HINTS TO YOUNG BREEDERS 153 



due to the encouragement given to racing, the supply 

 of thoroughbred stallions is quite equal to the demand, 

 so that neither the amateur novice nor the tenant 

 farmer should experience much difficulty in finding 

 one suitable to the mare from which they wish to 

 breed. Naturally, the tenant farmer will seek in the 

 first place amongst the stallions placed at his disposal 

 by the Hunt Entire Horse Fund, upon the committee 

 of which there is sure to be at least one expert on 

 horse-breeding ready to give him the benefit of his 

 advice and experience. Two points, however, must be 

 remembered. Firstly, many horses which have gained 

 distinction as sires of racing stock are ill adapted for 

 producing hunters, on account of their great length of 

 structure and flat sides. Secondly, the few horses 

 which have signalled themselves out in both depart- 

 ments command higher fees than are consistent with 

 the class of mares to which we are referring, for which 

 the fees should range from three to five guineas. 

 Again, for hunting stock we prefer travelling stallions 

 to the pampered, petted, and inordinately fed horses of 

 the aristocratic stud farms, who are seldom allowed to 

 enjoy any exercise beyond that which can be obtained 

 in the box and adjoining yard. One pernicious habit, 

 however, which the owners of travelling stallions have, 

 must be guarded against, namely, that of allowing the 

 stallion to serve an inordinate number of mares. The 

 number during the season should be restricted to fifty 

 at the outside, and never should more than three mares 

 be presented in one day, and then the times should be 

 equally divided. Yet not only is this number con- 



