THE BEST MODE OF BREEDING THE HORSE FOR ALL RACING PURPOSES. 277 CHOICE OF BLOOD TO BREED FROM. The uncertainty of the results from the best concerted plans in breeding for the turf is proverbial among those who are engaged in the undertaking. Nevertheless, it is clear that laws must exist, which regulate this as well as every other operation of nature; and, though it may at present be difficult to lay them down with certainty, yet an attempt should be made, in order that a foundation may be laid for a future superstructure of sound materials. There are some difficulties which stare us in the face, but which, nevertheless, are much more easily explained than at first sight would appear. Thus, for instance, it is said that when a mare breeds a good colt, and is again put to the same horse, the second is often as worthless as the first is superior; and that, consequently, two and two in-breeding do not always make four. Now, there can be no doubt that this is true; but it is necessary to remember that health is an element which makes or mars every horse; and that if the second is not possessed of the same high degree of animal vigor, the result of high health, it is not wonderful when he falls short in performances which are the test of his goodness. But, taking the other side of the question, it is extraordinary that in some cases there have been a series of successes resulting from the union of the same two parents-as in the Whalebone and Whisker example, where there were six most extraordinary horses and mares resulting from the union of Waxy with Penelope; and, on the other hand, as remarkable a series of failures when she was put to even such good horses as Walton, Rubens, and Election. Castrel, Selim, and Rubens, again, are out of the same mare, and all by Buzzard, yet she was put to Calomel, Quiz, Sorcerer, and Election, without a single successful result. Again, there are cases where a horse begets racing stock out of all sorts of mares, and thus we find in more recent days Touchstone, a grandson of Whalebone, carrying on his grandfather's fame still farther, if possible, and begetting a most extraordinary series of winners; but, be it remembered, with an infusion. also of one of the three above-mentioned brothers, Selim, who was his maternal great-grandfather. Barbelle, dam of Van Tromp and Flying Dutchman, is another similar case; as is also Fortress, the dam of Old England, and Pyrrhus I. Another remarkable example may be traced in the three sisters by Whisker, out of Young Giantess-viz., Cressida, Eleanor, and Julia, which produced Priam, Muley, and Phantom by three different sires. The list of similar examples might be extended to a great length, though not always perhaps occupied with such illustrious names as the above; but still sufficiently so to indicate that winning blood runs in families, and by consequence, that it is not all the result of chance. Sometimes this is the case with the brood-mare, as in the above instances, and sometimes with the stallion, as in the case of those which become the celebrities of their day. Moreover, it has been found that certain unions or crosses almost always succeed, while others as invariably fail; and as there must be a reason for this, it is desirable to investigate the matter, and endeavor to ascertain the facts connected with these successes and failures. For instance; it has been found that the union of the Touchstone blood with GENERAL BREEDING. 279 that of Selim or Pantaloon has uniformly succeeded-or "hit," as it is termed and the example is so remarkable, that it leads one to investigate the pedigrees of all three, when it turns out that the first-named is composed of one-eighth Selim already; and that in putting him to a descendant of that horse, or his brother Castrel, the sire of Pantaloon, it is only reuniting the previously separated particles derived from them. This is a fact which will serve to form the basis of an argument, and if supported by similar facts, it would show that in-and-in-breeding to some extent is not prejudicial; but, on the other hand, that it is in all probability absolutely advantageous. At the same time it cannot be disputed that the Waxy and Buzzard blood has almost always hit in its first union, as shown in paragraph 257, and elsewhere; and having succeeded once it always seems to hit again still more successfully; and the only question is how far the in-breeding might be carried without deterioration. Again, reverting to the descendants of Whiskey, who was a grandson of Eclipse, we find them hitting once with the Orville blood in producing Emilius and Muley; and again, a second time, with Priam as a result, he being also out of a daughter of Whiskey. Liverpool, sire of Lanercost, was also a grandson of Whiskey on his dam's side, his sire, Tramp, taking a direct descent from Eclipse in the same number of removes as Whiskey. But it is only by further investigation, and ascertaining how far these facts occur in a similar way throughout a series of cases, that any conclusion can be formed; and such a series has been given under the section devoted to an examination of the propriety of in-breeding. By universal consent, however, it is now admitted, and common sense would always lead one to believe, that where a series of winners have appeared of any particular strain, it is likely that others will follow; and hence it has been the rule to select horses of families which have been successful on the turf, in the particular line which it is still further to succeed in. Thus, if a fleet racer is intended to be bred, the breeder would select blood which has produced winners of the Derby, Oaks, or St. Leger, or, if possible, all three. If a steeplechaser is the object of ambition, then the breeder would, as a matter of course, look for the sires and dams of such animals as Lottery, Gaylad, Brunette, &c., and choose from them, or their immediate relations, mares and stallions for his purpose. Again, in breeding hunters, it would follow that such stallions should be selected as have produced good stock of that particular class, in which stoutness, cleverness, good temper, and sound constitution, are indispensable requisites, when united also with the power of carrying weight. Trotters, again, must be chosen for getting trotters; and no one would expect to rear a horse capable of doing his fourteen miles per hour at this pace, from a sire and dam which could not trot above eight, and that with a straight knee. I have myself owned a mare by Monarch, out of Gadabout, which was as fine a trotter as ever was seen, going fast and in the most perfect trotting style, and I have seen some few others, almost as good, of full blood; but they are exceptions to the rule; and there is no case that I know of in which a thoroughbred horse could compete with the regular match-trotter. In all cases, therefore, the breeder must make up his mind as to what he wants, and then select his mares and sires from such animals as belong to families which have long been famous for the qualities he is in search of. If, in addition, he can actually procure the individuals which have distinguished themselves, it will be so much the better; but we shall hereafter find that family is of more consequence than individual success. SELECTION OF BROOD MARE. In choosing the brood mare, four things must be consideredfirst, her blood; secondly, her frame; thirdly, her state of health; and, fourthly, her temper. Her blood or breeding will mainly depend upon the views of the breeder that is to say, what particular class of colts he wishes to obtain, and according to his decision he will look out for mares of the particular kind he desires to reproduce, on the principle that "like begets like," but subject to the various considerations partly alluded to in the last chapter, and partly in this and subsequent ones. In frame, the mare should be so formed as to be capable of carrying and well nourishing her offspring; that is, she should be what is called "roomy." There is a formation of the hips CHOICE OF THE MARE. 281 which is particularly unfit for breeding purposes, and yet which is sometimes carefully selected, because it is considered elegant; this is the level and straight hip, in which the tail is set on very high, and the end of the haunch-bone is nearly on a level with the projection of the hip-bone. The opposite form is represented in the skeleton given with the article "Horse," which is that of a thoroughbred mare, well formed for this breeding purpose, but in other respects rather too slight. By examining her pelvis, it will be seen that the haunch-bone forms a considerable angle with the sacrum, and that, as a consequence, there is plenty of room, not only for carrying the foal, but for allowing it to pass into the world. Both of these points are important, the former evidently so, and the latter no less so on consideration, because if the foal is injured in the birth, either of necessity, or from ignorance or carelessness, it will often fail to recover its powers, and will remain permanently injured. The pelvis, then, should be wide and deep-that is to say, it should be large and roomy; and there should also be a little more than the average length from the hip to the shoulder, so as to give plenty of bed for the foal; as well as a good depth of back-ribs, which are necessary in order to support this increased length. This gives the whole framework of the trunk of a larger proportion than is always desirable in the race-horse, which may easily be overtopped; and hence many good runners have failed as brood mares, whilst a great number of bad runners have been dams of good race-horses. Beyond this roomy frame, necessary as the eggshell of the foal, the mare only requires such a shape and make as is well adapted for the particular purpose she is intended for; or if not possessing it herself, she should belong to a family having it, according to the 13th axiom given in the last chapter. If a mare can be obtained possessing all these requisites in her own person, so much the more likely will she be to produce race-horses; but if not all, then it is better that she should add as many as possible to the needful framework, without which her office can hardly be well carried out. But with this suitable frame, if she belongs to a family which, as a rule, possesses all the attributes of a race-horse, she may be relied on with some degree of certainty, even though she herself should fail in some of them. Thus, there are many fine roomy mares |