PREPARATION OF FOOD. 203 



much, and will eat as much of the one as of the other ; but a 

 smaller quantity being given at a time, the horse has it not in 

 his power to waste so much. The chaff is supplied in lim- 

 ited measure ; it is put into the manger ; if the horse is not 

 hungry it lies there till he is. But it is different with hay 

 The rack often receives as much at one time as might serve 

 two days. After the horse has appeased his hunger, he amu- 

 ses himself by pulling the hay among his feet, and, selecting 

 such portions as suit his palled appetite, the remainder is 

 wasted. All this is lost through carelessness. As much 

 chaff might be wasted, but it is not so easy, not so conveni- 

 ent, there is no inducement to give so much at one time ; and 

 the horse can not so readily destroy that which he is not dis- 

 posed to eat. If the hay could be given in measured quanti- 

 ties like the chaff, and the horse prevented from wasting any, 

 cutting, it is obvious, would effect no saving w^hatever. This 

 can be done well enough. The hay can be weighed and 

 supplied in small quantities ; by giving it oftener than usual 

 — no more at a time than the horse will eat — none will be 

 lost. There would be additional trouble in doing so ; but the 

 trouble of cutting and serving chaff is greater. 



Mastication of the Grain Insured. — By mixing chaff with 

 the oats and beans, these articles must be broken down before 

 they can be swallowed. They can not be entirely separated 

 from the chaff; and the chaff is too sharp to be swallowed 

 without a good deal of mastication. In grinding the chaff, 

 the horse must grind the grain. This is the most important 

 use of chaff. Many horses swallow both oats and beans 

 without chewing them. That w^hich is unbroken passes 

 through the body entire, and, affording no nutriment, is lost. 

 Chaff prevents this. Still, when the grain is bruised before 

 it is given, chaff may be dispensed with. The horse might 

 swallow much of it as he received it, yet it would be digest- 

 ed ; we rarely, almost never, see broken beans or broken oats 

 among the evacuations. Once broken, they must be dis- 

 solved before they escape. Nevertheless, if mastication and 

 digestion of the grain are to be promoted, it is a better prac- 

 tice to mingle chaff with it than to bruise it. 



Deliberate Ingestion Insured. — Many horses swallow their 

 grain in great haste ; when much is eaten, this is dangerous. 

 The stomach is filled, overloaded, before it has time to make 

 preparation for acting upon its contents. The food ferments, 

 and the horse takes colic, which is often fatal. By adding 

 chajBf to his grain, the horse must take more time to eat it. 



