FINISHING STOCK FOR MARKET 257 



FATTENING HORSES 



What has been said with regard to meat-produc- 

 ing animals applies with equal force to horses being 

 prepared for market. The purchase of horses in 

 poor or medium condition of flesh, and feeding them 

 so that they may be placed upon the city market in 

 good condition, is an industry of considerable pro- 

 portions in various sections of the West. The same 

 principles that apply to the feeding and finishing of 

 meat animals can be safely applied to horses. 

 While the object for horse feeding is not simply 

 for increasing the weight and fat, yet it is true that 

 a horse offered upon the market while not in a very 

 fair condition of flesh will not command the price 

 that the fat horses would. Thfe utility of the horse 

 lies solely in his ability to expend muscular energy, 

 and horse feeding must necessarily take this into 

 consideration. The ration should be one which 

 will develop muscular energy, but it should contain 

 enough of the carbohydrate contents to cover the 

 horse's ribs well with a smooth layer of fat, and 

 make him appear in a healthy, thrifty condition. 

 The addition of oil meal or similar concentrates to 

 the ration will be more noticeable in its effects 

 upon the external appearance of the horses than in 

 feeding cattle. Nowhere does a shiny, silky coat 

 count to better advantage than in selling horses. 

 The horses with smooth, shiny, oily hair, which has 

 been well groomed and cared for, will invariably 

 outsell the rough-coated animal, although he be in 

 himself a less valuable individual. 



