FEEDING AND STABLE MANAGEMENT. 261 



All grains should be ground in-order to be of the greatest 

 utility to animals, and especially horses, when mixed with cut 

 hay or straw. Wheat bran is not only a food rich in muscle 

 and bone-forming matter, but a medicine for the bowels which 

 may be classed among the safest and best as well as cheapest. 



Flaxseed, oil-cake, and oil-meal are all excellent in their way 

 of keeping the bowels open and in a healthy condition when 

 judiciously fed in connection with dry food. 



Roots occasionally fed to all horses in winter are not only 

 wholesome but toothsome. Among the different varieties of 

 roots grown here in America, I prefer carrots for horses, but 

 parsnips may be quite as good. An occasional feed of apples 

 when plenty and cheap, and especially sweet apples, are usually 

 much relished by all horses. Even turnips and potatoes for a 

 change to horses that will eat them are to be recommended in 

 winter, as all these, while making a change in their diet, have a 

 tendency to regulate their bowels also. 



Next to roots and fruit for this purpose, flaxseed, linseed 

 meal, and wheat meal are advisable. 



Salt should be so administered as not to overdo or underdo 

 the matter. Provide each horse with a sufficiency, and not 

 force more upon him than he requires. My present method of 

 salting horses is to place quite a lump of mineral salt in the 

 feeding box or manger of each horse, and when it has all disap- 

 peared replace it with another. 



I know that in this way some eat twice as much as others — 

 possibly too much ; but I know of no better way in which to 

 salt horses while in the stable, and, when in the field, I usually 

 leave lumps of salt within their reach and where they can have 

 free access to it. 



All stables for horses should be well provided with light and 

 ventilation without draught. 



All work and driving horses should be well bedded every 

 night and well groomed every morning. 



Blankets are to be used when necessary, but care and judg- 

 memvmust be exercised. 



