f food left very quickly
ferment in a hot climate, and get sour, and quickly taint all the rest. As
a rule, about ten minutes is long enough to damp grain; and this should be
done as soon before feeding as possible, otherwise, if left long standing,
it will get sour. If a horse refuses his feed, it should be at once thrown
away, and on no account be kept till the next meal, by which time it is
pretty certain to have fermented.

Horses refusing Food.

Some horses are delicate feeders naturally, and take a long time in
eating, or refuse their food altogether. In the case of a delicate or slow
feeder, the food should be given in small quantities and often, rather
than in the usual somewhat rather large feeds three times a day; and the
horse should be fed by himself. This is easily done in India, as nearly
all stables are loose boxes; but if the animal is picketed out with others
that are likely to teaze him, he should be taken away and fed out of a
bucket in the "compound" (garden or enclosure round the house). "Syces,"
like all natives of India, have no idea of the value of time; and if he
has his "hooka" (pipe), and a friend to talk to about the price of
food-stuffs, rates of wages, and other such-like interesting bazaar
topics, he is perfectly content to sit holding the bucket before the horse
all day long, if necessary. If the animal refuses his food altogether,
then it should be taken away, for if left standing in front of him he
breathes on it, and if it remains any considerable time it becomes sour
and fermented, and he gets disgusted with it; whereas, if taken away and
nothing more given till next feeding-time, the appetite often returns, and
the food is consumed with a relish; especially in the warm weather, if he
is first led out and exercised, or picketed out under a tree. On no
account should the feed that has been refused be kept over till the next
feeding-time; a fresh one should be prepared, as in a hot climate wet
grain ferments and turns sour in a very short space of time.

Times of Feeding.

The stomach of the horse is very small in proportion to the size of his
body, and he requires to be fed often, and in small quantities. In
England hunters are fed four, or even five, times a day. In India it is
the usual custom to feed three times, and perhaps it is often enough. In
all military stations a gun is fired at noon, and the midday feed is given
at that hour; but the morning and evening one varies wi