STALLIONS, BROOD MARES AND FOALS. 95 



The feet are, of course, a very important ap- 

 pendage to the legs. . In shape, a medium be- 

 tween a flat foot and a mule-shaped one is to 

 be preferred ; and it should always be of good 

 size, with a large degree of concavity in the 

 bottom. The frog should be full and lively, 

 free from thrush or canker; and the hoof must 

 be hard and elastic, without cracks, and free 

 from brittleness. 



If all these details were looked after by breed- 

 ers in selecting brood mares, as well as stallions, 

 we should soon note a marked improvement in 

 the legs and feet of our horses; for there is not 

 a single good point or. defect among those above 

 enumerated that is not liable to be transmitted 

 to the offspring. It is too often the case that 

 mares especially, after having broken do\\n 

 through some inherent defect in the feet or 

 legs, so that they can no longer be profitably 

 used, are relegated to the breeding stud to trans- 

 mit again to their progeny the malformation 

 that made them worthless. Like does not al- 

 ways beget like in every feature and detail, but 

 in general terms the saying is a true one, and 

 defects are just as likely to be transmitted as 

 good qualities. Mares or stallions disabled or 

 crippled by accident, and not from constitu- 

 tional tendency or weakness in any particular, 

 may be safely used for breeding purposes; but 

 those that have given way through weakness 



