years, consequently it is most important to begin with a horse at the former age.

The entire question is whether a three-and-a-half years old horse is or is not sufficiently developed and strong to be broken and worked. In this respect theory and argument are useless ; for facts are only of value, and in this case are undeniable and invariable. Half-breds can be broken and trained for racing at two-and-a-half, and they become so fit and well, that they can run at three. Their work during the six months of training and during their races is twenty times, a hundred times more severe than that which a troop horse undergoes during his very moderate and restricted course of breaking. We are therefore right in concluding that remounts ought to be bought at three years old ; and by taking this as the average age, we give a chance to backward breeds, and also to the ordinary methods of breeding, which, being as economical as possible, have a retarding influence in spite of everything.

Remounts at four-and-a-half and five years of age are not really what they appear to be, because they have not been properly fed and exercised. I am not afraid of adding that they are worth more at three years, because they have suffered for a shorter time, and because the watery and debilitating food which their breeders give them, though insufficient for their requirements during the first three years, becomes most detrimental to them during their fourth and fifth year. Instead of improving from three to five years by means of the food of his breeder, the young horse deteriorates.

Whatever one does, whatever price or premium one gives to the breeder, he will not feed his stock properly between the age of three and five, because it is not his interest to do so.

But we can easily get him to have his animal in good condition at three years of age. Precisely because breeding is a trade, the breeder's chief object is to get rid of his stock,