OF FARRIERY. 



453 



CHAPTER XIII. 



ON BREEDING. 



ON BREEDING. 



TuEiiE seems to be an opinion formed, 

 that there are fewer good hacks now than 

 tliere were formerly. If such be the fact, it 

 becomes important for breeders to take into 

 their consideration the causes of tliis deterio- 

 ration, and to adopt those means which may 

 be the most hkely to restore the breed which . 

 we formerly possessed, as well as to the gene- 

 ra! improvement of our Horses ; which, whether 

 considered socially or nationally, is an object 

 of too much importance to be neglected. 



Our observations are of a general nature, 

 and will be very simple ; and the first axiom 

 we would lay down is, that " like will produce 

 like," that the progeny will inherit the qualities, 

 or the mingled qualities, of the parents. We 

 vould refer to the subject of diseases, and 

 again state our perfect conviction, that there 

 is scarcely one by which either of the parents 

 ia affected, that the foal will not inherit, or, at 

 least, the predisposition to it : even the con- 

 sequences of ill usage or hard work will 

 descend to the progeny. We have already 

 mentioned this, but its importance will be a 



sufficient apology for the repetition. We have 

 had proof upon proof, that blindness, roaring, 

 thick wind, broken wind, spavins, curbs, ring- 

 bones, .and founder, have been bequeathed, 

 both by the sire and the dam, to the offspring. 

 It should likewise be recollected, that althou" h 

 these blemishes may not appear in the imme- 

 diate progeny, they frequently will in the next 

 generation. Hence the necessity of some 

 knowledge of the parentage both of sire ana 

 dam. 



Peculiarity of form and constitution will also 

 be inherited. This is a most important, but 

 neglected consideration ; for however desirable 

 or even perfect, may have been the confor- 

 mation of the sire, every good point may be 

 neutralized or lost by the defective form, or 

 want of blood, of the mare. There are nice- 

 ties in this, of which some breeders used to 

 be aware, and they employed their knowledge 

 to great ad\antage. When they were careful 

 that the essential points should be good in 

 both parents, and that some minor defect in 

 either should be met, and got rid of, by ex- 

 cellence in that particular point in the other, 

 the result was creditable to their judgment, 

 b Y 



