The food of a working horse, as we have already seen, should be divided into several portions (at least five) during the twenty-four hours. This rule of frequency of feeding can generally be observed during the day. Although it cannot be usually carried out at night, there is no excuse, except that of laziness or over-work on the part of the groom, for not giving the last feed at ten or eleven at night, and the first one at six o'clock in the morning, or somewhat earlier. This interval of from six to eight hours, which is certainly a long one from a horse's point of view, can best be filled up by a supply of long hay, the use of which might be considered too wasteful for a horse managed on strictly economical principles. An objection to feeding as late as here suggested, on the plea that it would unduly interfere with the repose of the animal, is not, I think, valid; because a horse habitually sleeps for such short intervals at a time, especially during the first half of the night, and is such a light sleeper, that the arrangement in question, while greatly aiding in the nutrition of the system, would not disturb his rest to any appreciable extent. During the night when at grass, a horse usually employs his intervals of wakefulness in seeking food. A careful observer tells me that from one to four in the morning is the portion of the night which horses devote specially to sleeping. My experience as to the manner in which horses sleep has been gained chiefly when on long sea voyages with horses; when visiting the lines at night on duty as a subaltern in a field battery; and when looking at horses in paddocks at night. The great utility of a late feed at night in the case of hard-worked horses was suggested to me many years ago, when I was training racehorses in India, by Mr. R. Kelly Maitland, who was well known in that country and subsequently in Australia as a successful owner and trainer. I have found this late feed plan to be as beneficial to hunters, trappers and ponies as it is with thoroughbreds, and that it is specially applicable to delicate feeders. A not uncommon arrangement, which is the outcome of ignorance and sloth, is to have an interval of about fifteen hours between the last feed on one day and the first feed on the following morning (say from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m.), in which case the three, four, or five feeds given during the twenty-four hours would be crowded into nine hours ! It is evident that frequency of feeding does not imply increase in the daily ration.

Assuming the time for the first feed as not later than six o'clock in the morning, we may have to give it earlier or decrease its quantity according to the time of the subsequent work; because exercising a horse sooner than two hours, or putting him to fast or severe work sooner than three hours, after he has had a full feed, would be apt to interfere with his digestion, as we may generally see by his dung becoming unusually loose. Colic from this cause will not often occur. If work has to be early, and if the proper interval between it and the giving of a full feed cannot be observed, we should content ourselves by giving only half a feed, or even less; for food that causes digestive derangement does a horse injury, and should consequently be withheld.

Having fixed the times for the first and last feeds, we should divide the interval as evenly as circumstances will allow. Taking the racehorse as the one animal above all others to which exact methods of work and feeding can be applied, we may suppose that he is fed at 6 a.m., 11 a.m., 2.30 p.m., 6.30 p.m. and at 10.30 p.m. or 11 p.m. Exigencies of work prevent an exact division of the time, as we shall see later on. Not much difference need be made between the routine of feeding during summer and that during winter.

The hours of feeding a hunter which is being brought into condition, or which is kept in exercise on off days during the season, may be the same as that for a racehorse, under which term I may, for purposes of feeding, include chasers, hurdle racers, and match trotters. The order of feeding will naturally have to be altered when the hunter goes out with the hounds. Supposing that the meet is at eleven o'clock, and that he will be ridden or led out to it by the second horseman at a quiet walk of two hours' duration; we might with advantage give him his first feed at five o'clock and his second one at eight, so that he may be ready to start at nine. We may take for granted that the galloping and jumping will not begin before noon. If the animal has to go to the meet at a trot, he will cover the distance in about half the time he would do at a walk, and consequently the hour for the second feed need not be much earlier than before. As horses vary greatly with respect to their powers of digestion, we can lay down no hard and fast rule in this case.

As soon as a hunter has done his work in the field, he should be watered and fed with as little delay as practicable. As a rule, his shortest turn of service will be when he is relieved from active duty at the change of horses, say, at half-past one or two. If he cannot then get home in about an hour and a half's walking and quiet jogging, he should, if possible, be watered and have a small feed at any convenient inn or other place of bait. As we have already seen, he should be watered in any case.

When a horse, like a bus or tram animal, has a fixed task to do, the interval between it and the feed immediately preceding it should not be less than two hours.

Animals that have to work more or less continuously, either by day or night, will obtain the greatest benefit from the London cabman's practice of putting on the nosebag during the intervals between the spells of labour. Canal-boat horses are often fed out of their nosebag or sheet-iron pail while they are towing their load.

I trust that the illustrations I have given will be sufficient to explain the principles which should be followed in fixing the hours of feeding working horses. The circumstances of the case will suggest any alterations that may be necessary.