STABLE MANAGEMENT. 
423 
feeding, because the stomach of this animal is a small one and the 
water does not remain in it; it passes through into what is called the 
coecum or water gut. Consequently if a horse is watered immediately 
after a feed of oats, the chances are that a considerable amount of the 
food will be carried by the water into the intestines, and the result will 
probably be irritation and derangement of those organs. Therefore 
water should always be given before feeding, and not immediately 
afterwards. 
As regards the quality of the water, we are obliged, in the Army, to 
take what we can get. But I may mention that lake or river water is 
better than hard well water ; the hardness of the water depends upon 
the amount of lime salts it contains, and unless a horse is accustomed to 
drink hard water a sudden change from soft to hard will often produce 
harshness of the coat and derangement of the digestive organs. I have 
seen this over and over again. I remember one instance in particular. 
On marching from one station in Ireland where the water was soft, to 
another where it was remarkably hard, the temporary loss of condition 
amongst our horses was most marked. Their coats became, in many 
instances, harsh and dry, and an unusual number of cases of colic 
occurred. I have no doubt that these symptoms were caused by the 
sudden change from soft to hard water. The horses soon became 
accustomed to the change and resumed their ordinary condition. I 
desire to impress upon you the necessity of allowing horses plenty of 
water. This may seem to be a simple thing, but in the course of many 
years* experience I have seen very serious consequences result from 
stinting horses drinking water. Insufficiency of water is a potent 
factor in the production of many ailments, and I cannot lay too much 
stress upon the necessity of preventing crowding at the water troughs 
and of giving the horses plenty of time to drink. Soldiers are very 
apt to hurry horses away from the troughs, especially in wet weather, 
and therefore I think it is absolutely necessary that a trustworthy 
non-commissioned officer should be stationed at every trough who 
should be held responsible that every horse is allowed sufficient time 
for drinking. It may seem an insignificant point, but I can assure you 
that I have seen a great deal of harm resulting from the neglect of it. 
As regards forage, I have very little to say, because this subject 
comes naturally under the head of dietetics, and cannot be dealt with 
in detail in this lecture. 
As you are aware, large quantities of foreign hay have been issued 
in this garrison during the last few months, and although it has hither¬ 
to been, as a rule, excellent as regards quality, it is generally of a hard 
and coarse nature, especially that imported from Canada and South 
America. A proportion of English hay should be mixed with this 
class of forage and, if very dry, it is a good plan to sprinkle it with 
water before it is placed in the racks. As foreign hay is generally 
supplied in bales bound with wire it is essential to take care that in 
chopping the wire none of the broken pieces remain in the hay. I 
have heard of fatal results from horses swallowing portions of the wire 
of baled hay, and therefore in opening the bales it is well to see that 
the wire is carefully cut and put on one side intact. As regards the oat 
