136 BLOOU WITH SYMMETRY. 



his faults and deficiencies may be easily concealed 

 under that accumulation of flesh and tallow by 

 which prize cattle are so unenviably distinguished. 

 But with horses and hounds the case is reversed, 

 every imperfection, by the necessary process of 

 training, being exposed to view. A decided pre- 

 ference is, however, generally given, by those who 

 breed for the turf, to horses of thorough good 

 blood, or well-established character as successful 

 racers, without sufficient regard to their external 

 form ; and from the inattention to this point, the 

 produce, although true, and hard, perhaps, as steel, 

 will most likely lack power of action and speed, 

 for although blood will tell, yet blood with sym- 

 metry, matched against blood without symmetry, 

 will undoubtedly win the race. Whether in 

 breeding horses or hounds, I have always attached 

 the greatest importance to the dam, and have often 

 witnessed the disappointment of others, who have 

 placed their chief dependence on the sire. It has 

 been said ''that horses always go with their 

 shoulders," which is intended of course to imply 

 that the chief power of the animal lies in his fore- 

 quarters, to which doctrine or maxim I cannot 

 give an unconditional assent, although admitting 

 that without freedom of action in those limbs a 

 horse can scarcely go at all. But my impression 



