86 
Relative Profits to the Farmer from 
handling and gentle work than in nearly every case they obtain. 
It will be found that, allowing sufficiently for the costly character 
of the keep on a farm of this description, good young horses 
cannot be brought to harness under seventy sovereigns. Calcu- 
lating the deterioration of the mare, the loss of her work for a 
part of the year, and service fee at 16/., the first year's keep of the 
progeny at 10/., the second at 15/., the third at 17/., and the fourth 
at 12/. (the animal can do a little work the fourth year to lighten 
its keep), we have the 70/. referred to. Now, these estimates 
proceed on the assumption that the colts thrive well and escape 
accidents, to ever so many of which they are liable. 
Though these results and other matters rather discourage the 
breeding and rearing of horses on highly rented all-arable farms 
of strong soil, there are exceptional circumstances in which, even 
on such holdings, the animals may be bred. For instance, if the 
tenant has a particular taste for horse-rearing, is a good judge of 
horses, selects sound good animals to breed from, can have his 
breeding mares in very careful hands, and has his farm substan- 
tially fenced, he may breed profitably. No doubt it might cost 
him fully 70/. to bring good youngsters steadily to the collar, 
but he might still be the gainer, for first-class animals would 
at present cost him perhaps 20/. more, and he would have in 
addition the satisfaction and advantage that are commonly 
experienced with home-bred animals. If, however, he has no 
speciality in the equine way, and cannot conveniently arrange 
to save his mares after foaling, and work them lightly for some 
time before, it is better to purchase than to breed, especially if 
he does not happen to be in possession of first-class mares, and 
has not access to the best of sires. 
While horse-breeding on dear arable land, even to the extent 
of the farm requirements, can thus only be in the present state 
of matters successfully adopted in exceptional cases, the bulk of 
the evidence before us goes to show that on most other farms 
agricultural horses can be bred and reared to advantage. Very 
steep hilly land is not suitable, but on a large proportion of the 
holdings in this country a few breeding-mares are profitable. 
The smaller farmers have generally the best opportunities in 
this respect. Their work is comparatively light ; and they have 
this further advantage — the greatest of all perhaps — that the 
animals are either worked, or strictly looked after, by the farmer 
or some of his sons. With access to a range of rough pasture, 
moderately rented land — say from 15s. to 30s. an arable acre — 
with well-fenced fields, rather moist climate, and, .above all, a 
comparative absence of small round stones in the land, horse- 
breeding to a moderate extent pays the smaller farmer just now 
better than anything else. One small farmer of my acquaintance 
