HORSES. 165 



HORSES. 



NANTUCKET. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



There are many members of this society who can look back 

 and see the race of small-sized and awkward nags that were 

 once bred in this county. The owners had the same ideas that 

 some people have with reference to raising children. They 

 thought exposure to the rigors of winter would toughen them. 

 A horse turned out on the commons in winter, without shelter, 

 and dependent on the precarious supply of herbage that the 

 winter offers, will of necessity be stunted in size and weakened 

 in spirit. Some may live in spite of the exposure, as some 

 children live in spite of their exposure ; but the crows take a 

 large proportion of the one, and the graveyard of the other, 

 long before the " time allotted " for their stay. 



We do not mean to convey the idea that the more nursing 

 and the more pampering horses have while young, the abler 

 they will be for service. The " happy medium " is what is 

 required. They should be exposed reasonably, in good weather, 

 regardless of cold, and fed sparingly on stimulating grains. 

 They should be handled continually while young, and petted 

 upon the farm. Horses need to be taught, " not broken." 

 They are animals of considerable intelligence, and of a kind, 

 affectionate and docile spirit. If they only knew what you 

 wanted them to do, they would do it most cheerfully. Kind- 

 ness and firmness and continual handling will train them to 

 whatever is within their capacity ; and, almost without excep- 

 tion, under such treatment, when harnessed for the first time, 

 they will go off as well and as steadily as older animals. The 

 way colts were used long within the " memory of man " was 

 cruel beyond measure. In fact, their whole life, from the cradle 

 to the crow, in many instances, was one continual walloping. 

 The mare was turned out into the pasture in early spring to 

 foal. When the colt was born, and baptized with two or three 

 days' sleet, and well fanned by a chilly north-easter, both mother 

 and offspring were driven up into the barnyard to shiver under 



