BREEDINa, STOCK-RAIIblNG, ETC. 437 



worse, so that when he is led out to meet her he is all of a 

 frenzy and fever, and can hardly be controlled. This is all 

 wrong, and would not occur were he in constant association 

 with the other sex. He would, in that case, l)p much more 

 docile, quiet, and manageable. As it is, he is^y no means 

 manifesting such a disposition as is desirable for the ordi- 

 nary purposes for which a horse is needed; yet this is the 

 disposition that will be imparted to the foal. 



Another most serious error in the general practice at 

 the present day has been already adverted to, and that is 

 compelling the horse to serve too many mares. Kot a few 

 stallions in this country are forced to serve from sixty to 

 seventy mares during the season of about three months, 

 often being led out two or three times in the same day. No 

 horse can be thus excessively taxed without manifest injury 

 resulting therefrom. To discharge this duty regularly once 

 a day is more than should be exacted from him. Every 

 other day is as often as any horse is competent to meet 

 these continuous demands. 



Here comes in the rule that every writer upon the horse reit- 

 erates, and nearly every petty breeder thinks he knows all 

 about, that " like produces like." It is unquestionably estab- 

 lished that conception is the result of the mingling of cer- 

 tain elements to which both animals contribute. It is prob- 

 able that the seminal fluid of the horse forms the first sub- 

 stance of the foetus, while a smaU particle of blood with the 

 ovum of the mare communicates the principle of life. This 

 is considered to be the case with all red blooded animals. 



It is a correct rule that to end well, any process must begin 

 well; and no one will dispute the statement that the su- 

 perstructure can not be firm and strong unless the founda- 

 tions upon which it rests have first been made the same. 

 With ordinary prudence and management a good begin- 

 ning may reasonably be expected to make a good ending, 

 but a bad beginning it will be exceedingly difficult so to re- 

 construct as to maiie it eventuate in success. Upon these 

 principles, we repeat, do we base our objections to the un- 



