A HORSE-BREEDING QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 24 December 1910, Page 8

A HORSE-BREEDING QUESTION.

WHITE MAKKINGS. At the ; summer shows this year discussions between farmers and horse-breeders arose, oh several occasions, concerning t'ho presence of white markings on the heavy types of horse. There was a -.feeling'that wnito legs were becoming much more common, but there was no conclusion as to the reason and. none as, to the effect. "St. Gahien" has on article in a recent number of the "Live Stock Journal". (London), from which the following is extracted:— "'i'ho presence of white markings upon' horses' legs is not a matter of any real significance either one way or the other, yet for all that some practical importance admittedly attaches to this .question. In Shire horses, Clydesdales, and Hackneys, these markings. constitute a distinctive and prevailing. breed characteristic, and although they may not always be found in representatives of-these breeds, they are usually present in more or less conspicuous- fashion, and have come to bo generally looked for. And - the tendency both in the Shire and the Hackney breed, of recent years has been for them to increase in extent; that is to say, to extend'.higher up tho leg than was, as a rule, the case in former times. In-the Shiro-horses especially, white markings are universally favoured. Hackney nion are not quite as unanimous in admiring them, .for, although they must be considered as being typical of the modern Hackney, some breeders would prefer to see the breed whole-coloured. ... >

"A Philological Fact." "In the case of the Shire breed there exist no valid grounds, upon which any exception could be taken to tho general prevalence of white markings on the limbs. It is only when they extend right' up to the belly and spread over the latter, as occasionally inay_ be seen, that ono could reasonably object to them as imparting too gaudy or Husky a look to tho animal. In regard to . white markings in general, irrespective .of tho question of breed, , they aro as - doubtless . most horsemen have observed for themselves, much more commonly seen on tho hind legs, or ono of them, than in front. And when they occur upon' the fore limbs, they are also almost always—in fact, it may be said practically always—found to be present behind. It is quite, exceptional to seo a White marking in front without there being any on one or both of the hind legs as well. Thus, while markings behind,, are prevalent enough without corresponding ones in front, the reverse of this is not the case," and there is clearly somo definite philological reason for this fact why the hind legs aro so much more liable to show white markings than the fore ones, though the explanation of it is still obscure., Similarly, when markings aro present both behind and in frojit, those on' tho hind limbs are usually tho more extensive.

"It is also found that there is a very definite connection between the coat colour of horses and the frequency with which white markings occur. Thus, the latter are by far the most commonly associated ' with the chestnut colour. . And not only are they most, prevalent in chestnut horses, but it is also, of course,, a roll-known fact- that the; marking? are apt to bo moro extended, in nature in tho ease, of- this-colour '.than 'in that of any other. ' Chestnut,'.therefore, apparently possesses, so' to speak, a special affinity, lor these markings. Bay ranks next v .as regards the degree, of frequency with which white markings appear in .horses of this colotir, althbugh.it comes a good way tehind chestnut in this respect. Then. follows brown;, while they aro met with least frequently among black and roan' coloured'horses."' 1 Jctm 1 "Predisposed to Cracked Heels.", "The theory is sometimes put forward that in mating together. sire and dam which lMth,iia<e' conspicuous wuiw musings on I M^.leß s >'the tendency is for ithese to assume' a more extensive character in the progeny uian is the case in either of the parents. This theory cannot, however, do substantiated, and may •be pronounced to be untenable, although occasionally instances, of course, occur in which it is borne out. But one is not justified in deducing a generally applicable rule from these latter. "These markings are of a highly hereditary nature and must prove to be transmitted to the offspring; probably even more so in the case o£ the sire than in that of the dam, though conclusive scientific proof in support of this latter theory is not available; but it is a commonly observed phenomenon. On the other hand, there are some cases in. lfhich ■ stallions with white markings habitually siro whole-coloured foals. "It is very often said that when there aro white markings on the pasterns of a horse, it is more than ordinarily predisposed to suffer from cracked heels, on account of the pink skin being more sensitive to adverse external iniluences than dark-colourcd skin. It is, however, difficult properly to authenticate this, statement.. No doubt, the supposed special predisposition of white-marked 'heels to contract this complaint may in a large measure 1m explained by the fact that in cases where the legs of a-liorse show whito markings they are 'very often subjected .to-an unusual amount of washing in or-/ 'der ;to keep them clean and free tlienv ■from-stain,'and isuch continual washing will nathrally tend to render the skin at tho heels.unduly sensitive and to chap it, .so that it becomes.inordinately liable to :crack,"