CHAPTER XL 



SELECTION AND CARE OF BROOD-MARES. 



Selection of Brood-AIares. 



The breeder's selection of his brood-mares, must depend on the uses 

 he intends the produce for. Without a definite object in view from the 

 beginning, more or less failures will naturally follow; and to be more 

 fully understood. We will describe what we verily believe to be the points 

 of greatest merit in the selection of the brood-mares for any type of 

 breeding. 



SIZE. 



The size of the brood-mares will depend on the class of animals de- 

 sired in the offspring. If draft stock is the object, then the brood-mares 

 must of necessity be large, for the desired results. If it is to be coachers; 

 then she must be the required size, style and lofty action desired by the 

 fanciers of that type. If for the road, then she must not be large, or her 

 progeny will be too apt to have so much weight that they will give out 

 in the legs or feet. 



STYLE. 



The style of brood-mare should always correspond with the best 

 of the type to which she belongs. Style in the carriage of the head and 

 tail, as well as that of the action of our road and carriage horses, is of 

 the utmost importance to the breeder. Size, style, ranginess and finish 

 in all of our pleasure horses arc the requisites that bring the profits to 

 the producer, and unless the brood-mare possesses these, it will be a 

 difficult matter for the offspring to manifest it. 



QUALITY. 



The general character of all brood-mares should be much the same in 

 many respects, viz: fine of the class to which they belong; i. e., fine 

 dense material in the feet; fine dense bones with strong clean joints; fine, 

 soft hair; fine grained, pliant skm; bright, expressive eyes; fine heads; 

 fine, well set upright ears and fine hair in the mane and tail. 



NERVE FORCE OF MOTIVE POWER. 



This force is equally applicable to all classes of brood-mares in pro- 

 portion to the anticipated work of their descendants. 



Even the slow work of the draft horse, should manifest itself in a 

 vigorous walk of the brood-mare; but too much of it makes a very un- 

 pleasant draft horse, and a want of it makes a drone that nobody wants 

 for any purpose, if he understands himself. 



