"The lady?" said his friend. Cries Ned “That lady, Sir-let's have no rallies— Is one of my most recent, and Most pure and innocent of SALLIES!!” J. M. LACEY. BREEDING OF HORSES IN WALES. IN a tour through Wales during the last autumn I made inquiries respecting the breeding of horses in that picturesque land: it is to be lamented that this pursuit is not more encouraged there, for the inequalities of the ground, and a considerable extent of pasture admirably suited for the purpose, present obvious advantages: besides, the game character and firm legs which generally distinguish Welch horses offer inducements to breeders to pay more attention and care in the selection of stock. With your permission I will at a future period transmit to you my observations on those establishments in the Principality most worthy of notice at present I shall confine myself to one which excited my curiosity from its novelty. Whoever requires perfection in a horse, whether it be the racer, the hunter, the coach-horse, the dray-horse, &c., should seek it in Britain. One description of nag is, however, not so easily procured, namely, the well-bred galloway, shewing blood and of handsome outline: of slow strong cobs there is an abundance. The attempt to produce the desideratum to which I allude has been commenced, and, in my opinion, with every prospect of success, at Aberpergwm in Glamorganshire. Mr. Williams started by selecting pony mares of a small breed and of the best shape; they were put to an Arabian: the produce (half Arab) were carefully chosen as dams, and covered by other steeds of the Desert, so that ere long the stock will become nearly perfect Arabians, with the advantage of being inured to the climate, and of being gradually advanced to the size which the pasture of that locality will form. The sires resorted to have been the Arabians Buckfoot, Fair-play, Orelio, and the two Muscat horses lately sold at Hampton Court. Two exceptions have been made in order to obtain a slight cross of the English blood-horse, some of the mares having been covered by Dr. Faustus and Sam, a winner of the Derby. I was struck with the beauty of the forms of some of these little animals, as they galloped over the Turf, their active wiry make, and their handsome Eastern heads: in another generation their height will probably arrive at fourteen hands and a half, and there is at present every promise of their becoming highly valued as summer hacks, or as light and elegant chargers; nor will they perhaps be less distinguished for speed at galloway races. It will no doubt be regretted by others as well as myself, that the proprietor causes them to be iron-marked on the near flank: I understand the object is, that it should serve as a stamp to certify that they are of the genuine breed. Chopped furze is much used in Wales as food for colts: their condition, where it is adopted, is sufficient testimony of its nutritious quality; and it may be an acceptable hint to those of your readers who have paid seven and eight pounds sterling for hay. HIPPEUS. NEUROTOMY, &c. I HAVE before sent you a statement of a few cases of Neurotomy, which I operated upon successfully, at the same time pointing out the utility of the operation when proper cases are selected. This, indeed, requires as much or greater discrimination than even the operation, which is very simple to those who know the anatomy of the foot: still I have seen it attended with serious obstructions from hæmorrhage when the tourniquet was not applied sufficiently tight. I once saw an eminent veterinary surgeon very much confused and annoyed by the slackness of the pressure, and the great flow of blood occasioned by it when operating before a Royal Duke; and in consequence of which, I very much doubt whether the nerve at that time was excised or not. Since I last wrote to you upon this subject, I have had several very interesting cases under my care, which I think worthy of record, as it ought to prove to the enemies of neurotomy, who seem to be rather numerous, either from prejudice or a deficiency of knowledge of the functions of those parts of the foot. Some will tell you the operation ought to be rejected because it will render the horse unsafe to ride, and that the limb is quite insensible although operated upon below the fetlock. To those I would say, go to the Veterinary College and make yourself acquainted with the anatomy of those parts." Others will say, it is only fit for post, coach, or draught-horses, and no horse intended for riding should be subjected to it, because they will stumble, and are unsafe to ride after such an operation. In answer to these gentlemen, I would say "facts are stubborn things." And now I shall prove to the contrary. 66 I There is at this time in this town several coach and post-horses working sound that I unnerved two or three years ago. Mr. Peter Hilton, an extensive carrier, had a large wagon-horse, seventeen hands high, which was lame on the near fore leg; he had been blistered repeatedly on the back sinews, with a run at grass for six weeks, and every other remedy that was deemed advisable, but the horse got worse. was consulted, and I found the horse to be lame in the foot. I advised Mr. Hilton to have him unnerved, which, after some time, he agreed to, the horse being so lame at the time that it was with much difficulty he walked to the casting bed. After the operation he became quite sound, and continued to lead Mr. Hilton's team for two years. Second Case.-W. H. Griffiths, Esq. of this town, had a very beautiful little thorough-bred mare, which his daughter Miss G. was accustomed to ride, and was a great favorite. She became lame with the navicular disease, and after every mean that could be supposed to cure or relieve her were tried without success, it was determined by the worthy owner to have her unnerved. I operated on her below the fetlock, and she got up perfectly sound. After carrying Miss G. quite as safe as before the operation for eighteen months, she again became lame on the same foot. Mr. G. being much disappointed, as I was myself, by the nerve uniting, he was resolved to have another operation. I now unnerved her above the fetlock; she was again sound, and resumed her old station for two years, when she was sold to a lady in Birmingham. This is an excellent case, to shew that horses who have been subjected to this treatment do not stumble in the way so often asserted. Third Case.-In May 1833, I was requested to see a horse belonging to A. W. Corbett, Esq. of Sundorne Castle: he was lame with the navicular disease; he had been bled in the toe, blistered on the coronet, &c. without effect. Mr. Corbett wished to have him operated upon; and considering it a good case, one leg being only affected, I operated on him he got up perfectly sound, and carried Mr. Corbett's huntsman for two seasons, and was afterwards used as a hack. Fourth Case.-In the spring of 1836 I was sent for to Hawkstone to examine a chesnut horse, the property of Sir Rowland Hill, Bart, M.P.: he had been lame on the near fore foot for six months, was bled in the toe, setoned in the frog, and every imaginable means to cure him were tried uselessly. I recommended Sir Rowland to have him unnerved, which he agreed to. When the horse was brought out of the stable to be cast, the groom came to me, and said Sir Rowland would sell him for £25. The operation was performed, the horse became sound, and Sir R. sold him to a gentleman for a good round sum, far exceeding the offer made to me. He hunted all last winter, and a friend of mine saw him standing at a livery stables in London last summer to be soldprice, 100 guineas. I also, this summer, unnerved a six-year-old for Mr. Minton, of Astley, which had been lame for six months, and was doctored by various men of the "Old School," who had repeatedly blistered him from the foot to the top of his shoulder, the horse still getting worse. Mr. Minton wished very much for me to purchase him at a low price ; I operated upon him, the horse got perfectly sound, and was sold as an unnerved horse for £40 in less than six weeks after the operation. These are a few of many cases submitted to my treatment and care. Perhaps I may be asked why I do not publish the unsuccessful cases? In reply, I beg leave to state, I never had but two, and for very plain reasons-I never will operate upon a case I consider doubtful or uncertain. If all men were to exercise equal caution, Neurotomy could not come into disrepute. :: There is one more subject I wish to call the attention of veterinary surgeons to-viz. the law respecting soundness and unsoundness of horses it is a point in which veterinary surgeons differ widely. I think there ought to be some rule or law laid down, in which they should have full power to decide; and the one I would suggest is, that the Gentlemen of the Jockey Club should hold a council with some of the most eminent and talented of the veterinary surgeons-such as Professor Coleman, Mr. Sewell, and the Messrs. Youatt and Percival-and conjointly frame such rules and regulations as would settle and end all the unpleasant and contradictory disputes arising from this fertile source. E. HICKMAN, V. S. Shrewsbury, December 9, 1837. SONG, WRITTEN EXPRESSLY FOR THE BADSWORTH HUNT. AIR" Then the Toast be Dear Woman." BRIGHT, bright are our looks when we hunters meet, But brighter are our hopes from the merry-toned pack, His mouth breathes the strains of pure rapture; "Tally-ho! yoicks! over he goes." Then the toast, then the toast, 'tis to hunting, O raise, raise the chase-cap to heavens high, Yon crash! hark yon crash, O what transport! Our days thus devoted to hunting Give nights of true balm to the heart. Then the toast, then the toast, 'tis to hunting, Then the toast, then the toast, 'tis to hunting, With nine cheers, and one more for Lord Hawke! Lincolnshire, December 16, 1837. R. P. T. STALLIONS FOR THE SEASON 1838, (Continued from our last Number, p. 181.) Belshazzar, at the Lodge, Malton, at 10 gs. :-by Blacklock out of Manuella by Dick Andrews; grandam Mandane by Pot80's-Young Camilla, Sister to Colibri. Confederate, at Wentworth Lodge, near Rotheram, at 6 sovs. :-by Comus out of Maritomness by Cervantes; grandam Sally by Sir Peter-Diomed. Medoro, at Wentworth Lodge, near Rotheram, at 6 sovs. :-by Cervantes out of Marianne by Sorcerer; grandam Thomasina by Timothy. Silkworm, at Smallheath, near Birmingham, at 6 gs. (half-bred, 3gs.):-by Castrel out of Corinne by Waxy; grandam Briseis by Beningbrough. Elis, having been sold to the Hon, Sydney Herbert, will not cover next season at Doncaster, as announced in our last. ABERCAIRNEY'S FOX-HOUNDS. "What need of more! I will not tire THAT your readers will little miss the conclusion of last year's sport with these hounds I am well aware, falling from a pen which has not the slightest pretension to authorship: it was good enough, however, to have justified a place in your pages, especially as their last week but one was, to them, in an entirely new country, though in their own exclusive and extensive one, Perthshire. The List of Fox-hounds and countries given last year (not in this Work), and copied into the Papers, was as erroneous in regard to that country as in most other particulars. During that I met with an accident, which shut me up even from writing; and so far I do not regret it, nor do I otherwise, albeit I feel it yet (and a postscript to it) seriously. The reason is, that it might appear too much had been said about hounds, almost more, to use distingué cant, than provincial-or perhaps in some people's estimation, less. But there are men yet left in this fly-away world, who love hounds and hunting, and to them it could not but be a matter of gratulation, that a concern was going on, and shewing capital runs, woodland and otherwise, where it had never been before attempted, where in embryo it was held impossible-that too in four short years, and, above all, through the spirited feeling and resources of one individual, though a man of most extensive possessions and vast county influence. I refer to my dull chronicles of the last three years, which never have been gainsayed, and in which every item-country, hound, horse, and man-have been as faithfully and duly detailed as if I had been "booksworn to attest," that the attempt has not only been borne out, but. triumphantly carried on to success. It is so; and I shall make short work with the present, as short as the well-bred bony pack, though numerically they are not of assuming pretension, have done this season already with their own. First day of Cub-Hunting.-Cowder Gorse: nobody out and first time Master wanting: for the best of all reasons, scriptural and otherwise he has taken to himself a young wife, in an elegant and accomplished person. Found an old fox instanter, who gave them a run of two hours and a half, chiefly through woodlands, and saved himself with difficulty in a drain. Second day, Stock Hill Burn, a covert destined, it would seem, to stand first in the annals of these hounds. It was from this covert two years since that they had the capital run to Dollerie Woods, the hounds dividing in Keillor Wood, by which means Hall, who held on with the leading hounds, about seven couples, had it all to himself. In last spring it shewed a top run as to pace; for though seven or eight of us got almost away with them, we never could see sight of more than one tail hound, an old bitch, until we came up with them on the far bank of the Almond, where all that remained to tell the tale was the fox's head. Nor, I can safely say, was it our faults; but it was over fine large enclosures principally in a fine spring day, and the pace was so VOL. XVI.-SECOND SERIES.-No. 93. Hh |