The Growing Stock 297 



acter, as oats and bran. If good alfalfa or clover hay is 

 accessible for the colt, this with oats will make a very 

 desirable ration. Young colts make larger growth than 

 older horses in proportion to the feed consumed and hence 

 it is an economical proposition to put grain into the young 

 animal. 



In addition to good feed, the young colt must have 

 plenty of exercise. An open shed arrangement is excellent 

 in most sections of the country for this purpose. This 

 shed may be constructed by putting the feeding quarters 

 inside and having them bedded so that the colt may have 

 a dry place to eat and sleep, but with access to a lot or 

 pasture where they may run at will. Colts handled in 

 this way will have long hair, but will develop a ruggedness 

 that cannot be obtained with colts that are raised with 

 lack of exercise. Winter pasture should be used if avail- 

 able but it should not be depended on for the entire 

 ration if maximum growth is desired. 



CASTRATION 



Castration is usually performed when the colt is one 

 year old. If the animal is undeveloped in the neck and 

 fore-quarters, the castration is sometimes deferred until 

 the second year, but there is less danger of losing a colt 

 by castration when one year old than later. Unless 

 colts are castrated they usually have to be separated from 

 other horses as early as the, second winter, as they become 

 a great nuisance, although they are not usually capable 

 of getting colts until the second spring. 



TEEDING THE YEARLING 



The feed that the yearling should obtain will depend 

 largely on his future use. If maximum gain is to be 



