CHAPTER XII 



CROSS-BRED HORSES AND VANNERS. 



CROSS-BRED horses constitute a very important section 

 of the equine race in the commercial world ; in fact, 

 most of our horses working in tow^ns especially are the 

 product of what may justly be termed irregular mating, though 

 breeding horses in this manner should not be encouraged 

 There will always be individual interests to consider, con- 

 sequently inferior and unsound brood mares are used, or it 

 may be, that there has not been a judicious selection of the sire. 



This reckless system of breeding horses is certainly dying 

 out, district agricultural societies providing selected sires to 

 travel in the area presided over by such societies, and the 

 results have been highly satisfactory. There are also brood 

 mare societies to further the production of sound stock, suitable 

 mares being bought by the Society and then loaned to the 

 surrounding agriculturists. 



Altogether, horse breeding in the present day has advanced 

 by leaps and bounds, being vastly different to that of forty 

 years since. 



Almost every breed of horse has its stud book for the 

 registration of pedigree stock, so that what may be termed the 

 physical development of the horse is now carried on upon sound 

 and systematic principles. 



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