266 THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



will be the best feed. For working horses two parts of 

 oats to one of cracked or whole corn make a good grain 

 ration, giving them from one quart to six or eight quarts, 

 according to size and the amount of work done. 



Timothy hay is generally considered the best "horse 

 hay," but a clean bright mixture of several of the so- 

 called English grasses with a sprinkling of clover in it 

 may be equally good. 



Watering. 



Horses should be watered two or three times each day 

 but never immediately after a feed of grain, as owing to 

 the small size of the stomach the grain would be washed 

 out before it was digested. 



CARRIAGES AND HARNESSES. 



Carriages and harnesses are expensive additions to the 

 home equipment, but with good care may last a long 

 time. Varnished carriages should be kept where the 

 gases from the manure-pit cannot arise and disfigure 

 them. They should be kept clean by frequent washing 

 and wiping with chamois leather; frequent examina- 

 tions should be made, and any nuts or bolts that may 

 have become loose should be tightened. 



Harnesses should be kept in a dry place, be cleaned 

 frequently, and wiped over with harness soap. The 

 leather should not be saturated with oil, as this causes 

 decay, but after washing and before fully dry a dress- 

 ing of oil should be applied. As with our own clothing, 

 a stitch in time in the harness often saves nine or more 

 and also a broken harness and perhaps a serious acci- 

 dent. In a warm stable a thin blanket will be found 

 economical in keeping the horse clean, and in a cold 

 stable a thick one is needed for warmth. By the use of 

 building paper, however, and a few laths any stable 



