OUR SADDLE-HORSES. 57 



CHAPTER V. 



On the close analogy between the principles which should guide 

 us in breeding saddle-horses, and those by which we have so 

 long succeeded in breeding other domesticated animals. 



In breeding other domesticated animals it 

 has very long been the practice to have re- 

 course to fresh blood when the natural, as well 

 as some of the acquired qualities of those 

 animals have become deteriorated. 



The first of these cases I propose to consider 

 is that of our fox-hounds, which, not being 

 assisted, like foreign hounds, by fire-arms, 

 have to kill their game by their own exer- 

 tion. They require a strong sense of smell, 

 speed, and endurance. If the master of 

 such hounds were to remain quiescent when 

 they begin to fall off in any or these qualities, 

 they would soon cease to kill foxes, be- 

 cause these being wild animals, as a race 



