STABLE MANAGEMENT 231 



they ripen, and is fed to horses and cattle, straw and grain 

 together as if they were ordinary hay. There is much 

 feeding value in this mixture. The time to cut the crop is 

 when there is still a suspicion of milkiness in the middle of 

 the grain when it is squeezed, just before the stems have 

 begun to change colour. It is made into hay in the 

 ordinary way. 



Bean Mashes. 



Bran mashes are an essential item, especially after hard 

 work and for sick horses, and in the former case maybe given 

 with advantage twice a week, cooling the blood, keeping the 

 bowels open, and counteracting the constipating effect of 

 highly concentrated food. Bran mashes are best prepared 

 by well mixing the feed of oats with the bran in a bucket, 

 stirring the mass with a thick stick, which should be kept 

 for the purpose. Linseed gruel should then be added which 

 has been kept simmering for at least two hours, and has 

 become a thick gruel, and the whole must be again well 

 stirred. As soon as the mash is thoroughly mixed, either a 

 cloth should be thrown over the bucket or a handful or two 

 of dry bran spread on the surface, either of which will 

 serve the purpose of keeping the heat in, so that the oats 

 swell and burst, and are thus more easily digested. 



Minerals. 



Salt is so important to the well-being of every animal * 

 that it ranks with lime as a necessity, and should be either 

 given in the form of rock salt, and placed in the manger for 

 the horse to help itself as it pleases, or a small quantity 

 should be added from time to time to the bran mash. Salt is 

 a constituent of the serum of the blood, preventing it from 

 decomposing ; and from it also is derived the muriatic acid 

 required in the digestive process. 



Iron is required by the red corpuscules of the blood, and 



sulphate of iron is a very valuable tonic. Iron is largely 



contained in plants, especially in watercress, and as horses 



are particularly fond of this dainty it is a convenient way of 



■''■ Except dogs and pigs, to whom it is prejudicial. 



