FIFTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 661 



When the horse breeding- season approaches, some American farm- 

 ers make no arrangements whatever and simply use the first stallion 

 that comes along, regardless of quality. His next neighbor permits 

 this same stallion to go by and takes his mares off to the best stal- 

 lion, regardless of cost. 



We find some of these same conditions in Belgium. The men with- 

 out ambition raise horses to sell at low prices to be used for ordinary 

 purposes, while their ambitious and careful neighbors breed horses 

 for the show ring and to sell for breeding purposes at attractive 

 prices. 



The shiftless Belgian breeder cannot make as serious a mistake as 

 can the American, for no stallion can be used for public service in 

 Belgium unless he has passed inspection for soundness, size and quality 

 by a jury of five competent men consisting of three horse judges, one 

 veterinarian and a secretary, all appointed for the purpose by the di- 

 rectors of the Belgian Horse Society. In this way the careless breeder 

 has no opportunity to use an inferior stallion. 



The jury that passes upon the stallions is paid by the government, 

 there being no cost to the owners, but all stallions to be examined 

 must be assembled at the most central village of the commune, each 

 commune being about the size of one of our townships. The date for 

 said inspection in each commune is advertised in the agricultural 

 papers and by the posting of bills in the public places. This method 

 of Inspection, I think, should be adopted by the lawmakers of our 

 great state. Compelling many of our stallion owners to send from 

 eight to twenty miles for a veterinarian is very expensive and im- 

 practical. 



When foaling time comes the Belgian farmers always watch their 

 mares. Their farm help sleep in the stable the year around and 

 veterinarians, being plentiful and reasonable in their charges, are al- 

 ways called to assist the mare and new born colt. As soon as the colt 

 will' eat a little grain it is given a private feed box in which it finds a 

 variety of grain at all times. When the mare is worked the teamster 

 brings her in to give the colt a forenoon and afternoon lunch during 

 which time the teamster himself goes in for a bite. He doesn't hurry 

 — they seldom hurry, but all their work must be properly done. 



As soon as the clover is in bloom they start cutting a little by hand 

 each day, tie it up in bundles of proper size for a feed for a horse 

 or cow and haul it in to be fed to the work horses, the little colts and 

 the milk cows. As soon as the clover is fit to feed very little grain 

 is fed to matured animals. Each horse gets a bundle of this clover 

 morning, noon and night. Their wonderful dairy cows, even though 

 they be knee deep in grass, are given each a bundle of this green clover 

 when stabled to be milked morning, noon and night. When the 

 clover patch is all cut, the second growth at the corner where they 

 first started cutting, is large enough for a second cutting. The weather 

 is cool, moisture abundant. The clover does not mature fast as in this 

 country, but affords great quantities of feed. 



