6 STABLE MANAGEMENT. 



then time to take some measures to remedy matters, 

 otherwise no notice ne^d be taken. 



Barley (jow). 



In many parts of Northern India, especially on 

 the Afghan frontier, whole, uncrushed barley is 

 used. It does not seem to hurt country-breds, but 

 with old animals that are not used to it, and par- 

 ticularly Australians, the practice is dangerous. 

 During the Afghan War, on one occasion there being 

 no other grain available, whole barley was supplied to 

 the horses of the battery of artillery to \7hich I then 

 belonged. A number of them were attacked with 

 colic, and several died from the irritation caused by 

 the pointed awns or ends of the beards to the bowels. 

 No doubt horses, and particularly young ones, will 

 get used to feeding on most grains if the change is 

 brought about gradually, but a sudden change from 

 any one to another is dangerous. At the best, whole 

 barley is not an economical food. The husk resists 

 the digestive action of the stomach and intestines, 

 and a quantity is always passed out of the body 

 whole. Barley ought certainly always to be crushed, 

 or, better still, parched, and turned into " adarvvah." 

 This is done by professional grain parchers in tlie 

 bazaar ; but sometimes, though rarely, some of the 



