106 BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT. 



Second. If the mare be defective in any particular, she should 

 not be bred to a stallion having a similar, or even an opposite, 

 fault ; but one should rather be chosen perfect in that point. 



Third. Exceedingly small mares should not be bred with 

 enormously large horses ; distortions will generally be the result. 

 For a mare of sixteen hands, a horse of not less than fifteen 

 hands should be selected ; if she be too low or small, the horse 

 maybe an inch or two higher, but not of the tall or leggy kind. 



Fourth. As it is frequently the case, that without any known 

 cause the blood of a certain kind of horses will not cross well 

 with that of another, such instances when ascertained should be 

 avoided. 



Fifth. If the mare is of a good kind of horses, but one which 

 has degenerated in size from "in-breeding," (that is, from con- 

 tinuous breeding into the same family and blood — with their 

 own daughters and grand-daughters, in other words — for about 

 two generations,) the only remedy is, to breed to the purest 

 stallion that can be found, but of a different kind from hers, 

 unless some ten or more generations removed. 



Sixth. After breeding for several generations from males and 

 females of one kind, it is generally beneficial to change to 

 another entirely different ; otherwise degeneracy in size will be 

 the general result. 



The mare should not be put to horse under three years of 

 age. Although some contend that, if lightly worked, she may 

 be used for breeding until she is twenty, yet it is very doubtful 

 whether breeding from any mare over twelve years old, at the 

 very utmost, will prove satisfactory. If a large colt is desired, 

 have a large mare ; as her size has generally more to do with 

 the matter than that of the stallion. The most favorable time 



