OUR SADDLE-HORSES. 17 



by running a short race like that called " the 

 Derby." Nearly all are more or less infirm 

 from their birth, knuckling in their pastern 

 joints before they have done an hour's work. 



Our race-horses have been much injured 

 under the existing practice on the turf of 

 breeding them much in and in. Their great 

 number seems at first sight sufficient to pre- 

 vent this, but we must recollect that it is 

 only from a small portion of the whole that 

 the race is kept up ; every one breeding for 

 the turf sending his mares only to the stallions 

 whose stock have most speed. 



Had the old tasks been maintained this evil 

 would have been avoided, because, when en- 

 durance and constitutional vigour became at 

 all reduced in any stud, the owner of it would 

 naturally have sent his mares to a stallion yet 

 in possession of those qualities. Thus we see 

 into what a vicious circle the present system 

 of making momentary speed everything has 

 led us. In viewing the defects of our present 

 race-horses, as respects useful purposes, I must 

 add that they exhibit straight shoulders, and 

 to an extent unknown to our turf so late as 

 thirty years ago. This great defect in our 



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