122 
OUR WORKING HORSES. 
Cost. 
The system of feeding is very much the same in all 
the stables I visited, and consists of three feeds a day 
of chop. The amount varies with the size of the animal, from 36 to 
30 lbs. a day, half of which is grain. This last consists chiefly of 
crushed oats, mixed with Indian corn, beans or peas, according to the 
state of the market and the season of the year. Most of the foremen 
seemed to prefer split peas to beans as being less heating. The 
average cost of a London working horse's food, 
including his bed, is 7/6 per week. The quality in all 
cases seemed excellent, though of course the oats are foreign. The 
companies have their own mills where they crush their corn, cut 
the hay, and mix the chop. They rarely buy the mixture ready-made 
as it is then apt to be largely composed of rubbish. There is a great 
diversity of practice as regards mashes. In several 
stables, horses, unless ill, were never mashed, and were 
I am bound to say, looking perfectly well and healthy, their coats 
bright and skin loose, but it must be remembered that these horses 
were doing very regular and pretty severe work. I am quite sure 
that gentlemen's horses and troopers, whose work is as a rule con¬ 
siderably lighter, are better for change to laxative food at least once 
a week. 
Hay No long hay is given unless a horse is on the sick 
list. There can be no doubt that this is sound 
economy, as horses waste a certain proportion of the hay stuffed into 
their racks, by trampling it under foot. The reason generally given 
for allowing it is, that having hay to pick at, gives the horses some¬ 
thing to do, and keeps them from kicking and biting at their neigh¬ 
bours. Personally I don't believe much in this, as the extra time 
taken by the horse's picking at his long hay, is a very small proportion 
of his idle moments. 
Straw as bedding is practically unknown, and there 
can be no doubt whatever that for practical purposes 
peat moss makes a thoroughly good bed, and it is of course immensely 
cheaper. Taking the allowance per horse of moss litter to be J cwt. 
a week against straw \ cwt., the cost per horse of moss litter equals 6d. 
against straw (at 50/- a ton,) 1/3, which in a large stud of horses 
makes a very considerable difference in their annual cost. 
The only valid objection to its use that I can see is its appearance. 
It is often supposed to affect the feet, but the veterinary surgeon in 
charge of a stud of 6,000 horses assured me that this has only been 
the case when both litter and feet have been neglected. Doubtless 
the litter requires a certain amount of careful attention but so does 
straw, if you wish to have sweet stables, and comfortable beds. 
The moss litter should be constantly raked over, and all dung and 
portions soaked in urine removed as soon as possible. In Lancashire 
sawdust is used very largely, and apparently with no ill result, though 
personally I would prefer moss litter. 
In the above remarks I am only referring to working horses, which 
have to be kept as cheaply as is compatible with their well being, and 
