseed tea, and when cold to mix it with bran or other articles of food. 

 Linseed cake and the meal into which it is ground are sometimes used for 

 sick and tired horses, either made into gruel or sprinkled over the food. It 

 is obtained by crushing the seed and removing a large proportion of the 

 oil for manufacturing purposes. It is consequently relatively richer in 

 nitrogenous matter than are the seeds from which it is derived, as the 

 two following tables will show. 



Linseed yields the following analysis: 



Water... 12'3 



Proteids ... 20'5 



Fat 37-0 



Carbohydrates 



Cellulose 



Salts 



19-6 



7-2 

 3-4 



