ESSAY ON THE STALLION. 89 



kept at the required standard in this respect. The 

 requisite condition can only be attained by training 

 for health and strength in a great measure accord- 

 ing to the system of training for races : supplying 

 an abundant nourishment of the best quality, 

 allowing sufficient periods of repose for digestion, 

 and giving regular and strong exercise, the whole 

 with such variations as only experience and close 

 observation, under constant practice, can dictate. 



The aptitude of an animal to benefit by training 

 is often inherited, like other qualities, from its 

 parantage ; and judicious breeding, alone can 

 insure a continuance of the desirable quality, or 

 create a propensity for it by proper crossing, when 

 it does not exist in the parent. 



The age at which the horse is best adapted to 

 undergo a course of training, is just at the close 

 of his most rapid period of growth, while the sys- 

 tem is in its greatest freshness and vigor. This 

 period is at about five years old. The powers of 

 a horse will augment by suitable treatment in this 

 respect until about the age of nine years : and in 

 order to obtaining the most valuable stock, a stal- 

 lion should not be put to service before attaining 

 a full development of his powers, nor kept at it 

 after his form or energies appear to be affected for 

 the worse. He should be, then, between five and fif- 

 teen years of age, if of an ordinary constitution ; 

 but if of remarkable energy and endurance, and 

 exhibiting no symptoms of debility, may be con- 

 tinued until past twenty. 



Trainers find their endeavors to produce the 

 highest state of strength, in an animal, greatly 

 impeded by any excitement of the sexual appe- 

 tite. It is then the more necessary to keep the 

 horse in a state of training throughout the year, 

 impressing most forcibly a tone of health and 



