A Dissertation on Horses Wherein It is Demonstrated, by Matters of Fact, as Well as from the Principles of Philosophy, That Innate Qualities Do Not Exist, and That the Excellence of This Animal is Altogether Mechanical and Not in the Blood

"A Dissertation on Horses" by William Osmer is a scientific argument from the 1700s that flips old ideas about what makes a racehorse great. The author argues that a horse's physical build matters more than its family history, suggesting that things like body shape and how it's put together are more important than "good blood." Questioning common thoughts on horse breeding in England at the time, the author uses history, examples from different cultures, and detailed observations to back up the claim that a horse's success comes from its body, not its ancestors. The book really pushes for a smarter way to breed horses, one that looks at how a horse is built rather than just blindly trusting in bloodlines.