80 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 



instances, where it lias arisen from neglected strangles, — 

 generally known in the United States as colt distemper, — 

 or from a simple inflammation of the larynx, the result of 

 a cold, it will probably never reappear ; but when the gen- 

 uine ideopathic roaring has made its appearance, appar- 

 ently depending upon a diseas3 of the nerves of the larynx, 

 it is ten to one that the offspring will suffer in the same 

 way. 



" Blindness, again, may or may not be hereditary ; but in 

 all cases it should be viewed with suspicion as gTeat as that 

 due to roaring. Simple cataract, without inflammation, un- 

 doubtedly runs in families ; and when a horse or mare has 

 both eyes suffering with this disease without any other de- 

 rangement of the eye, I should eschew them carefully. 

 When blindness is the result of violent inflammation brought 

 on by mismanagement, or by influenza, or by any similar 

 cause, the eye itself is more or less disorganized ; and 

 though this is of itself objectionable, as showing a weak- 

 ness of the organ, it is not so bad as the regular cataract." 



The writer quoted is one of much and standard author- 

 ity, yet it is questionable whether, in his desire to put the 

 question fairly in all its lights, he has not laid too little 

 rather than too much stress on both these perilous affections. 

 We should say, under no possible circumstances breed from 

 a stallion which has any affection of any kind, of the res- 

 piratory 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 oc- 

 curred to one eye, the other has sympathetically 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 excellencies so extraordinary and coun- 

 tervailing that fjr the sake of preserving the stock, one 



