FEEDING ON THE KOAD. 451 



I have found a four-quart feed of old oats, witli the addition of 

 one quart of old Indian corn, an excellent noon feed for horses 

 on hard work. At least half an hour should elapse after the 

 horses have finished their feed, before they are again put to 

 their work ; and when they are on the road again, they should 

 be driven moderately for the first five or six miles — if for the 

 first hour, so much the better. 



The time apparently so lost, is in reality gained, as the 

 driver will perceive before he reaches the end of his journey, 

 especially if it be one of many days' continuance. The same 

 may be said of the duration of the noon halt, for feeding. It 

 should never be less than an hour and a half ; and if it be of 

 two hours, so much the better. The risk is great of j)rDducing 

 founder, if horses be full fed when hot and weary, and nearly as 

 great of breaking their wmds^ if they be driven too soon after 

 feeding, before their stomachs are empty. 



If horses refuse their feed, it is a bad sign. Sometimes, 

 especially if they be old travellers, and up to the tricks of the 

 road, they may be cheated into eating up their oats by harness- 

 ing and bi'idling them, omitting only to put the bits in their 

 mouths, as if to prepare for an immediate start ; when, fearing 

 to lose the end of their meal, they will often eat up, in a few 

 minutes, a feed which they may have been tossing about, as if 

 unworthy of their notice, in their mangers, for a couple of 

 hours. 



Delicate feeders and nervous horses will often be beguiled 

 into eating thrice as much, by throwing only a few handfuls of 

 oats into the manger at a time, and renewing it as fast as con- 

 sumed, as they would do if a large quantity of food were heap- 

 ed before them at once, which seems to disgust them and to 

 cloy their appetites. 



They can sometimes be induced, again, to eat by throwing a 

 handful of salt into the oats, or by mostening them. If the lat- 

 ter plan be found successful, it is well to do it with a glass of 

 ale instead of water, as it adds to the nutriment of the feed, and 

 is generally grateful to the horse. 



Most horses will drink ale, or porter, readily from the first. 

 If not, they should be regularly educated to do so ; for, at times, 

 it is a most valuable quality in a horse to take it ; as it is a 



