46 THE HORSE 



formed, were not as heavy as they should be for 

 his body. As he matured, this disproportion be- 

 came more evident and I was not surprised when 

 at four years he threw out a curb on each hind leg. 



Both parents of this colt were sound and of 

 sound lineage. The trouble was that the cross 

 was too extreme. 



The disposition of a horse is a thing of so much 

 importance that no breeder can afford to over- 

 look it. It is, of course, a well-known fact that 

 many naturally good colts are spoiled and have 

 their tempers soured by bad management. But 

 this does not account, by any means, for all the 

 bad ones. Horses vary in character and disposi- 

 tion as much as human beings do and come by 

 their traits in the same way — by inheritance. 



The disposition of a horse seems to be inherited 

 more from his dam than his sire. So true is this 

 that, while I have known many good-dispositioned 

 colts whose sires were not very pleasant animals, 

 I have known very few who were the offspring of 

 peevish, irritable, and treacherous mares. Such 

 mares should never be used for breeding, unless 

 some exceptional circumstance (as the possession 

 of unusual speed or endurance) may make it seem 

 worth while, and even then its expediency may 

 often be doubted. For the disposition of a horse 

 affects his value very materially and there are 



