HYGIENE OF BREEDING 891 



should be built on more substantial lines than in the 

 female. The head should be big and massive, with a bold 

 expression of the eye, and set on a strong, well-turned 

 neck. 



Any tendency to lightness of the neck should be avoided 

 in a sire as it shows lack of constitution, and such sires 

 are seldom successful stock- getters. 



Quality in the sire is of importance as well as in the 

 dam, but must be associated with more vigour. The 

 female need not be so big as the sire, but must be very 

 wide of hip and roomy of body to permit of the unimpeded 

 development of the generative organs and fcetus. She 

 must possess quality, and the bony frame should not be so 

 massive as in the male. The head should be small, with 

 a mild, placid expression, and should show fine quality. 

 The neck should be much lighter than in the male. The 

 udder should be of the correct shape and well developed, 

 and this is of importance, as the development of the 

 progeny will be very much modified by the nourishment 

 it receives in early life. Any tendency towards a lymphatic 

 temperament should be carefully avoided both in sire and 

 dam. 



In the selection of the sire the criterion of the race-course 

 or show-ring may generally be accepted as a safe guide, 

 as a male which has proved a success in either sphere can 

 generally be depended on to transmit his good points to 

 the progeny, provided that his health has not been ruined 

 by over-feeding. 



In the case of the female this is not by any means so 

 certain ; in fact, exceptional females, either on the race- 

 course or in the show-ring, commonly prove disappointing 

 at the stud. The reason for this, we think, is not difiicult 

 to find. A mare which has the conformation which enables 

 her to achieve great success on the race-course probably 

 has not the width of hip and roominess of body which are 

 essential to success at the stud, and also probably lacks 

 feminine character. 



In addition to this, if she has been kept in training for 



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