Management and Feeding of Heavy Horses 89 



and vigorous, not worn out with years of continuous toil and hard 

 feeding. 



At the same time there is the risk of their proving non-breeders 

 or inferior breeders; there is also the risk of the development of 

 sidebones or other diseases that do not generally show their presence 

 during the first years of their life; so that many farmers may con- 

 sider it safer to buy a mare which has bred one or two foals success- 

 fully, even if they have to pay a higher price for her, and lose a 

 year or two of her breeding life. An exceedingly important point 

 is her pedigree. We must know something about her ancestors; 

 and now, with the opportunity we have of getting all that infor- 

 mation in the Stud Book, there is no reason why we should buy in 

 the dark. At the same time, if the mare herself is not worthy it 

 is unwise to introduce her into the stud simply because she has 

 some grand relations. Neither must we forget that the information 

 given in the Stud Book is very limited. It gives the name, colour, 

 date of birth, accomplishments in the stud or in the show ring; but 

 it does not tell her faults, her vices, her unsoundness or malforma- 

 tions. It proclaims the good qualities, but keeps the bad ones in 

 the dark. In selecting a mare, the character, style, symmetry, con- 

 stitution, type, and soundness are of more importance than pedigree. 

 It is well to have the type of perfection in one's eye, and to get as 

 near that as possible. 



It is a matter of controversy which is the most important point 

 to be considered in selecting a mare; some breeders attach the 

 greatest importance to one point and some to another. A very 

 successful Shire horse breeder, lately deceased, insisted on having 

 the feet and fetlocks correct, whatever other defects might be appa- 

 rent. Breeders of Clydesdales always consider the feet and coronet 

 as of prime importance, and express the point in Scotland as " guid 

 strong cutes ". In a brood mare a strong and healthy constitution 

 is of the utmost importance. The long, low, wide sort, with well- 

 sprung ribs, and plenty of middle room to carry a good dinner bag, 

 wide in chest, and thick through the heart and lungs, is the ideal 

 stamp of a Shire mare, or indeed of any heavy mare. It is also 

 essential in a brood mare that she should be wide in her hind 

 quarters, both in hips and thighs — a mare that leaves you with a 

 good impression as she walks away, and has no appearance of 

 legginess or of being "split up", as it is commonly called. Her 

 loins should be strong and well padded with muscle. The head 

 should be typical of the breed, and with the eyes and ears should 

 betoken docility, intelligence, and courage. 



By close observation anyone may get to recognize the different 



