BREEDING OF HORSES. 119 



fine colts if they are only bred to a fashionable horse, and the 

 horse bears the blame. 



To cure some of these, I have thought that a good tax upon a 

 stallion kept for service or royalty upon his service, and the same 

 upon breeding mares, would have the effect of reducing the number 

 of poor ones, and would result in being a great benefit to all in a 

 short time. 



When you have selected the stallion you desire, his colts 

 from approved mares being satisfactory, your next consideration 

 must be the dam and her qualifications. 



If your stallion is selected on account of his gait and physical 

 make for a trotter, then must your mares partake of similar make 

 and motion if you expect success with reasonable surety. If your 

 stallion is selected to breed gentlemen's carriage horses, then the 

 taller mare with more upright shoulders, narrow loins and closer 

 and shorter gait, closely corresponding to the stallion intended 

 for such a class, is best. 



These two classes are combined with success oftentimes so as 

 to make a good carriage horse, quite fast. But beauty, fine carriage 

 and fine size must give way to a great extent if great speed is 

 required. 



The finest gentleman's horses I have ever seen were in France. 

 There breeding is carried as near perfection as possible in this class 

 as well as in the sporting horses in which the French people seem 

 to be much interested, and bid fair to beat the world. An after- 

 noon ride in the Bois de Bologne of a fine day would show an 

 observer many hundred pairs of bay 16^ hands horses as near 

 perfection in motion and symmetry as possible, and admirably bred 

 for the uses intended. 



While in that country I had opportunity to converse with many 

 breeders, especially at the annual fair held in Paris which 

 was visited by the eminent breeders of the empire. And these 

 conversations led me to observe the point dwelt upon as important 

 as a principle or element in breeding, — the close assimilation of the 

 male and female in general characteristics if you would keep up the 

 standard that you may have with reasonable success. 



In conversation with a gentleman who was interested in the 

 management of the National Society for the improvement of Horses, 

 he said, "Our Emperor is doing a great work in improving the 

 horses of the empire, bringing to the work the best physiologists 



