152 



will eat, then let him drink all the cold water he desires. 

 Hitch np, and give him a good, smart drive, repeat this day 

 after day, and if he does not acquire any difficulty in 

 breathing, it will not be because you have not done your 

 best to produce it. When the stomach is over-distended, 

 there is no room for the lungs to expand. 



From our continued observation of this matter for along 

 series of years, we have settled upon the following rule ; 

 One pound of hay per day to every hundred pounds that 

 the horse weighs is sufficient, and six to eight quarts of 

 oats, or its equivalent, for the size of horse which we are 

 considering, and I would give one-half the ration at night. 

 The horse, not unlike his master, craves a variety of food, 

 and when left to forage at large, will select according to 

 his taste, but when continually stabled is unable to do so. 

 Oats are the best and safest food for summer, with now 

 and then a handful of fine feed or shorts added. 



But as cool weather approaches, nature demands some- 

 thing of a more warming nature. This demand is best an- 

 swered by adding corn meal to the fine feed, also a small 

 quantity of ground oil cakes is highly beneficial. When 

 these are added to the oats, the horse eats slower and 

 chews his food more perfectly. 



Cracked corn, I would never insult my horse with, un- 

 less I desired him to have the colic and die. If you must 

 feed corn, give it ivhole and best on the cob, then he 

 will nibble it off, little by little, and chew it more 

 thoroughly. Some kind of vegetable diet is also conducive 

 to the animal's health, as potatoes, carrots, turnips and 

 mangels. These should be used, not as a regular course, 

 l)ut simply as desserts. I am in doubt about the carrot 

 having such nourishing qualities as many ascribe to it, 

 above all other roots. We look upon it simply as an aid 

 to digestion, the same as pepsin in the human family. 

 Three or four good sound carrots once a day or two, will 

 do l)etter than a half peck at once. 



