66 PURCHASING FROM THE STABLES. 



ones, if the breeder has only a little knowledge 

 how to pair : blood is not required ; half to three 

 parts bred is abundance of blood, but make is 

 indispensable. Some few lusus natures, under the 

 most scientific management, will, of course, be 

 thrown ; it is beyond the power of man to prevent 

 these occasional freaks of nature ; but nine times 

 out of ten, if the horse and mare are adapted to 

 each other, four-fifths at least of the good form 

 and good qualities will be inherited. A bull-neck 

 will run through a dozen generations, and a stal- 

 lion with a bull-neck should never be bred from. 

 A thick neck, in an otherwise fine horse, may be 

 bred from solely for draught for the artillery, 

 but a downright bull-neck should be shot. A 

 straight-shouldered stallion, if otherwise good, 

 may be bred from, for straight shoulders are 

 required for draught ; and if the shoulder has only 

 good depth, and crossed with an oblique-shoul- 

 dered mare, this point may occasionally alter suf- 

 ficiently for the cavalry ; but not so certainly as 

 if the obliquity was on the side of the stallion. 

 A wall-sided stallion, if not very flatsided, and 

 otherwise good, may be bred from, for if put to 

 a well circular-barreled mare, the carcase will 

 always improve : the Godolphin Arabian was 

 wall-sided. A drooping hind-quarter, if only 

 muscular, may be bred from, for if crossed with 



