562 REVIEW. 
mencing with the “ motives for breeding,” our author — well 
known to the sporting world under the nom-de-guerre of “Cecil” 
— proceeds to shew that horses are the most profitable stock a 
man can breed ; — that the demand for them, and in particular for 
thorough-breds, so far from being lessened, is, taking thorough- 
breds and half-breds together, rather augmented; added to 
which, are to be taken into the account the moderate prices of 
hay and corn. Following this, come — “ the selection of mares” 
for breeding, and of “ stallions ;” " the treatment of mares in 
foal and with foal,” and of “ foals after weaning,” even to 
“ two years old” and upwards; “ breaking;” “physic;” “shoe- 
ing;” “cultivation and management of land ;” “ food, and its 
properties and effects.” Let us cull paragraphs in elucidation 
of these various and varied topics ; so that their contents may 
speak for themselves — perhaps better than we are able to speak 
for them. 
“ Care, attention, and judgment, during a series of years, 
have contributed to improve the condition of an animal above 
that which he enjoys in a wild or native state; and, with ju- 
dicious treatment, there is ample reason to expect that the breed 
of English horses is still capable of improvement. What effect 
the present usages of the turf may have in retarding that im- 
provement, offers an ample field of discussion. But whether 
the present system of racing is calculated to encourage that class 
of horse which is of most value for other purposes, is a question 
with which it is useless to deal ; because all the arguments I 
could adduce against it, and these are many, would be of no 
avail, as they could not change the current of fashion. It is 
sufficient for a breeder, whose object is racing, if he succeeds in 
breeding such horses as are remunerative. If it is his intention 
to breed animals of another class, and he makes a profit by them, 
his purposes are answered.” 
Horse-breeding, in our northern counties where it is most 
and best practised, is any thing, we believe, but a profitable 
occupation. Even Sir Tatton Sykes himself, our king of 
breeders, has never been reported to have accumulated a fortune 
therefrom. Money made out of young stock, we suspect, has 
rather found its way into the pocket of the middle man, who 
caters for the London dealer, than into that of the breeder. 
Still the system may, and probably does, admit of improvement, 
and out of improvement it is possible greater profit may arise. 
