Feeding the Horse 75 
of all, be allowed a fresh, cool drink, care being taken as before 
that he does not drink too rapidly. He is now ready for the re- 
mainder of his day’s allowance. Unharness at once, and when the 
sweat has dried, give him a thorough brushing. If for some reason 
the horse is forced to stand idle in the stable for a few days, the 
ration should be decreased. Otherwise he will become stocky 
and his legs become swollen and stiff. 
During cold weather a more carbonaceous ration may be used. 
When more food goes to furnish heat for the body, it is reasonable 
that a horse needs a large proportion of heat-making food. Equal 
parts of corn and oats by weight would be more satisfactory and 
ordinarily much cheaper than a larger proportion of oats (Fig. 36). 
133. Cost of ration In providing a ration, whether for sum- 
mer or for winter use, due consideration should be given to the cost. 
Roughage is ordinarily much cheaper than grain, but a horse at 
work is unable economically to dispose of a large proportion of 
bulky food. If considerable time and energy must be expended 
in masticating rough feed, the usefulness of the horse for work 
is lessened thereby. The more concentrated the food, within 
proper limits, the less percentage of energy will be needed to make 
it available. The proportion of grain to roughage depends on the 
amount and kind of work to be performed. A horse at hard work 
‘should never be expected to consume more roughage than grain 
by weight. 
134. Feeding mules. — Mules should be fed similarly to horses. 
A mule is less likely to overfeed and gorge himself than a horse, 
and will make use of coarse foods that the horse will not eat unless 
forced to do so by necessity. Mules are often preferred by large 
business concerns, not that they consume less food for a given 
amount of work than horses, but that their feeding can be trusted 
to less skillful hands without seriously endangering the mule’s 
health. If an extra large mess is given the mule, he eats what he 
wishes and leaves the rest ; not so with the tired horse, which will 
eat all the grain that is given him up to the point of seriously 
