45 



her in the least, although we would not recommend breedmg 

 from mares at eightaen years of age or upwards. 



The third horse examined was a black mare, with a colt by 

 her side, belonging to Jolm B. Hodgkins, of Rockport. We 

 found no owner or any one in charge of her. The mare is a 

 very pretty bodied animal and well built, except her hind legs, 

 which we found to be badly out of order. And according to 

 the rules of the Society we were unable to award a premium. 



The fourth horse examined was shown, by a card on the 

 pen, to be a mare belonging to W. H. Knowlton, of Rockport, 

 a very fine looking animal, and had she been entered as a 

 family horse we have no doubt that a premium might have been 

 awarded her. 



After a careful examination your Committee make the 

 following awards : 



To Benjamin P. Ware, of Marbleliead, for his mare " Kate," 

 the first premium of diploma and $15. 



The second premium of $10, to Abijah P. Puller, of North 

 Andover, for his bay mare. 



We suppose the object of the Society in offering premiums 

 for brood mares, is for the special purpose of improving our 

 stock of horses, and, in order to do that, great care should be 

 used in the selection of mar^s for breeding purposes. There 

 certainly is no kind of an animal wliere greater care is neces- 

 sary in their selection than the brood mare, not only that she 

 is free from all unsoundness, but that she is well built, honest, 

 kind and free ft'om all tricks. Size, symmetry and soundness 

 are mostly to be regarded in the mare : — " blood from the sire, 

 beauty from the dam," is the golden rule. Until greater care 

 is used in the selection of the sire» as well as the dam, our 

 markets will be supplied with inferior horses, a great many of 

 them unfit for use. As the horse is one of the most useful and 

 noble animals upon the globe, we feel that too much cannot be 

 said in his praise. And we are pleased to know that men in 

 our midst of high rank and culture, standing at the head of 

 society, can say a good word for that no])le animal, the horse, 

 not afraid to take him by the head and exhibit him at a horse 



