reproduce their kind ; consequently grey horses increase 

 and multiply in France; 



Thus it is that a grey horse is not the rarity in France 

 it is on an English racecourse. No decrease in the 

 number of greys is observable in that country ; on the 

 contrary, their numbers continue to increase year by year, 

 for the simple reason that if a grey horse gets a grey 

 foal and the latter turns out well 'he is sent to the stud 

 and perpetuates his colour. 



Perhaps we may regard this circumstance as another 

 illustration of the wise and broadminded system of 

 breeding that prevails among our French neighbours. 

 In breeding horses for working purposes they displa}' no 

 undue prejudice in favour of blood sires simply because 

 they are blood sires; but, in choosing a stallion, they 

 attach far more importance to make and shape than 

 they do to his breeding. 



May it not be that the frequency of grey race- 

 horses is due to the same wise policy — that if a grey 

 race-horse achieves success on the Turf he receives, when^ 

 sent to the stud, the preference of breeders, who regard 

 his performances as sufficient warranty of merit, even 

 though he may not come of the most fashionable English 

 strains ? 



Having re.^ard to the part the Thoroughbred plays in 

 breeding hunters and other horses of luxury, we may 

 find other reasons for the rarity of grey sires to per- 

 petuate their colour. Grey horses are disliked by many 

 people because the coat shows stains so easily, and 

 because the hair which comes off shows conspicuously 

 on the clothes. The grey horse turns white as he gets 

 old and thus shows his age. 



Moreover, as Captain Hayes has remarked, coachmen 

 and grooms dislike greys, as being more troublesome to 



