666 Reading-Course for Farmers. 



mother. Do not be afraid of feeding too liberally. Many colts are 

 permanently injured the first six months after weaning by a too scanty 

 supply of food. 



Exercise and development 



The notion is rather prevalent that colts brought up roughly, per- 

 mitted to rough it through all sorts of weather and on scant coarse 

 food, develop hardiness and endurance, and that high feeding and 

 good care will cause an otherwise good colt to grow into an unsound 

 horse, lacking hardiness and endurance. Practical results in many 

 cases have been such as to warrant this belief. Not that there is any- 

 thing bad in generous and liberal feeding, nor good in starvation and 

 exposure; but that the colts that roughed it always had pure air and 

 abundant exercise, without which there can be no sound and healthy 

 development. 



An abundance of fresh air and exercise are factors in the raising of 

 colts or horses second to no others. It is for these reasons that we recom- 

 mend working the brood mare both before and after foaling, working 

 the stallion when possible and permitting the foal to follow the dam 

 into the field when convenient. The colt needs abundant opportunity 

 for exercise in the fresh, pure air, uncontaminated by stable odors, as 

 this is essential to a healthy development in all young animals. It is 

 not sufficient that it be led out at stated intervals for exercise. The 

 foal needs the opportunity to romp and play, that it may extend its 

 : muscles to their utmost capacity, expand its lungs to their very depths, 

 ';and send the blood coursing through its veins with much vigor. This 

 is essential to a healthy, robust development of heart and lungs, bone 

 and muscle, and nowhere can it be obtained in so great perfection 

 as in the freedom of the open field. A colt that is kept in the stall 

 and fed highly on heating grains is seldom given an opportunity for 

 this health-giving exercise. It grows up a stiff clumsy animal, deficient 

 in stamina and vigor. And this all for the want of what is so free — 

 fresh air and exercise. The best policy is to promote the growth of the 

 colt by an abundance of nutritious food, and to secure a healthy and 

 perfect development by permitting it to romp, race and play at will. 

 If this practice is followed, all that is good in roughing it will be attained 

 and all ^hat is bad or dangerous in generous feeding will be avoided. 



Handling the foal 



The foal should be taught a few simple lessons while very young, 

 beginning the first day when possible. The profit and pleasure to be 



