HORSES. 203 



that a profitable return will always be made to tlic breeder ; 

 but we conceive that those wlio are fond of the horse, and liavc 

 opportunity, might be willing to run some moderate risk, in 

 the attempt to raise a satisfactory animal. 



Tlie great difficulty in producing what is desirable, lies iti 

 the uncertainty of the animal from which you undertake to 

 breed. To obtain a good product, you must have a good sire 

 and a good dam. Without these, all your care and labor will, 

 probably, be in vain. It is, therefore, j)roper to know, not only 

 the antecedents of the animals from which you intend breeding, 

 but to know as much as possible of the antecedents of tlieir 

 ancestors. Qualities, mental and physical, good and bad, and 

 even habits, we have reason to know, are transmissible from 

 generation to generation. It is not policy to breed from any 

 dam that has a physical defect. The famous English horse, 

 Eclipse, had a natural mark of a dark color on his q uarter 

 which mark, though not a defect, was noticed in his progeny in 

 the fifth and sixth generation. If such a casual mark as that 

 would be transmitted for such a length of time, it certainly is 

 of consequence that there should be no time and expense 

 thrown away upon those animals which have obvious defects, 

 mental or physical. 



The dam should be capacious, of good disposition, good con- 

 stitution, and good habits. It may safely be asserted that no 

 really good man ever came from a bad mother, and we should 

 vainly expect a good and serviceable colt, from sire or dam, 

 who had vicious habits, vicious propensities, or physical defects. 

 Both sire and dam, then, should possess intelligence, good- 

 nature, good constitution, and good habits. The sire should 

 be spirited, — a quality not inconsistent with good disposition, 

 though many spirited horses have strong tempers, — a fault that 

 undoubtedly may be attributed, in many instances, to defective 

 education ; but however good in other respects, however sym- 

 metrical or gifted with physical beauty, we would caution 

 against the use of any sire that had vicious qualities or habits. 

 An irritable horse, with a disposition to be kicking, or biting, or 

 crowding in the stall, is a brute not entitled to the care and 

 companionship of man, and no one has a right to offer sucli for 

 the use of the public, no matter how beautiful his form, or 

 satisfactory his pedigree. 



