FEEDING. 95 



went out of the stable. If the pasture be high, dry, and 

 hard, then plate-shoes will be required to protect the walls 

 of the fore feet; no heels nor toes should be allowed, as 

 they stick in the ground, tear off the shoes, and break the 

 hoof. 



Our remarks in this connection have been entirely con- 

 fined to city horses of all works ; but for the horse of the 

 agriculturist, it will be found much more profitable to have 

 the horses soiled by cutting and carting the grass in to the 

 animals, either in stable or farm-yard. This plan will obvi- 

 ate the necessity of superior fencing. No grass is spoiled 

 by the animals treading upon it in the field, and covering 

 much of it with their excrement. The extra quantity and 

 quality of the manure thus saved, will balance the extra 

 labor of cutting the grass, &c. Old horses, and those stiff 

 from hard work, should not be put out to pasture, especi- 

 ally where the land is level, as it is very difiicult for such 

 animals to gather the food from the ground. Such animals 

 will not thrive well at pasture, but will do better when 

 grass is fed to them in the manger. 



In pasturing city or stable-fed horses, the newly-found 

 liberty, together with the difference of the food, will for a 

 week or two improve their condition, and they will appear 

 perfectly satisfied; but subsequently they lose flesh, and 

 become dissatisfied, even though wading to the knees in 

 the finest of grass ; they long for the stable, to be tied by 

 the head and associate with man. In the summer season, 

 horses should be kept during the hottest parts of the day in 

 9 



