HORSE - BREEDING

R E C O L L E C T I O N S .

G E H N D . O B F F E .

PH I LAD E LPH I A

C A E P O R T E R O T S .

1 8 8 7 .

N O TE S

A E S B R E E D I N G R CE H O R S .

C H A P T E R I

G E N E R AL O B S E R VATI O N S .

ood is soun dness TH E principal requisite in a g racehorse , again soundness, and nothing but soundness ; and the object m of the thoroughbred is to imbue the li bs, the constitution , and the nerves of the half-bred horse with that essential quality, and thereby enhance its capabilities .

The thoroughbred can , however, fulfil its mission only pro v ided the yearly produ ce be contin ually subjected to severe trials in public . The only appropriate test , proved by the of two experience centuries , is the racecourse, although its

o n e- adversaries oppose it as too sided , and propose in its stead others of more or less impracticability . The last strug

o f gle for victory , in which culminates the exertion the race ,

cc- of results from the operation the intellectual , the physical , a of and the mechanic l qualities of the horse , the development which combined power is higher and more reliable than any m that can be obtained in the same animal by other eans . The combination “of those three qualities forms the value of the : s horse destined for fast work the mechanical , in re pect to the outward shape and construction ; the physical , as regards the soundness and normal development of the digestive organs and motive power ; the intellectual, or the will and the energy to put the other two into motion and persevere to the utmost .

o f The attained speed is not the aim , but only the gauge, the performance . 8 O N R C H O NOTES B EEDING RA E RS ES .

The grand ideal principl e which pl aces this test so in com par ably higher than any other based upon the individual Opinion of o n e o r more judges is the absolute and blind

n - w justice , personified in the inflexible wi ning post , hich alone o n decides the racecourse, and the irrefutable certainty that n or f neither fashion ancy , neither favor nor hatred , neither personal prejudice nor time- serving— frequently observable in the awards at horse-shows—has biassed the decision of hotly contested struggles as recorded in the R acing Calendar for the space of one hundred and seventy years . This it is that gives to the English thoroughbred horse a value for breeding pur poses unequalled and looked for in vain in any other species of animal creation . I apprehend great danger from the endeavor to improve

- — horse racing like any other human institution , not without —b w its shortcomings y corrective measures , hich might inter fere with that principle o f blind justice ; its fundamental laws i would thereby become underm ned , and the building, which it

to . took centuries to erect, fall ruins N othing but the framing of the racing propositions ought to serve as indicator o f what is required of the thoroughbred ; every state in need of an efii cien t cavalry should be careful how to place authority for that purpose in experienced hands ,

- o n . and see it used leniently , but clearly established principles of As for the rest, it should be left to the immutable laws N m w ature to gradually ould , in outward form and in ard com

t . position , that horse which bes answers those requirements The centre of gravity in all trials of strength and endurance is to be found o n the racecourse : the straighter the running track the more infallible the result ; the longer and steeper the gradient the severer the test .

As to the distances to be run over, I would recommend for three-year-olds and upwards from on e mile to two miles at the scale of weights adopt ed in the rules of racing at present in

in l force Prussia, which is about ten pounds above Eng ish weights .

- — Two year-olds should d u e regard being had to the time of 9 GENERAL OBS ERVATIONS . — year and the state of the ground n ever run less than four an d a half nor more than seven furlongs ; shorter races ruin their temper more than those over longer distances , in which the pace from the beginning is not so severe n or the start of so much consequence . Whoever has had frequent opportunities for observing in a

- - two - racing stable the development of year old horses will , as of a rule , have noticed an evident change about the middle

- summer . They quite suddenly lose their foal like appearance and become young horses . In general this alteration takes place at the same time as the shedding of the two middle teeth all at once the youngsters are better able to resist the wear and tear of training and improve as the work agrees with them . Of cou rse this change does not occur simultaneously in all two

- n everthe year olds , although they may be equally well reared ; l ess I have noticed at this period a greater degree of evenness in the development of late and earlier foals than seemed war

' r difier en ce . anted , considering the in their respective ages

As too , however, at midsummer the ground frequently is hard to admit of good work being done with two -year- olds without danger to their legs , I would advocate that the princi pal races for horses of that age should not take place before the autumn , when owners who have judiciously saved their young animals during the summer may indemnify themselves through richer prizes than were offered for competition in the earlier part of the season . In principle I do not disapprove of running two -year-o lds ;

nq on the contrary , I take it , if done in moderation , to be an u i erring means to ascertain the soundness of the constitut on . From midsummer—say first of August—I look upon such o f races , according to the degree development in the individual horses , as useful ; care must, however, be taken not to overdo it , especially with fillies , whose temper is more excitable than that of colts. I have generally n oticed that mares which cred itably stood the test of two -year-old training also proved them

. an selves superior at the stud Taking , for inst ce , the most suc cessful brood-mar es during the twenty years from 1860 to 1879; 1 0 O N C H O S NOTES BREEDING RA E R ES .

— s that is to say , the dam of the winners of the fou r classic

s o f races , Two Thousand Guineas, Derby , Oak , and Leger ,

—we o f that period find , upon examination their earlier career,

- — that of those eighty, or rather eighty two , mares two races off— resulted in dead heats , which were not run only thirty did

t - - not run as wo year olds . That early ripeness in a racehorse

n may be regarded as a proof of health , eve With regard to later u e usef lness at the stud , is further corroborat d by Little Lady ,

o f Two Camb al l o h av the dam the Thousand Guineas winner, , ing carried off the Anglesey stakes for yearlings at Shrewsbury 1 859 — o f in the only race the sort ever run . I mention this ’ u of circumstance, however , by no means in s pport yearlings

s o n i n stitu race ; the contrary , I look upon them as senseless

tions , which , fortunately , twenty years ago were abolished in

England , the only country where they ever existed . v r The se ere t aining and repeated trials of yearlings , more

over , I take to be dangerous in Germany , where the winter generally sets in and puts a stop to all training operations

about the middle of November . In England , and especially in

France, where , as a rule , yearlings can be tried about Christ

- ; mas time , it may be done without detriment to their health

the more so , as in those favored climates their development is

less retarded by the cold , and young horses acquire earlier than in Germany the power which is necessary to bear the strain of

training . — ’ I consider the test by hurdle racing, and especially by steeple

o f n chasing , rather one of acquired cleverness than co sequence

for breeding . The principal race across country in England , N the Liverpool Grand ational , has repeatedly been won (for 1 863 e instance , in by Emblem , and in the following y ar by her of own sister, Emblematic , by Teddington out Miss Batty) by animals not possessed of sufficient staying power to run a mile

creditably in even moderate company . This applies more par

ticu l arl . y to the younger sister , Emblematic It is not so much l ength of distance that constitutes a criterion of endurance as

the pace at which it is run . In a steeplechase this is generally so slow that a horse able to race half a mile is never for a mo 1 1 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS .

ment extended ; if with such speed he combines a quiet temper , so as not to take more out of himself than is required by his rider , he may , in an ordinary race of that description , gallop h h us a long time without being distressed, and , aving thus f t banded his strength , have su ficient lef in him to enable him to win the race .

Jumping is more a question of agility than of power , except

n an d in you g unpractised horses , that tire more through their awkwardness in leaping than through galloping ; schooled

s s cha er , however, are required to put forth additional energy only when the race is run at an inconveniently fast pace ditfi cult for them to continue.

o n To the practised jumper, the contrary, the leap over a fence of not extraordinary proportions, if taken at a moderate ff pace, rather a ords him time to recover his breath than causes the waste of additional strength . Since the speedier horse jumps at a S lower pace than the slower stayer in proportion to their respective degrees of speed, the former, equal cleverness in jumping taken for granted , must necessarily consume less s trength than the latter .

coeter is ar ibus The steeplechase course , therefore, favors, p , the S speedy horse as compared to the lower stayer, and practice daily shows us instances of horses that as non - stayers were use

vi ce ver sd less on the flat become successful chasers, and , , stayers

r on the flat which over a count y fail to gain distinction . Intending regenerators of racing on what they consider more

S of rational principles, therefore, how a lamentable ignorance the nature of the horse when advocating the adoption of the steeplechase as the test by which to gauge the capabilities of

e eu the thoroughbr d , and would , if they succeeded in their deavo rs x , attain only the e act reverse of what they aim at . I would recommend those who still insist that steeplechasing is more reliable than racing on the flat for the purpose of ascertaining power and soundness in a horse to look round the large steeplechase establishments in England , France, or even

f s Germany , and examine the legs o the hor es kept for that

- kind of work . The numerous patched up screws that run and 1 2 H R NOTES ON BREEDING RACE O SES . win races year after year would not stand for a month the preparation for a flat race, much less the race itself ; and , as finally , to the excellence at the stud of stallions celebrated as steeplechasers , experience teaches that none such exist who subsequently made a name as sires of racehorses , whereas stal lions that o n the turf belonged to the first class frequently sired superior chasers . As a touchstone for mares intended for

as of breeding purposes , steeplech ing, independent other con

as siderations , is unsuitable, inasmuch horses are qualified for such work at a more advanced age only . Whereas , therefore , the brood - mare is kept from her vocation longer than is desira of ff ble in the interest breeding, her fitness as a matron su ers

- proportionately by long protracted training. AS w far as I kno , there is in the whole stud book not a single steeplechase mare that has made for herself a great name as the dam of Winners on the flat . A e cardinal point, which continually maintains and reg ner a as s tes the thoroughbred a source of power and soundne s , and i places it, w th regard to certainty of propagation , far above all

o f other breeds the equine race, is the circumstance that the e of thoroughbred is tried before it is sent to the stud , wh reas the half-bred such individuals only as are unfit for breeding

- purposes are put to the test . Half breds at the stud , more

o f especially stallions, from the day they are foaled to that their death , lead an existence of sluggish idleness , generation

f . a ter generation , without interruption However useful cart S mares may be in the plough or other kind of low work , a half bred brood- mare is never subjected to a real trial of her capa biliti es , and , as an extremely rare occurrence, such a mare returns to the stud on account o f an excellence accidentally so brought to light ; but if, however, done , it will probably be too late for any use for breeding .

of f- s What would become the usefulness of our hal bred , what

ou r of cavalry , without a continuance of crosses with stallions of o n a o pure blood, bred for stoutness and chosen cc unt of their as n os proper excellent qualities , so to co stantly renew the nec sary steel in the breed ? 1 3 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS .

The thoroughbred is in a much lesser degree the produce of y particular locality than the cart- horse or even the half f to bred ; it is rather on e o an artificial nature, better able a withstand external influences , and c pable of being trans planted to all parts of the globe and continued without es sen tial deterioration as long as the elementary principle is not — lost sight of that is to say , as long as its capabilities are tried

- in public, and as long as the best tried animals are in prefer n ence used for reproduction . The thoroughbred sta ds to the half-bred in the same position as the plantation tree to the wild tree of the forest : the former thrives in any locality where trees grow ; the latter feels at home only where it first struck root, fo r , having never been transplanted , it wants those fibres by mean s of which to take hold of and draw sustenance from the n ew soil . to I do not , however, mean say that thoroughbred mares are in no way influenced by translocation to other countries and

on climates ; the contrary , I am of opinion that greater safety will be insured by breeding from mares bred at home than from imported ones . I merely assert that in the thoroughbred the power of resistance to local and climatic in fluences is in

- in l . finitely higher than the ha f bred , etc For this reason the establishment of a stud for thoroughbreds in Germany is less difficult than on e intended for the baser to breed , provided the locality be adapted the purpose and the requisite means available . I do not mean to say that faultless brood-mares of the first class are easily obtainable in England ; but since the price of such mar es is eventually almost unlimited in comparison to w hat half-bred brood-mares will command in i c the market , and as , in numerous nstan es , owners of eminent mares which did them good service on the turf prefer breeding from them in public establishments to sellin g them to the more extensive breeder, in England the fluctuation in the thorough bred material is influenced in a higher degree by the change o f

a - of circumstances th n that in our half breds . The chances a e s ro foreigner making a favorable inv stment, therefore , ri e in p o h is at in c l n a p rtion , provided e home the Ra ing Ca e d r, the 1 4 R AO E H O RS E S NOTES ON BREEDING .

f Stud Book , and last, but not least, the personal concerns o

English breeders . to This brings us the practical question , What must be the

in - o r a aim of the breeder the selection of brood mares ; , as p t f plied to us , what principles must guide us in the impor ation o - or o r brood mares from England France, when choosing from those bred at home ?

I believe, if strictly adhered to , the following hints may be depended on as offering the greatest amount of safety in the choice of brood-mares : 1 . To buy, without exception , mares from the best strains of blood only , more regard beinghad to the dam even than to the sire .

2 . To bear in mind that a good pedigree alone is not suf

ficient - n , because the best bred mare may be unsou d (I thought that by the acquisition of the own sisters to Gladiateu r and

on Vermout, although neither had done anything remarkable o f the turf, I had made sure an enormous success ; but both out turned unsound and worthless at the stud) ; to be , there of fore, particular to buy from the best strains blood such mares only as have a o n ( ) Themselves exhibited some form the turf, and only o n account of insufficient age not yet been tried at the

o r stud , have 6 ( ) Already bred winners , and thereby proved themselves soun d dams and fit to propagate the excellent qualities

o f s their respective familie . of s s As a matter course, of the mare coming within the limit of the fo regoing conditions the most powerful and truthfully of made will be preferred ; but no consideration the exterior, n however prepossessi g it may be, if not accompanied by those — requisite attributes , should be allowed to prevail for there is a nu no more baneful , no more certain , heredit ry evil than — soundness especially rheumatic o r scrofulous disorders . 2 I am well aware that with regard to No . , and especially a subdivision ( ) , I shall meet with vehement Opposition , and that a number of instances to the contrary will be cited . They R 1 5 GENERAL OBSE VATIONS .

are not unknown to me, but I adhere to my opinion for the following reasons : When I require in a young mare intended for stud purposes individual performances , I do not mean to say that I would not on e buy one that had not, a given number of occasions , be n

first past the post .

Although I value racing form , as such , very highly , yet do I consider it of still greater importance that a mare should have proved , by repeated running, even if not attended by eminent success, that no unsoundness of limbs, no organic dis

o r of ease defect of temper , prevented her bearing the strain training and racing . I know perfectly well that in numerous instances thorou ghly sound animals with a good temper and all the necessary qual ities for racing , through no fault of theirs, but in consequence of a mere accident , have been kept from appearing in public

u ac (absol te certainty in that respect can , however, only be quired by personal superintendence of their: training) ; but I know equally well that in nine cases in every ten unsound ness, weakness, or temper has been the cause. It is advisable to rely on the Racing Calendar alone, and not believe a word of the fictitious marvels told of the innumerable mares without public form , and which tales are spread about by the owners of

- those animals . If only o n e tenth of them were true there would have been every year at the least a dozen winners of the One Thousand Guineas , the Oaks , or the Prix de Diane if one accident or another had not happened . The affirmation on the part of owners that the mare for

had d was n ot fr e sale never been traine , even broken , likewise ff quently di ers from the truth , and is solely intended to make the purchaser believe that she would in all probability have

. ut done wonders if she had been put into training B , in

, as a reality this ought to be considered a drawb ck , as , those

few e of a eccentric breeders excepted , nearly very thoroughbred

f e in England , if sound , well developed , and su fici ntly well bred ,

s is sent to be trained ; only when too small , un ound , or cripples are they thought not worth the trouble and expense , and con 1 6 C H R NOTES ON BREEDING RA E O SES .

I sequently kept at home at grass . am deterred by the expres “ ! ! sion never been in training or never been broken , when applied to a young mare, even more than by an injured leg , which tells its o wn unvarnished tale of the reason of her non appearance in public . The wisest plan is to keep aloof from both until they have by their progeny proved their soundness as dams . A look round the select studs of owners who breed their own an d F of racehorses in England France (Lord almouth , Duke

. e . S Westminster , Mr Lef vre , etc ) will how that nearly all their brood- mares have themselves been win ners or are the dams of

n o w of winners, with the exception of only and then a mare

o wn - their breeding, or from their racing stables , sent to the stud on trial , of whose internal soundness the owner is perfectly

has o f satisfied , and who only in consequence an accident been

n - prevented from runni g on the turf. Mares with high sounding

n pedigrees, but without any pretensio s to individual goodness , form the staple of a good many studs breeding for sale over

few of — s which a matrons sterling worth bought, if po sible, for

— o f large sums at public sales serve to throw a kind halo .

Mares without fashionable pedigrees or previous excellence, which in England are to be had by the dozen for less money than that for which half- bred ones can be purchased on the w Continent , are o ned by needy people, who wait for a lucky

o r - on chance , by second and third rate breeders , who speculate selling them to the flats from abroad . o n e of Sir Tatton Sykes , quantitatively the most extensive

n breeders of moder times , sold only his colts, while he allowed the fillies to grow up wild and untried , and kept those he liked best to breed from . The upshot was a stupendous failure , which must have ruined an y man less wealthy than the Yorkshire I baronet . He had peculiar ideas , and , think , believed in the I o . o n e s undness of his principle Had it been any else, should have put him down as a very knowing manager ; for in a stud breeding for sale a considerable saving may no doubt be effected by substituting for brood-mares of well-established the of e reputation , that cannot be had without outlay larg 1 7 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS .

s of ums money , young and perfectly untried animals which

have cost very little to keep and nothing at all to train . The f only di ficulty is to make the public , or even a small section of

it , share the apparent belief of the owner and induce them to

pay for the yearling colts in proportion to their credulity . If Sir Tatton had been obliged to put all his colts into train

ing , instead of disposing of them to the highest bidder , even for was tlie I m a mere song, as toward the end case , he would , a

convinced , in spite of his eccentric obstinacy , soon have changed I his mind and principle of breeding . could continue the sub

ect j , and make similar remarks with regard to some studs of

the present day largely breeding for sale from untried mares . It is thus not surprising to see such breeders on S peculation m f a ongst the foremost champions o that theory . Any attempt — to get from the same m en who invariably have a large stock — of rubbish on hand for sale to the u n wary . stran ger o n e of

s I i those mare with racing performances (of which , as expla ned

before , they keep a small number) , will be met with the de “ ! o f mand an absurd price or the stereotyped not for sale . d Should , however , an exception be ma e and a reasonable sum

asked , it is ten to one that there is something wrong about the

mare .

On the other hand , it is evident that in England latterly a wholesome reaction has commenced to prevail ; not so in F f rance , where the thoroughbred is at present in danger o sufferin g from the pernicious wholesale production from u n m d tried ares in stu s breeding for sale . In support of the assertions of those fanatics who ridicule

individual racing form as not hereditary, and look for the ro of d probability of p pagation such qualities in the bree only ,

without taking into account the propagating individual , Poca ho n tas (the dam of Stockwell , Rataplan , King Tom , etc . ) is frequently quoted as the irrefutable proof of the correctness of

. th their theory They copy from one another, and rely on e public taking as little trouble as themselves to refer to the ’ e Racing Cal ndar for the old mare s performances . For the benefit of those who not only look for examples to prove their 2 1 R AO E H O RS E S 8 NOTES ON BREEDING .

- ready made theories , but are anxious for real facts from which

Po cah on to draw instruction , I will detail the racing career of

S of tas , in order to how that she comes up to my standard a

- w as good brood mare . Pocahontas , though she a roarer , by her racing during four seasons proved herself possessed of a good constitution ; her form , moreover, was not so inferior as many pretend it to have been . If she had run in races of

S h e minor importance, would probably have had more than

- .one winning bracket to her name .

r 1 837 Pocahontas, b ed , by Glencoe out of Marpessa (dam o f two Jeremy Diddler and Boarding School Miss) , when years

. l o d ran only in the Criterion , unplaced to Crucifix .

AS - -ol d : a three year she ran twice, also unplaced in the wo n Cu won ' b Oaks , by Crucifix , and in the Goodwood p , y Lan er cost was Beggarman , in which race second and Hetman

Pl atoff third . At four years of age she ran three times unplaced : in the

e . Goodwood Cup, the C sarewitch , and the Cambridgeshire w She In the follo ing year, at Goodwood , won the first heat S he o f a race finally won by Currier. At Brighton also won the first heat of a race ultimately won by Miss Heathcote . She made her last appearance o n the turf in a mile race heats at

o f Rochester and Chatham , where in a field nine horses she wo n the first heat and in the other two ran second to

Patchwork . — T o n S o see mares celebrated the turf like Marie tuart ,

etc — f Fraulein , turn out indi ferent at the stud may at least partially be accounted for by their too arduous and too pr o tracted racing careers . ’ Lord Falmouth s mares , whose racing careers invariably

o f a ff close with the end their fourth year, r rely su er in a

o f like manner . In support of the correctness this and other ’ r asse tions advanced by me, I give the list of that nobleman s 1 88 was co m entire stud at Mereworth as it existed in 0 . It posed of the following twenty-four mares

O S O N A H O S E S N TE BREEDING R CE R . — O O M S M O H 1 880 c n BR D ARE AT EREW RT IN o ti nu ed .

O wn Performances.

Name . Pedi gree . O f w hi ch Im an aces port t R .

1860 Queen B y Ki n to n o u t m B erth a of F ax (d a Oaks. of th e wi n n e rs : e i ne a R g ll , u an e Co rt M tl , Li n se y Wool say) .

1872 Spi n away By Macaron i 1874 1 M e r r y g o u t ueen 10 0 Gu i n as o 1 75 1 00 e u n . of 8 , Ro d e t h a d am a s Nas sau D rn B r ( O k , a away . th e wi n 1 1 S a es of t k , York n e s : s i e a s r h r O k , Ge u e C u rtr d , Y o r k p , ’ Q u ee n s M es D o n c a s t e r sen e S a es a g r, t k , Roy l eel For S a es N e w Wh of t k ,

a a s. t un e. M rket O k

Great Car le) .

1876 eel of en u e 1878 6 i c m n Wh By Adv t r r , R h o d un e o u t ueen S a es u c Fo rt of t k , B k d am e n h am S a es B erth a ( t k , of th e wi n D e w h u r s t s : P a e n er l t . G u 4 1000 Gu i n eas e rtr de , 1 879 , ’ Q u ee n s Mes O aks Pri n ce se n e 10 W a 1 e s s g r, of S i n awa S a es sc p y , t k A ot , s i e Great Carle). Y o r k h r a s O k .

LAD Y CO VEN TR Y

1875 L A D Y O F By Bl ai r Athol 1877 M E R C I A o u t of Lady C o v e n t r y (d am of th e w i n n ers : i T m Pee n g o , sh i r e B r i de Yor , a n se F r e , a i L dy Gol ghtly , P a n i a l ce t ,

Earl Godwi n ). 2 1 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS .

O O M M O H 1 880—c n ti n ued BR D ARES AT EREW RT IN o .

wn Pe man O rfor ces.

e i cc P d gr . 5 5; O f whi ch Im o an ac p rt t R es.

LAD Y G o B y Ki ng Tom 1876 8 5 LIGH TLY o u t 0 i Lady 1877 15 10 Cove n try (d am of th e wi n n ers : P e i n Tom e p g , Yo r k sh i r e B r i d e, a n ese F r , P ace n i a l t , Ea wi n rl God ) .

B y Par mesan o u t 1878 2 1 of L ady Go v 1879 2 e n try (d am of th e wi n n ers Peepi n g To m Y o r k sh i r e B r i d e, a n ese F r , La G i dy ol ghtly, Ea i n rl Godw ) .

- W H EA T E AR .

Ascot Bi en n i al . Ne wm arket B i

en n i al . 8

1874 K I T T Y S PRIGH TLY 22 O S O N H O S S N TE BREEDING RACE R E .

’ O MA S M H 1 880—c n zn BRO D RE AT EREWO RT IN o t u ed .

Ow n er m n P for a ces.

g or w hi ch ear. 8 Y Im an aces pr, 3 port t R .

By Blai r Athol 1877 6 5 H u r s t b o u r n e o u t ea S a es As e of Wh t t k , tl y e ar d am S a es Co n vi ( of t k . v th e wi n s i al a n er S t kes. S a 1 n kyl rk , 1878 9 C o r o a t i o n i e a e — a F ldf r , S t kes. Lea - a 15 E p Ye r).

By Ki n raft 1878 5 8 C h e s t e r fi e l d ou t eat S a es e n of t k , Pr ear d am ( of d ergast S takes. th e w i n ers : 1879 5 ?

S a l kyl rk , o i e are 10 c F ldf , wi Red n g).

0 By Orl an do ou t 1 866 1 1 0 0 of Ay acan or a 1867 9 0 3 (d am of th e 1 868 6 0 W i n n ers : I ac u ca 26 !O C h , h t n a ta oo ga, es u s b i t ), y B rd catc her o ut of n as Pocaho t .

1869 LI LIAN

’ an d 29 Q uee n s l a es P t .

7 c e S a es Fera er . S tockwell 1872 6 W ood ot t k , g - o ut Can i n e sc i en n i a B el G al . of t A ot B l , (d am of th e H u r s t b o u r ne D utch Oven . S ak es C es wi n n ers : t , h i cn i c terfield S a es P , t k , La an S a es Aven tu ri ere),b y v t t k , Orl an do o u t Fi n don S takes. of Vi van di ere (o w n siste r to Vol i t geur) . B S S GENERAL O ERVATIO N . — O O M S M O H 1 880 c n ti n u ed BR D ARE AT EREW RT IN o .

w n e m O P rfor an ces .

ee . N ame . Pedi gr Of w hi ch Im an aces port t R .

By S tockwell 1879 o ut of Para d i gm (d am of th e wi n n e rs Ki n at ms g Ar , M an at m s Ar , Rou ge Dra o n u an ge Bl e M t , G i su arde v re, n Lord Lyo , i e Ach ev men t,

Parafli n ) .

By Lord Cli fden 77 7 o u t : of Ch evi sau uce si ster to L y o n an d chi e em n 78 10 A v e t.

! ai 872 0 By Bl r Athol Oli vette. 5 o u t S i b e ri a 873 6 1 of 000 Gui neas . (wi n n er of th e I 1000 Gu i n eas. “H an d d am of th e wi n ne rs : a i a c P tr r h , Dan el i d on ) .

B M acar o n i 1876 n ail a y G l rd . e e e o of M rl tt , 1 877 c by Th e Baro n I 1 o u t of Cuc “0

koo.

By Th e Palmer 1876 w H u r s t b o u r n e o u t Jen n 1877 of y S takes. Di ver (d am of 1878 c th e wi n n ers I ‘ 0 asis " 0 O , J en n H owl et), b fi y u ccan eer . 24 R AO E H O RS E NOTES ON BREEDING S .

On examination of the foregoing table of the twenty -four of matrons , which that celebrated stud is composed , it will be seen that 1 don tain s . It not a single mare that has not been o n the

Turf, and only one (Lady of Mercia) that has not won

- a race . She was the best tried yearling in the stable and of a enormous size, but she caught influenza, and bec me a

roarer . Further, that 2 . There is not one amongst them that did not run at two

o f o r years age ,

3 . ol d Remained on the Turf longer than four years , except

Lilian , who during her racing career belonged to Mr . was F Savile, and not purchased by Lord almouth till after its close ; o r

4 f. . Whose dam had not bred other winners besides hersel It may be said that breeding from tried and successful mares ’ o f is only a hobby Lord Falmouth s, and that the same result f might be obtained by other means . It is di ficult to deny this with absolute certainty . The following tables , showing the performances o f the dams of the winners o f the four classic — Two . races Thousand Guineas , Derby , Oaks and St Leger 1 860 to 1 879 for the twenty years from , compiled for that pur at of pose , however, will least prove that a greater probability success is secured by acting o n that principle . O O S . GENERALA BP S ERVATI N

NO S O N N H O S S TE BREEDI G RACE R E .

OAKS

D am i n ne of W r.

i nne Year. W r.

B u tter fl Catheri n e Brow n u ch ess Espoi r ’ Fe u d Jo i e Je u d E s e . p ri t Q u ee n Bertha Flax ’ Fi lle d e l Ai r Pau li n e Regali a Th e G e m Torm en tor Torm e n t H i ppi a Dau ghter of th e S tar Formosa Elle r Bri gan ti n e Lady M acdon ald G amos Bess Lyon H an n ah Men tm ore L ass ’ i n i e d e l A Re e . F ll i r M ari e Stu art Morgan 1a Faye Apology M an drago ra u e n S i n away . Q e Ber tha n gu e r r and e D el i an e Cam eli a Arau cari a lao nd a Pi etas (late Fai th) Jan n ette Ch e vi sau n ce Wheel of Fortun e Q u een Be rtha

S T. LE G E R .

n D am of Wi n er.

i n n e . Year. W r S 2 GENERAL OBSERVATION . 7

s S -two 1868 The foregoing table how, that of these eighty (in Two as 1 876 the Thousand Guine , and in the Oaks, resulted in of the a dead heat, the stakes in each case being divided) dams 1 3 . winners of these great races only eleven , or about per cent ,

had not been on the Turf, and that of the remaining seventy

on e tried mares only nineteen had not run as two year olds . n Taking, moreover, into consideration that of the mares figuri g s " in the English Stud Book and u ed for stud purposes , those without public trial are in an overwhelming majority against

those which have been on the Turf, it cannot be denied that the chances of breeding a winner of one of the four classic races are

incomparably better with the latter than with the former, fi It is frequently laid down as a rule that , in order to bene t f the breed of horses in general , no thoroughbred animal a fected

with hereditary defects ought to be used at the stud . It is but — just that those who clamor for this condition that is, the

- — how breeders of half breds should set the example , which ,

ever , they frequently omit ; and I myself should not object to

adopt a similar principle for the thoroughbred . It depends

only on what is understood by the term hereditary defects. I take weakness and infirmities of the constitution to be the

e o n most hereditary d fects, and believe that the ideal station which the thoroughbred would be enabled to fulfil its high mission can be reached only if no unsound mares are allowed

to be used for stud purposes . The only practical test of sound

ness of limbs, digestive organs, nerves and temper , remains — until a more perfect system is discovered the public trial on

the racecourse .

A mare, which in her second and third year , when perfectly

well and fit, is repeatedly brought out , and honestly perseveres ,

even if only with moderate success , may in all probability be

misfor looked upon as sound , and from such sound mares , if no to tune intervenes, sound progeny may be expected . Exceptions

to of . this , as any other rule , course do occur So may we some f T ca times see mares , a ter standing the wear and tear of a urf reer without detriment to their constitution , in the end become

r unsound dams, that is , bring unsound foals o none at all ; but in 28 H NOTES ON BREEDING RACE O RS ES . that case it is generally in consequence of being kept too long A i on the turf ; for mares like lice Hawthorn and Beesw ng, to race till their eighth and ninth year and then bring sound foals , adapted for racing , are rare exceptions indeed . I do not like to buy mares that remained on the turf longer than , at the most, their fifth year .

The animal living in a primitive state, and ackno wledging Dame N ature as the only authority with regard to its sexual instincts , satisfies the longing as soon as it makes itself felt .

ff ou r There is not much di erence in domestic animals , such as S cattle, heep , pigs ; with them but a comparatively short time s pa ses between the desire being awakened and appeased . In the young mare only that satisfaction is postponed from month to

n u n mo th , from year to year, til hysterics and S imilar disorders ultimately culminate in absolute sterility , consequences easy of

' tak en in to comprehension , if it is consideration that nature de

s nied to the mare that salutary cleansing proce s , menstruation .

“ Fo r this reason I prefer for stud purposes mares which of during the period training are never in use . I have fre

on quently known such mares , of which that very account fears of i perfect uselessness for breeding purposes were enterta ned ,

n on being se t to the stud , take the horse at the proper moment , o r be stinted the first second time of covering, and retain this very valuable habit during the whole of their stud career . I am well aware that it would be as difficult to carry out

o r the exclusion from the stud of every untried unsound mare, as it is to prevent others affected with visible defects o r imper n fecti on s being used . I merely mean to say that the breedi g

r oh from so many untried o unsound mares is . the principal stacl e to the complete attainment by the thoroughbred horse of its ideal destination . of t The buying brood mares , if pursued not only wi h the pos sibil it a of as y , but the prob bility also success , is indeed no e y task . By deducting all mares which never showed any racing of form , nor ever bred a winner, the sum those remaining avail

90 . on ff . able will be reduced by per cent those o ered This , b is however, y no means guards against bitter d appointment ; GENERAL OBSERVATIONS . 2 9 and in order to insure the greatest possible safety in choosing m fro among the so reduced number , the intending purchaser will do well to pay particular attention to the following points z

1 . With young mares , to be careful that habitually they be neither too gross nor too poor either extreme is in im

ical to a healthy progeny . 2 e . If dam and granddam have br d other winners , it will greatly enhance the value of the mare under i n spec

tion ; the more superior, and especially sound, race

h e horses amongst her immediate relations t better . Is

o n she , the contrary , of a great number of brothers and

sisters the only good performer, her acquisition will by no means be so desirable as at first S ight her individual

excellence seemed to warrant .

3 . o r The peculiarities weaknesses with regard to temper , of organs respiration and digestion , feet, bad habits ,

- - o r s . such as wind sucking crib biting, nerve , etc , should be taken into account ; likewise the strong or weak points which characterize the respective families must

not be overlooked .

. o n e 4 Before buying mares which have already bred foals, F should be satisfied as to the state of the sheath . rom outward signs o f rupture o r a blubbering noise in trot

o r in canter , may be inferred rupture or extension in its

ternal parts . I cannot too energetically caution against

‘ the purchase of such a mare ; she would be too dear at i any pr ce .

5 . An examination of the udder should not be omitted , its o n S rac development, and whether both ides equally p ti cabl e f S . The state of nurture o the last foal will how what nourishment it received from its dam ; in whole ’ some mother s milk frequently lies the decision of the whole question whether a foal will grow into a race

horse or become a miserable weakling . Insignificant foals frequently develop with incredible rapidity at O S O N H O S S 30 N TE BREEDING RACE R E .

of foot a dam with exceptionally good milk , as other t mares will, season af er season , throw magnificent foals ,

‘ W hich during suckling time col l apse an d melt away like

in s butter the sun . It is advi able to take away from

such dams the foals soon after they are dropped , and get nurses for them if they are to be

6 . ao It is better to abstain from purchasing mares which ,

cording to the Stud Book , have repeatedly slipped their

o r . foals , frequently remained barren , bred twins

7 . S he The first requisite in a mare is that should be long, to ff f deep , and roomy , in order a ord the foal su ficient space for its development ; leggy and short mares can

b im er fe not e expected to throw big foals . Many p c s tions may be overlooked rather than the e two .

to o 8 . I do not like in a brood mare a luxuriant growth of n or hair, , especially , tails full and bushy at the root . ff Foals from mares , and stallions , too , thus a ected, are

generally wanting in energy and quality . A rat tail is a great eyesore ; but h o w rare is a bad horse with a rat tail 9

- 9. From a sharply marked expression in muscles and limbs is i d in every animal , from which it ntended to bree , may be inferred that its progeny will be S imilarly dis a tin guished . The generic char cter, especially, must be i unmistakably expressed in either sex . I d slike mares resembling in shape and manners stallions as much as

I do entire horses , a minute inspection of which is necessary to convince one that they are not mares o r

i su mi to th e e c a n e Parti cul arly sen siti v e m ares will n ot eas ly b t x h g ,

it en e a su cceeds. but with th e n ecessary precau ti on an d p ati en ce g r lly h me i n ci a as m a be asce tai n ed The mare kn ows h er fo al by t e s ll pr p lly, y r h m s itt e an i seed o il u ed i n to th e w en co llected i n greate r n u be r . A l l r bb o be e c an ed fo r a few da s un i the ma es have co ats of th e fo als t x h g , y , t l r ar e t en r e ot a custo med to i t e ar es th e dece ti on . The m a es g c , pr p p r h he essu e o f th e m o ved fro m thei r bo x es fo r a tim e suffici ent to allow t pr r m e i n co nven i en when the oa s ei n ex mi lk in th e udde r to be co t, , f l b g chan ed i n th e m ean i me the mares are ou h ack and the im o g t , br g t b , p si ti i m i s ou s acco pl hed . 3 1 GENERAL OBS ERVATIONS .

s geldings . The more quality the mare possesse , the

' more marked must be the expression of her sex . The f sa charm o feminity , if I may y so , ought to pervade

her whole appearance .

To enumerate every possible rock on which the purchaser o f brood mares may get wrecked is almost impossible . It requires

' r h r ti cal e difli cu l t e p ac eye of the breeder , exp ienced in all the ties besetting his calling, to detect them and to protect him from its danger . I do not venture even approximately to determine at what age the brood ‘mare attains the climax of her propagating k r e power . The most celebrated of their ind exhibit in this h spect t e greatest varieties , although a certain distrust against the produce of very old mares may appear justified . But even

: here exceptions are not wanting for instance, Araucaria, dam of Stephanotis , Wellingtonia, Catalpa, Camelia , Chamant, and ’ ’ d O r -fifth Rayon , was bred in Pocahontas , her dam s twenty ’ year, whereas Pocahontas was Marpessa s first foal , the latter

l . is a so being the first foal of Clare On the other hand, it sur prising that of the winners of the four classic races few were of l —1 795 first foals ; the Derby during a century on y three , ’ S 1 852 O R ou r k e 1 855 pread Eagle ; , Daniel ; and , Wild Day

‘ Two rell . A singular fact, also , is that the Thousand Guineas

1 823 wo n w . in was by one of t ins , Nicolo , by Selim

Of all the celebrated matrons in the Stud Book , Queen Mary t and Haricot , her daugh er, stand forth as descended from dams o f of the most tender age . The mare by Plenipotentiary out n 1 840 Myrrha, by Whalebo e , foaled in , was covered when not ' tw o ears ol d 1843 more than y , and bred in the famous Queen

r t n two - - Ma y , who , af er run ing but once as a year old , was dis abled by an accident . She was covered when three years of

c . t o age , and bred in the year following Hari ot In those w to mares , Queen Mary and her dam , early impregnation seems have been attended with unusual individual potency .

of In general , let the breeder thoroughbreds never adopt the principle that quantity better than quality will succeed . 2 C H O S S 3 NOTES ON BREEDING RA E R E .

Breeding can be profitable only when in conjunction with the very best material obtainable , and when in the produce nothing

A few s a n is spared to contribute to success . lthough a i ol ted i

M r B l en k i r o n stances, like the late . W . , of Middle Park and

Waltham Cross , have of late years proved that wholesale pro duction of the thoroughbred may pay , yet I am doubtful B l en k iron whether Mr . did not die at precisely the right mo

w e f ment , and hether, without the enormous prices realiz d a ter

s s es his death at the sale of his too numerous tud , the bu in s would ever again have been able to S how an equally favorable

- B l en k i r on balance sheet . Mr . was an unusually clever man ager ; he had closely studied and completely grasped the differ ent phases of the thoroughbred market . On the one S ide of breeding from a lot untried mares , he at public auctions h occasionally threw away , apparently wit out an object , large

a n sums of money , but in re lity in order to stre gthen in the public the conviction that he was concentrating in Middle Park the quintessence of the English Stud Book , and to familiarize purchasers with the idea of the vastly enhanced value of the bes t class of its produce . The actual successes of the latter , independent of the prices realized at the sale, however, were, in comparison to the quantity , but moderate, and would , if all

B l en k ir o n the horses bred by Mr . had been trained and raced

hi . n . for s ow account, unquestionably have ended in his ruin

As it is not likely that there will ever again be, in Europe at

as le t , so large a breeding establishment as that sold at Middle 1 872 of Park in , it may be in the interest the history of the thoroughbred that the figures of that ever memorable sale be not lost in oblivion . I therefore recapitulate them in this place . During si x days in the months of June and July of that a s year, Messrs . Tatters ll sold in the Middle Park Paddock

Brood m ares

Fo al s

i n i n udi n B ai t o for s. B r eadal S tall o s ( cl g l r A h l g ,

r 7000 s. an e 6000 s. G adi ateu b g , l g ) Yearli ngs

C H O S 34 NOTES ON BREEDING RA E R ES .

It is high ly interesting to follow the progeny o f celebrated ancestresses in all its branches , with their winners or dams of winners , the issue of each generation , especially in the female line ; the value of the stallions being , as a rule , more univer sally known . a Before spending large sum of money for a brood mare , it will be well to construe a genealogical table of the strains of

as blood throughout the female side, I have hereafter tried with regard to the Queen Mary and Miss Agnes families . Nothing is so appropriate to S how at a glance whether the mare under i consideration belongs to a great rac ng family , or whether such in o r qualities were inherited , solitary instances only, not all , o n the S ide of the dam .

M A R Y Q U E E N . lB red 1 843 b adi a o d am b P e n i en i a o u t M r a b a eb n e , y Gl t r, y l pot t ry of y rh , y Wh l o

o u t i b G oh an n a. of G ft, y

Im an aces. am e . port t Bred . N R

S o ns .

1 850 B ALR OW N I E 1 0 N Don caster S tak e s.

M a e S a e s. 1 8 53 BO N N IE S co TLAN D Don c st r t k

i sab e b u t s i e wi n n e s. 1 8 58 B O N N YF I E LD D l d, r of r Q 1 8 62 B R OO MI E LAW 1 8 “ D e e S tak e s. Ch esterfiel d Cup . 3 D ee S a e s. 1 863 BER TIE 1 6 0 t k 9 2 1 £ sc d ase . 1 864 B LI N K E OO LI E . A ot Gol V Alexan dra Plate . r s D a ughte . R CO 40 1 7 1 847 I . H A I T e H er Pr od u c . am n d 21 1 857 a . Cr o ’ u 98 49 34 u een s P a es. 1 858 b. Call er O Q l t

t e e . S . L g r Twi ce No rth u mberl an d Pl ate . n Bri ghto Cu p . York Cup . Pan dore 1 4 4 Th e P earl 2 7 8 P oldoody 1 3 2 Periwi n kle 1 1 3 Roy sterer 1 3 2 S till run n i n g.

c . Fabi ol a . Ki n g Wi lli am Ti tan i a GENERAL OBS ERVATIONS . 35

— n QU EEN MARY con ti ued .

e Im an aces. Br d . port t R — n ti n u ed H ARICO T c o . d an d d . La y L g en s m H ampton Ep o Gold Cup . n as Do c ter Cu p . u mbe an North rl d Plate. dw d Cu Goo oo p . d d Goo woo S takes.

Derby .

Tw i ce G r eatN orth ern H an di cap . d w d a e Goo oo S t k s. C e s e fie d Cu h t r l p . Al exan dra Plate . 1 849 II . B R AX E Y 50 1 5 H er Pr od u ce

e n i c . a . B r e Ka e H am n b. t pto Lady M orti mer

c La. au i n e . D ph d Thri ft Tri stran 37 1 8 s m d Ep o Gol Cup . s A cot Gold Vase . H ardwi ck e S tak es. C am i n h p o S tak es. an i a i Gr d Pr x De u v lle. S i n n n t ll ru i g . Pur sebearer N S i u t ll r n n i n g.

e . Ella Q Mi ss W i n i f. g e N M III . BLOO ING H EATH ER

H er Pr o du ce . a Gro u se se b. Gor u a H f l Go r erte e dt . d H e Goo op Vi en n a D erby . Un i on B erli n . B l an e H ex e an n Tyr S ti ll ru n n i n g . S chl en derh an n i S ti ll ru n n g. Kai s e H ert fel dt . S i un i n r e t ll r n g. 0 0 Mai d M ari an Ki n g To m colt & bi n H Ro oo d . ‘ M a n i a S ho M agn oli a

. Lab u n u m an d 5 S ee ec s f r t pl ha es. . K O e IV BLIN B NNY D rby. H er Pr d u ce. o O aks. a Boreali s H y ) eri on R edLi ght Blu e Li ght Flyi n g S cotchman O S O N H O RS S N TE BREEDING RACE E .

— i n QU E E N MARY cont ued .

e . Br d Name .

K O —c n ti n d BLIN B NNY o u e . Pi er Li ght 3

b. ai 5 Bl r Athol 7 Derby .

Le ger .

c . ead a ban e 27 8 P in ce a es S ta es scot. Br l r of W l k , A

G r atwi ck e S takes. B AB - AT-TH E - T 1 V . BOW S ER 8 H er Pr od u c e . m a . Why p er M ar c b d en u b . y A v t rer c . M are by Kn ow sl ey d . Lady Di xi e T T VI . BONNY BREAS K NO i n F an e ( r c ). H e r r P od u ce .

a . S e d a h l r k e . VI I . BONNY BELL H er Pr od u ce . n n 3 a . Bo y S w ell i b . Tocs n 3 c an e 2 . Bl tyr u s a 3 d . M c te l

e au c e c 3 Mi dd e a ate . e . B l r l P rk Pl ERTH A I . B r r e H e P odu c . en d a 2 1 a . Br

i d e 4 an d e u d es. b. Br g t . ov r h r l

M IS S A G N E S .

ed 1 850 i dca c e o u t n e s d am Lad n es b C a i n o ut Br , by B r t h r of Ag ( of y Ag ), y l r o

d am of mb se an d G l en m asson b P i am . of An n ette ( A ro ), y r

N Im o an aces. ame . Bred . p rt t R

G O LD S E E K E R 1 7 4 KING or KAR s 1 7 3 BIS MARCK 46 1 3 LAND M ARK 1 6 2 4 u CO U R O N N E D E FE R 1 0 H rstbou rn e S takes. b i d e Cu S to ck r g p .

r s H e u S a es. D a ughte . op f l t k ITTLE ES 22 4 I . L AGN

H e r Pr od u ce . P i n ce u 1 3 6 a . r Arth r i d n es 37 1 4 b. W l Ag

1 3 6 i de i an e . Li ttl e Agn es . Pr x D Fai r Agn es 4 Wi ld Tommy 1 9 1 O S O S GENERAL B ERVATI N . 37 — IS S G N S conti ued M A E n .

ame . Im an aces. Bred . N po rt t R

TT S —c n ti n ued LI LE AGNE o . Fai n es b en 0 . r Ag ( rok h i p) B i sh optho fpe Wi ld Aggi e Aggl e thorp e P erc y Con stan ti n e G i l d er sbeck M elm erby D affodi l , a Ti bthorp e M erry Ag n es Li ttl e H e roi n e ‘ Co u l eu r d e Ro se Thirsk Bo n n i e Agn es B an b u ry B u n W II . BRO N AGNES

H er Pr o d u ce . o wn ead 25 c o rth u mberl an d a e. a . Bro Br N Pl t

Ca ed n i Le e . l o an S t . g r

1 868 An d o rk a 35 emz eti . b. c N 1 8 77 Arm g ard 1 8 -

1 8 6 9 c . Laban cz H K d ead P 1 863 I I I . DAR AGNE S ( ) 1 865 I PO ES V. LLY AGN z

H er Pr od u ce .

a . Li n 32 21 r h m l ly Ag es No t u ber an d Plate . York Cup . n as e Cu Do c t r p . a Ebor H an di c p . e 1 875 b . i e Li 1 4 T g r ly n 8 J ss 1 1 76 c . e y Ag n es 3 o n 1 86 . FR O T 1 5 “ a 7 V I V LI Y l th orp Park S t kes. Mi ddle Park Pl ate . H er Pr od u ce . n m 1 874 a . Gra d Te pl ar 1 8 b M 77 . i ss Edw ard s 1 8 0 D M 7 VI . WIN ER ERE

l — 1 875 s Ethe r i ‘ 1 8 76 p Bown ess U 1 877 p M u n caster H

1 878 a es m e an H S i un n i n . W t or l d . t ll r g

H ow far the exterior is to be considered in the choice of animals intended for the stud is an open question which causes much dispute , but which each breeder answers for himself, according to the aim he has in View. N C H O RS E S 38 NO TES O BREEDING RA E .

Those who wil l not pay the cost of production of the thor o u hbr ed is who - on g , that , breed and use half bred horses , insist the power and regularity in make and shape of the latter ; they of h forget, however, that the breeder t oroughbreds can calculate to a fraction that selli ng his produce outside the racecourse by

of the standard the exterior alone will not pay for its rearing, i e nor original cost and keep of the brood mares, cover ng f es , of v o f & c. If he had no other means disposing ad antageously his produce, he would find himself placed in the alternative,

to i n difier en t either breed from cheap , and , therefore, material ,

of n of - ro at a rate expense not exceedi g that a half bred stud , p

u in d c g consequently inferior animals , never subjected to public

a . two trials, or to give up breeding ltogether Of the , he would certainly do better to choose the latter ; for, by following the former plan , he would find himself needlessly restricted in the

S choice of brood mares and ires , and, after all , produce animals, the only difference between which and half- breds would consist in inferior size and lack of substance . e in He who would bre d thoroughbreds on rational pr ciples , h re and knows ow to calculate, is forced to look for a better

- turn for the capital invested than the every day market aflb rds.

on This he will find only the racecourse, without which the ff production of thoroughbreds would be aimless , because it o ers the only possible public tr ial on which the whole principle is based . To sum up , I say

- The breeding of thoroughbreds to suit the ever changing - ca abil fashion as to exterior , without regard to highly tried p —in ities , I look upon as an absurdity that case it would be preferable to turn one ’ s attention to the better classes of the — n half-bred but within the acknowledged best strai s of blood

I S hould by no means neglect , if only on patriotic grounds, the

- exterior, for in the production of our half breds it has become an absolute necessity to use thoroughbred stallions, not only with performances of a high order, but also that our cavalry horses may answer certain conditions and forms about make and shape laid down in order to prevent their deterioration . L O S O S GENERA B ERVATI N . 3 9

of so - to The term called faultlessness , however , is not be taken

in so strict a sense, when used in conjunction with the tried

- thoroughbred , as when applied to the untried half bred . S In the former , every deviation from the true hape is ren dered more distinct by the exertions inseparable from the train

o r ing ground and the racecourse , and , by the tension straining

o f s the sinews , muscles and tendons , even develops into a vi ible ' - t he defect . In the half bred stallion disposition to the same

S imperfection lumbers perhaps still nearer the surface , and would scarcely allow him to pride himself on his cheaply

acquired freedom from blemish , if he were ever compelled to

’ leave his dolce far m en te and undergo severe trials . My opinion as to the relative value of true shape and per fo rman ces the ch oi ce in of a stallion to breed from , that is , what percentage of the one might be sacrificed to the other , may, not inaptly , I believe , in figures be thus expressed S I require the ire , intended for the production of thorough breds, for every per cent . less performance three per cent . more — exterior the form , however , should never be less than good

l - second class ; for that of ha f breds I reverse the proportion , and give for every per cent . exterior three per cent . perform

s ance . To breed racehorses from a stallion who him elf did not belong to the first or second class on the turf is imprudent , for theinstances of an inferior stallion producing a superior race u — to horse are of such very rare occ rrence this used be tried , has not without success , most frequently in France , but latterly there also begun to bear bad fruit— that the numerous fruitless experiments “which must be made before that one is found would in all likelihood swallow a fortune .

N ow n , taken into consideration that England , for insta ce , cOlts produces every year a thousand thoroughbred , and of that number not more than o n e or two develop into racehorses of the first class , and perhaps two or three of a second class , good enough to breed thoroughbreds from ; considered further, h ow lenient the English breeder is with regard to certain im perfections of shape which , in Germany, would condemn the

o n n horse at once , and that, the other hand, the, in Engla d , O S O N H N TE BREEDING RACE O RS ES .

acknowledged very best stallions are scarcely ever for sale , it s h may be readily under tood ow difli cu lt it is to acquire a stal ! lion of the first class adapted to the production o f thorough

breds, and if first rate form and undeniable pedigree be strictly how adhered to , necessary it is sometimes to be more indulgent with regard to the exterior than under other circumstances

inclination would admit .

of difli cul ties Our German public knows nought such , and

o f requires that the thoroughbred stallion the first class , besides s o f th form and quality , be posses ed e power and truth of shape

- of the half bred , and the action of the Arab . The good people

forget that everything in the world has its limits , and that

Nature herself is impotent, when asked to produce an animal of the strength of the elephant with the agility of the gazelle . It is difficult and requires much local knowledge to buy sound mares of the best strains of blood and some public form

or proved excellence at the stud , yet is their number not nearly f o S . so narrowly limited as that ires It is therefore advisable ,

in the choice of mares , to be more rigorous with regard to make

and shape , else the thoroughbred will scarcely fulfil its mission

- f- l the production of capable hal bred sta lions, answering the conditions which the breeders of such and of cavalry horses are

justified in making . The realization of this purpose by judicious mating of sire and dam is materially facilitated , if the breeder is not only familiar with the peculiarities of the families from which they are descended, but also has known them during their racing career . The impression received on the racecourse of the horse in the height of condition is with greater truth reflected in its immediate descendants, than that which is derived from the same animal when at the stud . In the former case nothing is

s o f S hidden by superfluous fle h , and every imperfection hape is rendered more conspicuous , when every muscle , sinew , and tendon is braced by hard work . to It may , perhaps, not be out of place here express my Views f o . on the , of late years , steadily increasing disorder roaring I have observed that in the English thoroughbred the growth

42 O S O N C H S N TE BREEDING RA E O R ES . two of of ff tubes the same width , but di erent length , a certain quantity of air shall pass in exactly the same space of time , it

e follows with mathematical certainty that , in the longer tub , the current must be forced through at a quicker rate , and , con ff sequently , a ect the sides and valves in a higher degree than

- in the shorter. It is , moreover , a well known fact in human f physiology , that long necks incline more to diseases o the larynx than others .

r on English breeders do not , howeve , account of the predom in atin S g number of hort races which may be won by a roarer , f hesitate to use stallions thus a flicted at the stud . I believe

tw o - - i that, if the system were changed , year old rac ng abolished ,

e and the distances to be run over generally lengthen d , throat diseases would gradually diminish , though not at the same ratio in which they have for the last thirty years increased . no I am , however, advocate of so radical a measure as the

o f two - - abolishment year old races , which for many reasons could not be carried o ut without any detriment to racing at large ; I am only at a loss h ow to check in any other way the too fattening process yearlings are forced to undergo , and the

of two - - early and too frequent racing year olds .

‘ n o s to It will , doubt, be argued, that there are many roarer

two — - do be found in France, although in that country year olds

1 st not run before the of August, and the distances in races for horses above that age are twice as long as in England . It is

n ow dis true there are a good many roarers in France , but the ease was imported from England , and has spread with the of in greatly enhanced prices yearlings, caused by the vast m crease i n the demand for racing aterial . Based on and caused by the rapid growth of racing in of France , a great number studs , principally breeding for the

on yearlings market, have sprung into existence, carrying of wholesale production by means unsound mares , imported 5 l from England by the dozen at 0 . apiece and even less .

Twenty years ago there were scarcely any roarers in France, but also no studs breeding for sale . I am well aware that at present many public breeders may L O B S O S GENERA ERVATI N . 43

point to certain private studs , producing as many roarers as

themselves or more . But I think this does not much shake

o f my argument . No doubt a certain number select studs

first- breeding class yearlings for sale , as for instance the

Blankney stud and some others , contribute just as much to the improvement of the breed as the best private studs ; but m what I ean to say is , that the overgrowth of public studs, in comparison to home breeding, softens the thoroughbred race , through using too much weak , unsound , and altogether inferior n material for the reproduction , and through forci g the foals too much with a view to the yearling market. C H A P T E R I I

I N -B R ING —O U T- R IN EED C OSS G .

I H AV E promised elsewhere to explain my Views on the ad vantages o r disadvantages of in - breeding with regard to the of n o w h breed racehorses , and will proceed to do so . It is muc

o n n ot n of to be regretted that our writers zoology have , i stead sheep , pigs , cattle , or cart horses , chosen the thoroughbred horse o f as the basis their investigations in that direction .

of According to my idea, no species animal creation is so t for specially adapted for tha purpose, here incontestable facts and the accumulated statistics of the racing calendar collected S of o n e during a pace more than hundred and seventy years , are available as incontrovertible evidence, whereas in the

o n s breeding spheres selected and treated by the zoologist , o n much must naturally depend personal Opinion , unreliable m information , statements copied from other authors , or si ilar t unsuppor ed assertions . The origin of the English thoroughbred is carried back to r Via D i rk three Oriental ancestors , , the Byerly , the Darley l Arabian , and the Godolphin Arabian . It is a universal y recognized maxim to count all living stud horses as belong ing to those families from which they descend in a direct male

s co nsid line, the maternal de cent being a matter of secondary

r i n s e at o . It is manifest that thi classification should not in all

’ m a cases be a criterion , for a horse y have in its veins, through of r to the dams , double the quantity blood from thei families that which is derived from the male descent of its sire, and yet f is considered to belong to the family o the latter .

If, however, the object is to gain a general View of the whole breed , and especially of those families which in course of time to have proved most successful , and to follow up their origin 44 - - N IN B R E E D I N G O U T CRO SS I G . the of beginning the last century , nothing remains but to class if y them according to their male ancestors , the female descent offering not nearly so clear a perspective . In order to afford a more comprehensive view of the whole S subject, I have, as a pecial supplement, added thirteen tables , of which the first three reach to the middle o f the nineteenth e S of c ntury , and the following ten howthe progeny those stal lions whose male descendants at the present time rank foremost at the stud , and appear destined in coming generations to form the $ 1 “ - A u su fli ce fu corner stones of the race . S s ch they will probably of ture breeders as points of departure in the framing pedigrees . These compilations S how that the family of the Darley

A a of r bian , or rather that Eclipse, largely predominates ,

two . especially in England , over the other

The family which claims the Byerly Turk for its ancestor , a F with his three gre t descendants , Wild Dayrell, The lying

o n Dutchman , and Partisan , at present exercises less influence the breed in England than in other countries . ’ i D a r ell s O ff W ld y most eminent son , Buccaneer , was carried

a r to Hungary after—having produced in Engl nd , besides seve al prominent mares amongst them two winners of the Oaks

s See S aw . only Paul Jone and Hungary in her turn , however, ’ had to witness the expatriation of Buccaneer s most celebrated n scio , Kisber, to the land of his ancestors . The Flying Dutchman went to France and there got his two s two be t sons, Dollar and Dutch Skater, of which the latter, at present serving at the stud in England , seems to be the less

e o f valuable, since, with the exc ption Insulaire and Dutch as Oven , he has , yet, produced nothing of note . ’ to Partisan s most famous son , Gladiator, also fell the share F of rance , where he got a great number of excellent mares ’ —a r mongst others Gladiateur s dam , and , especially th ough u founding the Fitz Gladiator family , acq ired lasting merit . Fortunately for England he bequeathed to her in Sweetmeat a of — pillar the breed , and in Queen Mary the dam of Haricot , mi — f Bloo ng Heather , Blink Bonny the mother of a amily of 46 O E S O N C H N T BREEDING RA E O RS E S .

Besides these England has kept n othin g prominent of Parti ’ i n or t san s progeny neither K ngston , his wo most noteworthy sons, Ely and Caractacus , having realized at the stud what o n they promised the turf. The Derby win ner o f 1862 was to later on exported Russia .

’ ’ Glaucus s line is represented by The Nabob s sons only , of which England possessed N u tbou rn e alone ; while France got

’ B oi ar d Suzerain and Vermout, with his sons, and Perplexe , and Austria , Bois Roussel . America, too , has owned in a a f line l descendant from the Byerly Turk , Lexington , one o her most successful sires .

ou r S The Godolphin Arabian in days is, properly peaking ,

represented by the Melbourne , family alone, and in England to threatens become extinct in his male descendants. The most successful stallion of that clan living seems to be Ruy o f Blas but this son West Australian is in France , whither — the first winner of that great treble event o r triple crown as — n it is called Two Thousand Gui eas , Derby , and St . Leger was

of exported . It may yet be that Knight the Garter, Plebeian , or s State man rouse themselves , and after all give to England a of fir str cl ass sire o f that strain blood . For the first of the three s it was , perhap , unfortunate that The Jewel , in foal to him , was sent abroad ; yet it is questionable whether Przedswit , with his f doubtful pluck , would in England have become of su ficient note to induce the breeding public to send him really good t ff mares . The Earl , Morning on , Pell Mell , Stra ord , and the ff e brother to Stra ord, appear scarc ly destined to continue in coming centuries the Melbourne family .

It is a remarkable fact, that the Melbourne blood in its female descent S hows to so much greater advantage than in the

r e r e other sex , for which reason the family is so inadequately p sented in the stallions belonging to it . In the whole stud book to S of there is scarcely be found a ire better , and in their pro n geny more successful , mares tha Melbourne (Blink Bonny ,

G o - Blooming Heather , Canezou , ahead, Leila , Mentmore Lass , of The Slave , Stolen Moments , Sortie, The Bloomer, etc . ) but

his s es . ons, W t Australian alone achieved a great reputation - — - R SS I N 47 I N BREEDING O U T O O G .

e With regard to him also , this superiority of the female d scent u se holds good , as he got, besides a great number of more than R u s ful mares , only two prominent sons, The Wizard and y Bla , of whom the former , although himself a good racehorse, scarcely

f . le t any traces in Germany , the country of his adoption

N ow if we consider the question , what sort of crosses in the different strains of blood have recommended themselves as most

— th o fo u hbred desirable although within the g race there cannot,

n properly speaking , be any questio of a cross , as understood in or —we zoology, because the whole breed is more less related naturally come to the conclusion that the breeder is in vol un tar ily forced into breeding within close relationship by the en d a r e vo to adhere to the families of established reputation , and within them to use for his purpose none but their most prom c incut members . In the commencement of the race we noti e

of numerous cases incest, logically accounted for, however , by the desire to mate the then existing and not too numerous indi

idu al s of . v tried excellence , and thereby perpetuate that quality In the pedigree of Eclipse even occurs a glaring instance of

- incest , the grand dam of Betty Leedes, who was the great

- of grand dam Eclipse, having been got by Spanker from his

own . dam The more the breed developed , the less pressing grew the necessity for close relationship , but in the days of 1 764 s Eclipse, bred in , and his immediate de cendants , the need e still existed to a great extent , for by the gen ral stud book a score of horses may be proved to have been got by sons of

Eclipse from daughters of the same horse , but this alliance

. never produced anything extraordinary ‘ Even in the present century many cases of incestuous breeding have occurred, but f very ew of them have proved successful . I shall have to make 1 810 some remarks on two of their number (Juliana , bred , and 1 32 8 . Valentine, bred ) later on Opinions as to whether relationship in parents is advantage

in ous , and , if so , to what degree and where it begins to be ff ou r own . jurions , di er very much even in days in England

T h e s thoroughbred is, with regard to this subtle que tion , e specially adapted as a field for study and experiment, because 48 NO S O N N C H TE BREEDI G RA E O RS ES . the uninterrupted trials o f the produce o f this or that principle in breeding are made public, and their results, as collected in

e the racing statistics of one hundred and sev nty years , accessi

. fr ble to everybody The inference drawn will , however, e quently prove the reverse of what follows from the same i n vesti ation s - g , when applied to the untried half bred , where the analysis of the calculation is based on the personal opinion of the investigator .

of Fr i on n ier If we take, for instance, the pedigree p , we find

n that he is the produce of uncle and niece , co sequently of very

in - . Fr i on n ier close breeding p , although the fastest horse of his

O f s s day , proved himself a failure as a sire racehor e , because he wanted the individual power to transfer hi s racing qualities to his descendants . He is , therefore , quoted as a warning exam

of i n - ple too close breeding in thoroughbreds . He then was s - ent to a half bred stud in Germany , and there has unquestion ably proved a great success . Writers on zoology, unfamiliar

e with the thoroughbr d and its public trials , will therefore prob ably quote Fripon n i er as a brilliant example of that very same t o n of was close rela ionship in the parents , account which he in the first instance discarded .

n eces But , before we enter more deeply into this matter , it is a sary to come to a clear understanding as to the me ning, with

: i n b r eedi n moder ate regard to the thoroughbred , Of the terms g, r elati on shi ou t-cr ossi n p , and g. If they are not clearly defined , ’ all real discussion is rendered futile . Stonehenge s disquisitions o n o u t the subject are indistinct, because not worked on a

firmly established system . If he instances Stockwell and Rata

i n - E mili us - plan as bred , but Partisan and as out crossed , he overlooks , that those celebrated brothers are doubly and trebly as far removed from their common ancestor o n the male and

S two . female ide , as the latter from theirs This proportion is . a by no means ltered by the circumstance, that in Stockwell and ’ s Rataplan s pedigree Waxy occurs not twice, but three time ; 3 for even then they have only 13 2 Waxy blood in their veins , 1 9 E miliu H i hfly er whereas Partisan has 15 5 and s 3; fa g

50 NO S O N C H O S TE BREEDING RA E R ES . tween their parents ; and then inquire which degree has fur n ish ed the best results as to power of reproduction . I believe myself to be tolerably at home in the Racing Cal endar and the Stud Book , yet it is possible I may have over looked some pertinent instances . If so , I shall be glad if by the following compilations others interested in the subject be the stimulated , in furtherance of good cause we serve , to sup plement or to refute what I have written .

o f S o r - A produce brother and ister , half brother and half S e ister not being available amongst renown d stallions , I shall begin with those whose parents are only on e clear degree r e al moved from their common ancestor, male or fem e . Of such vi z I have been able to find but four ,

i n - Kn i h O f t. G eo e ed to i r 1 . S S e cu es g t rg br H r l .

2 . est To uc s o n Or h t e .

Fr i on n i er an do . 3 . p Orl 4 Th e i n e Bi dc h atc . . M r r e r

Two degrees removed are the parents of

“ ? Partisan i n -bred N Pri am

P m e i n e S Hu phr y Cl k r P El ecti o n ‘ P Th e S addle r P ) S S leight o f Han d I h o n ru i an F T e Dr e Pe v . W Van Ambu rgh * P Peri cles HP B rutan dor f

1 B u e G own 1 . l 1 2 G a o i n . l p 1 Lo w an de 3 . l r 1 4 et a c . P r r h

degrees removed are the parents of

i - d to m 1 an do h e S e i . . Orl br l m n 2 . Th F i n u ch a S im e ly g D t el .

E mil i us H i h fl r . 3 . g ye

i s a 4-16 h ac H i h fi er an d H b Per cle h s t s e h of g y erod lood . — — - N 5 1 I N BREEDING O U T O R O S S I G .

- to r i e . W eath erbit i n bred O v ll

dm u n d vi e . B uccan ee r E by Or ll i Tramp Ecl pse .

H i h fl er . Blacklo ck g y

S i r ete . Epi ru s P r

n d en e o e . Co th e rsto n e W axy a P l p

d en e o e . Chatham Waxy an P l p

n tes. O ul sto n Ce rv a E l thi ro n

i n d oun d W b O w n Pe ru i an . b e s } v Ho bbi e No ble roth r Th e Re i v e r

S i r e cu es. Argo n au t H r l

Ban te . M acgrego r r

m . Kn ight o f th e G arte Ca el

L o e arew . Pe ro G o m ez ad y Mo r C * T c sto n e . Dalham o u h

Bi dcatc er . Iso n o my r h

Bir dcatcher . S i lvio

Fou r degrees removed are the parents of

S weetmeat on o sides o es ac to u n e a. 1 . f b th g b k Pr ll

Th e Ba o n a . 2 . r W xy

B a idd e on S ir e e . 3 . y M l t P t r

n Ecl i se and H i hfl er . 4 . S ulta p g y

an ta o on c i se an d Hi hfl er . 5 . P l E l p g y

Lan er cost G o h an n a.

en i o en i a S ir ete . 7 . Pl p t t ry P r i

e o u n e Te m a an . 8 . M lb r r g t 1 1 0 l atcatch er 3 a . 9 . F W x 1 113 26 y

1 i d a e S e im . 0 . W l D yr ll l

1 1 am uscan a e o n e . . C b Wh l b 1 2 Th e a m e . P l r Pri am . i i 13 . Ros cruc an

Tr um eter Se im . 1 4. p é l

’ D al h am s d am (G ertru de) al so i s three times removed from Tou chsto n e so th at -32d th e sam e b m u s be a e 1 of lood t dd d . ’ S wee m ea s e i ee i s ub u i n asm u c as 11 d am L o i s u t w n 1 t t p d gr do tf l , h 13 ollyp p p do to

two si es . S h e i s w e e en e a e i e be n ot b ai e b u t b S a c . r , ho v r, g r lly b l ved to , y Volt r , y t r h TO w se si e Hi h fl er b a en s of en i e n ia Emil i as an d H a i e I ho r , g y , oth p r t Pl pot t ry , rr t

- are i n bred . H i s si e an a ea b ei n i n -b e to th e same se um e e has five g r , Orl do , lr dy g r d hor , Tr p t r - m thi rty secon ds Seli blood . O S O N H O S S N TE BREEDING RACE R E .

a s as on o th sid M r y b es goes back to W axy. co n o mist c i se and er E E l p H od. S ir e cu es c i se H r l E l p . Li e o o c i s v rp l E l p e . d en turer i A v Orv lle . e m it am e H r C l . z edswi ar Pr t M pessa.

Fi ve degrees removed are the parents of

To u c stone o n o t sides o es ac to c i h b h g b k E l pse . * Vo ai e H i hfl er lt r g y . Vo ltigeu r am eto n i an H bl . Barn to n Tr u mpato r an d " mi 9 New nste r ’ B eni n bro g .

an m B uz z V Tro p ard .

e en ce c i se an d H i hfl r D f E l p g ye . a m S i r e e an d Al r P t r Pr un ella.

I o n S i r Pete r .

i n m a K g To W xy .

aun a an d n S te re r W xy Pe elo pe .

n i Parago e Orv lle .

n d B uz z a d an A o ve r I r d W axy . i c i s Ven so n E l p e . t- - n Velo ci pede Po 8 O S a d H ighflyer . Buz z a d Pyrrh us th e Fi rst r .

- - Harkaway Pot 8 os. is Co wl Wh key . S o ce er S tam o rd nd r r , f , a Cossac k i an Y . G tess.

i r Ki n gsto n S Pete r . i S co ttish Chi ef Orv lle . m Flibusti er Tra p . a e on S te rli ng W h l b e . mil i Chaman t E us. To u chstone and Ro be rt th e Devi l ! i rdcatc B he r .

’ - m ai e s si e ac c i s i n b e . To who Volt r r , Bl klo k , r d n th e e i n Th e i d b O w n b e s an d s s . e , e was , T roth r o of for go g th r roth r Vort x, too i n feri or a racehorse to b e m en ti on ed here . H i s d am b ei n i n -b e a n e h as on ee- i -sec nds uz za I g r d to W xy , A dov r ly thr th rty o B rd

- - b b ut u i sec n s a b ood . lood , fo r th rty o d W xy l — - - T 53 I N BREEDING O U CRO SS ING .

Six degrees removed are the parents of

1 I i s Bi dca c e . on o sides oes ac to c i se . . r h r t h r b th g b k E l p

est u s a i an Trum ato r . 2 . W A tr l p

7 11 t v rl l x an d n o . b rgtfl ers } W a y Pe e pe i i25335511 ‘ ‘ ‘ 2 Si iflfiii l misém : v

7 aca o n i S i r Pete r . . M r * 8 Th e u e a e o n e . . D k Wh l b

Lo d L o n ha e on e . 9 . r y W l b 11 3123322323 ?e m m

1 2 Fa o n i us is e . . v Wh k r

1 u i a e on e . 3 . R st c Wh l b

1 4 Lam to n i s e . . b Wh k y

15 S o ce e . . Ely r r r

en o c a e o n e . 1 6 . W l k Wh l b

Ki s e S u an . 17 . b r lt

1 Lo o a e on e . 8 . llyp p Wh l b

to f f e The stallions of high importance the breed, le t a t r the enumeration of the foregoing six categories, that is, whose parents are distant from their common ancestor more than are few six degrees , , on closer inspection , comparatively in number , and of those remaining many , as, for instance, Lord f S aw Cli den , Teddington , See , George Frederick , Albert Victor ,

S etc . , cannot, in the descent of their parents, how more than

. w seven clear removes It follo s , therefore, that nearly all stal

O f lions eminence in England , which in this case means the of o r whole Europe, are the results of breeding within more

o u r less distant relationship . The aim of investigations will thus be less to ascertain whether relationship in breeding be at all desirable , than to define the limits within which it Operates ad vantageously . We shall be materially assisted in the attainment of o u r e e purpose by subjecting, in their s veral cat gories , the stal lions named to an impartial critic, although I cannot disguise from myself the difficulty of doing so without meeting with opposition to my estimation of their relative worth .

’ w m Th e Du e s d am a s o n b si es a To ho k l o oth d traces b ck . N O N H O S 54 O TES BREEDING RACE R ES .

rst cate or Of the four stallions in the fi g y, we know that Fr ipon n ier at the stud did not realize the expectations enter ’ tain ed of . . o f . him The St Leger winner, Knight St George s n best performance as a sire was the getting of K ight of St .

Patrick with a mare like Pocahontas , whose produce with many other stallions with whom she was mated proved to be superior to him . Knight of St . George was subsequently sold was to America, where he not more fortunate than at home . of his Orest, in consequence an accident , never trod the turf ;

s . ot cla s as a racehorse, therefore, cannot be determined He g , of f however, a number horses of a certain amount o medium

s as racing form , and may , in consideration thereof, be cla sed ’

S . n a successful ire The Miner, Blair Athol s whilom co queror

Y o ut a his at ork , turned rather insignific nt at the stud , pater n i t ty o Controversy being doubtful .

secon d cate or ta The g y is composed of fourteen s llions , amongst G l adiator Ven ison l whom Partisan , as sire of , , and G aucus , stands forth in such bold relief, that his value as a progenitor is above e qu stion .

f n o e e o f Priam , even if he le t immediat male desc ndant em i n ence o f u e m , as sire Cr cifix and such us ful atrons as Miss

e . es as L tty, Annette, Dolphin , etc , deserv to be rated a success

. ful , stallion ’ Humphrey Clinker s claims to recognition principally rest on ’ his paternity to Melbourne, but in consideration of the latter s f worth , his merits must be deemed su ficient . The Saddler and B r u tan do rf are of about equal value ; the ’ former s pretensions are , in a measure, justified by The Provost , ’ on while the latter s are based Physician , whose sons , The Cure , B l ackdr O t and especially p, merited the es eem in which they were held ; the latter in Germany . Election can scarcely be said to rank very high as a progen itor of of , nor has Sleight Hand sired any racehorse the first class . His paternity to several good mares , like Lady Eliza of beth (dam Stolen Moments) , Legerdemain (dam of Adonis to be a and Wimbledon) alone, does not entitle him r nked h c and l two amongst t e suc essful sires , stil less do his full - — T- 55 I N BREEDING O U GRO SS ING .

Ambu r h e brothers, The Drone and Van g , des rve a place in that select co mpany . ’ Pericles solitary claim to consideration consists in having ’

sufli cien t. got Harriet (Plenipotentiary s dam) , but that is not ’ Blue Gown s career as a sire cannot be said quite finished , since, although himself at the bottom of the sea, his last direct

f. descendants have not yet appeared on the tur Of his sons , R Vitus and Blue ock , good performers in Germany , should be mentioned ; on the whole , however, I believe , by discarding him

s from the list of hining lights at the stud , I express the Opinion of English breeders and owners of racehorses .

e Galopin , Lowland r, and Petrarch are still on their trial ; I shall follow their stud career, as being of paramount interest with

e in - regard to the qu stion of breeding , with the greatest attention .

thir d cate or - o f The g y contains twenty two stallions , whom

F E mil iu s W eatherbit Orlando , The lying Dutchman , , , Buc of i caneer , Blacklock , and Tramp, may be said to be ind s l — putab e pre eminence . win Epirus , although supported by Ephesus and the Derby F ner Pyrrhus the irst only , will, on their account , pass muster ;

of likewise Pero Gomez , who , as sire Peregrine , winner of the Two Thousand Guineas , and a great number of other useful horses , deserves credit .

Knight of the Garter , albeit for the present not largely pat r o n i z ed as , must, the sire of Przedswit and many very service a t able horses , be reckoned as successful s allion .

: W in dhou n d Of the four , although not very famous brothers , E l thir on N , Hobbie oble, and The Reiver, the first, as the prob able father of the Derby winner Thormanby , is entitled to a certain amount of recognition ; the second has made himself in

F u two rance , if not celebrated , at least usef l ; the last , however , e are d cided failures . o C therstone , Chatham , Oulston , and Argonaut have not at tain ed eminence at the stud , which is the more surprising with regard to Cotherstone, the winner of the Two Thousand Guineas 1 843 and the Derby in , as he was o n e of the most successful racehorses that ever trod the turf. 56 O S O N N C H O S S N TE BREEDI G RA E R E .

of Macgregor appears to be unable to produce a horse note .

Dalham , Isonomy, and Silvio are still in the commencement

es ex ce of their stud career ; Isonomy , however, poss sed such p tion al his merit as a racehorse, that of future the highest ex tatio n s pec seem justified .

ou r th cate or - The f g y embraces twenty one stallions , to whom no exception can be taken on the score of shortcomings at the ’ r stud , though perhaps Plenipotentiary s name may have a bette sound than in reality it deserves . ’ ’ few H ark awa s S Economist s chances were but , yet as y ire he u r has just claims to o respect . Lan er cost (S ire of Van Tromp) and Fl atcatcher have pr o du ced a great number of good mares ; to the others no ob

ection s for j will , presumably , be raised ; their names speak themselves . Przedswit alone has as yet had n o opportunity to prove him

in self his progeny . It may be urged against him , that he is , of h s the only horse note i dam ever produced , yet his descent on both sides from that inexhaustible source of excellence ,

two l a as Marpessa, through such brilliant channe s s Pocahont

S and Boarding School Miss , hould justify great expectations .

th cate or -five In the fif g y there are twenty stallions, of whom Chamant and Robert the Devil are too young at the stud to be

- fairly judged . Of the other twenty three I can point to Cossack

r o and Andover alone as decided failures , even if the latter p

du ced . some useful animals like Cramon It did not, however, require much individual power on the part of the stallion , when mated with a mare like Haricot . Nor has Barnton , although

S e o f the ire of Fandango and Ben Webster, on the whol , been t much use at the stud , for which reason I hesi ate to place him

s on the list of successful ires . m a In England , Van Tromp has not ade for himself a gre t name , he has , however , done better in Russia .

Venison has produced Alarm and Kingston . Paragone is if o f d ficult to classify, but his daughter, Paradigm (dam Lord e in Lyon and Achievement) , and the succ ss he had Germany, secure him an honorable place .

58 NO S O N C H O S S TE BREEDING RA E R E .

The proportion , accordingly, appears most favorable in the to fourth , and , next it, about equal in the fifth and sixth cate

o r ies o n r n g the whole, therefore, in those th ee, embraci g the o f produces moderate relationship ; and thence , in the direction

- i n . be of breeding , gradually but strikingly lessening It will ,

e sides , be w ll to bear in mind that in the third category of the

E l thi r on twelve stallions classed as successful , several , like and

n b . Wi d ound, are rather doubtful From all this it would seem advisable to place most reliance

cceteri s ar i bus a on those stallions who , p , are descended from p o f rents moderate relationship ; at the same time to be mindful , however, whether in former generations of their pedigree the

o f in same strains blood have already met , in which case the breeding would thereby be increased . We thus arrive at the

of o f ffi conclusion , that stallions that degree a nity in their

of parents , perhaps with the addition a category with seven

in - clear removes , are preferable to those who are bred or out crossed . I , at least , should be at a loss to furnish from all the

as remaining stallions in the stud book , so stately a list is com

S . prised in the fourth , fifth , and ixth categories That the de

n ffi n gree of relationship alo e is insu cient , when kindred strai s of blood are united for the purpose of begetting high individual

e - e : can pot ncy , is self evid nt that end only be attained by using within the chosen families their most prominent members . Almost insurmountable difficulties would be encountered in the attempt to compile similar tables for mares ; their number is too great to admit of the possibility of arriving at anything like reliable comparative figures . We must, therefore, confine

of ourselves to a review the celebrated matrons and see, whether

o f i n - among them exist many cases breeding, or whether in their sex also the value for stud purposes appears impaired by too close a relationship of their parents . o we i n cestu ous i Of mares that their existence to breed ng, I could fin d but two that have proved at all successful at the

a . stud , that is to say , h ve bred winners of big races , Viz

f 1810 1 . o . Juliana, dam the St Leger winner Matilda, bred , I N - —O U T- O R O SS I N BREEDING G . 59

G ohan n a by from Platina, both being by Mercury ,

e r son o f Eclips . What renders this case still more e

o ut markable is, that both parents of Juliana were

o f Herod mares , consequently nearly own brother and

sister . 2 C u . Valentine , dam of the Doncaster p winner War Eagle, 1 832 t e F a bred , by Voltaire wi h his half sist r isher L ss ,

o ut 1 81 6 both being of the same mare, bred , by Phan

tom O u t of an Overton mare .

-O f celebrated mares , whose parents were altogether not more

on ce we S ix than removed from their common ancestor , notice

1 s i n - . Mi s Letty , daughter of Priam , who is strongly bred to Whiskey ; herself i n - bred to Orville (dam of

ath r it W e e b ) . ’ ’ K n owsl e s an d e i n - y General Pe l s dam , bred to Camel .

in - Palma , bred to Orville (dam of Adventurer) .

in - o f The Jewel , bred to Birdcatcher (dam Przedswit) .

in - o f Mandragora , bred to Birdcatcher (dam Mandrake,

Agility , Apology , etc . ) f 6 . o Mineral , own sister to the foregoing (dam Wenlock ,

Schwindler , Kisber) .

The extraordinary success at the stu d of Mandragora and o wn Mineral is the more noteworthy , as their brother, The

e of Miner , although himself a much better rac horse, has been little use as a sire . s twi ce With parent , removed from their common ancestor , we s find a greater number of mare of tried excellence, especially

1 in - . Marpessa, bred to Whiskey (dam of Pocahontas, Board i n g School Miss , and Jeremy Diddler) .

2 in - H i . hfl er . Idalia, bred to g y (dam of Pantaloon)

i - 3 . n E milius dam . Necklace , bred to ( of Macgregor)

4 in - o f . Isoline bred to Sir Hercules (dam Isola Bella , Ison m o . t . y s dam , St Chris ophe , and Braconnier) 60 NO S O N C H O TE BREEDING RA E RS ES .

- 5 . in The winner of the Oaks , Feu de Joie, bred to Touch

H al l ate etc stone (dam of Allumette, , ) .

- 6 . i n f Veilchen , bred to Touchstone (dam o Vergissmein

, nicht dam of Wer Weiss , Wunderhorn , Walhalla , F . F . Walpurgis) . in — Bay Celia, bred to Camel (dam of The Earl and The

Duke) .

’ E l hin e in - B en i n br p , bred to g o (dam of Lambton and

Warlock) .

F i n - H i hfl er of inesse, bred to g y (dam Decoy) . in - o f Decoy , bred to Sir Peter (dam The Drone , Sleight of Ambu r h Hand , Van g , Legerdemain , Phryne, Flat

catcher) .

in - Legerdemain , bred to Peruvian (dam of Toxophilite) .

The latter instance is particularly remarkable , as it seems

of e to corroborate the evidence Mandragora , Min ral , and The Miner that in -breeding in mares does not influence individual o p tency in an equally unfavorable degree as in stallions . own S Legerdemain is ister to Sleight of Hand, The Drone ,

Ambu r h s v e and Van g , who proved them el es inf rior or useless

o n o f at the stud ; she herself, the contrary , produced a horse i ad the first class , like Toxophilite , and that, too , under very

r - verse circumstances . In order to prevent the frequent e occur m rence of horsing , she was covered , when not ore than three wo n years of age , by Ion , in the month of October of the same 1 849 f year ( ) the Cesarewitch , slipped her foal the day a ter , and — then remained two years longer in training all o f which cer tain ly did not enhance her usefulness at th e stud .

i n - who A young mare with but two clear removes bred, of o n proved herself a pearl the first water the turf, and was in 1 881 winner of the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks

1 2 in - . Thebais , bred to Touchstone.

Thr ee clear removes in the descent from their common an ces to r show among others the parentsof - I —O U T- O R O S S I N G 6 1 I N BREED NG .

- i n . Vulture , bred to Buzzard (dam of Orlando)

- ir i n S . Peri , bred to Eclipse (dam of Hercules)

in - Seclusion , bred to Sultan (dam of the Derby winner

Hermit) .

4 in - of of . Languish , bred to Sir Peter (dam the winner the

G hu z n ee . Oaks , )

- n d f 5 . in a o Gruyere , bred to Waxy Penelope (dam Par

mesan) .

6 Mower in a in - W own S . , bred to axy , ister to Cotherstone

of G O- a (and dam West Australian , ahe d , Old Orange V V estwi ck . Girl , Baragah , and )

of b A similar case in reeding occurs here, as in Mandragora , r of Mineral , and Lege demain , compared to The Miner, Sleight

Ambu r h . Hand , The Drone, and Van g Whereas Cotherstone ,

o n a quite exceptional horse the turf, proves a failure at the

o wn M ower in a on e of stud , his sister, , becomes the most cele br a m ted atrons in the whole Stud Book . Queen Mary might be

in - e mentioned here as bred to Whal bone, but as it is not beyond had all doubt whether Moses is by Whalebone or Seymour, we better leave her o ut .

i of s With regard to future breed ng results , it may be intere t to ta of s te that that wonder the world ,

- 7 . Kin csem in s to s of , bred to Slane, al o belongs thi category in - bred parents, as well as

- 8 . B al in Gal, bred to Touchstone .

S w our Of the numerous celebrated matrons, whose parents ho f a cle r removes from their common ancestor, I may mention

1 . on to Martha Lynn , both sides traces back Sir Peter (dam of 1850 the Derby winner , Voltigeur , Vortex, Eulogy , of Barnton , Maid Hart , Vivandiere) .

2 . of Mun di of Emma, goes back to Eclipse (dam g, winner 1 835 o i n e of Two the Derby ; C therstone, w n r the Thou 62 O S O N C H S N TE BREEDING RA E O R E S .

s D 1 843 M ower ina a of sand Guinea and the erby ; , L dy S il ver k eld Well , ’

3 . w B en in br o of Sno drop, goes back to g (dam Gemma di

Vergy) .

4. c of a e B as Canezou , goes back to Sor erer (dam F zzol tto ,

B iar o d . quine , La Bossue, dam of )

h z n u f i n - 5 . G u ee o , da ghter Languish , bred to the same Sir of m Peter , goes back to Sir Peter (dam Meeanee, Stor ,

Scalade, ’ 6 . B en i n br f Alice Hawthorn , goes back to g o (dam o Thor 1 860 manby , winner of the Derby ; Oulston , Terrona , F d in on , Lady Hawthorn , Sweet Hawthorn) .

7 . . Phryne, goes back to Waxy She produced to Pantaloon E l thiro n W in dho un d , , Hobbie Noble, and The Reiver ; to Melbourne, Rambling Katie and Blanche of Middle

: bie ; and to the Flying Dutchman Katherine Logie .

About th e breeding combinations in respect to Phryne vol

. of umes might be written We have seen , that the mares show ing in the descent of their parents but two removes from the common ancestor , Finesse , her daughter Decoy and grand

n in - to daughter Legerdemain , are in that stro g degree bred

S H i hfl er o r the three ires g y , Sir Peter , and Peruvian , grand ff father, father and son ; nevertheless , Legerdemain , the o spring

O f i n - w of threefold breeding , when mated ith a stallion a quite

ff o f o f di erent strain blood , breeds a horse the first class, like of in Toxophilite ; and her dam Decoy , a produce twofold di bree ng , with Pantaloon (from herself only twice removed) , four such good animals as Sleight of Hand , The Drone , Van

Am r h s bu . g , and Legerdemain Fortunately , for a compari on , d a Decoy was also mate with Touchstone, with whom she st nds e (four degre s removed from Waxy) in moderate relationship , and Fl atcatcher of Two , behold , produced , winner the Thou l sand Guineas and sire of numerous excel ent brood mares , and r of . Ph yne , one of the most valuable pearls the whole Stud Book Decoy must assuredly have been a mare of enormous individual to to Six an of of on e potency , be able produce imals the quality, - — - I 6 3 I N BREEDING O U T O R O SS N G .

o r description another, of The Drone , Sleight of Hand , Van

Ambu r h e Fl atcatch er g , Legerd main , , and Phryne, but no doubt can be entertained as to the incomparably higher value of the two e last , produced within moderat relationship, than of the

- ffs in . other four, the o prings of close breeding

es All these inv tigations and comparisons seem to point , I

S i n - c hould say , to the fact that breeding in mares, even if on e or twice repeated , need not render us absolutely distrustful as to their value at the stud ; that , however, on the whole , the mating o f th e best individuals within the chosen families , mod er atel s y related , is preferable for the production of brood mare

e as w ll as stallions , because such mating within the same strains of blood may , as occasion requires, be repeated without danger, as no apprehension of thereby weakening the constitution need be entertained . of It is evident, however, that the observance this principle,

ad i n n itu m if continued fi , also is not without danger to the lasting prosperity of the breed , for the more frequently the mating of animals , standing to one another in even a mod c rate degree of kin only , is resorted to , the more will gradually

in - u h become the breeding in the whole species of thoro g breds ,

s nece sitating, at perhaps a not far distant period , the infusion of n ew blood by occasionally importing in to England sires of

- i pre em nence from other countries . Experience points to America as the sou rce from which to draw in future the regenerating fluid for although the Amer

e ican thoroughbr d takes its origin from England , and is still , a more or less, related to its English prototype , the exterior p pearan ce and the more recently S hown superiority of American

' horses lead to the conclusion that the evidently favorable cli

—in mate and the , to a great extent , Virgin soil of America — every respect different from ours gradually restore the whole

s nature of the horse to its pri tine Vigor , and make the American race appear eminently qualified to exercise an invigorating in fluen ce o n the constitution o f the thoroughbred in the mother

- c oft in d . ountry , enfeebled , perhaps, by repeated bree ing

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