AGEICULTUKE AND THE HORSE. 403 



in good condition ; they impart vigor to the nervous sys- 

 tem. If you are told that your colt or your horse will 

 not eat them, let me tell you that an animal that will 

 learn any thing will soon learn to like them. Hay and 

 turnips and good pasturage for colts ; hay and turnips 

 for the winter-food of resting-horses. And if you do 

 not believe that heavy feed during the first winter will 

 injure a colt, ay, during the first three winters of his life, 

 go and buy one that has been thus fed ; and in this way 

 pay for your knowledge, as I have paid for mine. Breed 

 a good colt, and have him fade out on your hands about 

 the fourth winter, if not the first summer-, on account of 

 your stufl&ng process, as I have myself done. Go and 

 ask Ethan Allen, and hundreds of his descendants who 

 went through this enervating process ; go and ask the fat 

 and favorite colts who are passing their hot-bed lives 

 in the good-looking stables which are multiplying 

 everywhere ; go and ask the thousands of English thor- 

 ough-breds who are hobbling about, ruined by forced 

 growth, and forced efforts, and hot food, ere their lives 

 had fairly begun ; and see what an answer you will get. 

 They will all tell you, that all the muscle the horse 

 makes after he is four years old is worth vastly more 

 than what he makes before that time ; that all the fat 

 a colt loads upon himself before he is four years old, 

 and perhaps five, is an injury to him ; that the life is 

 shortened, and the powers weakened, by early feed 

 and early work ; that the breeder of a good horse must 

 be patient ; that if you will feed for early maturity, and 



