350 Care of the Colt in Training 



EXERCISE AND DEVELOPMENT 



The idea is somewhat prevalent that colts brought 

 up roughly, permitted to rough it through all sorts of 

 weather, and on scant, coarse food, develop hardness 

 and endurance, and that high feeding and good care 

 will cause an otherwise good colt to grow into an 

 unsound horse, lacking hardiness and endurance. 

 Practical results in many cases have been such as to 

 warrant this belief, not that there is anything bad 

 in generous and liberal feeding, or good in starva- 

 tion and exposure, but that the colts that roughed 

 it always had pure air and abundant exercise, without 

 which there can be no sound and healthy develop- 

 ment. 



An abundance of fresh air and exercise are factors 

 in the raising and developing of a colt second to no 

 others. It is for this reason that we recommend 

 working the brood mare both before and after foaling, 

 working the stallion when possible and permitting 

 the foal to follow the dam into the field when con- 

 venient. The colt needs abundant opportunity for 

 exercise in the fresh, pure air, uncontaminated by 

 stable odors, as this is essential to a healthy develop- 

 ment in all young animals. It is not sufficient that 

 he be led out for exercise at stated intervals. He 

 needs the opportunity to romp and play, that he may 

 extend his muscles to their utmost capacity, expand 

 his lungs to their very depths and send the blood 



