HOW TO TRAIN A COLT. 191 



blood is heated somewhat, and lungs and heart have 

 begun to work under pressure, is either the blood or 

 wind sent fiist and forcefully enough into and through 

 the venous system of the lungs to fairly expand them. 

 The lung-substance, as you know, is full of veins, — 

 minute blood-ducts ; and the action of the heart, when 

 the colt is merely jogged about, is not strong and rapid 

 enough to send the blood through these in the way in 

 which it must be sent in order to strengthen and build 

 them up. Moreover, in order to enlarge and develop 

 the lungs, they must be distended, — distended ilior- 

 ouglily, to the extremity of every little air-passage : and, 

 to do this, the inhalation on the part of the colt must be 

 sudden and strong ; which, of course, cannot be unless 

 the colt is put through a course of sharp exercise. 

 You will observe that my plan is only Nature's plan, the 

 location of the exercise being changed. Nature exer- 

 cises her colts in the field: she sends them tearing 

 through bushes, and jumping brooks and bowlders, and 

 racing over hillocks ; nor will she let them halt until 

 their necks are moist, their nostrils distended to their 

 utmost capacity, and their flanks all a-quiver. I accept 

 the hint ; and standing in the centre of the exercise-lot, 

 whip in hand, my groom sends my favorite colt around 

 time and again, time and again, — now at a trot, now at 

 his keenest jump, — until his nostrils show their red, his 

 neck moistens, and his ribs stand out to sight as lifted 

 by every inflation of the lung. This, remember, is done 

 day by day, month in and out, the year round. It is 



