272 THE HORSE 



dropped his hoe and leaped into the saddle, and ever 

 after was a more intelligent and a broader man. 



But the profits are by no means the chief consider- 

 ation in such an enterprise. There are boys on the 

 farm, or should be, who have paramount claims. John 

 will not remain contented between the plow handles 

 many years if he has no colt upon which to try his 

 courage and skill. Unless some means are provided for 

 recreation and an outlet for his restless energy, and 

 opportunity for gratifying his desire to exhibit his 

 courage and skill, do not be surprised if some day you 

 find the plow standing idle in the furrow and the boy 

 standing on the front platform of an electric car, 

 uniformed and numbered. These unknown and unap- 

 preciated farm lads, with their nascent pride and 

 repressed nervous energy, are humiliated, shamed, 

 when seen in public with that rough, old, overworked 

 farm -horse hitched to the carriage. Nearly every farm 

 boy now has a carriage and a best girl. Deprive 

 him of a good young horse, one which has spring 

 and mettle, one which it takes both hands to manage, 

 and he will take to the bicycle and the town and 

 leave the farm, carriage and the girl behind, and 

 leaving the girl behind is the worst of all. When 

 his hands have become soft and white in town, he 

 may be ashamed of the virtuous, natural, nut-brown 

 girl in the farm home. If he could remain on the 

 farm a little longer, his better and riper judgment 

 would enable him to discriminate between solid and 

 enduring, and showy characteristics which fade when 

 tested under the strenuous conditions which sooner or 



