This fire not only warmed the stable, but
melted the snow to water the ponies and heated their bran mashes. I do
not wonder that this warm companionable home appealed to their minds when
they were exercising in the cold, dark, windy sea-ice: they were always
trying to get rid of their leader, and if successful generally went
straight back to the hut. Here they would dodge their pursuers until such
time as they were sick of the game, when they quietly walked into the
stable of their own accord to be welcomed with triumphant squeals and
kickings by their companions.
I have already spoken of their exercise. Their ration during the winter
was as follows:
8 A.M. Chaff.
12 NOON. Snow. Chaff and oats or oil-cake alternate days.
5 P.M. Snow. Hot bran mash with oil-cake, or boiled oats and chaff;
finally a small quantity of hay.
In the spring they were got into condition on hard food all cold, and by
a carefully increased scale of exercise during the latter part of which
they drew sledges with very light loads.
Unfortunately I have no record as to what changes of feeding stuffs Oates
would have made if it had been possible. Certainly we should not have
brought the bales of compressed fodder, which as I have already
explained,[144] was theoretically green wheat cut young, but practically
no manner of use as a food, though of some use perhaps as bulk.
Pages:
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421