FOOD. 21 



be fed often, and in small quantities. In England 

 hunters are fed four, or even five, times a day. In 

 India it is the usual custom to feed three times, 

 and perhaps it is often enough. In all military 

 stations a gun is fired at noon, and the midday feed 

 is given at that hour ; but the morning and evening 

 one varies with the season of the year. I usually 

 give only half a feed in the evening about five 

 o'clock, and the remainder the last thing at night, 

 about eight or nine, according to the season of the 

 year ; but, unless carefully watched, " syces " will 

 not do this, as it is the custom only to feed three 

 times daily, and " dastour "(custom) is a thing it is 

 impossible to make a native break through. 



Bolting Food. 



Some horses have a trick of bolting their food 

 without masticating it properly, especially if another 

 is being fed in their company. It is a good plan to 

 feed such horses apart from any others, which can 

 easily be done in an Indian stable, as they are all 

 loose boxes, or, if picketed out in the open, by 

 moving him a short distance away from the others. 

 A small quantity of chaff, grass, straw, or what 

 is known as " bhoosa," which is wheat straw that is 

 crushed and broken into small pieces in the process 



