31 



it is better to breed after maturity has^ been reached 

 than before. In breeding from fillies, their develop- 

 ment is considerably arrested, and it is natural that 

 their progeny cannot have the same vigour as the 

 progeny of thoroughly-matured stock. 



Many people attempt to judge the ages of horses 

 from the depth of the cavities above their eyes, but 

 are unaware, perhaps, that the progeny of old stock 

 have generally deeper-marked cavities at three years 

 of age than the progeny of young stock have at 

 seven. Thus, people who rely on this point in 

 determining the ages of horses are very frequently 

 deceived. A concise method of telling the ages of 

 horses will be explained in another chapter. 



TELEGONY. 



The theory of telegony is one upon which scientific 

 opinion is probably pretty equally divided at the 

 present time. It is one of these problems in the 

 science of stock-breeding requiring such careful 

 observation over a necessarily extended period, that 

 great time must elapse before definite facts can be 

 recorded, if, indeed, they can ever be authentically 

 ascertained so as to raise it from a possible theory 

 to a well-founded truism. With the exception of 

 Professor Cossar Ewart's experiments at Penicuik, 

 few systematic attempts have been made in this 

 country to solve the problem. It is one involving 

 great expenditure of money, much labour and experi- 

 ence, careful observation, and the faithful recording 



