398 HANDY-BOOK OF HUSBANDRY. 



" From such a horse, where the breeder can find one, and from a 

 " well-chosen mare (she may be a little larger, more bony, more 

 " roomy, and in every way coarser than the horse, to the advantage 

 " of the stock), sound, healthy, and well-limbed, he may be certain, 

 *' accidents and contingencies set aside, of raising an animal that 

 " will be creditable to him as a scientific stock-breeder, and profit- 

 "able to him in a pecuniary sense. 



" The great point then to be aimed at is, the combining in the 

 " same animal the maximum of speed compatible with sufficient size, 

 " bone, strength, and solid power to carry heavy weights or draw 

 " large loads, and at the same time to secure the stock from the 

 "probability, if not certainty, of inheriting structural deformity or 

 " constitutional disease from either of the parents. The first point 

 " is only to be attained, first, by breeding as much as possible to 

 " pure blood of the right kind ; and, second, by breeding what is 

 " technically called among sportsmen and breeders, «/>, not down : 

 " that is to say, by breeding the mare to a male of superior (not 

 " inferior) blood to herself, — except where it is desired to breed 

 " like to like, as Canadian to Canadian, or Norman to Norman, 

 " for the purpose of perpetuating a pure strain of any particular 

 " variety, which may be useful for the production of brood 

 " mares." 



It is frequently objected by farmers that they cannot afford to 

 pay forty or fifty dollars for the service of a thoroughbred stallion, 

 when they can get that of a good common horse for ten or fifteen. 

 To this objection the only proper reply is, that they cannot afford 

 to take the service of the common horse as a gift. The cost of 

 the service of the stallion is a very small part of the cost of raising 

 a horse. The care and attention that the mare should receive 

 during pregnancy, the risks of foaling, and the feed of the 

 mother and colt during lactation, as well as the growth and train- 

 ing of the colt for four or five years, are the same in every case ; 

 and it may be safely assumed, as an average rule, that while the 

 thoroughbred colt may cost from twenty-five to fifty dollars more 

 than the common-bred one, the vigor of his constitution during 

 his growth, and the extra value of his appearance and his ability 



