CHAPTER III. 



THE STALLION— DESIRABLE POINTS 

 AND FAULTS. 



In selecting a stallion to breed from we must 

 remember always that it is the handwork of 

 man from which we have to choose. Therefore 

 if we desire to pick out one which may reason- 

 ably be expected to transmit his conformation 

 we must look for one which presents those char- 

 acteristics which have been favored of all men 

 ever since the work of improvement was begun. 

 There is for this reason one quality which I 

 count easily first in betokening promise of pre- 

 potence, and that is a good outlook — a high- 

 headed, bold, noble masculine presence. All 

 the ancient writers refer to the crest of the stal- 

 lion. The Bible clothes his neck with thunder 

 and makes him sniff the battle from afar. The 

 oldest sculptures show him as a stallion should 

 be in this regard. I never knew a stallion with 

 the head and neck of a mare to be a good 

 breeder. The bold outlook is possessed by the 

 winning show horses. It is possessed by their 

 sires. Men have bred for it, striven for it, even, 

 as history teaches, fought for it during thou- 

 sands of years. The horse that shows it is like- 

 ly to have it by right of inheritance — a reason- 



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