PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING 7 



for a sire — 15.2, is the ideal height for a trotting 

 stallion, and 16 or 1 6.1 for a draft horse. 



TREATMENT OF THE STALLION 



Stallions are often treated like criminals; that is, 

 condemned to solitary confinement. Nothing could be 

 worse or more irrational than this, or more likely to 

 produce a vicious horse or to encourage self-abuse. 

 A stallion should always be kept in a stable with other 

 horses, and his stall should be so constructed that he 

 can see other horses about him and put his nose against 

 the nose of his nearest neighbor. 



Stallions also suffer from want of work or exercise. 

 No stallion can be healthy, and he certainly is not likely 

 to produce strong colts, unless he receives a suitable 

 amount of exercise. A stallion kept on a farm should 

 do his share of the work, for there is nothing better 

 adapted than farm work to make a horse not only 

 strong but docile and intelligent. 



Do not neglect your stallion's feet. Many a stallion 

 looks the picture of health but his feet have been 

 neglected and permitted to become hard, and following 

 that come contraction and unsoundness. 



