XL] THE HORSE AND HIS STABLE. 119 



these conditions, and the finest horse in the world, or 

 that the world ever saw, becomes a Dartmoor or Shet- 

 land pony, worth 5 instead of 5000. Such are the 

 changes worked by natural conditions; though with 

 Mr. Darwin they count for nothing, or for next to 

 nothing. 



In the permanent fat pastures of the temperate and 

 insular climes, the horse is built up to eighteen hands 

 high, with a width and weight infinitely more than pro- 

 portionate to his height, if we compare him to the 

 southern horse. In the arid south, by no contrivance 

 of man or " natural selection " can a horse of iceight be 

 produced ; though you may breed the terse horse of the 

 south in the north by keeping him on terse food. 



Crossing is only good where you wish to breed animals Crossing 



not neces- 



against natural conditions, as heavy horses on terse food, ***7' 

 or Leicester sheep on the downs, or small Alderney cows 

 on rich pastures. Then, the more the breed is crossed 

 by animals bred under favourable natural conditions the 

 better. No horse is so bred in-and-in as our thorough- 



