I02 Management and Feeding of Heavy Horses 



kept in proper form ; if any shoes are worn they must be flat shoes, 

 and very Hght. On some few soils it is quite possible, and, indeed, 

 is better to let the horse go without shoes, but on most classes of 

 land it is necessary to have some light shoes, more especially with 

 some sorts of hoof. The ideal, hard, tough, nicely shaped hoof should 

 not require a shoe when at grass ; but we have scarcely yet attained 

 that ideal. 



After the new year begins the young stallion must now be taken 

 up, allowed a gradual increase in his rations, his horsebox prepared 

 for his regular use, and the run on pasture substituted by a daily walk 

 out. We must now decide the programme for the coming season, 

 whether the horse is merely to stay at home for the use of the home 

 stud and perhaps a few neighbours' mares, whether he is to be 

 offered to some association for the season, or whether he has to 

 travel a certain district and make a season for himself — all three 

 courses open to horse owners; also, we must decide whether he is 

 to be exhibited at any show or not. Various circumstances may 

 contribute to the decision of the programme. The quality of the 

 horse himself, his comparative excellence amongst other horses, and 

 his chances of winning a prize will probably decide on the point of 

 exhibition, and will also have a certain influence on the decision of 

 the season's arrangements. 



TREATMENT OF YOUNG STALLIONS 



The treatment and management of the horse must necessarily 

 be regulated by the work intended for him. If the first, or stay-at- 

 home course, is selected for him, no special training is required ; he 

 must just be kept in natural growing condition; no attempt at 

 forcing the condition should be allowed. The same fare on which 

 the farm teams have to do their work is quite good enough for him. 

 Indeed, there is no reason why he may not perform a share of the 

 work if broken and trained to it when young, so that he is docile 

 and manageable, and will work quietly along with the geldings. It 

 is often asserted that a horse living the life of a labourer will beget 

 more stock than one living the life of a gentleman, so that it really 

 may prove the best treatment to keep him in the team for the first 

 three months of the year. So many horses are spoiled by being 

 overloaded with fat, that when the season comes round they are 

 practically unfit for their work. Of course it may not be convenient 

 to keep him at team work after the season begins, neither is it 

 desirable. If the horse has to be offered for hire, or if he has to 

 travel a district and make a trade, he will have to be treated 



