104 A TREATISE ON HQRSE-BREEDINGk 



dam was a dun mare. Here we had the in- 

 herited quality of color lying dormant through 

 two generations, and reappearing under the 

 most unexpected circumstances in the third. 



But while all these points are important it 

 may not be out of place to remind the reader 

 that the man who expects to find all the good 

 qualities and perfect immunity from fault of 

 any kind, in any one animal, will look a long 

 time in vain. This ideal can only be approxi- 

 mated, never reached, in any race or breed. 



GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF THE STALLION. 



The most frequent mistake made by inexperi- 

 enced persons, and even by many who ought to 

 know better, is the endeavor to have the stal- 

 lion in fine show condition by the time the sea- 

 son opens. To this end various drugs, nostrums 

 and roots are recommended; the horse is kept 

 carefully housed and closely blanketed; he is 

 loaded with fat; his muscles become soft and 

 flabby for want of exercise, and although he 

 may come out in the show-yard at the opening 

 of the season looking "as sleek as a mole," and 

 apparently in the very pink of condition, he is 

 in reality not nearly so well fitted for service in 

 the stud as he would have been had this fitting- 

 up process been entirely dispensed with. 



It may be laid down as a general rule, that a 

 healthy horse needs no medicine whatever to 



