Hunters should not be put to full work until six years of age, for their bones and tendons are unable to stand the continued strain. Until colts have attained their fifth year, they are shedding their milk teeth and cutting others; consequently their mouths are [102] ]broken, sore, and the system more or less fevered. Owing to the soreness and tenderness of the animal’s mouth, he is unable to feed well, and thus cannot be got into proper condition; besides the colt cannot stand the wear and tear on account of his bones not being formed, they having more cartilaginous than osseous material in their formation. The adult horse, that is, one that has a full mouth, has ⅔ of osseous to ⅓ of cartilaginous material entering into the composition of his bones, whilst the two-year-old has about half of each; therefore the cartilage predominating over the required quantity of osseous material causes the bones to be soft and unable to withstand the shocks of early work. Some owners of race-horses run their two-year-olds to find out their weak points. In cases where weak points are observable at that age, if raced, they are sure to develop, and thus cripple the colt perhaps for life, whilst if he had been allowed to lay by until of a maturer age, in all probability this weakness would have disappeared. Again, [103] ]if a sound colt be trained and raced when two years of age, it is ten to one that his tendons and bones are not able to stand the work, but that in all probability he will get sore shins, splints, or perhaps some worse disease of the legs or feet.
A horse is not able to undergo regular hunting until he is six years old, and even then he should not be worked hard. I think all our own countrymen know this, although they do not always bring it into practice. The Americans know it and profit by it. A growing colt does not make internal fat as does the adult, therefore the system not having attained firmness, cannot bear the scraping and sweating necessary to get him into condition for the hunting-field or for the racecourse. If the fat is taken off a colt, his muscular development is interfered with. In the same way prize-fighters cannot stay if trained too young, instances of which are found in Aaron Jones and M‘Cormick, who, although they felt well and fit, were unable to last. Colts are forced to [104] ]early maturity and worked hard when they ought to be in the nursery, the result being that they are unable to last any time, but become useless (except for stud purposes) before they have attained horsehood. Early maturity means early decay.
The Americans break in their trotters, as a rule, at three years of age. They then give them ordinary road work, in the mean time gradually teaching them to trot in form by giving them occasionally a spurt for a quarter of a mile or so. But they do not usually race them until they are from five to seven years old; in fact, they do not consider a horse to be at his best until he is from seven to nine years of age.
I will now give a few instances of famous American trotters, who lasted well through not having been worked too young. Topgallant was foaled in 1808; when in his sixteenth year, in 1823, he trotted twelve miles, in harness, in 38 m. In 1829, when in his twenty-second year, he trotted four heats of four [105] ]miles, against Whalebone, and won, his fastest time being 11 m. 4 s. In 1831, when in his twenty-fourth year, he trotted a race of three-mile heats, which was won in four heats, Topgallant winning the second and running second in the deciding heat. A week afterwards he won a race for three-mile heats.
Lady Blanche was foaled in 1829. She first trotted a match in 1835, and when twenty-four years old she won a race of four heats. In 1855 she died, during her training.
Dutchman was foaled in 1828, and when five years of age was drawing bricks in a team. In 1836, when eight years old, he trotted, to saddle, four miles in 10 m. 51 s. On August 1, 1839, when eleven years of age, he trotted, to saddle, three miles in 7 m. 32½ s. In 1838, when ten years old, he trotted Rattler for three-mile heats, winning two out of three and the race. In 1846, when eighteen years old, Dutchman won another race, but died in the following year.
Ajax, foaled in 1832, when sixteen years [106] ]of age was matched to trot a mare for twelve miles, and won.
Flora Temple was foaled in 1845, was broken-in when five years old, and raced the same year. In 1859 she trotted two-mile heats against Princess, and won in two heats, the fastest being in 4 m. 50½ s., when fourteen years of age. In 1860, when fifteen years old, she trotted three miles in 7 m. 33¾ s. She ran in 1861, since which date I have had no opportunity of finding any record of her running.
Lady Thorn was foaled in 1856; she first trotted in 1864, when eight years old, and remained upon the turf until the latter end of 1870, when she got injured through an accident. Her best one-mile time was accomplished in 1869, for four heats, against Goldsmith Maid, American Girl, &c. She won three out of the four heats, her fastest time being 2 m. 18¼ s.
Goldsmith Maid was foaled in 1857, and ran wild until she was eight years old. In 1865 she ran her first race. On September 2, [107] ]1874, when seventeen years of age, she trotted the fastest mile on record, namely, in 2 m. 14 s. Whether her time has since been beaten or not I am unable to state. She is still on the trotting turf.