THE TROTTING-UORSE OF AMERICA. 69 



obstinacy of the man in charge, who had determined to 

 " make trotters out of them." It was this foolish attempt 

 at "making" that prevented their being trotters in 

 good time. The three-year-old colt, of the two, is more 

 difficult to deal with than the two-year-old. The former 

 is shedding his colt's teeth, his mouth is broken, his gums 

 sore, and his system more or less fevered. His food is not 

 thoroughly masticated, and sometimes he will not consume 

 his usual quantity. There is a vastly greater difference 

 between him and an old horse, than between him and a 

 two-year-old, in solidity of bone, in duration of sinew, and 

 development of muscle. The difference between the two 

 and three year old, in reference to their ability to stand work, 

 is one of degree only, and not of kind. When the two- 

 year-old is well formed, hardy and lusty for his age, he is 

 more fit to take work than a three-year-old with a broken 

 mouth and fevered system. It being discovered, however, 

 that the colt in training is doing well, the system I have 

 indicated is to be pursued in such degree as his constitu- 

 tion and disposition call for. 



The feed is now to be according to his size, appetite, 

 and work. Eight, nine, ten, or, in some extraordinary cases, 

 even twelve quarts of oats a day may be given. Once in a 

 while he may have a very little corn ; but there is no real 

 occasion for it, except in case of a poor feeder. There is no 

 doubt at all about the fact that oats are the best food for a 

 horse. They supply the greatest quantity of the constitu- 

 ents of the muscular fibre which the horse is always 

 expending, while corn supplies the fatty matter in greatest 

 quantity. Therefore, keep the corn for the bullocks and 

 hogs, and give oats to the horses. Some say that corn may 

 be fed to colts, because its silicious particles go to make up 

 bone ; but enough of these earthy matters will be found in 

 the \i&y, in the husks of the oats, and in the water. In 

 this training the colt is to have all the hay that he will eat 

 up clean. His general health and the condition of his 



