258 THE HANDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



BREEDING HORSES ON THE FARM 



For about one-half of the year the farmer uses his horses 

 constantly. During the groA\dng season the horses are some- 

 times overworked, whereas for the remainder of the year the cost 

 of maintaining the animals often exceeds the value of their ser- 

 vices. Such is likely to be the case when horses are kept merely 

 for the work that they can do. There are many successful farm- 

 ers, however, who maintain sufficient horses to do the work of the 

 busy season without overwork. Mares are kept by such farmers, 

 and in order to make them earn their keep during the idle season 

 they are bred, thus producing a colt in addition to the work that 

 they accomplish. Thus, instead of purchasing a team every few 

 years, these farmers derive an income from the sale of surplus 

 stock. The money obtained from the sale of horses that have 

 been raised Avill fully compensate for the maintenance of all 

 horse stock during the idle season. 



The brood mare. — In the selection of breeding stock, the prin- 

 ciple of heredity that ''like produces like" must not be forgotten. 

 This principle applies to the brood mare as well as to the stal- 

 lion. Inferior qualities possessed by the mare are as likely to 

 appear in the colt as are inferior qualities possessed by the stal- 

 lion. The influence of the mare in the transmission of qualities 

 to the foal is often much underestimated, and frequently is 

 ignored entirely by horse-breeders. The general appearance 

 and the pedigree of the stallion are given much prominence, 

 while in the brood mare they are sometimes entirely lost sight 

 of. The farmer who keeps worthless mares for breeding merely 

 because he cannot sell them will not be able to compete with his 

 neighbor Avho keeps only the best brood mares, even though they 

 both patronize the same stallion. 



Selecting the stallion.— In selecting the stallion, there are 

 three important factors to be considered: first, the individual 

 merit, or the perfection of the animal as a representative of its 

 type or breed ; secondly, the pedigree, or the purity of the ances- 

 try and the probable capacity of the individual to reproduce 

 itself or to show improvement; and thirdly, the suitability of 

 the two individuals to be mated. 



In breeding horses the perfection of the animals selected 

 should be carefully considered. Occasionally stallions are 

 selected on the basis of their pedigree. Such practice may prove 

 disappointing, for many inferior individuals are recorded 

 merely because such animals command a good price on the mar- 

 ket, in choosing breeding horses each animal should be closely 



