Among Horses in India. 23 



Most Australian horses, from having been reared almost 

 exclusively upon grass in their own country, require large 

 quantities of it to keep them in good order. Government 

 allows them one sir (about two pounds) of grain daily more 

 than horses of other breeds ; but this is quite unnecessary if 

 they receive all the grass they require, which should be about 

 twenty-five sir (about fifty pounds) daily, when of fair 

 average quality and weighed before it is dried. 



Stud-bred horses have been reared upon a more moderate 

 quantity of grass than Australians. Arabs have not been 

 accustomed to much in their own country, and are usually 

 smaller animals than stud-breds. Country-bred horses, as a 

 rule, thrive upon a moderate amount of food, whether grass 

 or grain, because they are accustomed to it from the time 

 they are weaned. The majority of natives habitually under- 

 feed their horses except during and shortly after the rains, 

 during and after the harvests, and during the time when the 

 green wheat is young. 



As a rule, therefore, stud-breds, country-breds, and Arabs 

 will thrive upon about sixteen to twenty sirs of grass daily, 

 according to their size. The whole of this is not eaten. 

 Horses reject a considerable quantity of the roots and many 

 of the coarse stalks and weeds. A certain quantity is also 

 spoilt by their trampling upon it. 



Bedding. 



Bedding is usually made from the dry portion of the 

 grass which is left uneaten, together with various kinds of 

 tall, coarse grass cut specially for the purpose. One of the 

 most common kinds used is a species called kas or kans in 

 Hindustani, and changa or changi in the Punjab. It is the 

 Saccharum spontaneum of Linnseus, and the Pragmites com- 

 munis of English botanists. It grows to a great height in 

 soils where water is close to the surface, and when ripe the 

 seed-heads are covered with a kind of down like raw cotton. 

 When green it is so sweet that sugar can be distinctly tasted 

 in it if chewed. Horses therefore are rather fond of eating it 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



