98 AMERICAN STABLE GUIDE. 



sixteen to twenty pounds, of which a portion should be cut 

 and mixed with the evening meal, thus allowing the tired 

 horse to lie down sooner than he would were he to prepare 

 so much hay for himself. Large carriage-horses may be 

 fed twelve to sixteen pounds ; smaller, driving, and saddle- 

 horses will require less, and the hay should be fed exclu- 

 sively to them at night. The quantity thus named is 

 merely proximate, for if the oats and other feed be of good 

 quality, perhaps a little less hay will be required, and vice 

 vet'sa. But when the hay is not good, do not give it in 

 greater quantity, but increase the cjuantity of oats and 

 corn. 



In this connection it may be well to state that the size 

 of the belly is the index to some persons as to the quantity 

 of hay required. This indication, however, is not a good 

 criterion, because pony-built horses, or those that are w^ell 

 ribbed home, may become diseased from not having feed 

 in sufficient hulk, and yet present a full belly. And, fur- 

 thermore, a fleet and free horse, light-bellied, and not well- 

 ribbed home at the flanks, will not show a full belly, 

 though fed with all the hay that he will eat. The safe 

 criterion in such matters is to give to the horse of slow 

 work all that nature demands, and to those of faster work, 

 all feed of bulk at nights, or after the daily drive or ride 

 is over. (See how Dexter is fed, ante, p. 70). 



The daily requirements of a horse weighing 938 pounds 

 is, 22 pounds of hay, 4J pounds of oats, and 66 pounds of 

 water ; and that of a milch cow amounts to one-thirtieth of 



