120 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



Regular and thorough daily grooming does much to insure health and vigor 

 and is all that is necessary under a proper system of feeding to make the stallion 

 the pride of his owner and of the community, in which he does service. 



A Precaution in the Use of Stallions. It is necessary that a stallion be 

 absolutely clean and free from infectious diseases and in no instance should he 

 be allowed to serve mares which are questionable. Mares having a diseased con- 

 dition of the reproductive organs will not be likely to breed successfully and 

 there is no object in taking a chance on breeding them and infecting the stallion 

 and the mares he serves later. 



Buying a Stallion. An individual or a community of farmers should take 

 into consideration the following suggestions on buying a stallion : 



Decide upon the best type and breed of horses for the community. 



Arrive at a decision early enough to have plenty of time to make the proper 

 selection. 



Consider the number of mares to be bred and buy a horse old enough or 

 enough horses to do the service most successfully. 



Buy a proven sire whose colts may be seen if possible. 



Buy of reliable breeders nearest by. It will save money and insure the most 

 satisfactory attention to your needs. 



Arouse and maintain a community interest in the stallion and in the foals 

 that he will get. 



Suggestions for Stallion Owners. Employ if necessary a regular attend- 

 ant whose judgment on matters pertaining to horse production will insure 

 the best care of the stallion, and enable him to make many valuable suggestions to 

 owners of mares. 



Keep the stallion in a roomy, well lighted, ventilated box stall where sun- 

 light will help to keep it dry and free from filth. 



Have the stallion where he can enjoy the company of other horses. It 

 h*elps to keep him agreeable and easy to control. 



See to it that his feet are in the best of condition, level at the sole, not 

 pared down at the sole, frog and bars, or rasped on the outer wall. Shoes that 

 are well fitted should be provided when the stallion is traveled about the country 

 and worked. 



Endeavor to conserve the strength and prolong the usefulness of a good 

 stallion as much as possible. 



Sterility in Stallions and Mares. Most stallions are potent and retain 

 their potency to an old age. There may be an inability or an indisposition to 

 serve a mare, however, due to causes resulting in temporary or permanent steril- 

 ity. Permanent sterility is usually congenital, present at birth, and the result of 

 an incomplete or abnormal development of the reproductive organs. Stallions 

 with both testicles retained in the body undeveloped are usually sterile. Stallions 

 with one testicle developed (ridglings), may be sure breeders, but there will be a 

 tendency for his colts to be in the same condition and it is undesirable to. select a 

 stallion of this character. 



