THE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF BREEDING. 91 



of nervous energy is obtained, and the horse is less likely to 

 tire, and will consequently do more work. 



For common agricultural purposes, there is no horse so handy 

 as one about 15 hands or a little more ; and where the land is 

 not particularly heavy, and the principal object of the farmer 

 is to get useful horses for his own use, he cannot do better than 

 breed these little active animals, which, by a judicious attention 

 to the qualities of the sire and the dam, he may obtain with 

 such a degree of speed in the walk as to do half as much work 

 again as the heavy, hairy-legged sort. 



When, however, the farmer intends selling off his stock after 

 working them two years, so as to reahse large prices for the 

 London market, it is then essential that a much greater size 

 should be attained, viz. from 16 to 17 hands, together with a 

 disposition to carry plenty of flesh, for the Londoners will not 

 buy unless a horse is fat. 



These purposes, however, may still be effected without losing 

 sight of the principle we have advocated, that of improving the 

 breed ; for, by selecting large, active, good-shaped cart marcs, 

 and by putting them to a powerful half-bred stallion (better bred 

 than he looks), we may secure size and shape, at the same time 

 have substance and flesh enough to please the metropolitan eye, 

 and to obtain as high prices as any that are sent to the London 

 markets. I have myself seen many of this breed whom no one 

 Avould condemn as too light for any purposes of drauglit. I do 

 not like the plan, however, of putting a cart mare to a thorough- 

 bred horse, as, generally speaking, these extremes are not equally 

 mixed in the off'spring, but are harshly conjoined ; for we often 

 see them with the legs of the sire, and the carcass of the dam, 

 the two extremes meetiny, but not mbujling, in the young 

 animal. 



In breeding half-bred horses, so as to realise a profit, the 

 principle to be kept in view is to produce an animal that will at 

 four or five years old realise 50/. or 60Z. ; to do which no greater 

 expense is incurred than in breeding an animal of one half this 

 value. 



In the first place, then, we have to inquire what sort of animal 

 it is that realises this high price. They are principally of two 

 kinds, hunters and carriage horses. By hunters, however, we 

 do not mean any animal that can gallop fist over a light country ; 

 but one that can carry a heavy weight in deep ground, well up 

 to hounds when the scent is good, and the pace proportionate. 

 For this purpose we require breed and substance in the highest 

 degree the two qualities can be combined together. The horse 

 should be as nearly as possible 16 hands, with a deep chest 

 and barrel ; not too short in the back, but with strong loins and 

 quarters ; good fore-arm and legs ; light head and neck, but the 



