FEEDING. 73 



portaDt lesson, tliat to feed a certain formation of horse is 

 an easy matter, when compared to the demands of another, 

 and in nowise better adapted for work. To do a certain 

 amount of work, the former horse will require less food 

 than the latter, and, although he can do it with less food, 

 it does not follow that he is not a good feeder and worker, 

 or that it is requisite to feed him to the full amount of his 

 consuming capacity. The young horse should not Jbe fed 

 with the same quality and quantity of food that is given to 

 animals of eight, ten, or twelve years of age ; hence he is 

 not fit to work so hard. The feed of young animals should 

 principally be soft, nutritious, and in greater bulk than 

 that given to or required by older ones. This will prevent 

 many diseases to which they are subject if fed with stimu- 

 lating feed in small bulk or in high concentration. 



To keep the old horse in condition and health, he must 

 be fed on feed capable, to a great degree, of generating 

 caloric in the body as well as of adding to the red corpus- 

 cles of the blood. 



Horses suffering from spavin or disease of the joints of 

 the legs, require a more generous diet than those in perfect 

 condition. 



The size of the pony and small sorts of horses should 

 also be considered when proportioning their allowance of 

 feed. 



The brood-mare, when kept in the stable, demands some 

 consideration, inasmuch as soft, nutritious, and bulky feed 

 is best adapted to her condition, which requires fresh -cut 



