Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-10-12
The Rearing of Young Stock.

We have recently devoted considera-
Die space TO the subject of breeding
aorses, in which, we regret to say, such
lamentable want of Judgment has been
20 perversely displayed, yet equally fu-
;ile will be the result of that due dis
elimination which should actuate horse
breeders, if sufficient and due care is
lot also given to the young stock.
The life and development of young
animals is not SO unlike the life and
growth of young plant or tree az
many suppose. The latter has its physi-
illogical system, and the mode in which
nutrition and growth are carried on in
the plant is so closely akin to the pro-
cess in the young growing animal that
The principle of treatment found good
Tor the one will not come amiss with the
other. The plant has its circulation, so
has the colt. The colt gets its growth
through cell growth, so does the plant.
The cultivator of trees knows well that
# insufficient nutriment is supplied the
growth will be both awry and stunted;
the branches will be undeveloped and
crooked, and from the effects of this
bad start they never recover. A colt
may inherit all the points and graceful
outlines characteristic of successful
cross between a judiciously selected sire
and dam, but through nutriment Icing
withheld at the proper time and in re-
quired qualities, the muscles and bones
lack the necessary stimulus for develop
ment, and consequently become spind-
ling, while the chest and quarters are
narrow and the body lank AS result
of this miserable and false economy,
1.-The penny wise and pound foolish
policy, we are now in no small degree
having the country overrun with weedy,
shapeless, undergrown horses.
1t doubtless is now great aim with
breeders of equine stock to secure size.
But this result can not be obtained I'M
less the progeny are fed well from the
very start. Again, we too often see
young colts, sometimes in numbers, con-
fined in small, and often in dark places,
where exercise is altogether out of the
question; but without this most i'm
portant factor full muscular vigor and
general agility in his movements can
not be obtained. But exercise will
bring neither the muscular tone nor
courage unless accompanied by due and
proper nourishment.
There is an old Scotch saving that
1.-THE breed goes in at the mouth, ~
which, though not altogether true, still
shows that the cannie inhabitants of
the land O. cakes fully acknowledged
the potent influence eXerted bv food in
perfecting the forms of domesti; ami
mails. But we do not argue from this
that the colt should be made fat, or
that he should be pushed in the same
way as bullock or hog, but that he
should have the nutritious assistance re-
quired for a healthy and natural
growth. Here it is to be observed how
wonderfully nature has provided for diff
ferent animals, for the milk in the mare
in no way compares in richness with
that of the eve goat, sow or cow, which,
in point of richness, may be classed in
the order named, while the milk of the
mare contains even less fattening powers
than that of the camel or ass, the milk
of the two latter more nearly assmlat-
ing that of the human being than that
of any other animal. Hence the fire.
quent use of both as food for children.
There is altogether too much chance
work left to both the breeding and rear
ing of young horses. 1t would seem to
be as if breeders, knowing their age of
usefulness is not attained till three or
fouryears old, too often ignore or neglect
the fact that colts as much as, or posi-
bly, more than other domestic animals,
require attention and due feeding when
young, and till more care is paid to the
matter we shall still be overrun with
Stunted, shapeless brutes, which will
never repay cost of breeding, and
which, in many cases, are comparative
ly useless Canadian Sportsman