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ON BREEDING. 
To account for the great difference that exists between France 
and England, as regards their breed of horses, is impossible ; un¬ 
less we refer it to neglect, and ignorance in their method of 
breeding: for we know of no particular difference, either in the 
soil or climate of the two countries ; nor does the climate of Eng¬ 
land approach, in a greater degree, that of the primitive habitation 
of this animal than that of France. u The Old Forrester,” an 
anonymous correspondent in the u Sporting Magazine,” says, 
“ That if the French government lay out as many louis as it 
now does francs in the attempted improvements in horses, so 
long as the system at present adopted continues, and the great 
mass of the people remains the same, no danger of the English 
being out-done, as breeders of horses, is to be apprehended these 
next five hundred years.” 
Such is the present state of “ horse-flesh” in “ La belle 
France.” That they require anew system in their method of breed¬ 
ing, is very evident; but what remedy to recommend, is beyond 
our ken. 
“ Aux grands maux, les grands remedes.” 
And in their attempted improvements in breeding, and ameliorat¬ 
ing their principal domestic animals, they should not forget 
another of their idioms,— 
“ Nourriture passe nature.” 
SPAIN. 
The Spanish horse is every thing, in figure, strength, speed, 
and constitution, that a horse ought not to be; he is, in fact, a 
miserable specimen of his species; and the disproportion observ¬ 
able in the different parts of which he is composed, produces most 
discordant and unnatural motions, wanting, what Bourgelat 
considers as necessary to constitute perfection : u cette regularity 
de proportions qui, constitue les belles formes et, de plus, est 
essential a la justesse des aplombs.” The Spaniards have taken 
great pains in breeding mules, which they produce in great num¬ 
bers ) and in order to procure a considerable number of these use¬ 
ful animals they have sacrificed their handsomest mares, whereby 
they have almost totally annihilated the race of good horses in a 
country which, so late as the reign of Philip IV, could furnish 
eighty thousand for military service. 
The Flemish and Dutch horses are all large and bulky animals, 
possessing large heads and broad flat feet, and are only calculated 
for purposes of heavy draught. We are chiefly indebted to 
them for our present breed of draught horses. 
