Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-12-15
Exercise Grounds for Colts,



The first thing to which to pay at
tention is the development of the
lungs. The lungs must in the first
place be built up in size. The lar
ger the bellows the stronger the
blast. Large lungs-as large as ma
ture Gun be made to GROWS what
every horse kept for speed wants.
Secondly, the lungs must be of fine
texture. The lung-stance must be of
excellent quality-elastic and tough;
able to bear the strain of initiation
and the shock of collapse without
pain Or injury when the horse, on a
hot muggy day comes struggling to
the judges stand with the drivers
voice in his ear, and the drivers
whip laid at every stride across his
rump. 1t is lungs that win on such
a day and race. Bone structure
won't do it: muscle won't do 1t; ncr-
vous energy won't do it; lungs and
lungs alone win in such contests.
If you would realize the force of
this, try short race yourself
Start off and run forty or sixty rods
even at your sharpcst jump, very
likely before You have gone half that
distance, you will begin to discover
where your lungs lie, and the value
of wind. Now what was it that gave
out, and made you stop SO suddenly?
'Pain i'll my side, shortness of
breath" you reply. Exactly. Your
leg bones were all right; your feet
didn't pain you; your muscles could
have carried you forward a mile;
your determination was strong
enough; but your wind gave out
You see now the relation of lungs
to speed. Now, reader, we put the
question to you, if you have q fine
olt,what are you striving to do with
him? Ten to one your anxiety is to
build up his bone substance, develop
his muscles, RESTRAIN his nervousness,
educate him to go squarely, keep his
blood in good condition. All these
points you have paid the closest at
tention to; but the lungs-the most
essential of all organs, able to contri-
butte the most to your success in the
hour of trial-you have left to take
care of themselves. "What can
do?" you inquire.
This, IN the first place, we reply:
See that your horse or colt has plen-
ty ofpure, fresh, unbreathed air. A
well-yentilated stable, where the
horse has plenty of ar that no other
animals breath has tainted, is the
first essential. Foul air means foul
blood; and foul blood means diseas-
ed lung substance, as when wall is
built OF. rotten brick. If, now, your
colt Is in good health, and has a stall
well ventilated, and is exercised to
the halter every day, you think all is
being done that need or can be; but
you are greatly mistaken. Such
treatment will not keep him in good
health, and an average lung growth;
but for speed you must have more
than this; you must have extraordi-
nary lung development, And how,
pray, can we obtain this extraordlna-
ry lung development? In this way,
and in this way alone; by putting
the colt at least two or three times a
week to the top of his speed in the
exercise lot. Not until his blood is
heated somewhat, and lungs and
heart have begun to work under pres
sure, is either the blood or wind sent
fast and forcefully enough into and
through the venous system of the
lungs to fairly expand them. The
lung substance is full of vcins-n,i-
mute blood-ducts; and the action of
the heart, when the colt is merely
logged about, it is not strong and
rapid enough TO send the blood
through these in the way in which it
must be sent in order to strengthen
and build them. Moreover, in order
to enlarge and develop the lungs,
they must be Observation-Disclosures
thoroughly,to the extremity Of every
little air passage; and, to do this, the
inhalation on tn" part Of the colt
must be sudden and strong; which,
of course, cannot be unless the colt
is put through course of sharp cx-
ercise.