all the winners of the last ten years to
breed on Dartmoor or in Shetland; what would be the betting about a colt
or a filly so bred for the Derby or Oaks? The qualities of the
race-horse--the accumulation of thousands of years--are lost in the
first generation. Continue to breed him under these conditions, and the
finest horse in the world, or that the world ever saw, becomes a
Dartmoor or Shetland pony, worth L5 instead of L5000. Such are the
changes worked by natural conditions; though with Mr. Darwin they count
for nothing, or for next to nothing.

In the permanent fat pastures of the temperate and insular climes, the
horse is built up to eighteen hands high, with a width and weight
infinitely more than proportionate to his height, if we compare him to
the southern horse. In the arid south, by no contrivance of man or
"natural selection" can a horse of _weight_ be produced; though you may
breed the terse horse of the south in the north by keeping him on terse
food.

[Sidenote: Crossing not necessary.]

Crossing is only good where you wish to breed animals against natural
conditions, as heavy horses on terse food, or Leicester sheep on the
downs, or small Alderney cows on rich pastures. Then, the more the breed
is crossed by animals bred under favourable natural conditions the
better. No horse is so bred in-and-in as our thorough-bred horse and
the Arab, and, of course, all _pure_ breeds must be bred in-and-in.

[Sidenote: We do not attend enough to warmth.]

The above effects of food and work are evident and well understood. But
we do not sufficiently attend to warmth. We see that if the
finest-coated Arab or thorough-bred horse is turned out year after year,
he will get a winter coat as thick as a Shetland pony. But besides this,
nature thickens his skin; the hide of the southern horse sells higher
than that of the northern horse, because it is thinner. Change the skin
of a horse for that of a rhinoceros, will he race or hunt as well?

[Sidenote: Warmth instead of singeing.]

Mr. Darwin does not seem to be aware that the horse changes his coat! or
that there is any difference between his summer and winter coat! or that
the new coat of the same individual comes thick directly he is exposed
to cold. Fine winter coats should be got by clothing and warmth, not by
singeing and cold. Starvation itself is not more terrible than cold.
Nature comes to the rescue of the out-door horse, but frightful
enormities resul