HOW TO KNOW HIM. 7 



your analysis within, you must question the nervous 

 forces of the organization, you must knock at the por- 

 tals of, and actually gain admission to, the brain of the 

 animal, before you can judge of his value to you, or the 

 place he holds in the column that represents compara- 

 tive or absolute excellence. You observe, also, that, to 

 the breeder, this question of temperament is of vital sig- 

 nificance. The problem with him is one of judicious 

 mingling of the three essential temperaments in order 

 to produce the most desirable results. The nervous 

 temperament alone will not answer. Rapidity of move- 

 ment is not enough. He must breed into his colts mus- 

 cular power ; and this is represented by the bilious tem- 

 perament. 



But of what avail are quickness of motion and mus- 

 cular strength, unless to these are joined capable lung- 

 power, elasticity of the heart-structure, and that efficient 

 arterial and venous development, by the steady and 

 healthy action of which the system can alone be minis- 

 tered unto, the wasted fibre removed, and new nerve 

 and muscular substance daily supplied. The true 

 point, therefore, for the breeder to consider, is this : 

 Granted such or such a temperament to the mare, 

 what stallion is there whose temperamental organization 

 is of such a character, that the two, meeting and min- 

 gling together in the foal, may produce in this third or- 

 ganization the harmonious union of the greatest number, 

 and in the greatest degree, of the needed and essential 

 elements? for the relative proportion in which they 



