CHAPTER III. 



HOW TO BREED A HOESE. — MUTUAL ADAPTATION OF SIEK AMll 



DAM. 



riEST COKSrDERATlOJT IN IMPROVEMENT OF THE " OOLD " BLOOD — EELATIVB 

 SIZE OP SIRE AND DAM — DEFECTS m EITHER PARENT, HOW EEMEDffiD IN 

 PROGENr — BLOODS WHICH " HIT" — GENERAL RULEi 



In the preceding chapters we have shown a few of the 

 general principles of horse breeding ; the advantages aris- 

 ing from breeding to pure blood on the sire's side, what- 

 ever the quality of the dam ; the points of symmetry and 

 strength most desirable, the necessity for perfect structural 

 and constitutional soundness and health, on both sides, and 

 for the absence of hereditary vice of temper ; and, lastly, 

 the state of health to be aimed at in the dam, as well pre- 

 vious to her being taken to the horse as during the period 

 of ber gestation, and the means to be taken to attain and 

 preserve that condition of health, or, as it is usually termed 

 among horsemen, condition, emphatically. We shall now 

 proceed to show, a little more particularly, what are the im- 

 provements to be obtained in different varieties, and how 

 this improvement is to be produced ; for it is very certain that 

 the same horse will not answer for every kind of mare, but 

 tliat, on the contrary, for very different styles of dams very 

 different styles of sires will be required to produce equal 

 results in the progeny. Now, it may be stated "generally, 

 that the ordinary objects of breeding up are twofold^ One, 

 the most common and most feasible, is, from an entirely 

 sold stock, — we will say, for example, the Cleveland Bay 

 or, tbe nearest approaches to be found to it in this country. 



