62 Stable Servants and 



in many establishments, experience having shown that 

 by it all horses masticate their corn more perfectly, are 

 at liberty to rest sooner, and cost less per head for keep. 

 Many of the better breeds might be more advantageously 

 fed on this system, not only ensuring economy, but 

 avoiding waste in the usual allowance of hay, and suffer- 

 ing less from the diseases to which idle or lightly-worked 

 horses are subject. This is at least our experience, not 

 only in our own stables, but in others where the plan has 

 been carefully carried out in all its details. 



Oats and beans, together or separately, come under the 

 general name of horse-corn; and most horses at hard work 

 in the winter require both, especially if they are not very 

 young. Oats are always given to horses in private stables, 

 and they form the best general addition to the hay ; but 

 sometimes, soon after the horse has changed his coat, he 

 becomes very nagging and unable to bear his ordinary 

 work, especially if he has been much exposed to wet or 

 cold ; in this case, the addition to his oats of from half a 

 quartern to a quartern of beans during the day will often 

 renovate his spirits and strength, when he rapidly gains 

 flesh. In young horses this addition may be discontinued 

 after January, but in old ones it should be kept up till the 

 following May, after which month few horses are the better 

 for the extra stimulus afforded by beans. They should 

 always be split, and oats are generally the better for being 

 bruised, or " kibbelled," as it is generally called; and for 

 both these purposes a mill is constructed and sold, which, 

 by the alteration of a screw, will adapt itself to either opera- 

 tion. Both oats and beans should be one year old, or at 

 least six months ; at which age, if the harvest was a dry 

 one, both oats and beans will often be dry enough. 



It is consistent with sound practice, especially when 

 economy is to be considered, that corn should be of the 

 best quality. Why some adhere to the belief that in- 

 ferior kinds will do for lightly-worked horses, it is not 

 possible to say. It should be evident that the heaviest 

 grain, or pulse, when sound and clean, should also con- 

 tain the greatest amount of nutritious matter. Yet some 

 aver that the husk is as essential as the corn. The 



