HOW TO MAKE MONEY BY HOESES. - 41 



*' Fine, large, roomy mares," is a favourite descrip- 

 tion with many persons, as regards a good sort of 

 brood mare. " Fine," if by that is meant a good sort, 

 such most unquestionably she should be, and sound, 

 that is, free from any constitutional unsoundness ; she 

 also should have naturall)^ good legs and feet, and 

 no natural deformity or unsightliness about her, for 

 such is quite likely to be hereditary. If " large and 

 roomy," perhaps the better; but I do not consider 

 this to be by any means a sine qua 7ion ; for we see in 

 our own sex mothers of less than usual size produce 

 as fine offspring as the larger ones ; and I know in 

 the breeding racing stock, where blood is of far 

 more importance than size, very diminutive mares 

 often produce foals that grow into large horses. 

 "Whether at their birth they may be of the same size 

 as the produce of larger mares, I am not prepared to 

 say ; but am quite convinced that whether the mo- 

 ther be fifteen hands or sixteen, will usually make 

 little or no difference in the future size of the colt, 

 though in the mother the four inches makes the 

 distinction between a small or large mare. I should, 



