MANAGEMENT OF THE STALLION 
25 
But Sanborn is of the opinion that the trials cannot be final for “They 
fail to conclusively show that grain, thought it be wasted out of the 
stomach by watering after feeding, is less digestible than it otherwise 
would have been.” And he says that it may be doubted whether grain 
is washed out of the stomach of a horse on a full stomach of hay, by 
watering after feeding.” 
“Salt,” according to Woll, 60 “improves the appetite of the animals and 
increases the flow of digestive juices; it promotes and regulates digestion 
and should, therefore, be furnished in ample amounts.” Bull 56 says: “If 
a mature animal is deprived of even common salt, it becomes weak, 
languid, and finally dies.” Babcock 57 found that lack of salt in the 
ration of animals finally led to “a condition of low vitality in which a 
sudden and complete breakdown occurred,” the animals rapidly recover¬ 
ing when the salt was afterwards supplied. The effects were noticed in 
the “loss of appetite, a generally haggard appearance, lusterless eyes, a 
rough coat, and a very rapid decline in both live weight and yield of 
milk.” But too much ingestion of salt should be avoided for according 
to Sherman, 58 “Large amounts increase the quantity of protein catabolized, 
and through over stimulating the digestive tract, may also interfere with 
the absorption and utilization of the food.” 
The requirements for salt and manner of supplying this mineral to 
horses is described by Gay 4 thus: “Salt is required in small quantities, 
frequently, and regularly. The irregular allowance of too much salt with 
its consequent drinking of an excess of water does not meet the require¬ 
ments in this respect. If given frequently or provided for the horse to 
help himself, only limited amounts will be taken. A satisfactory method 
of furnishing salt is to season the grain feed. A lump of rock salt in the 
feed box does fairly well, although the quality of the salt is not good. 
One of the best patented devices is a container for a cylindrical cake of 
high grade salt, so arranged that the cake rotates as the horse licks the 
bottom of it. This insures the salt being used off evenly, the cylinder 
lasting until it is but a thin disc. The container screws into the wall of 
the stall at a convenient height. Loose salt should not be made too easy 
of access.” 
Roberts 59 found that a horse could consume as much as two ounces of 
salt daily. This result is based on four horses fed on dry feed which ate 
as much as 28 pounds of salt in 56 days. 
7. Feeding 
Whether it be during the breeding season or not, Johnstone 5 believes 
that oats and bran mixture containing one-fifth of bran, is a most suit¬ 
able grain ration. However, he alludes to other materials as also ac¬ 
ceptable as long as the right quality and sufficient amounts are given. 
Corn is pointed out as a good concentrate for a working stud horse but 
such feed or any other given to a working stallion should not be changed. 
It is desired that most of the hay be fed at night, thus, if 17 or 18 pounds 
of hay form the daily allowance of roughage, 5 or 6 pounds are to be 
fed in the morning, none at noon and the major part at night. If the 
hay is not all eaten reduce the amount. He gives a rule as a basis to 
determine the amount to be fed daily: One pound of each of grain and 
hay is stipulated to every hundred pounds of the horse’s weight. In¬ 
dividuality differs with different horses so that one may require a 
certain amount different from another. However, by noticing the con¬ 
dition of the horse it is not difficult to arrive at the proper amount 
required by certain individuals. As indicated by him, enough should 
always be fed, and the horse should be hungry and in good condition by 
the next feeding. More grain is of course necessary when the stallion 
