MODERN FARRIER. 167 



ought to have, and the stock is weak and under-sized 

 in proportion to the excess. 



97. Breeding Mares. 



Every farmer who possesses a mare, whether well 

 or ill formed, is determined to breed from her, under 

 the idea that if she produces any thing in the form 

 of a horse, it will obtain a ready sale. Thus the 

 country is filled with a stock of animals, fit for little 

 else but to vex their owners and consume the pro- 

 duce of the earth. 



There prevails an idea that a good breeding mare 

 should have a large belly, as the more room a foal 

 has in the dam, the better proportioned it will be. 

 Nothing can be more absurd ; for great-bellied, long- 

 backed mares are the unfittest to breed from ; and, 

 being generally weak and relaxed, they produce the 

 smallest foals. The size of the foal depends more 

 upon the strength and vigour of the dam's constitu- 

 tion, than upon the dimensions of her belly. 



Very old mares naturally decline in constitution, 

 and cannot reasonably be supposed to be so fit for 

 breeding as young ones. Besides, from a decay of 

 the teeth they do not graze well, and artificial food 

 cannot supply the foal with nutrition like that which 

 is derived from natural resources. 



98. Breeding. 



Before the stallion is brought to the mare, he 

 should be dressed, as that will greatly increase his 

 rdour. The mare must also be curried, and have 

 Fho shoes on her hind-feet, some of them being tick- 

 lish, and will kick the stallion. A person holds the 

 mare by the halter, and two others lead the stallion 

 by long reins ; when he is in a proper situation, an- 

 other assistant carefully directs the yard, pulling 

 iside the mare's tail, as a single hair might hurt him 



I 



