118 CASTRATION. 



associated with the early lessons ; but firmness, or, if need be, 

 coercion, must establish the habit of obedience. Tyranny and 

 cruelty will, more speedily even in the horse than in the child, 

 provoke the wish to disobey ; and, on every practicable occasion, 

 the resistance to command. The restive and vicious horse is, 

 in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, made so by ill-usage, and 

 not by nature. None but those who will take the trouble to 

 make the experiment, are aware how absolute a command the 

 due admixture of firmness and kindness will soon give us over 

 any horse. 



CASTRATION". 



The period at which this operation may be best performed 

 depends, as has been previously remarked, much on the breed 

 and form of the colt, and the purpose for which he is destined. 

 For the common agricultural horse, the age of four or five 

 months will be the most proper time, or, at least before he is 

 weaned. Few horses are lost when cut at that age ; though 

 care should be taken that the weather is not too bad, nor the 

 flies too numerous. 



If the horse is designed either for the carriage or for heavy 

 draught, he should not be castrated until he is at least a year 

 old ; and, even then, the colt should be carefully examined. If 

 he is thin and spare about the neck and shoulders, and low in 

 the withers, he will materially improve by remaining uncut 

 another six months ; but if his fore quarters are fairly developed 

 at twelve months, the operation should not be delayed, lest he 

 grow gross and heavy before, and, perhaps, has begun too de- 

 cidedly to have a will of his own. No specific age, therefore, 

 fan be fixed ; but the operation should be performed rather late 



