38 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



beneficial to give him an alcoholic stimulant on going into the stable. 

 A small quantity of hay may then be given, but his grain should be 

 withheld for one or two hours. These same remarks will apply with 

 equal force to the horse that for any reason has been fasting for a 

 long time. After a fast, feed less than the horse would eat; for if 

 allowed too much the stomach becomes engorged, its walls paralyzed, 

 and " colic " is almost sure to follow\ The horse should be fed 

 three or four times a day. It will not answer to feed him entirely 

 upon concentrated food. Bulky food must be given to detain the 

 grains in their passage through the intestinal tract ; bulk also favors 

 distention, and thus mechanically aids absorption. For horses that 

 do slow work for the greater part of the time, chopped or cut hay 

 fed with crushed oats, ground corn, etc., is the best manner of feed- 

 ing, as it gives the required bulk, sav«s time, and half the labor of 

 feeding. 



Sudden changes of diet are always dangerous. When desirous of 

 changing the food, do so very gradually. If a horse is accustomed to 

 oats, a sudden change to a full meal of corn will almost always sicken 

 him. If we merely intend to increase the quantity of the usual feed, 

 this also must be done gradually. The quantity of food given must 

 always be in proportion to the amount of labor to be performed. If 

 a horse is to do a small amount of work, or rest entirely from work 

 for a few days, see that he receives a proportionate amount of feed. 

 If this should be observed even on Saturday night and Sunday, there 

 would be fewer cases of " Monday morning sickness," such as colics 

 and lymphangitis. 



Foods should also be of a more laxative nature when the horse is to 

 stand for some days. 



Musty or moldy foods. — Above all things, avoid feeding musty or 

 moldy foods. These are very frequent causes of disease of different 

 kinds. Lung trouble, such as bronchitis and " heaves," often follows 

 the use of such food. The digestive organs always suffer from moldy 

 or musty foods. Musty hay is generally considered to produce dis- 

 order of the kidneys; and all know of the danger to pregnant ani- 

 mals from feeding upon ergotized grasses or grains. It has often 

 been said to produce that peculiar disease known variously as cere- 

 bro-spinal meningitis, putrid sore throat, or choking distemper. 



Leaving these somewhat general considerations, I will refer briefly 

 to the different kinds of foods : 



Hay. — The best hay for horses is timothy. It should be about one 

 year old, of a greenish color, crisp, clean, fresh, and possessing a 

 sweet, pleasant aroma. Even this good hay, if kept for too great a 

 length of time, loses part of its nourishment, and, while it may not 

 be positively injurious, it is hard, dry, and indigestible. New hay is 

 difficult to digest, produces much salivation (slobbering) and occa- 



