Supply of Horses adapted to the EntjUsk Army. 
95 
early maturity, their precocity in breeding — it is surprising that 
the same principles have not been generally applied to the 
horse, and attended with like results. In breeding for the turf 
alone has the new system been in any degree adopted. From 
the high and forcing diet afforded to the young thoroughbred 
he has often, to all intents and purposes, as much arrived at 
maturity at four years old as the colt which has run loose on 
wild pastures at five. I^e is thoroughly furnished, and his 
bones are quite consolidated. In one respect only it would seem 
that Nature's course cannot be accelerated, viz., the development 
of the teeth. Whatever be the extent to which the young 
thoroughbred is forced, the dentition will not be forestalled, but 
the mouth will give a correct indication of his age. This cir- 
cumstance promotes trickery among the breeders and dealers, 
which often produces prejudicial consequences ; but from high- 
feeding the young colt will noAV not only have a more fully deve- 
loped frame, but greater fitness to stand work than he would 
generally get credit for if his age were honestly indicated by his 
teeth. This circumstance may explain, but not excuse, the cruelty 
to which young horses are so often exposed from extraction of 
milk teeth and cauterising the gums and other such expedients to 
hasten the process of teething. It would seem, then, that early 
maturity is as attainable in the horse as in other animals, and that, 
not in appearance and stature only, but in fitness for bearing the 
strain of Avork. The same means will here be required which have 
been found so profitable in the case of cattle, viz., a generous 
diet, such as proves remunerative not only in the market but in 
the manure-heap. If such a course be adopted, the breeding of 
horses need no more be restricted to the pastures of Yorkshire 
and similar districts than the breeding of shorthorns to the birth- 
place of that tribe ; and special advantages from easy and con- 
venient access to good sires may counterbalance the possession 
of better natural feeding-grounds. 
The most prevailing defect among horse-breeders is a want of 
sufficient care in procuring good mares to breed from. One 
method of securing a satisfactory dam may be safely recom- 
f mended. Suppose some fairly satisfactory mares have thrown 
fillies (which is generally a disappointment), let these be well- 
fed, and put to the horse at three years old. Experience will 
soon enable you to decide between them which is best adapted 
to become a permanent brood-mare. Each one of them will 
give you a tolerable foal to pay for her keep, and will herself 
have gained in frame and substance ; her year of repose will 
have much more than compensated for the healthy demand made 
upon her constitution by bearing and rearing the foal. The 
less satisfactory mares will then be of the right age to be sold 
