i+ THE WORSE. 
ManreES ARE VERY COMMONLY ALLOWED TO BREED in their third year, 
baing put to the horse as two year olds. They often, however, come “in 
season” as yearlings, and many would then breed if allowed to be covered. 
It is found by experience that the foal robs the dam of some part of the 
nourishment which is destined by nature to develop the maternal frame, 
and hence the young mare is injured in size and substance if she breeds 
before she has come very near to maturity. 
AVERAGE AGE. 
THE AVERAGE AGE of the horse, when allowed to live without the risk 
of accidents and disease which he incurs in his usual work, is about 
twenty-five years. Instances of greater longevity are recorded on good 
authority, and there is reason to believe that occasionally he has reached 
to thirty-five or even forty years, but these are rare exceptions, and there 
are few which live beyond the twenty-eighth year, while a large proportion 
die before the twenty-fifth. Stallions are over-fed and under-exercised 
in proportion, so that it is no wonder they become discased, and seldom 
die from old age ; but brood-mares are not so mismanaged, and it is found 
that they become quite worn out soon after their twentieth year; and 
even if allowed to live they waste away and die by degrees, generally 
somewhere between their twenty-third and twenty-eighth year. 
PERIODICAL MOULTING. 
THE HORSE SHEDS HIS COAT once a year in all countries, and in our 
climate a second half-moult is performed in the autumn, when the summer 
short coat is partially shed. This second change consists, however, chiefly 
in a growth of the already existing hairs, which become coarser and longer, 
especially about the legs and under-parts of the body. At the same time 
the coat loses its gloss, and the colour is less rich, blacks becoming rusty 
brown, and bays more yellow or sandy-coloured than before. The hair of 
the mane and tail is constantly in a state of growth, and is not shed 
periodically. 
MENTAL DEVELOPMENT. 
IN MENTAL DEVELOPMENT the horse ranks below the dog, but he is 
capable of a considerable degree of education, though in countries where 
he is kept constantly confined he does not appear to great advantage in 
this respect. That he may be made to understand what is said to him is 
clear enough from the mode of managing farm-horses, which are all taught 
to obey the voice. I have on one occasion seen a circus-horse waik, trot, and 
gallop at the word of command, and change his paces on the instant ; but 
this feat I have never known performed by any other exhibitor, nor do I 
think it would easily be imitated. It requires a high order of intellect to 
distinguish between the three paces and change them on the instant, and 
if I had not myself witnessed the performance on two several occasions 
I should scarcely have credited it. The brain of this animal does not 
require much rest by sleep, and four or five hours in quiet are sufficient 
to keep him in health if he is not very hard worked. He readily sleeps 
standing, and some individuals never lie down; but this habit of sleeping 
standing should not be encouraged, as it greatly distresses the legs, and 
tends to produce fever of the feet, or some other mischief in the lower 
extremities. _ 
