150 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



throughout the year and in all kinds of weather. We seldom think that 

 we are cruel to the cow that breeds a calf and whose energies are drawn 

 upon to produce several times the amount of nourishment that the calf 

 would require. 



The very fact that the farmer is situated so that he can make profit- 

 able use of the labor which can as well be performed by the colts and 

 breeding stock, gives him a great advantage over the horse breeder who 

 must allow his brood mares to run idle and make a business of exer- 

 cising the young things. 



If we may be allowed to suggest a point which is hot altogether in line 

 with the thought of this paper we would say, that one of the great leaks 

 upon our Michigan farmers in the past has been the wintering in idleness 

 a large number of horses, that the grain crops might be put out, culti- 

 vated and harvested, to winter through a lot of unprofitable horses to 

 the next growing season. 



We say, let these horses, if they must be idle, be good brood mares, 

 and then they will return a profit instead of being a leak to the economy 

 of the farm. 



Unfortunately the brood mare question is not the only one with which 

 we as farmers have to contend. 



The question of a suitable sire is a grave one. 



On the average, we are not good judges of horses, and we know little 

 of pedigreed sires. The farmer cannot know everything and he most 

 often knows least about horses. 



We believe, therefore, that if in some way the farmer could have a 

 guarantee that the stallion he is using is good in form and breeding, it 

 would be a great help to him as a horse producer. The most feasible 

 way to bring this about is to have government inspection of stallions. 

 No stallion should be allowed to stand in this country that could not 

 pass a careful inspection by some expert inspector. Those that could 

 should be given a licence. The result of this line of procedure would, it 

 seems to me, drive out in a very shoi-t time the majority of our poor, 

 inferior sires. 



As a last word, let me say: 



1. Geldings are in better demand than mares. Sell the geldings and 

 use the mares for work and breeding purposes. 



2. Whatever type you raise, breed for quality as well as size. 



3. Keep in close touch with our great horse markets and study the 

 demands of the market. 



Breed for the market; the horse which you would like best for your 

 own use may not sell well in the market. 



4. Work for government inspection of stallions. 



5. Have a definite aim in breeding, and let that aim be to produce the 

 best grade of some one of the established types. 



