22 



of tlie bowels and kidneys. They i)ossess also certain alterative 

 properties. The coat becomes smooth and glossy Avhen carrots are 

 fed. Some veterinary writers claim that chronic congh is cured by 

 giving carrots for some time. The roots may be considered then as an 

 adjunct to the ]'egular regime, and if fed in small (iuan titles are 

 highly beneficial. 



Grasses. — Grass is the natural food of horses. It is composed of a 

 great variety of plants, differing widely as to the amount of nourish- 

 ment contained, some being almost entirely without value as foods 

 and only eaten when there is nothing elseo btainable; others are posi- 

 tively injurious or even poisonous. None of the grasses are sufficient 

 to keep the horse in condition for work. Horses thus fed are "soft," 

 sweat easily, purge, and soon tire on the road or when at hard work. 

 To growing stock grass is indispensable, and there is little or no doubt 

 but that it acts as an alterative when given to horses accustomed to 

 grain and hay. It must be given to such subjects in small quantities 

 at first. The stomach and intestines undergo rest and recuperate if 

 the horse is turned to grass for a time each year. It is also certain 

 that during febrile diseases grass acts almost as a medicine, lessening 

 the fever and favoring recovery; wounds heal more rapidly than 

 when the horse is on grain, and some chronic disorders (chronic cough 

 for instance) disappear entirely when at grass. In my experience 

 grass does more good when the horse crops it himself. This may be 

 due to the sense of freedom he enjoys at pasture, to the rest to his 

 feet and limbs, and for many similar reasons. When cut for him it 

 should be fed fresh or when but slightly wilted. 



PREPARATION OF FOODS. 



Foods are prepared for feeding for any of the following reasons: To 

 render the food more easily eaten; to make it more digestible; to 

 economize in amount; to give it some new property, and to preserve 

 it. We have already spoken of the preparation of dr^ang, and need 

 not revert to this again, as it only serves to preserve the different 

 foods. Drying does, however, change some of the properties of food, 

 i. e., removes the laxative tendency of most of them. 



The different grains are more easily eaten when ground, crushed, or 

 even boiled. Rye or wheat should never be given whole, and even of 

 corn it is found that there is less waste when ground, and, in common 

 with all grains, it is more easily digested than when fed whole. 



Hay and fodder are economized when cut in short pieces. Not only 

 will the horse eat the necessary amount in a shorter time, but it will be 

 found that tiicre is less waste, and the mastication of the grains (whole 

 or crushed) fed with them is insured. 



Reference has already been made to those horses that bolt their 

 food, and we need only remark here that the consequences of such 

 ravenous eating may be prevented if the grains ai-e fed with cut hay, 



