546 PHYSIOLOGY AT THE FARM. 



of lime or bone-earth. This will be seen at once by comparing 

 the quantities of the substances stated above as present in 

 these grains, with the composition of 100 parts of anhydrous 

 phosphate of lime namely, 54.2 parts of lime, and 45.8 parts 

 of phosphoric acid. Nor is it enough to debate with ourselves 

 the question, what kinds of food are most suitable for the 

 general development of the foal for the offices to which he is 

 to be put. 



The special development of the filly, the gelding, and the 

 stallion, should engage attention long before each has reached 

 maturity. It must be confessed, however, that exact rules, 

 drawn from the special character of certain organs in each, 

 are not yet within our reach ; while the only expedient that 

 can be resorted to for supplying the defect of rules is to take 

 care that the food shall be sufficiently varied at short intervals, 

 and in the mean time to keep a watchful eye on the progress 

 of the young animal, and where condition does not appear to 

 be preserved, to make an immediate change on the style of 

 food and general management. 



Such, then, is a specimen of the kind of speculation by 

 which, cautiously and judiciously pursued, it may be hoped 

 that theory will improve and add to the practical rules of the 

 least doubtful character at present acted on in the early man- 

 agement of the colt. 



It does not enter into the plan of this treatise to particular- 

 ise all the points to be attended to in the education of the 

 colt ; for these we must refer, besides the ' Book of the Farm/ 

 to such works as Youatt on ' The Horse,' * and ' The Horse in 

 the Stable and the Field.' 



The theory of feeding the horse throughout his life, as has 

 been already remarked, differs somewhat from that of feeding 

 the animals destined for the food of men. The object in the case 



* See, in particular, Youatt, p. 320-324. 



