Thoroughbreds 55 



premium system was started. An agricultural society, or a body 

 of breeders gave a premium under certain conditions, and some 

 very moderate horses have been known to win them. In 1888 the 

 Royal Plates, which had been originally started by Charles II, and 

 which for many years served a good purpose, were done away with, 

 and what has come to be known as the King's Premium show has 

 taken their place. 



It is with the Thoroughbred as a probable sire that the farmer 

 is mostly concerned in these times. There are, as has already been 

 intimated, a few farmers who breed Thoroughbreds for the yearling 

 sales, but for them a special literature is provided. The breeding 

 of Thoroughbred general-purpose horses or hunters scarcely, under 

 present conditions, seems likely to attract breeders. With prizes 

 of such value, the man who goes in for Thoroughbred breeding 

 is likely to breed for the yearling market. 



Nevertheless there may be, here and there, a man who has an 

 opportunity and a fancy to breed from a Thoroughbred mare, or 

 who may become possessed of a Thoroughbred mare, and for his 

 benefit a few words of advice may be given. To begin with, if he 

 would avoid disappointment, let him select as his brood mare one 

 that is near the ground, short in the cannon bone, and compact. 

 The tall, narrow, flash, split-up mare, though she may breed a race- 

 horse, will be likely to breed nothing but disappointing stock. The 

 mare should have deep well - placed shoulders and a short back. 

 These points are easier found than the well-set-on neck, which is 

 another important point. Nothing is a bigger "crab" upon a horse 

 when he comes into the market than a short neck set on the wrong 

 way. Little narrow feet and upright pasterns should also be 

 avoided. 



Occasionally I have seen Thoroughbred mares mated with light 

 cart horses or with Hackneys. I do not really approve of either 

 plan. Those by the light cart horses are generally what is known 

 as a rough ride. There is, generally, plenty of substance and power, 

 it is true, and some people advocate the cross, saying that if the 

 produce be a filly it will be the typical brood mare for breeding 

 hunters. It may be so, but it is a far cheaper and more satisfactory 

 plan to buy the brood mares instead of attempting to breed them 

 to a type, always a lengthy, and frequently a disappointing, business. 



It is, then, as a sire that the Thoroughbred principally interests 

 the general breeder, and a certain number of sires have been pro- 

 vided for him by the premium system since 1888, and for twenty- 

 six years farmers have been able, at more or less inconvenience, to 

 obtain the services of a sound sire at a reasonable price. One 



