188 FARRIERY, ETC 



the conditions on which the difficulty in question, and the 

 mode of curing it, depends ; this will enable him at least 

 to prevent much injury which an ignorant quack might 

 occasion, if allowed to have entirely his own way. 



CASTRATION. 



This operation is, of course, a very delicate one, and 

 ahould never be attempted, on a living subject, except by 

 a person of experience and skill. 



The following directions are given by Mr. Youatt : 



*' The period at which this operation may be best per- 

 formed depends much on the breed and form of the colt, 

 and the purpose for which he is destined. For the com- 

 mon agricultural horse, the age of four or five months will 

 be the most proper time, or, at least, before he is weaned. 

 Few horses are lost when cut at that age. Care, however, 

 should be taken, that the weather is not too hot nor the 

 flies too numerous. 



" If the horse is designed either for the carriage or for 

 heavy draught, the farmer should not think of castrating 

 him until he is at least a twelvemonth old; and, even 

 then, the colt should be carefully examined. If he is thin 

 and spare about the neck and shoulders, and low in the 

 withers, he will materially improve by remaining uncut 

 another six months ; but if his fore-quarters are fairly 

 developed at the age of a twelvemonth, the operation 

 shoild not be delayed, lest he become heavy and gross 

 before, and perhaps has begun too decidedly to have a will 

 of his own. No spofiific age, then, can be fixed ; but the 

 castration should be performed rather late in the spring 

 or early in the autumn, when the air is temperate, and 

 pojticularly when the weather is dry. 



" No preparation is necessary for the sucking colt, but 

 it may be prudent to bleed and to physic one of more ad- 



