THE HORSE: ITS KEEP AND MANAGEMENT. 27 



them altogether into a sloppy mess, and the horse or 

 donkey, whichever the case may be, swallows it down 

 quickly and does not masticate half of it. A certain juice 

 and saliva which should mix with the food does not do so, 

 and when a horse is fed with this sloppy food it nearly 

 always causes the bowels to become very much relaxed. 

 Nothing will upset horses quicker than giving them a lot 

 of sloppy food. 



Some people may argue in this way, and say that when 

 they drink water it mixes with the food, but that is another 

 thing altogether. It is natural for a horse to masticate his 

 food well. Nature has supplied these noble animals with 

 grinders sufficient for masticating any corn or hay which is 

 grown. Of course, when a horse is old and its teeth are 

 worn out, that is a different matter, then it should have 

 its corn boiled, but not water put upon the chaff, only 

 the boiled damp corn mixed with the chaff. They are able 

 in this way to get the whole of the nutriment out of the 

 boiled corn, because it is already soft and wants but very 

 little mastication. A great deal more nutriment is got out 

 of the chaff too when it is dry, or partly so, than when it is 

 mixed with water. If the chaff and corn are both made 

 sloppy you will be almost sure to see the hair stand the 

 wrong way upon the body, and the ribs very close to the 

 skin. The latter seems to fit him tightly, like a kid glove on 

 a person's hand. When the skin is tight on a horse in this 

 way and will not move easily, it is a sign the animal is 

 doing badly. 



