THE HOUSE, BREEDING AND RAISING. 95 



mares, unless the mares themselves were of such type as to render it 

 necessary to breed to high and elegant stallions in order to obtain those 

 medium-sized, but compact, and moderately quick-paced animals that are 

 «o well adapted to all the wants of the farmer. 



On the other hand, one wanting a light and fleet animal would set his 

 inconsiderateness in a striking manner who should so disregard all the dic- 

 tates of sound sense as to hope to succeed by any chance selection of 

 either mares or stallions. , 



n. The Best Stock the Cheapest. 



It may be laid down as the lirst rule — a foundation principle — ^that the 

 very best and purest stock that is really adapted to the end in view should 

 he sought after. 



It costs even less to feed a horse of good blood and lineage than it does 

 to maintain a scrub ; it costs no more to shelter him ; it costs less to groom 

 him and keep him in condition than it does to keep the scrub from looking 

 like a scare-crow ; his movement is almost invariably smoother and 

 steadier for the same rates of speed ; his temper is generally better ; his 

 pluck and energy not less so ; and if it is found necessary to put him upon 

 the market, he brings a better price. The service of a stallion known to 

 be of good, generous blood, and possessing adequate powers of transmis- 

 sion, must of course cost more ; there must be a dam adapted to the 

 obtaining of a foal of the best t3rpe possible from such a sire ; but the 

 penny-wise, pound-foolish policy of refusing to avail one's self of these 

 advantages, when in the bounds of possibility, is too apparent. 



Taking it for granted, then, that the best, in this case, is always the 

 cheapest — that the finer and purer the horse can be, other things being 

 equal, the more useful, more easily maintained, and more marketable he is 

 bound to be, it remains to consider some points that must always be re-^ 

 gtrded by the intelligent breeder, who seeks wisely to adapt means to 

 ends rather than to trust to chance. 



m. Hereditary Tendencies and Immaturity to be Guarded Against. 



A caution most needful to be insisted upon at the outset is that 

 relating to the transmission of tendencies to disease and of actual disease 

 itself. It seems that no man in his right senses, knowing the results to 

 the human family when this consideration is disregarded, would think for 

 a moment of utterly ignoring the possibilities of evil consequences ; but 

 ordinary observation leads to the disclosure of the fact that among 

 horses diseases and impaired constitutional powers are often transmitted 

 tQ this way. Mares at an advanced age, too stiff, too weak, too slow to 



