92 THE ORANGE COUNTY 



to become valuable animals. Almost every individual who 

 has made the horse his thesis for writing, has given a de- 

 scription of the essential points which every animal must be 

 gifted with that lays claim to excellence. It is a worn-out 

 and unprofitable subject to dilate upon. Practice alone will 

 make an adept in this art. To be a thoroughly good judge 

 of horses is an invaluable acquirement to the breeder, and it 

 is indispensable to him if he is ambitious of eminence and 

 profit. The first considerations in making selections of horses 

 and mares for the purpose of breeding riding-horses, will be 

 to determine whether they are likely to produce foals which 

 will be powerful, active, hardy, and sound. If bulk were 

 most conducive to perfection, the most valuable animal 

 would be the gigantic cart-horse, but his great size and weight 

 is accompanied with slowness of motion, and a dull, phlegmatic 

 temperament. The nature of the substances of which he is 

 composed is conducive to these characteristics. The bone is 

 far more porous than that of a well-bred horse, and the 

 muscles are of a more flaccid texture. There is a greater con- 

 stitutional disposition to deposit fat in the cart-horse, and 

 his want of activity renders him incapable of accelerated 

 motion. These defects generally diminish in degree as the 

 animal approaches to a more aristocratic lineage; and the 

 most valuable kinds to choose for breeding are those which 

 evince the greatest amount of muscular power, with sym- 

 metrical proportion, short legs, and a good pedigree. 



Every person who enters into the speculation of breeding 

 horses undoubtedly does so with a view to profit; next to breed- 

 ing for the turf, his object will be to produce saleable horses 

 gifted with the most valuable properties. No man, however 

 good his judgment may be, can at all times feel certain that 

 his mare will favor him with the object of his wishes. With 

 the first object in view, it is necessary that the mares be 

 adapted to the desired intention, and some difficulty exists in 

 procuring them. There is a greater difficulty at the present 

 period in procuring desirable mares to breed from than there 

 was in by-gone days, when fashion was opposed to riding 

 mares; that prejudice has been overcome, because it has 

 been determined that mares are generally superior to geld- 

 ings in constitution and endurance. It is a common opinion, 

 but a great error, that very large mares are the most eligible 

 to breed from, they are of all animals the most uncertain in 

 their produce; one year they will present their owner with 

 gigantic foals, and perchance the following year with others 

 as much undersized; they seldom observe the happy medium; 



