90 THE HORSE 



cause in different parts of the country different 

 methods are in vogue, and — assuming, of course, 

 that the method is one of the approved ones that 

 are practised by reputable veterinary surgeons — 

 it is usually better to follow the custom of the lo- 

 cality. This much, however, can be said that the 

 operation should always be performed by a skilled 

 veterinary surgeon or by some one who has had 

 sufficient experience to work skilfully and to know 

 exactly what he is about. I am not saying that 

 there is not a choice in the different methods, for 

 I think there is. But the operator is more likely 

 to succeed in doing a thing as he has always done 

 it and seen it done than in some way that is new 

 to him. 



Following castration the colt should be kept in 

 a roomy box stall at night and turned out in a 

 good pasture every day — for grass is the very best 

 medicine for him during his recovery. He should 

 not be out in the rain, however, nor in chilly 

 weather, and every morning and night he should 

 have a feed of oats and bran. This care and at- 

 tention should continue till the inflammation of 

 the parts has subsided and the wound entirely 

 healed. 



The details of breaking the colt to harness will 

 be given in another chapter. When he is old 

 enough to put to some use — say three or four 



