Farm Horses. 12J 



mach shows that the horse should never go more than a few 

 hours without food, yet we frequently see farmers' horses 

 work six or eight hours without a break. The stomach 

 becomes nearly empty, the intestines more or less filled 

 with gas ; the animal, notwithstanding this, is frequently 

 allowed to take water and food ad libitum, as soon as 

 they reach the stable, which they do voraciously, the 

 result being an attack of gripes or staggers. During the 

 spring months, when the horses are at full or extra work, 

 they generally receive three bushels of oats per week, with 

 hay, but durmg the winter the amount of oats is some- 

 what reduced, on account of receiving cooked food once 

 a day when on straw. The oats, for the most part, are 

 given whole. For some time I have witnessed the crush- 

 ing of oats with success, particularly in the feeding of old 

 horses. The system of manger feeding has become very 

 general amongst colliery, contractors/ and carters' horses, 

 and the expense of feeding is thus diminished very con- 

 siderably. I think were farmers aware of the saving thus 

 effected, this system would become almost universal. The 

 chaff for manger feeding may be composed of two trusses 

 of clover or meadow hay to one of wheat or oat straw, 

 cut into pieces of a quarter or half an inch in length, 

 mingled well together, the allowance of crushed oats and 

 roughly-ground beans afterwards added, and mixed with 

 the chaff. For the agricultural and cart horse, 8 lbs. of 

 oats and 2 lbs. of beans should be added to every 20 lbs. 

 of chaff, and 36 lbs. of this mixture will be sufficient for 

 any moderate-sized horse, with general or even hard work. 

 Dray or waggon horses may require 40 lbs., yet it is diffi- 

 cult to lay down any given quantity, as the appetite of the 

 horse varies so much ; it will be best regulated by his 

 attendant. The times of feeding should be equally 

 divided as convenience will permit, and when it is likely 

 the horse will be kept much longer than usual from home, 

 the nose-bag should invariably be taken, as his small 

 stomach is emptied in a few hours. When the chaff is 

 thus mixed with the oats and beans, the horse is com- 

 pelled to chew his food — he cannot bolt the hay and 

 straw ; and while he is forced to grind that down, the oats 



