MANAGEMENT OF BKOOD MARES. 97 



simple operation and when performed by a qual- 

 ified practitioner adverse results are not to be 

 expected. There is very little risk in castrating 

 even old stallions. I have seen them altered at 

 all ages from two months to seventeen years. I 

 never knew one castrated at a very early age 

 which developed an attractive neck and head. 

 The longer a stallion remains entire the heavier 

 and coarser his head, neck and shoulders will 

 become. A stag as a stallion castrated after 

 maturity is called is seldom of much account 

 in the harness. His great heavy forehand is too 

 much for him to navigate with after ie is de- 

 prived of his masculinity. Many of the stallions 

 which in their middle age have been converted 

 into alleged heavy harness horses have been a 

 byword and a derision for the reason that they 

 tired so easily and mostly on account of their too 

 heavy heads and necks. Methods of rearing 

 young stallions from two years old have already 

 been discussed. 



Another point on which there always has been 

 and always will be a difference of opinion is as 

 to breeding two-year-old fillies. In my opinion 

 there is no reason why fillies of this age should 

 not be bred, provided that they are well grown 

 and their owner is willing to feed and care for 

 them properly during their pregnancy. Nor do 

 I believe that there is any reason why a mare 

 which has a foal when she is three should not 

 be bred regularly year after year when she is 



