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ON THE MANAGEMENT OF FARM HORSES. 
The breeding of farm-horses resolves itself into two branches, — 
the principles of breeding and the practice. Unless the former are 
correct, the latter will be continually at fault, and it will be a 
matter of chance and uncertainty whether success or failure is the 
consequence. “ Like begets like” is an axiom that cannot be dis- 
puted, and it is vain to expect valuable progeny unless the parents 
possess the qualifications which we seek to obtain in the offspring. 
The principal object in breeding cart-horses, as in other animals, 
is gain. The breeder is desirous of breeding animals that will 
yield him the largest pecuniary return ; consequently the most 
profitable animal to rear is that which is likely to suit the London 
market, and so realize the high prices which the wealthy brewers 
are willing (or rather are obliged) to give. 
It is necessary, however, in addition to the possession of suit- 
able mares and horses, that the pasturage should be also abundant 
and nutritious, otherwise the progeny will become monsters in 
ugliness rather than in size. Where, however, the land is suit- 
able, as in Leicestershire and other midland counties, the breeding 
of these massive animals is more profitable than that of other 
agricultural horses. 
The practice adopted is to select the best mares on the farm for 
the purpose of breeding ; sometimes nearly the whole horse stock 
on the farm consists of breeding mares and two and three-year-old 
colts and fillies. Of course, in such instances it is necessary to 
keep rather a large working stock for the size of the farm, in order 
that the mares may be spared for two months in the spring without 
inconvenience. The breeder may or may not possess a stallion 
himself; if not, there will be little difficulty in finding a suitable 
one, as, in consequence of the male serving so many females, it is 
of course more difficult to find a number of suitable mares than it is 
to find a single horse with the proper qualifications. Where the 
purpose is so specific as in the style of horse I am now speaking 
of, it is needless to describe the sort of animal we should choose for 
a stallion. The breeder will not select the horse unless he is large 
and powerful, and yet compact, standing perhaps nearly seventeen 
hands high, and yet comparatively short in the legs, so as to 
deceive a bystander with regard to his height : there is no point 
more desirable than that the horse should appear smaller than he 
really is; it is at once a sure proof that the animal is symmetrically 
formed. However, we may take it for granted that the stallion is 
a fine handsome animal. Any observations will be more useful 
which point out those defects that may co-exist with this fine 
appearance. First, then, we may notice that to which this breed 
is so very much predisposed, — the possession of large ring-bones 
and side-bones on the pasterns. Perhaps it may scarcely be 
