574 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



largely on his vigor and temperament, this question of working 

 the sire and dam is of great importance. 



A Matter of Economy. On a preceding page, we have 

 shown that it is more healthful to have the stallions labor 

 enough to pay for their keep during the larger part of the year. 

 It is clearly more economical. While the stallion is not in the 

 season of service, he will be able to do much labor, and by it his 

 muscles and tissues and nervous system be toned up to healthful 

 action. Inaction is not according to nature of the horse. His 

 nature demands activity and freedom to exert his mighty pow- 

 ers. Though while in a civilized condition it is necessary to 

 keep him under restraint, it does not in any way argue idle- 

 ness and luxury that beget effeminacy. The horse needs the 

 exercise out of doors, to give tone to his system, quicken his 

 action, strengthen his muscles and frame, and calm his tempera- 

 ment, by relieving it from the strain on his nervous system 

 which comes from long confinement of any animal that has abil- 

 ity to move freely in a state of nature. If our reasoning is 

 correct, that the condition of the parents at time of coupling 

 has an influence on the offspring, it follows that the good of the 

 foal also demands that the sire and dam shall be made strong to 

 labor, and show by habitual obedience to the word of the mas- 

 ter that there is worth and virtue in a gentle nature. 



Mischief Comes With Idleness. The disposition of 

 stallions and mares that are well broken to regular work is notori- 

 ously far better than that of those kept in confinement and idle- 

 ness. Watts said," Satan finds mischief for idle hands to do." I 

 am sure his Satanic majesty or some other influence finds mischief 

 for idle studs to do. The stalls and halters that confine the un- 

 used stallions have to be of triple strength and often renewed. 

 The pent-up energy of the high-bred horse, highly fed on oats, is 

 something near as difficult to restrain as the steam from the boiler, 

 under which there is a strong fire of good, sound fuel. It must 

 be utilized, or there is danger in its expenditure of force. 



Care of Stallions. J. E. Russell, secretary of the Mas- 

 sachusetts Board of Agriculture, is excellent authority on all 

 that pertains to the care and management of horses. He says : 



