224 THE ARMY HORSE. 



years, consequently it is most important to begin with a horse 

 at the former age. 



The entire question is whether a three-and-a-half years 

 old horse is or is not sufficiently developed and strong to be 

 broken and worked. In this respect theory and argument 

 are useless ; for facts are only of value, and in this case are 

 undeniable and invariable. Half-breds can be broken and 

 trained for racing at two-and-a-half, and they become so fit 

 and well, that they can run at three. Their work during the 

 six months of training and during their races is twenty times, 

 a hundred times more severe than that which a troop horse 

 undergoes during his very moderate and restricted course 

 of breaking. We are therefore right in concluding that 

 remounts ought to be bought at three years old ; and by 

 taking this as the average age, we give a chance to backward 

 breeds, and also to the ordinary methods of breeding, which, 

 being as economical as possible, have a retarding influence 

 in spite of everything. 



Remounts at four-and-a-half and five years of age are not 

 really what they appear to be, because they have not been 

 properly fed and exercised. I am not afraid of adding that 

 they are worth more at three years, because they have suffered 

 for a shorter time, and because the watery and debilitating 

 food which their breeders give them, though insufficient for 

 their requirements during the first three years, becomes most 

 detrimental to them during their fourth and fifth year. 

 Instead of improving from three to five years by means of the 

 food of his breeder, the young horse deteriorates. 



Whatever one does, whatever price or premium one gives to 

 the breeder, he will not feed his stock properly between the 

 age of three and five, because it is not his interest to do so. 



But we can easily get him to have his animal in good 

 condition at three years of age. Precisely because breeding 

 is a trade, the breeder's chief object is to get rid of his stock, 



