38 The Horse Farrier. 



Under no possible circumstances breed from a stal- 

 lion which has any affection of any kind of the respi- 

 ratory organs, whether seated in the lungs or in the 

 windpipe, or from one which has any affection of the 

 eyes, unless it be the direct result of an accident, such 

 as a blow or a puncture, nor even then, if the accident, 

 having occurred to one eye, the other has sympatheti- 

 cally followed suit ; and, on the other side, we should say 

 on no account breed from a mare affected in either way, 

 unless she be possessed of some excellences so extra- 

 ordinary and countervailing, that for the sake of pre- 

 serving the stock one would be willing to run some 

 risk of having a worthless animal for his own use, in 

 the hope of possibly having one free from the dreaded 

 defect and of superlative excellence. 



Previous to sending the mare to the horse she should 

 be got into the most perfect state of health and con- 

 dition, by moderate exercise, abundance of good, nutri- 

 tous food and warm stabling. It is not desirable that 

 she should be in a pampered state produced by hot 

 stables or extraordinary clothing, that she should have 

 the short fine coat or the blooming and glowing con- 

 dition of the skin, for which one would look in a race- 

 horse about to contend for a four mile heat — not that 

 she should be in that wiry form of sinew and steel-like 

 hardiness of muscle, which is only the result of train- 

 ing. Still less desirable is it she should be overloaded 

 with fat, especially that soft fat generated by artifi; 

 cial feeding. 



The temper is of great importance, by which must 



