TRAINING OF HORSES. 45 
or both, the same rule applies with equal force to the 
habits and dispositions. It is a well-settled fact that 
certain traits and peculiarities belong to certain breeds 
of horses, and, if thé blood is not crossed, will be in- 
herited from generation to generation. Our application 
of this established rule is, that the same will apply to 
habits. We might extend our views upon this subject, 
and describe how inevitably the laws of nature entail 
diseases known to horse-flesh, and give valuable hints 
upon the danger of breeding from decrepid or unsound 
stock, were it within the scope of our present subject— 
the training of colts. In‘réference to the effect of dreed- 
ing upon the habits of the colt, we can not, perhaps, 
better explain our meaning than by the following illus- 
‘tration : Suppose you havea colt which, before he has 
ever had an opportunity to acquire bad habits, should 
show signs of balking, biting, or kicking. You say, 
“‘How came he by it? He has had no chance to learn 
it.” If you will look back to the character of the mare, 
(possibly the stallion, but oftener the mare,) you will be 
almost certain to find that she was either a balking, bif- 
ing, or kicking beast; and bya nearly unerring law you 
may trace the connection between the two, and charge 
the bad habit of the colt to the’ account of one or both 
of his progenitors. Another point in our theory is 
aptly explained by the following : Briskly (not roughly) 
exercise your mare with foal—frequently walk her as 
rapidly as her gait will allow, and you will have a brisk, 
fast-walking colt; on the contrary, allow her to be stupid 
