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ordained the mare to mould and support the foal whilst a fcetus within 
her womb, it is particularly necessary that she should have wide and 
deep ribs, large and long hips and pelvis, that she may carry on the 
process of gestation and ultimate parturition without injury to herself 
or her progeny. 
Breeding. —Here, also, I shall confine myself to a few practical 
remarks upon the horses best calculated for the present state of this 
country. They are these : first, a well blooded horse of from sixteen 
hands to sixteen hands two inches high, and weighing from twelve to 
fourteen hundred weight, with a view to improve the blood, and breed 
horses calculated for trotting and fast work. Secondly, a horse of from 
sixteen hands two inches to sixteen hands three inches high, and weigh¬ 
ing from sixteen to eighteen hundred weight, with indications of as good 
and careful breeding as the first, though not of the same blood ; for 
though some may doubt me, yet I have seen horses in England—even 
weighing from seventeen to twenty hundred weight—with the fine head, 
thin skin, and perfect form of the blood horse. This horse I would 
choose as likely to breed horses calculated for farm purposes, railroad 
carrying, and similar quick though heavy draught work. With refer¬ 
ence to the mares for the first horse, I should select as well blooded 
ones, and as near his size and perfect form, as I could find; and there 
are many such in this country of sufficient quality, if carefully selected. 
For the other horse I should not be particular of what breed, providing 
they were of sufficient size, and had the large ribs and hind parts—the 
requisites of a brood mare ; and were, in fact, what are called good roving 
mares. 
In selecting animals to breed from, great care should be taken that 
they are free from disease of any kind, or if any exist, that it can clearly 
be traced to an accident, and not from congenital malformation, heredi¬ 
tary predisposition, or natural weakness of the part. Temper, also, 
should be considered, for it is an undoubted law of nature, that ‘like 
begets like ;* therefore breeders should be particularly careful not to breed 
from animals with qualifications they would not wish the animals to 
transmit to their progeny. The best time of the year at which to put 
the mare to the horse is early in June, so that the foal may be dropped 
in May ; the weather by that time being sufficiently warm, and it allows 
