10 THE HORSE. 



capable of procreation at a very early age, but not 

 with the prospect of their best produce. The rule 

 in this case necessarily depends on the convenience 

 of the breeder; the procreative faculty, with both 

 horse and mare, remains to a very late period of their 

 lives, more especially with the horse, some individuals 

 having been successful stock getters at upwards of 

 thirty years of age. Four years is generally the 

 earliest period, whether for horse or mare. Indeed, 

 unless from particular circumstances, the mare is 

 seldom put to the horse, until she has passed some 

 years of labour, or has become accidentally inca- 

 pable of it. It is probable that the excessive labour 

 which they endure in this country, styled by foreign- 

 ers ( the hell of horses/ has curtailed their length 

 of days ; and that under more favourable circum- 

 stances, both their age and their services might be 

 greatly prolonged. The writer, some years since, 

 saw at Dulwich two geldings, the one forty-eight, 

 the other fifty-four years of age, both of them capable 

 of performing some light daily labour, the property 

 of his friend, the late Edward Brown, Esq., who had 

 both their portraits. Racing and cart colls are put 

 to light labour at three, and even two years old ; 

 but saddle and quick draught horses are incapable, 

 that is to say with safety, of the usual labour, until 

 live years of age. From the excessive and cruel 

 system of labour adopted, against all feeling and con- 

 science, in this country, horses are torn to pieces 

 before their tenth year ; and if they miss the benefit 

 of slaughter, they seldom survive their twentieth. 

 The conventional form of the horse, as to the 

 eat essentials, may be held referable to every va- 



