32 GOOD RACEHORSES SOMETIMES BAD SIRES. 



Thus the failing might be modified in the progeny, 

 and a racehorse might be the result ; but if careless on 

 this point the offspring might, and most likely would, 

 be well-nigh deformed and useless. 



I utterly deprecate the system so ruinously adopted 

 by many, of breeding from animals merely because 

 they were good. If we consider the essential qualifi- 

 cations of a racehorse, we must see that an animal 

 may be extraordinarily gifted in certain peculiarities : 

 as temper, handiness, immense nervous action, and in- 

 domitable courage. These then may, and often do, 

 outweigh some grievous defects in conformation; but 

 unless we can be sure of such peculiarities being 

 handed down to their progeny in equal ratio, we ought 

 not to regard them more highly than their worth. 



For this reason, I say that Bay Middleton and the 

 Flying Dutchman, &c., have proved decided failures 

 at the stud ; yet no one will deny, I imagine, that they 

 themselves were quite unsurpassed as racehorses. 



To sum up then, I like a very long, low, and rather 

 loosely built mare, in opposition to a compact closely 

 ribbed up animal. They generally throw finer and 

 more racing like foals, although Crucifix and Beeswing 

 come in as the exceptions. 



This is the only point on which I think the stallion 

 should differ from the mare. He cannot be too com- 

 pactly set, so long as he has freedom and length. 



February is the best time to put the mare to the 

 horse ; and if only just out of training, she should 

 have a dose of physic and cooling diet ; and if then she 



