PRACTICAL HORSE FEEDING 339 



of usefulness, while irregularity in these details is likely 

 to result in digestive disorders and other derangements. 



Amount to feed. — The feeding standards serve as a 

 guide as to the amount of food that the work horse should 

 receive. In general, this will be regulated by the size of 

 the horse as well as by the amount and kind of work he is 

 required to perform. In practice the work horse is sup- 

 plied with approximately 23^2 pounds of provender daily 

 for each hundred pounds of weight. Of this amount 

 from one-third to two-thirds, the exact amount depend- 

 ing on the severity of the labor, should be grain and the 

 remainder sweet, clean hay. When the work is very 

 heavy, the grain in the ration should be increased and the 

 hay diminished, as grain contains more energy and is 

 more easily digested. On the other hand, when the work 

 is light, the grain should be diminished and the hay in- 

 creased. The morning and midday meals should be 

 light. They should not possess much bulk, as very bulky 

 food lessens the animal's usefulness. The heavy feeding 

 should come at night, when the horse has ample time to 

 masticate and digest his food and is not obliged to go to 

 work immediately after eating. 



Method of feeding and watering. — The hard-working 

 horse should be fed and watered so frequently that he will 

 neither become hungry nor thirsty. Thus, he should be 

 fed at least three times, watered not less than four times 

 and if convenient six times daily. If accessible, there- 

 fore, the horse should be watered in the morning before 

 feeding. For the morning meal feed one-fourth of the 

 daily allowance at least one hour before going to work. 

 This should be in condition to be easily and rapidly con- 

 sumed, so as to be well digested when the animal goes to 

 work. He should be watered as he goes to work, and 

 after five hours of exhaustive labor he should be given his 

 midday meal. Before . being fed, however, he should 

 have a drink of fresh, cool water, taking care that he does 

 not drink too rapidly or gorge himself if very warm. 



