The Horse at Pasture 307 



and while he may be seen to prefer the muddy pool 

 or even puddle to the clearest spring, he does so for 

 two perfectly intelligent reasons, — the puddle, or 

 pond, is " soft " water, the spring or well is 

 " hard " ; the muddy quality of the puddle provides 

 an earthy taste most grateful to his palate — and 

 particularly so if he is not allowed, as a stable 

 inmate, a chance to lick over and gnaw at a good 

 big sod, dirt, roots, and all, every now and then. 

 Pasture water, when low, usually grows stagnant 

 and filthy, and will be used only when the pangs 

 of thirst compel. As already stated in these pages, 

 no horse will do well which does not drink deeply 

 and often, and none can either make or hold flesh 

 unless he absorbs great quantities of fluid. 



Therefore the resting horse would do much better, 

 and be far more happy were he not " pastured " at 

 all. A darkened, airy box stall is his proper abiding- 

 place in the daytime, and it is but little trouble to 

 provide it with fly-screens over windows and door, 

 and to freely use one of the various " shoo-fly " 

 compositions prepared ior the purpose of driving 



