36 The Horse Farrier. 



cause, took pains to explain it, proving the correctness 

 of their statements by reference to the first of the 

 horse's get, produced under a proper system of breed- 

 ing, and which were then in their prime, and among 

 the best horses in England. 



" In selecting a mare," says Youatt, " it is perhaps 

 more difficult to select a good mare to breed from than a 

 good horse, because she should possess somewhat op- 

 posite qualities. Her carcase should be long, in order 

 to give room for the growth of the fetus, and yet with 

 this there should be compactness of form and shortness 

 of leg. In frame, the mare should be so formed as to 

 be capable of carrying and well nourishing her off- 

 spring ; that is, she should be what is called ( roomy.' 

 There is a formation of the hips which is particularly 

 unfit for breeding purposes, and yet which is some- 

 times carefully selected, because it is considered ele- 

 gant ; this is the level and straight hip, in which the 

 tail is set on very high, and the end of the haunch bone 

 is nearly on a level with the projection of the hip bone. 

 Nearly the opposite form is the more desirable. She re- 

 quires such a shape and make as is well adapted for the 

 purpose she is intended for," that is to say, for pro- 

 ducing colts of the style and form she is intended to 

 produce. We will add, that she must have four good 

 legs under her, and those legs standing as a foundation 

 on four good, well shaped, large feet, opened-heeled 

 and by no means flat-soled. That she should have a 

 good, lean, bony head, small cased, broad fronted, well 

 set on, upon a high, well carved neck, thin at its 



