'^ENOUGH AS GOOD AS A FEAST." 119 



would prefer it to the older; but that cut in 1846, 

 I hold to be old enough for any race-horse ; every 

 day after this I consider it deteriorates in its 

 nourishing qualities. 



We will now come to quantity, the desire for 

 which, in the animal, depends chiefly on habit; 

 for appetite, if in a state of health, depends greatly 

 on use — that is, if we call that appetite which is 

 in fact gluttony. A keen relish for what is eaten 

 is a sign of health ; eating enormous quantities is 

 sometimes the result of disease. 



I have astonished a good many carters, horse- 

 keepers to coaches, and some grooms and coach- 

 men, respecting what I considered a proper allow- 

 ance of hay for their horses. Yet I am by no 

 means one of those who consider a fair quantity 

 prejudicial : on the contrary, good hay is a much 

 better thins^ in a horse's stomach than wdnd : and 

 if we do not give enough of the former for the 

 stomach to feed upon, it is certain to get filled 

 with the latter, which often leads to direful in- 

 convenience, and, indeed, danger. To come to 

 round numbers of pounds, I should say that 

 sixteen pounds of hay in the twenty-four hours 

 is sufficient for ajty horse fed on corn, as a 

 horse ought to be for fast work, that is, taking 

 the average per head in a stable of horses ; from 

 twelve to fourteen quite a liberal quantity for 

 hunters. In fact, take the stable throughout, and 



I 4 



