BREEDING, STOCK-RAISING, ETC. 453 



against the crossing of races very dissimilar in forn., size, and 

 habits. The Indian pony may be bred to the finest horse in 

 the country, even the imported Arabian, and the colt will be 

 but a scrub, having few or none of the good qualities of 

 either sire or dam. All subsequent combinations of the same 

 sort will sink below the standard of even the first cross. 



The art of successful crossing consists, mainly, in bringing 

 together distinct families of the same race, but of some- 

 what contrasted forms and sizes. The mare elevates or de- 

 presses the race above or below the standard of the horse 

 according as her qualities are superior to his or the reverse. 

 The nearer the mare is to the horse in all essentiaPqualities, 

 the nearer will be the colt. If she is superior to the horse, 

 she will generally produce offspring of the same relative char- 

 acter, though more or less inferior to herself. On the other 

 hand, if the horse be the superior animal, the foal will be 

 also, iDut not so good as his sire. 



This is the general rule, which only holds good, however, 

 when the horse breeds his own stock and qualities. Some- 

 times he breeds back to several generations previous, and 

 this may occur when the older stock is either better or worse 

 than himself. Where the mingled qualities of several races 

 exist in the horse, one of them often greatly predominates in 

 the foal. There can be no certainty in breeding from a horse 

 of this character, unless some particular blood is known to 

 predominate in his case to begin with. In regard to the 

 mare, we may judge with more accuracy; her size, form, 

 plight, etc., will indicate pretty clearly the kind of a colt we 

 are going to obtain. 



The law of compensation, so much dwelt upon by many 

 Writers, we regard as of but doubtful, or, at least, partial, 

 application in respect to the horse. It is from this rule, so- 

 called, that the practice is derived of meeting the deficient 

 parts or qualities of either parent by superior excellence in 

 the same points in the other. For instance, if the mare be 

 faulty as to breadth of chest, the horse, it is said, should be 

 particularly well-developed in that regard; if the horse be 



