CONSTITUTION OF STALLION. 287 



to which I have drawn attention, besides a host of lesser stars 

 too numerons to mention, it will be admitted that he assumes 

 for granted the exact opposite of what really is the case. 



The choice of particular stallions, as dependent upon their 

 formation, is not less difficult than that of the mare, and it must 

 be guided bj nearly the same principles, excej^t that there is no 

 occasion for any framework especially calculated for nourishing 

 and containing the foetus, as in her case. As far as possible, 

 the horse should be the counterpart of what is desired in the 

 produce, though sometimes it may be necessary to select an ani- 

 mal of a breed slightly exaggerating the peculiarity which is 

 sought for, especially when that is not connected with the pre- 

 ponderance of fore or hind-quarters. Thus, if the mare is very 

 leggy, a more than usually short-legged horse may be selected, 

 or if her neck is too short or too long, an animal with this organ 

 particularly long, or the reverse, as the case may be, should be 

 sought out. But in all cases it is dangerous to attempt to make 

 too sudden alteration with regard to size, as the effort will gen- 

 erally end in a colt made without a due proportion of parts, and 

 therefore more or less awkward and unwieldy. 



In constitution and general health, the same remarks exactly 

 apply to the horse as the mare. All hereditary diseases are to 

 be avoided as far as possible, though few horses are to be met 

 with entirely free from all kinds of unsoundness, some the effects 

 of severe training, and others resulting from actual disease, oc- 

 curring from other causes. With regard to fatness, there is an 

 extraordinary desire for horses absolutely loaded with fat, just 

 as there formerly was for overfed oxen at Christmas. It is quite 

 true that the presence of a moderate quantity of fat is a sign of 

 a good constitution, but, like all other good qualities, it may be 

 carried to excess, so as to produce disease ; and just as there 

 often is hypertrophy, or excess of nourishment of the heart, or 

 any bony parts, so is there often a like suj)erabundance of fat 

 causing obstruction to the due performance of the animal func- 

 tions, and often ending in premature death. This is in great 

 measure owing to want of exercise, but also to over-stimulating 

 food ; and the breeder who wishes his horse to last, and also 

 to get good stock, should take especial care that he has enough 

 of the one and not too much of the other. 



