COL TS BY MAR Q UIS 45 



procuring the ofDinion of some competent friend, or 

 that of a well-known veterinary surgeon, and get him 

 to examine any mare he may not feel sure of. I am, 

 however, bound to admit that it is not always an easy 

 matter to find a veterinary surgeon who is possessed 

 of the knowledge requisite in such cases. Veterinary 

 surgeons are by no means infallible, and are at times 

 apt to be totally wrong as regards the formation of 

 brood-mares and colts ; and I have known them make 

 the most terrible mistakes at times. I fear that many 

 of them are very much overrated, and are above con- 

 fessing themselves puzzled or wrong, and often give 

 erroneous opinions to conceal their ignorance, and this 

 I consider to be the reverse of right. Many of the 

 colts got by Marquis had their off-hock larger than the 

 near, and were fired as for spavin. I endeavoured to 

 prove to several veterinary surgeons that these colts 

 were not spavined. Even Professor Ferguson ex- 

 pressed his doubts as to the correctness of my asser- 

 tion ; but I proved it to be so, for the colts which I 

 had by the same horse, and which were similarly 

 formed, were not fired, and as they grew up they 

 developed hocks as perfect and clean and sound as 

 they could be. Professor Ferguson set an example in 

 former days which many veterinary surgeons would do 

 well to follow, for he never hesitated to admit when he 

 was puzzled or in error. 



I would therefore advise anyone who may be desirous 

 of breeding horses to be very careful as to what 

 veterinary surgeon he may consult in cases where 

 formation is doubtful. Some people consider that if a 

 mare is sound in wind and sight it is sufficient. There 

 cannot be a more mistaken idea, for no animal should 



