46 BREEDING. 



equal to the Herculean tafk affigned them ? 

 Can it be nlatter of furprife, that not more 

 than one-third, or, upon a more favourable 

 computation, one half at 7noJl^ of the mares 

 covered in this way produce a colt, and that 

 the half of thofe fo produced, never come 

 to a proper lize, bone, or flrcngth ; then can 

 there remain a doubt in the mind of any- 

 unprejudiced man living, but to thefe caufes 

 may be attributed fome portion of that defi- 

 ciency fo generally complained of, and too 

 frequently attributed to the icw// of bone in 

 fire or dam ? 



Having liithxrto introduced what I con- 

 ceive to be the leading qualifications in horfe 

 and mare to render the bufinefs of breed- 

 ing pleafant and advantageous, we come next 

 to confider the feafon m.oft proper for bring- 

 ing them together ; as it mull be admitted, 

 an inconvenience will certainly arife to the 

 mare by foaling too early in the fpring, 

 or to the produce by falling too late in the 

 fummer, it will undoubtedly prove more 

 eligible to adhere a little to the line of me- 

 diocrity, letting either extreme be carefully 

 avoided. 



Never- 



