Breeding. 99 



is very leggy, a more than usual short-legged horse may 

 be selected, or if the neck is too short or too long, an 

 animal with this organ particularly long or the reverse, as 

 the case may be, should be sought out. But in all cases 

 it is dangerous to attempt to make too sudden an altera- 

 tion with regard to size, as the effort will generally end in 

 a colt made without due proportion of parts, and there- 

 fore more or less awkward and unwieldy. 



In constitution and general health, the same remarks 

 exactly apply to the horse as the mare. All hereditary 

 diseases are to be avoided as far as possible, though few 

 horses are to be met with entirely free from all kinds of 

 unsoundness, some the effect of severe training, and 

 others resulting from actual disease, occurring from other 

 causes. With regard to fatness, there is an extraordinary 

 desire for horses absolutely loaded with fat, just as there 

 formerly was for over-fed oxen at Christmas. It is quite 

 true that the presence of a moderate quantity of fat is a 

 sign of a good constitution, but like all other good quali- 

 ties, it may be carried to excess, so as to produce disease ; 

 and just as there often is hypertrophy, or excess of 

 nourishment of the heart, or any bony parts, so is there 

 often a like superabundance of fat, causing obstruction to 

 the due performance of the animal functions, and often 

 ending in premature death. This is in great measure 

 owing to want of exercise, but also to over-stimulating 

 food ; and the breeder who wishes his horse to last, and 

 also to get good stock, should take especial care that he 

 has enough of the one and not too much of the other. 



In temper, also, there is no more to be added to what 

 I have said relating to the mare, except that there are 

 more bad-tempered stallions met with than mares, inde- 

 pendently of their running, and this is caused by the con- 

 stant state of unnatural excitement in which they are kept. 

 This kind of vice is, however, not of so much importance, 

 as it does not affect the running of the stock, and solely 

 interferes with their stable management. 



