86 THE PEKCHEKOX HORSE. 



nessed to plows or wagons with horses already broken, 

 although of an age at which, in many countries, ^their 

 equals are as yet ignorant of all labor. The food, com- 

 posed of clover principally, hay, millet straw, corn salad, 

 (Feticus,) and cracked rye, baked in loaves, becomes 

 from this time forth, a little more nourishing. They also 

 commence to eat oats, but as yet, sparingly. This is not 

 given them pure, but with the chaff that is to say, it is 

 not winnowed. The quantity of this food used by day 

 is not less than 1|- to If gallons, yielding not much more 

 than ^ of a gallon of oats. On the other hand, the meal 

 and the mush are increased, to give them body and strength. 

 At thirty months old they are still kept upon this food, 

 in the midst of all the farm work, which they daily per- 

 form (with, however, a great deal of moderation), and in 

 dragging very light burdens ; for, truly, it is but a train- 

 ing, to confirm the hereditary mildness of their character, 

 and to teach them, little by little, to become willing and 

 fearless. 



In the meanwhile the dealer, who roams constantly 

 about among the farms, arrives. He buys and resells im- 

 mediately to the farmers of Little Perche and Thimerais. 

 More stimulating feed is given them, in consequence of 

 more constant and harder work. This life lasts a year, 

 and is terminated by the passage into Beauce, or the Char- 

 tres country, where their work is again increased. With 

 the work the feed increases, and this combination leads to 

 the perfection of the horse. 



It is at this time that the horses, having attained their 

 maturity, and the maximum of their strength, are bought 

 for Paris, whither they are called by relentless labor, which 

 they are enabled to endure by their unconquerable will, 

 great muscular force, energy, and courage. 



" This mode of training," to borrow the words of a 

 noted breeder, " represents^ the division of labor, which 

 gives such happy results in the manufactories, and its ad- 



