190 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



your wind gave out You see now the relation of 

 lungs to speed. Now, reader, I put the question to you, 

 If you have a fine colt, what are you striving to do with 

 him? Ten to one your anxiety is to build up his bone- 

 substance, develop his muscles, restrain his nervousness, 

 educate him to go squarely, keep his blood in a good 

 condition. All these points you have paid the closest 

 attention to; but the lungs — the most essential of all 

 organs, able to contribute most to your success in the 

 hour of trial — you have left to take care of themselves. 

 ''What can I do?" you inquire. This, in the first place, 

 I reply : See that your horse or colt has plenty of pure, 

 fresh, unhreathed air. A well-ventilated stable, where 

 the horse has plenty of air that no other animal's breath 

 has tainted, is the first essential. Foul air means foul 

 blood ; and foul blood means diseased lung-substance. 

 If your colt's blood is diseased, his lungs are being built 

 up with diseased substance, like as when a wall is built 

 of rotten bricks. If, now, your colt is in good health, 

 and has a stall well ventilated, and is exercised to the 

 halter every day, you think all is being done that need 

 be or can be; but you are greatly mistaken. Such 

 treatment will keep him in good health, and an average 

 lung-growth: but for speed you must have more than 

 this ; you need extraordinary lung-development. And 

 how, pray, can we obtain this extraordinary lung- 

 development ? In this way, and in this way alone : By 

 putting the colt at least two or three times each iveeh to 

 the top of his speed in the exercise-lot. Not until his 



