82 HORSES: 



only a very moderate quantity. (5) Never drive your 

 horse, if you can help it, until he has stood at least 

 two hours after feeding and watering, and never feed 

 or water until he has rested at least one hour. 



[It would always be safe — better, indeed — to mod- 

 ify this rule in so far as to permit of a small draught of 

 water, if the animal is thirsty. However hot or tired 

 he may be, a little water will do good, not harm, and 

 it would often be cruel to refuse it. If, however, he 

 be permitted to drink his fill at such a time, he might 

 take more than the organism needed ; enough to 

 cause discomfort, even serious disorder.] 



Now a few comments. Rule i. Feed your horse 

 in the morning all the grain he will eat clean ; that is, 

 the ration that he will finish with a keen relish, day 

 after day, — not what he might be inclined to swallow, 

 say, to-day, but which would make him logy for the 

 next six hours, or cloy him and prevent a sharp ap- 

 petite for the next meal. When he has eaten it, offer 

 him a little hay ; my rule is, as much as you can pack 

 twice in a water-bucket. Too much hay bloats a horse 

 and makes his wind short, and may produce heaves. 

 Let your hay be clean ; shake out the dust and pick 

 out the large weeds. After he has finished his hay 

 he may be groomed and watered, and two hours after 

 he has had his grain he is ready for the road. His 

 food has been at least partially digested, and passed 

 to credit of the blood, and thence to the muscular 

 and nervous system ; and instead of a load of crude 

 substances to carry, he feels an invigoration of fresh 

 vitality supplied to his system. Now, the horse so 



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