The Process of Breeding. 77 



country and perpetuate their kind. Breeding and breeds 

 does not come in the scope of this work, but as the 

 anatomy of the parts used has been described, the physi- 

 ology of mating should also be understood, some of the 

 visible signs have been described, so that the stockman 

 knows how and when to utilize animals for his benefit, 

 the question arises, how often should the generative act 

 be allowed, and at what time of life should mating first 

 be performed ? While breeders differ to some extent, 

 the intelligent progressive ones are a unit in decrying 

 the use of immature dams and sires, the following sen- 

 tences contain the kernel of the matter. 



Stallions should not be used until two years old, at 

 which time they may be mated with a dozen good mares 

 so as to get an idea of their value as sires; at three years 

 old may have forty mares; at four years old, sixty mares 

 and up, numbers of stallions exceeding the century 

 mark during a season, the handling during that time 

 will be a factor in determining the percentage of live 

 foals. Forty per cent, is considered a fair average of 

 living foals, although often exceeded; it is stated that 

 Eysdyk's Hambletonian foaled sixty-nine per cent, of 

 his mares. The government stallions of France and 

 Germany are not used until four years old, and are then 

 allowed only four mares a day, as many as one hundred 

 being covered during a season. The concensus of opin- 

 ion seems to be that a mare should not be bred until she 

 is three years old. The practice of good horsemen is to 

 allow at least an interval of one hour between services, 

 and seldom is more than one service given a mare in the 

 one heat. 



