their  Breeding  and  Management. 
43 
blood-stock,  and  although  no  narrow-chested  horse  ought  ever 
to  be  used  with  the  expectation  of  getting  a stayer  (though  a 
mare  with  depth  is  best  so  made),  a thoroughbred  country 
sire  ought  not  to  be  too  wide  in  front,  most  farmers’  mares 
having  this  tendency.  But  if,  perchance,  the  horse  selected 
catch  the  eye  as  a little  faulty  in  this  respect,  if  his  feet,  as  he 
stands,  are  nearish  together,  there  is  no  great  objection  to  the 
horse  with  a broad  chest.  But  if,  as  he  stands,  the  feet  are 
wide  apart,  with  the  toe  possibly  turned  in,  which  is  common 
with  wide-chested  horses,  there  cannot  really  be  a worse  fault ; 
and  as  it  is  quite  six  to  four  on  this  fault  reappearing,  to  avoid 
a horse  with  it,  is  my  advice.  It  is  curious,  and  I believe  a 
much  unobserved  fact  bv  breeders  of  thoroughbred  stock,  how 
many  really  good  race-horses  have  failed  at  the  stud  from  this 
fault  alone.  “ Lanercost  ” was  a good  race-horse,  but  got  a lot  of 
his  stock  with  their  toes  in.  like  “ Liverpool,”  his  sire,  and 
consequently  failed.  “ The  Provost  ” was  a good  horse,  but  he 
had  a toe  turned  in,  and  mostly  put  it  on  all  his  stock,  and 
failed.  “Tomboy,”  and  his  son  “ Gameboy  ” (a  wonderfully 
fine-bred  horse),  got  most  with  both  toes  in,  and  were  also 
failures ; in  short,  it  is  a fault  I have  had  my  eye  on  ever  since 
I gave  any  attention  to  the  subject  of  horses  ; and  I never  knew 
a sire  either  with  thoroughbred  or  country  mares  ever  succeed 
who  had  it.  And  I should  be  very  glad,  as  I am  always  willing 
to  learn,  if  any  breeder  can  direct  me  to  a sire  icho  has  this 
fault  that  has  not  put  it  on  his  stock,  or  that  has  been  a success 
at  the  stud. 
To  return,  however,  to  the  horse  I have  described  as  most 
suitable  tor  the  sort  of  mare  found  among  farmers.  I am  quite 
prepared,  to  hear  that  such  horses  are  difficult  to  find,  and  so  they 
may  be.  Nevertheless,  the  fact  remains  that  this  stamp  of  horse 
is  the  only  one  to  correct  glaring  faults  in  big  mares,  and  as 
there  are  in  all  breeding  districts  horses  approaching  this 
description,  if  a farmer  trill  go  a little  out  of  his  tcay  to  find 
them,  I can  only  say,  in  spite  of  being  considered  somewhat 
erratic  to  attempt  to  lay  down  any  fairlv  hard-and-fast  rule  by 
which  a vast  amount  of  uncertaintv  attending  the  breeding  of 
horses  may  be  avoided,  that  if  the  horse  I have  described  be 
tried,  though  the  breeder  may  not  at  first  like  his  foals  so  much 
as  those  by  the  big  horse,  they  will  improve  on  him  as  they 
grow  older,  and  sell  when  their  time  arrives.  In  this  district 
little  horses  have  always  done  the  best.  “ Oberon  ” and  “ Agri- 
cola  were  such,  the  former  barely  15  hands  1 inch,  but  very 
wide,  with  big  limbs.  “ Old  President  ” and  “ Perion  ” were 
the  same  stamp,  and  have  left  indelible  marks  to  this  day. 
“ Cain,  sire  of  “ Ion,”  one  of  the  best  racing  strains  of  the  day, 
