This is essentially an age of ladies on horseback. They are to be met with everywhere, and at all seasons: in city, suburb, park, and country, and with the advance of equestrian pursuits comes likewise a desire on the part of those who take pleasure in them to be made in some degree acquainted with the interesting subjects of breeding and training young horses. So at least I judge from a number of letters recently addressed to me, both at my own house and at the office of the Sporting and Dramatic News, requiring information upon matters which a few years ago were very little thought of by ladies, and certainly commanded no amount of attention from them.

With a view to answering the many questions asked me, I propose to offer a few brief hints on the best and most profitable method of breeding good and useful racers and hunters—appending a chapter on a system of training, which, having tried it myself with quite satisfactory results, I can confidently recommend to ladies, as coming entirely within scope of the resources ordinarily afforded them, both by nature and surroundings.

Horse-breeding is a pleasant recreation for those whose tastes, means, and residential qualifications enable them to carry it on, and at the same time conduce to its success. Living in the country, for example, in a house surrounded by good grass lands, a more delightful species of pastime, or one of a more engrossing kind, can scarcely be sought for or imagined, while the practical question of making money of it may be met with the assurance that it can be done.

At the present crisis it is especially advisable that attention should be given to horse-breeding, as it is a matter to which, when times are bad and land-culture unprofitable, lady farmeresses and others may turn their thoughts with greater chance of profit than when sheep, cattle, and every description of farm produce brought more grist to the agriculturist’s mill. Land rent is low, fodder cheap and plentiful, and labour easily obtained. Some years ago, when seasons were good, and farmers could sell their stock at a fair profit, horse-culture might not under ordinary circumstances have been found to pay; but it is entirely different now, and never perhaps was there a period at which good horses, especially high-class hunters, were in more substantial demand than at present. I know some persons, particularly in Ireland, who are ready to cry “No” to this statement, but the most substantial proof of its truthfulness lies in the fact that at sales, as well as at the autumn horse-shows, almost everything that is good is speedily bought up at fairly remunerative prices, while only those who demand excessive rates for second and third-rate animals carry their stock home with them, and grumble at the blindness of buyers and the ticklishness of the times.

Without going into any unnecessary preliminaries, I may continue my subject and say, that it will be well, when selecting a mare to breed from with a view to the production of high-class hunters, to choose one if possible that has herself been a good performer to hounds,—but remember that this is not an indispensable quality, although it may be, and is, an important one. The breeding of the animal chosen to represent maternity ought to be a point much dwelt upon; it cannot indeed be over estimated—as coarse-bred mares are, even when well mated, certain to perpetuate unsatisfying stock. I am of opinion that compactness of form, robustness of frame, and capability of endurance, fatigue, and exertion, are far before actual beauty in the brood mare. I like to see short stout legs, thick and bulging in the upper portion, denoting plenty of strength and muscle—good, fleshy, sloping shoulders, a deep chest, high withers, a strong well-ribbed frame, big broad loins, hips wide apart, substantial quarters, a high arched crest, a good sound mouth, nostrils wide and healthy, and, most important of all, a sound and well-formed foot. This last point should be rigorously observed, for my experience has taught me that no outward defect is more surely hereditary than small, narrow, ill-shapen, or unhealthy feet.

The same precautions may in great degree be applied to the sire—and as he is supposed to supply the locomotive power to his progeny, an animal should be chosen that has good hunter-like action, and not one whose paces are like those of a racer or park horse. His height will not be of much consequence, provided that the mare be of suitable size, but his general form ought to be most carefully weighed. A good sound constitution on the part of both mare and sire will be of the utmost importance in breeding, and for this reason I prefer young strong mares for stud purposes.

It is with many a very vexed question whether or not a filly is improved by having a foal. I maintain, even against much contradiction, that she decidedly is; and I have met with a good many sound judges who have agreed with me, while on the other hand some old-fashioned horse-fanciers have told me that they would not have anything whatever to say to a “widow.” I believe that the system of keeping a flock of idle brood mares has contributed largely towards the impoverishing of many a promising horse-breeding company, and a few who have had the sense to see the folly of such a course have bred with much advantage from fillies, without ever suffering a particle of loss by it. A young robust three-year-old—one that has been “gentled” and taught to jump in long reins without being ridden—will prove a capital speculation as a matron, and will at four have produced a foal which need not detain her from her training beyond the weaning time.

Wealthy horse-owners, who wish to go in for breeding racers, ought to keep their best and most promising foals entirely for breeding purposes; and I believe that such a speculation would answer admirably as a means of making money, and would in time astonish the world of the turf with a show of youngsters that would bid fair to sweep the land. Well-nurtured animals—those that had never been subjected to any sort of training—would be certain to bring forth finer and healthier specimens of horseflesh than aged quadrupeds, who were only put to the stud because they had met with accident, or had broken down. I cannot, for my own part, believe in such animals perpetuating a valuable or healthy stock; and experience has amply proved that it is only after long periods of repose—during which the waste and exhaustion consequent upon training and running have become mitigated, if not absolutely cured—that racing mares and sires attain celebrity through the progeny that they produce.

Turfites might pick up many a good and paying thing, if breeders would only relinquish some of their standing prejudices, and be induced to set apart a certain number of untrained animals for stud purposes, selecting the best of the foals produced by them, and keeping these apart until their sixth year; by so doing, they would generate a company of clippers that would make fortunes for their purchasers, and fairly open the eyes of the racing world. Strange to say, the system finds but little acceptance—a fact shown by the bad, weedy, and mis-shapen lots that are sent out to contest many of our leading races. More of them break down in the training than ever actually go to the post; and, even among the starters, how few are found in the run home really contesting the race. The horseflesh of the country has degenerated under the pursuance of a wrong system; and yet, it is asserted that racing is kept up to improve the national breed of chasers throughout the land. How far it succeeds in its so-called purpose, the public markets daily testify. Wretched blood stock is everywhere to be found, and when not absolutely what could be called wretched, it is at all events decidedly poor. A number of the foals born never return the first expenses of their existence, much less of their education. Their worthlessness is soon discovered, and after awhile they are to be met with in riding-schools and job stables, between the shafts of cabs and carts, and engaged in a variety of other work for which they were never meant—their very fitness for such demeaning labour proving at once their utter lack of value for higher callings, and testifying the hollow ignorance of those who, from blind prejudice, or some other inexplicable cause, tend to perpetuate this pitiable waste and degradation.

So-called “blood stock” is fast contaminating the pure native breed of the country. There is, every season, a glut of worthless bloods; the refuse of the stud farm is sold away to the highest bidder, and he in his turn seeks to make temporary profit out of it, with the result of impoverishing and deteriorating such chances of good things as he may happen to have among his stock. Thus it goes on from one year to another, and looks, by its continuance, as though it were meant to go on to the very end of time.

My advice to would-be breeders of racers is, to discard as sires and matrons all animals that have been trained for the turf; carefully select those of good blood, pedigree, and qualifications; reserve the best of their progeny, when brought forth, and breed from these again, ere ever they are allowed to pass into a trainer’s hands. In this way, and in this alone, will strength, stamina, courage, speed, endurance—all that is most necessary in a racer—be absolutely ensured.

To turn back to the subject of breeding a good class of hunters—a matter which I hope will interest ladies, for whom I write—I have already given my ideas respecting the best sort of mares to select for the purpose; and I may add that an animal during the period of gestation ought not to be by any means kept and fed in idleness. Gentle regular exercise, and plenty of it, will be good and healthful for a mare that is in foal. Her prospects of maternity dating from May, she can with advantage be lightly worked about a farm, or in any other way—provided that she has been accustomed to it—until Christmas; and even when actual work is suspended, daily exercise should be carefully continued.

Dry uplands, and grassy ground of a hilly nature, are excellent pasturage for brood mares, who should be kept perfectly cool, and free from excitement of all kinds. An abundance of fresh water should be allowed them—as much indeed as they care to drink—together with a varied supply of light nourishing food of a cooling nature. The shelter-shed ought to open to the south, the entrance to it being wide, and the flooring hard and very dry.

The mare should be left quite to herself when foaling, except in extreme cases, which fortunately very rarely occur. It will, of course, be necessary to see that she does not make her way to any dangerous place—such as an ugly ditch, or cutting—a thing very commonly attempted in the country—but otherwise she ought not to be subjected to any kind of interference. This, I should observe, applies as a matter of course to strong healthy animals, such as are accustomed to pasturing out in almost every sort of weather; in other cases, it will be well to have a box at hand, thickly littered over, and lined about the walls with piled-up trusses of straw.

If you are the mare’s owner, and that she knows you and is comforted by the sound of your voice, keep close by her, and banish all others to a distance when her sufferings begin. These will most likely be short, but severe, and she will not in all probability bear them very patiently. Lead her quietly into the box that you have prepared; and on no account permit any fuss or excitement, or any peeping, to take place about her. In cases where much heaving of the flanks has occurred, I have seen small doses of sulphuric ether and cold water—an ounce of the former to three pints of the latter, well blended—given with seeming advantage; but I do not undertake to advocate any physicking whatever at so excessively trying a period, preferring for my own part to leave Nature to herself, except where danger is anticipated: in which case it will be best to send at once for the most skilled assistance possible.

As soon as matters are safely over, leave parent and offspring to themselves, ensuring for them the utmost quietude, as well as perfect freedom from even the very slightest noise. All that the mare will stand in need of at the conclusion of her troubles will be a pail of warm gruel, with a dash of old ale, or a little brandy introduced—the latter only in case of great exhaustion. The foal will require no care, except from its parent. Should the natural nourishment prove unprolific, the young one may be supplied with cow’s milk that has been skimmed, sweetened, and slightly warmed. An infant’s feeding-bottle will serve admirably for purposes of nutrition, or if such be not available, a hand may be dipped in the milk, and the tops of a couple of fingers lifted up. The hungry foal will very soon seize upon them; but it is, in my opinion, better not to feed at all, except in cases where the youngster shows signs of evident weakness, or that the mother is unable to fulfil her natural functions.

I always advocate holding up the feeding-pail when nourishment is supplied to the parent. It gives confidence, allays suspicion, and helps to tame the little one, which, after a while, will venture to pick from the hand.

The nursing-stable should be airy and well ventilated, without being subject to draughts, and the feeding for the matron should consist of moist mashes, composed of bran and scalded oats, varied with an abundance of cooling vegetable food, and a constant supply of fresh soft water.

Four days after foaling the mare may be put to light exercise: it will do both her and her colt a vast deal more good than being idle, and the little youngster (owing to the constant proximity of his dam’s attendant) will soon grow quite tame. His timidity will vanish, he will suffer himself to be handled and caressed, will pick food out of his mother’s manger, and will, when October comes round, and he has to be weaned, be as docile and full of confidence as any animal in the stable.

When that special time arrives, give him (if possible) a companion of his own age to bear him company: because he must be separated from his dam, for the benefit of both—and he will pine if not provided with society. If one of his own species be not conveniently obtainable, procure a young calf, and let the two youngsters fraternize together; they will soon be the best possible friends, and the colt will thus keep up his condition and not waste, as he certainly will if left to pine alone.