188 THE HORSE 



quently due to mental power or brain force. Brain work 

 requires the energy of food to sustain it, the same, in 

 kind, as is required for work done by other muscular 

 tissues. What really happens is that high mental 

 capacity usually accompanies high muscular efficiency 

 and harmony of the structure called upon to perform 

 the work. The brain of the horse may be likened to 

 the steam-gauge on the boiler; it indicates somewhat 

 accurately the amount of energy ready for use. The 

 results, or work performed, will depend largely on the 

 perfection of the working parts of the engine. High 

 courage usually attends great endurance, but this is 

 not necessarily the case. Other things being equal, real 

 efficiency is more likely to accompany superior and judi- 

 cious nourishment rather than inferior nourishment. 

 A few days of injudicious feeding of the trotter or 

 racer, just before he makes a great effort, may lose him 

 the prize. 



Food plays a most important part, not only in growth 

 and development, but in the efficiency and amount of 

 work as well. Some most marked results are secured by 

 the too liberal as well as the too scanty feeding of many 

 young animals, such as pigs, calves and colts, during 

 the first six months of their lives. Calves designed for 

 the dairy may be greatly injured as to their future per- 

 formance by being fed too liberally on concentrated 

 food, or dwarfed and injured by being insufficiently 

 nourished. In the same way, young colts, especially 

 after they are weaned, may be handicapped for life by 

 injudicious overfeeding or underfeeding. 



Judicious liberal feeding tends to increase size and 



