BREEDING AND REARING. 1] 



should know better) as being old at ten or 

 twelve ! True, many are practically made 

 so by injudicious treatment before reaching 

 maturity ; otherwise a horse of such age 

 should be in the very zenith and fulness 

 of his powers — in the prime of life, as we 

 say of mankind. Por the span of years 

 allotted to this animal, in ratio with the 

 three score years and ten of man, is, I 

 maintain, thirty, or at least twenty-five, 

 rather than twenty, as seems generally to 

 be supposed ; while even were it the latter, 

 it would surely be a mistake to reckon such 

 an animal as the horse, which retains its 

 vigour till so late in life, old when he has 

 completed but half his normal existence ! I 

 do not account mine old at fifteen, and was 

 until lately riding as hack a little thorough- 

 bred mare, which went with all the spring 

 and fire of a four-year-old at sixteen, — but 

 she had, of course, done no work when 

 young to hurt her. Also, I remember a 



