THE HORSE 129 



however, live on grass alone, without the addition 

 of dry food, and are not less active or capable than 

 stabled horses. In autumn and winter, though, 

 they are liable to sweat profusely if driven far, 

 and in consequence of the danger of a chill from 

 this cause, and the difficulty of drying the long 

 coat thoroughly before turning out again, it is 

 perhaps inadvisable to keep out at grass all the 

 winter a horse which has to work regularly. As 

 hinted in a previous chapter, it is not wise to clip 

 horses which are kept in the stable. 



Presuming, then, that a horse is regularly 

 worked, he will require a proportion of oats in 

 his dietary. The regulation cavalry allowance is 

 twelve pounds per day, given in three feeds, and 

 ex}3erience has proved that it is sufficient for 

 anunals doing regular work. Hunters are often 

 given as much as fifteen or sixteen pounds, and 

 the same amount is the average quantity con- 

 sumed by race-horses in training. There is no 

 doubt that the harder the work the greater the 

 quantity of food required ; but we question 

 whether the additional food, always remembering 

 that oats are not a natural food, is not best suited 

 to the horse's stomach and digestive capacity if it 

 takes the form of best quality hay. Four quarter- 



