THE FEEDING OF HORSES 245 



sure, to all work horses, ideal conditions. Short noon hours, 

 horses hot when noontime arrives, and compelled to stand in the 

 sun and fight flies while eating, wasting much of their ration, 

 and then to go directly to hard work after feeding — this is the 

 experience of many work horses. The nose-bag or other feeding 

 device which will prevent the waste of a large part of its con- 

 tents, especially in fly time, has not yet been perfected. It is 

 as injurious to feed a hot, tired horse as it is to water him when 

 liot. Feed consumed under such conditions is not well digested 

 and assimilated, even if it does no harm, and its nutritive value 

 to the horse is, therefore, small. 



The danger of colic from putting a horse to work immedi- 

 ately after eating is unquestionable, as most cases of indigestion 

 in working horses occur between one and four o'clock in the 

 afternoon. In view of all these facts, there is good reason to 

 conclude that the noontime spent in rest after a moderate drink, 

 and the amount of the noon feed added to the night allowance, 

 would be more beneficial to the horse if it is impossible to allow 

 him proper time and place in which to feed. 



The character and amount of the ration should be modified 

 to meet each change in the work of the horses. Those well fed 

 and working regularly are very susceptible to the so-called 

 " Monday morning " disease, if laid off for a day or two. A 

 short period of idleness calls for a material reduction of the con- 

 centrates of the ration and an increase in the lighter constit- 

 uents, as bran or succulence. Horses temporarily put out of 

 business by storms or holidays should be exercised, in addition 

 to having their ration cut do^vn. Once a horse has shown, by 

 previous attacks, that he is especially predisposed to trouble of 

 this character, he demands the closest attention, yet if this be 

 accorded him he may work as satisfactorily as any horse in the 

 stable. 



Special preparation of the feed is of little advantage to the 

 normal horse, under usual conditions. The crushing of oats at 

 the ordinary mill is not considered worth while; although the 

 installation of small mills, in stables which are already supplied 

 with the electric current, may bring the cost of crushing down 

 to a point where the end justifies the means. For old or over- 



