FBBDING AND CARS. 37 



Where the horse is dependent upon his attendant for water, he common- 

 ly requires about eight gallons a day. This will vary with the class of 

 food, if green food is used a portion of this is supplied and a less quantity 

 needed than when fed on dry hay and grain. The horse should be 

 watered at least three times a day when idle and of tener when at work. 

 Remember always to water before feeding. 



Kinds of Food. Since the horse is fed in this country on hay, 

 grass, oats, corn, wheat, rye, and roots one might conclude that the 

 horse could not be fed on any other kind of food The following from 

 Loudon's Encj'clopedia is of interest : 



"In some barren countries horses are forced to live on dried fish, and 

 even on vegetable molds ; in Arabia, on milk, flesh-balls, eggs, and 

 broth. In India horses are variously fed. The native grasses are judged 

 very nutritious. Few, perhaps no oats are grown ; barley is rare and 

 not often fed to horses. In Bengal a plant, something like the tare, is 

 used. On the western side of India a sort of pigeon-pea forms the ordi- 

 nary food, with grass while in season, and hay all the year around. In 

 the West Indies maize, guinea corn, sugar-corn-tops, and sometimes 

 molasses, are given. In the Mahratta country salt, pepper, and other 

 spices are made into balls, with flour and butter, and these are sup- 

 posed to produce a spirited animal and give it a fine coat. Broth made 

 from sheep's head is sometimes given." 



Digestions of Two Kinds. In the horse as well as in man di- 

 gestion takes place in the stomach and intestines. The food after pass- 

 ing into the stomach undergoes a change before passing out to the small 

 intestines where the process of digestion is finished. The change taking 

 place in th« stomach is called, stomach digestion, and that in the in- 

 testines, intestinal digestion. 



Feed Oats After Hay and Straw. The time required for 

 stomach digestion varies with the different foods. Hay and straw are 

 digested and pass out of the stomach more rapidly than oats or other 

 grain. If oats are fed first, and are followed by hay, the hay soon pass- 

 ing onward into the intestines will carry along with it oats that are not 

 yet prepared for intestinal digestion thus causing a loss of food. An- 

 other reason for feeding hay first, (more particularly if the horse is veiy 

 hungry or tired from over work) is that it takes more time to masticate 

 the hay and the horse cannot bolt it down as it would grains. Water 

 should not be given soon after feeding, as it washes the food from the 

 stomach before it has had time for proper stomach digestion. 



