88 THE HORSE 



and taking very little trouble about it? Most individuals — 

 certainly in England — breed from a mare because she 

 has carried them to hounds for a certain period, to 

 their own satisfaction, and they therefore think they 

 v^^ould like to have a foal out of her as a matter of senti- 

 ment, and generally put off the attempt to realise their 

 desire until the mare is well stricken in years. They 

 probably know nothing whatever about her breeding, or 

 whether she comes of a family which has been hunted for 

 generations, and they have no intention of founding a line 

 and carrying on the breed from mother to daughter. That 

 the colt or filly which is thus bred should be a disappoint- 

 ment, and throw back to some former undesirable ancestor, 

 is only in accord with experience and the teaching of 

 present-day science ; but having bred two or three foals, the 

 owner quite believes he knows all about the question, poses 

 as an authority, and impresses upon such as will believe 

 him, "It is all a matter of chance, my dear fellow ; why 

 I HAVE TRIED IT MYSELF ! " In his own mind this 

 disposes of the matter ! And, moreover, even if he does 

 succeed in breeding a useful animal, it is more than likely 

 he is far too indifferent a horseman to undertake the 

 training of a high-spirited young horse himself ; while there 

 is no groom in the stable fitted to act the role of a breaker, 

 so that the young one either ends in gaining its own way, if 

 it is masterful, or gets spoiled, and never takes its place 

 in the hunting stable. This is not so much the case, 

 however, in Ireland, which is one reason for the vast 

 superiority, in general, of the Irish hunter. The dam has 

 very frequently been well ridden to hounds, and shown her 

 aptitude for crossing a country ; and also is no chance-bred 

 animal, her ancestors having belonged to the same family, 

 or been in the neighbourhood, for many generations, and 

 the capabilities of each scion having been well known 

 to everybody. Since like begets like if the foal throws 

 back to a female ancestor the type is a good one ; and 

 though it is impossible to breed what you like whenever 

 you wish to do so, still a start is made with the elements in 

 your favour. A certain amount of disappointment must be 



