^ fSTALLIONS AND MARES, ADAPTATION. 



that are afflicted with these kinds of mal-conformation, or disagreement in sue 



between the parts containing and those contained. 



If). My purpose in making this exposition of the ill-effects pro<luced by 

 mis-shapen limbs, &c. on the horse's health and usefulness, would be incom- 

 plete, were the original causes thereof left unnoticed. The most remote, or 

 more general one, resides in the breed, or the manner of breeding the animal, 

 whence we are sometimes led to say, "what is bred in the bone will never go 

 out of the flesh." As regards the kind of stock from which to raise a supply 

 of young (mes, breeders may undoubtedly suit their own fancies; but it must 

 be seen that a brood mare which receives too much of the horse for her capaci- 

 ty, will produce a foal all father, as it is called, being at the same time larger 

 than she can conveniently carry; it then bids fair from the beginning to be a 

 mis-sha[)en animal. This happens oftener than is commonly imagined ; but 

 it is easily prevented by adopting a horse for her whose strength comes tole- 

 rably near that of the mare. Disreganl of this precaution is found to produce 

 the first foal much smaller, though more lively, than the next and subsequent 

 ones, esjiecially if care be taken in the latter case to give her a horse more and 

 more vigorous as she becomes more roomy. For it must be clear to any body 

 [upon mechanical principles again] that if the foetus, growing too large for 

 the cavity in which it is generated, originates too much bone, it must determine 

 towards some particular part of the young animal ; and the colt will be brought 

 forth with that deformity, and carry it through life, after plaguing two or three 

 of its owners with fruitless endeavours to physic off its ills. 



I say nothing whatever of the cross to be adopted ; that, being contrary to 

 my plan, would carry me too far away from my main subject. But I may 

 observe, in passing on, that no breeder in his senses would think of employ- 

 ing a horse to raise stock that has served half a dozen or more mares in the 

 course of the day ; and yet nothing is more connnon, nor more inevitable when 

 the payment for covering is low (say a guinea or two), than that the small- 

 ness of the sum must be made up by the number of mares served, the price, 

 keep, and attendance, upon stallions being expensive. This error must be so 

 palpable to any man who calls himself a father, as to render any further argu- 

 ment upon that topic utterly unnecessary. Some twenty-five years back in- 

 to the last century, I recollect reading a well-attested account of a celebrated 

 horse's dying in consequence of twelve or fourteen successive efforts in pro- 

 creation ; and if such be the deplorable case with the parent, what strength, 

 bottom, or laslingness, can be hoped for in the progeny so begotten? Never- 

 theless, I am of opinion that a vigorous horse which may have been freely 

 engaged (if early in the season"^ may be in a better condition for raising large 

 and lively stock, than under any other circumstances whatever, except recent 

 exhaustion. Aged stallions produce hard-mouthed foals, and further pro- 

 claim the ill-adapted ages of sire and dam by extraordinary hollowness over 

 the eyes. 



Much depends on the country, the climate, or kind of land, in which tho 

 gestation or breeding may be carried on ; and it may be presumed, that no one 

 in his senses would choose such a situation as is known to be disadvantageous 

 to the particular kind of breeding he may have in contemplation to pursue; 

 whilst those who may already be so placed, have no right to complain when 

 they engage in a branch of business thus ill adapted to their plan o*" flirming, 

 itnd they get disa[)pointed. As both objections lie at tlie option of the parties 

 concerned, they require no further remark ; but another point of consideration 

 well worthy our careful attention is, the treatment the marc ought to experi- 

 ence at our hands while she is breeding ; this being a matter of some moment, 

 and within every one's control, should not be neglected. Though a brood 

 mare in foal requires no pampering at any period, yet it is clear tlvit, from the 



