86 SECOND THOUSAND QUESTIONS IN AGRICULTURE 



that the chances of colts from mares bred at this age are as good as the 

 first foals from older mares. Other breeders, however, contend that early 

 breeding has a tendency to lessen the vigor of the mare, retard her 

 development, and handicap development of the foal because the dam 

 is immature. It is also claimed that two-year-olds fail to catch well. 

 M. W. Harper, in "Management and Breeding of Horses," says : "From 

 experience it seems that the practicability of breeding a two-year filly 

 depends on at least three factors : The breed, the individuality of the 

 mare, and the object sought. As a rule, horses of the heavy type 

 mature younger than those of the light type. A draft filly at two years 

 of age is often as mature as a trotting, running or saddle filly at three 

 years of age. Individual mares differ in the way they mature, as a 

 smoothly turned, neat, and well-finished one develops much younger than 

 a rough, coarse and growthy individual. Maturity is influenced by the 

 feed and care. A filly that is kept growing continuously from birth will 

 mature earlier than one imperfectly cared for and which receives a 

 setback each winter. If breeding pure-bred animals, and the object is 

 to improve the strain, the advisability of breeding a two-year filly would 

 be questionable. On the other hand, in working with grades and the 

 object is to produce draft horses for the market there is no reason 

 why fillies cannot be bred at two years if they are grown and mature, 

 and their owner is willing to feed and care for them properly dur- 

 ing pregnancy." 



Best Season for Foaling. 



Is there any serious objection in breeding a mare to foal in mid- 

 summer? It is pretty warm here in summer. I have only to mow and 

 haul hay in summer and can get plenty of neighbors to help me at that, 

 but in the fall and spring I have the heavy work of plowing, planting, 

 etc., when the weather is favorable and the neighbors' horses are not 

 available. 



Summer colts in hot valleys are believed not to do as well as either 

 spring or fall foals. The heat and flies seem to retard growth, but aside 

 from that there is no reason we know of for not breeding in August. 

 If your fall work does not start till after the fall rains it would be prefer- 

 able to breed for fall foaling, say in October. If heavy work commenced 

 in December the colt would be old enough to permit of working the 

 mare if you provided some feed for the colt. Fall foaling is not considered 

 so desirable as spring foaling as there is very apt to be a lack of 

 exercise provided for the colts in winter. 



Stallion License Fees. 



What do we have to pay for a license on a stallion, and also is 

 there anything else to pay? 



If your horse has not been previously licensed for public service, 

 the cost will be $2.50. A renewal of his license will cost $1.00. To 

 secure a license certificate, you forward an affidavit signed by a licensed 

 veterinarian to the effect that he has personally examined your stallion 



