BROKEN WIND NOT HEREDITARY. 193 



that a vast number of race-horses have been bred from 

 sires that were roarers, they have, and it is also cer- 

 tain that great numbers of race-horses have become the 

 same. Whether those that have done so were or are 

 chiefly the progeny of roarers, I do not know ; but I 

 for one would under no case breed from a sire that 

 was one. There is one certain fact relative to roarers 

 that I never yet found a man who could at all account 

 for ; this is, the great number of very large-sized 

 horses that turn out roarers ; while, on the other 

 hand, we rarely see a very small horse or pony that 

 is one. If all large horses were treated like race- 

 horses, we might impute this to the treatment : but it 

 holds good with every description of horse. That fast 

 work and dry feeding combined tend to produce the 

 disease, I think may be fairly inferred from the fact 

 that it is by no means common with cart-horses, 

 though broken wind is. That the latter can be in no 

 Avay hereditary (whatever roaring may or may not be) 

 I consider quite clear, as broken wind, with very 

 few exceptions, is solely the effect of treatment : still 

 I would not breed from a broken-winded mare, 

 mainly from the presumption that whatever oppresses 

 must tend in some measure to lessen the vigour of 

 the constitution, and, by so doing, at all events risks 

 lessening that of the progeny. When therefore there 

 are so many constitutionally sound sires and dams 

 to be had, I certainly would very rarely indeed breed 

 from either that was not so. 



One of the great things to be desired in a brood 

 mare, after having properly selected her, is to ren- 

 der her perfectly familiar and quiet : she should be 

 brought to be as tame as a pet sheep. A great deal 

 more depends on this than many persons think, and 



VOL. II. O 



