Page:Hints to Horse-keepers.djvu/58

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HOW TO BREED A HORSE.

gory of crosses—should invariably be castrated. For our own part, we should consider it a most desirable thing, if possible, that there should not be such a thing as a half-bred stallion in the world; but that all the distinct breeds, as Canadians, Vermonters, quasi identical with Cleveland bays, and Conestogas, quasi identical with the English improved dray-horses, should be preserved distinct by breeding the mares to stallions of their own families, unless when it is desirable to lighten the stock; and then to lighten it by breeding to thorough-breds. Canadian or Norman stallions are the only male horses which we would ever put to any lighter mares of American blood; but we are strongly of opinion that both the Morgan mares and the ordinary better class American farming mares, which have some indefinably remote cross of better blood than the cart-horse, can be made to produce a progeny highly improved, hardened in bone, bettered in legs, feet, and constitution, and more adapted for being the mothers of fine, large carriage-horses, by breeding them to Normans, whether native or imported. It is a remarkable quality of the Normans, that though small themselves, when crossed,—either males to other races, or females to thorough-breds,—they almost invaribly breed larger instead of breeding smaller than themselves.