133 
ON BREEDING HORSES, &C. 
qualities we can possess in horses for general purposes, may be 
dispensed with in some degree, and in some instances to advan- 
tage ; hence one reason why breeding such animals detracts from 
the essential qualities of the horse for useful purposes : I mean 
that form of body and chest known among horsemen by a strong 
constitution. How many good horses have I known on the turf 
whose legs have been sacrificed by the severe work requisite to 
prepare them ; whose career, otherwise, would probably have been 
a long and brilliant one ! Take Launcelot, Melbourne, Meteor, and 
many others I could mention, as instances : still, they were the 
description of horse required for the general improvement of the 
race, and were race horses as well. 
I do not think that Mr. Goodwin argues fairly when, taking the 
exceptions to prove his opinion instead of the rule, he states, that 
because Venison was a good race horse and sire, that shape and 
substance is not a desideratum ; although we are aware, if with 
this you have bad action, your hopes are frustrated. But Venison 
was not the “ shabby” horse described by him ; for his size, a more 
perfect animal does not exist. 
When one of these exceptions prove first-rate for racing, or for 
any other purpose, it is because their action is superior to what is 
expected in such forms. And why not expected ? Because it does 
not commonly exist. 
It is common with racing men to observe, that they run in all 
forms : so they may ; but the instances of a bad-shaped horse being 
a superior race horse are few. That they sometimes arrive at a 
high pitch in mediocrity, I admit; but still, the proportion the 
number tried of this sort bear to the good-looking, moderate-sized, 
true-shaped colt, is as fifty to one ; leaving out those not thought 
worth preparing for a trial, it incurring no slight expense to know 
whether such an one is worth going on with or not. Hence the 
crowds of such horses in the kingdom, and the chance of one of 
them being a moderate runner. I have come to the conclusion 
that the horses of this country (except for the purposes of racing 
as it now exists) are becoming reduced both in number and quality ; 
and that this is mainly owing to the increased difficulty breeders 
experience in procuring good stallions for half-bred mares at 
moderate charges, and to our best-shaped, sound mares, being 
purchased for the foreign market. The same happens, also, with 
regard to our country stallions ; those best adapted for that pur- 
pose being the very horses selected by foreigners. Their govern- 
ment, or the societies for whom they purchase, enabling them to 
give such prices as empower them to take from this country the 
sound good-looking animal with fine action ; and so forcing breed- 
ers not possessing the means or inclination to pay the prices 
VOL. XXI. T 
