FOOD 141 



amount so passing corresponds with the quantity being 

 eaten, so that its capacity remains the same. From this 

 we learn the fact that a ' feed ' should be small in bulk, 

 otherwise ingesta is sent into the intestines before being 

 properly prepared. 



When the ' feed ' is finished the passage of material into 

 the small intestines slackens considerably, and in course of 

 time becomes so feeble that several hours will elapse before 

 the stomach completely empties itself. The drier the 

 contents of the stomach the greater difficulty is there in 

 it passing the pylorus. 



The rate of stomach digestion is an interesting problem, 

 what really occurs is that there appears to be no fixed 

 period. With an ordinary ' feed ' of oats or hay half of it 

 will have passed the pylorus during the first hour, but the 

 remaining half may be several hours in completing the 

 passage, though if the animal be again fed the remains of 

 the last ' feed ' at once pass out of the stomach. 



The feeding of horses is determined by the nature of 

 their work, and the velocity with which this is performed 

 must also regulate the bulk of food they receive. It is 

 evident that severe labour cannot be performed on a full 

 stomach, for the pressure exerted on the diaphragm, and 

 the interference with the process of digestion, will certainly 

 occasion disease. It is also clear that the greater part of 

 the food required by hard-working horses should be of a 

 concentrated kind, such as the various grains. Even the 

 hay should be chaffed to economise the time of the animal 

 in mastication. 



The smallness of the stomach points to frequent feeding 

 and in small quantities ; the great capacity for water and 

 the small stomach, explain the golden rule of experience 

 that watering before feeding should be invariable. 



The fermentable nature of the food points to the neces- 

 sity for due mastication and proper admixture with saliva. 

 The general inability to vomit more than warns us of the 

 great danger to which the animal is exposed should stomach 

 derangement occur. The remarkable sympathy existing 



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