BREEDING 9 



Advocates of scientific breeding are specially con- 

 temptuous about what they describe as " rule-of- 

 thumb," that is to say, disregard of intricate and 

 exhaustive calculations of strains of blood, in favour of 

 the simple attempt to supply from the dam deficiencies 

 in the sire, to obtain from the sire correction of weak 

 points in the dam, and so forth. It is far from certain, 

 however, that, if this is carefully done, a great advance 

 has not been made towards the secret of breeding, so 

 far as any exists ; though there is no doubt that 

 certain strains of blood often " nick " with excellent 

 results. The suggestion will no doubt provoke the 

 contempt of the theorists, but it is an idea firmly held 

 by many men who have considered the subject and 

 dealt with it practically all their lives — and have very 

 likely in their time been themselves ardent supporters 

 of theories, before the futility of their most ingenious 

 calculations had been repeatedly exposed. Certain 

 questions as to make and shape being borne in mind, 

 if a man sends a dam of winners to an approved good 

 sire, the result is very likely to be a good animal. 



Of late years the majority of breeders have paid 

 attention to a point which was formerly much neglected 

 — the necessity of keeping the stallions in good health 

 by giving them sufficient exercise. Opinions differ as 

 to whether it is advisable to ride the horse or to lead 

 or lunge him, and the truth is that this depends in a 

 great measure upon the disposition of the individual 

 animal. But robust exercise is essential, particularly 



