956 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



is fifty per cent, better. This especially applies to oxen, 

 which always work better out of the sun. By such a 

 system the day is given to rest and feeding, and the 

 convoy moves off in the evening both man and animal 

 refreshed, and fit to go until the next morning. 



Straggling is the only thing to be feared at night — 

 seldom of the animals but frequently of the men, though 

 that is an aspect of the case which does not concern us. 



While feeding horses on service gives very little oppor- 

 tunity for selection, yet it affords every scope for the 

 most rigid care and management. We believe it to be an 

 underestimate in saying that one quarter of the hay and 

 corn ration is lost, sometimes through sheer waste and 

 indifference, sometimes from circumstances which are not 

 under control, such as rain, and especially wind. 



Nose-bags are at best a poor apology for a manger. 

 Their life on service is a short one. Some horses will wear 

 a hole in the bottom in a few days, through rubbing them 

 on the ground in order to get them off when the feed is 

 finished. A double bottom, or still better a piece of rope 

 arranged crossways, would largely prevent this ; but there 

 is also the question of management, viz., they should be 

 removed before the horse has time to rub them against the 

 ground. 



A nose-bag with a hole in it is like a purse with a hole 

 in it. If those responsible for the care of horses would 

 regard the grain ration as gold dust, they would take care 

 of the purse containing it. We have no hesitation in 

 saying that the enormous waste of grain on service is due 

 to defective nose-bags, viz., to a condition largely under 

 control, and, therefore, preventable. At immense cost and 

 labour grain is brought thousands of miles, and when it 

 reaches its objective it trickles in a thin stream on to the 

 ground and is lost, while the most ordinary common-sense 

 precautions could prevent it. 



At the same time, we fully acknowledge the nose-bag is 

 defective. It is always too small, which in itself causes 

 waste when the horse throws his head up, as many of 



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