Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-07-22

HORSE BREEDING.
ths Importance Of ,Bre~dasg for Quality
Rather Than~faxe,


since the establishmentDof the many
agricultural and other associations
which exist for this purpose, II Is ex-
nemely improbable that we have
reached finality of excellence in any
particular species.
The most important point in breeding
ms II seems TO me- and the most essen
tial to insist upon mt the present time,
is to go for quality rather than for size.
Quality Is not n thing easy TO be de-
fined, but 1t is SIS obvious 20 the initia-
ted as size is to the general eye. If size
lis wanted we csn get size tnay we are
getting it, for all kinds OF stock are
bigger now thar they used 10 be- but
we should aim IL get it gradually, not
all at once. This is true of other
fhings-in ship huilding for instance.
The Great Eastern was a costly and
gigantic failure and for the reason
that she was an a1achronism. Grad
ually we have worked up to vessels of
her size (the Oceanic, launched the 9th
er day, is somewhat larger but they
have not been failures, because
strength and speed have advanced in
equal ratio with size and tonnage. Now
If we breed horses for mere size we
make just the same mistake, and the
result is huge, oyer-gEown brute soft
and clumsy IS a rule, aud nearly al
ways deficient in that quality and
''character" which alone makes the
horse desirable companion, or pleas
ant To use. We must, therefore, OF
course, breed carefully for what Is re-
CURED, and certain amount of bulk
is essential for heavy draught work;
but for every other purpose activity
and endurance are OF far greater im-
portanee than mere size and weight.
For omnibus and tragn-car work, per-
haps the hardest to which horses in
this country are put, horse of moder-
ate size, say from 1000 to 1,lOo lib. in
weight. is always to be preferred; for
If too light the exegtion Of constantly
sarting the great weight Of such vehi-
cles is too much for them. and keeps
them in poor condition; while IL too
large the continual hattering upon hard
roads wears out their feet, and they dc
not last. ON farm lands, too, except
perhaps on heavy clay, the moderate
sized animal answers best for general
purposes. On a large arabic farm in
this place where many horses are en-
ployed, a former tenant, besides sever
al teams of moderate sized animals,
used always to work one team Of very
large horses, and another of quite
small ones. When questioned as to
their respective merits, he would reply
that they each did about the same
days work, but that the small ones
lasted much longer, aud were less ex-
pensiye to buy and keep. 1t will, !
think be almost always found that
whenever any special achievement in
volving high courage, speed, or endur-
ance, has been performed by either
no hu
vidual of small or at most of average
size and very rarely by large speci-
men of either race.
A very interesting consideration in
breeding is the respective influence on
the progeny of either parent. 1t is, /
believe, the opinion OF all breeders of
wide experience that no rule of abso-
lutte, or even approximate certainty can
be laid down, SO much seeming to de-
pend upon the comparative vigor and
strength of constitution of the parent
of either sex. 1t has even been stat
ed that there have been more instances
than one of own brothers being used
in the stud, in which one has invaria-
bly, cot stock resembling himself in ali
particulars, even in the non essentlal
matter of color; while the other, for
some unknown reason, has begotten
descendants so unlike as TO be rarely
recognizable as his offspring. My own
experience so far as it goes, is to the
effect that the produce is more apt to
resemble the sire more nearly in tenn
per spirit. and perhaps in outward
confguration. the dam in size, stamina
and constitution, S
= For this reason | should be less reluc-
4ant TO breed from an unsound sire
a
pectation that any hereditary intirmity
'-~'" W no transmitted
would Be more ,tav,s Il =, 80 "a.
by the latter than by the iofmef' OIi
the vexed question OF roaring pelns
hereditary, am strongly OF such optin
ion. for whereas ! have lIeq4sAu1
seen this infirmity Inherited from me
Stam, / am Aware Of no case In wni"h
1t has been derived from the sire.
There is in my possession at the pres
ent time an animal which, so far as
an individual case can, strongly sup
ports this theory. The mare III cues
lion is bv a son of Governess tan OAKS
and one Thousand winner), but a rank
roarer. which failing she transmitted
10 her son out of very good-wlnded
mare. The offspring was decided
success. winning some sixteen steepie-
chases. many of them under heavy
weights. and throughout her training
never showing the slightest tendency
TO her sire's family failing. ON the
other hand. she had not the best OF
hooks Though they stood prolonged
and severe work.. and these | regret
10 see are reproduced in her foal oy
horse perfect in respect to his. rms
in one particular animal we ma
double proof of the correctness OF our
theory that the dam is more likely TO
transmit defects of this kind than the
sire. Put this must be accepted rath-
er MS a general than an absolute rule;
subject. as all natural rules are, TO oc-
casional variations. Happily 1t Is
seldom necessary TO breed from any
Int cnnstitutionally sound parents; but
in the case of light horses we must
hear in mind that the country is at the
present time flooded with infirm, ana
comparatively useless sires, premature
Nv broken down by injudicious treat
ment al a tender age. Still many even