LITE STOCK. 391 



" mare has both eyes suffering from this disease, without any 

 "other derangement of the eye, I should eschew them care- 

 " fully. When blindness is the result of violent inflammation 

 " brought on by bad management, or by influenza, or any other 

 "similar cause, the eye itself is more or less disorganized; and 

 " though this itself is objectionable, as showing a weakness of the 

 " organ, it is not so bad as the regular cataract. Such are the chief 

 " absolute defects, or deviations, from health in the mare ; to which 

 " may be added a general delicacy of constitution, which can only 

 " be guessed from the amount of flesh which she carries while suck- 

 " ling or on poor ' keep,' or from her appearance on examination 

 " by an experienced hand, using his eyes as well. The firm, full 

 " muscle, the bright and lively eye, the healthy-looking coat at all 

 " seasons, rough though it may be in the winter, proclaim the 

 "hardiness of constitution which is wanted, but which often coex- 

 " ists with infirm legs and feet. Indeed, sometimes the very 

 "best topped animals have the worst legs and feet, chiefly owing 

 " to the extra weight they and their ancestors also have had to 

 " carry. Crib-biting is sometimes a habit acquired from idleness, 

 " as also is wind-sucking ; but if not caused by indigestion, it often 

 " leads to it, and is very commonly caught by the offspring. It is 

 *' true that it may be prevented by a strap ; but it is not a desirable 

 *' accomplishment in the mare, though of less importance than 

 " those to which I have already alluded, if not accompanied by 

 *' absolute loss of health, as indicated by emaciation, or the state of 

 "the skin. 



" Lastly, the temper is of the utmost importance, by which 

 " must be understood not that gentleness at grass which may lead 

 " the breeder's family to pet the mare, but such a temper as will 

 " serve for the purposes of her rider, and will answer to the 

 "stimulus of the voice, whip, or spur. A craven or a rogue is 

 "not to be thought of as the 'mother of a family ;' and if a mare 

 "belongs to a breed which is remarkable for refusing to answer 

 "the call of the rider, she should be consigned to any task rather 

 "than the stud-farm. Neither should a mare be used for this 

 " purpose which had been too irritable to train, unless she hap- 



