262 Western Live-stock Management 



amount of concentrated grain, as they will become too 

 fat and out of condition. On the other hand, if they are 

 fed a large amount of hay and not exercised, they will 

 be poddy and soft when taken out. The feeds largely 

 used are oats and timothy supplemented with bran, 

 and these must be regulated according to the work which 

 the horse is doing. Under farm conditions, the feeding 

 of the light horses is somewhat easier, and the main prob- 

 lem is how much pasture to use and when to use it. If 

 an animal is to be worked every day he would need pasture 

 only for a few hours occasionally for a change. On the 

 other hand, if the washy effects of the pasture were not 

 noticeable, then he should be turned out whenever he is 

 not in use. This class of horses on the farm is used with 

 little regularity, and when not used, the farmer cannot 

 find time to take an animal out merely for exercise. 

 Pasture with a certain modification is usually the most 

 satisfactory system of management. Ordinarily the 

 horse has the liberty of the pasture, and when it is kno^vn 

 beforehand that he is to be used, he is put in the stable 

 the evening before, or when he is not to be used until 

 evening, early that morning. Oats given in four-quart 

 amounts at the regular feeding periods is best under these 

 conditions, but the hay should be limited. Legume hays 

 should not be used, especially soft, washy cuttings, but 

 rather some woody carbonaceous hay, such as timothy, 

 which has become quite ripe before cutting. Twelve 

 hours with nothing but oats and a little dry hay will 

 usually put the horse in fair working condition. When it 

 is impossible to give the horse a few hours in the barn be- 

 fore using, it is necessary to handle him carefully when he 

 is first taken out. In this case, the driving or riding will 

 have much to do with the results obtained. From two to 



