CHAPTER VII. 



SELECTING THE STALLION. 



As a public teacher in farmers' institutes for the past thirteen years, I 

 have been very careful to treat this subject in so plain and careful a 

 manner that it would not be misleading. My advice always is, to first 

 decide upon the type or class of horses to be produced, and then start 

 out with the full determination of finding the ideal individual as near as 

 possible in every particular, remembering always that the sire is con- 

 sidered one-half of the herd. 



SIZE AND FORM FOR THE PURPOSES REQUIRED. 



He should have the desired size, form, style and carriage to meet the 



requirements expected. 



PROPER DEVELOPMENT OF FIRST CONSIDERATION. 



He should have the very best of feet and legs, and above all, they 

 should be hung to the body properly for easy and frictionless move- 

 ment (see the points in examination of the feet and legs illustrated in 

 Chapter II.) lie should be large around the girth (vital powers) with a 

 good middle-piece (^digestive capacity), broad, strong loin, muscular 

 quarters, broad gaskins and broad, clean hocks. Flis back should be 

 short in comparison with length of the underline. His shoulders mus- 

 cular and well defined, fore-arms well muscled and the front legs not too 

 wide apart nor too close together. Flis neck should be of good length 

 and width, but not too thick. His head clean and set on the neck at a 

 graceful angle, with the jaw-bones well spread, giving free room for the 

 wind-pipe. The eyes should be full and clear, with a kind expression. 

 The ears fair length, slim, erect and active. The nostrils large, thin and 

 dilating. The lips thin, shapely and compressed. His action should be 

 easy, graceful and without apparent efifort and a line mover. 



INDIVIDUALITY OF THE TYPE MUST BE CONSIDERED. 



All these are important as an individual, but for a sire, the stallion's 

 breeding must be as closely studied as his individuality, and for several 

 generations back, if we expect him to be successful in producing what 

 we desire. The law of '"Ativism," "Reversion," ''Breeding Back," etc., 

 is so well established that we cannot afitord to ignore it, and no matter 

 how fine the individual may be, if his ance.>tors did not possess these de- 

 sirable characteristics, disappointments must naturally be looked for, as 

 they are about as sure to fclLpw as the daj'' succeeds the night. 



