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MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY. 
thought too small to he a good breeding stallion, and 
refused to use him as such. Sir Robert Keith Dick, Bart., 
however, who had been long in India, was well aware of the 
fallacy of size being an objection. He offered to keep him 
at Prestonfield and breed from him. The first colt of his 
produce turned out the largest that Sir Robert had ever 
bred. It is an established axiom, that in general the 
produce partakes of the qualities, or the mingled qualities 
of both parents. Above all things, avoid breeding from 
either a horse or mare which has any disease, as it is quite 
certain that the progeny will inherit it; and like diseases 
in the human race, if it does not show itself in the first 
generation, it is more than probable it will break out in the 
second ; so that breeders should always know the history of 
both sire and dam. And we again repeat, that however 
perfect the form of the horse, these may be neutralized by 
a defective mare. Wherever bad points appear in either the 
male or female of animals the breeder is anxious to avoid, or, 
on the other hand, keep up, from possessing some good quali¬ 
ties and points, attention should be paid to put an animal of 
the opposite sex to the other having those points in a more 
perfect degree ; and it cannot be too strongly impressed 
upon the mind that excellence on the part of the mare is as 
essential as that of the horse : for it very rarely happens 
that a good foal is produced by a sorry mare 
We see what has been effected in Yorkshire and other 
midland counties in breeding the larger-sized cart-horses, 
by a strict attention to have both sire and dam as perfect 
as possible in their form. Both parents should be in full 
possession of their health and strength; and it is a great 
mistake to suppose that a mare can be fit for breeding when 
incapacitated for work. Many suppose that because a mare 
is rendered lame by accident, that she is nevertheless usefu/ 
