MANAGEMENT OF BROOD MARES. 73 



remedy the trouble. There is no sense in per- 

 mitting mares to quarrel and jam and fight and 

 crowd. If one is entirely boss of all the rest 

 and is inclined to be reasonably peaceable she 

 will not do harm if she is intelligently handled, 

 but if she is wicked and vicious she should be 

 kept by herself. It is all stuff and nonsense 

 about the greatest mares always being cross. 

 Mark this well : it is the little things that make 

 for complete success. If only one-half of the 

 colts which annually go wrong through careless- 

 ness of their owners should be kept right, mil- 

 lions of dollars would be added yearly to far- 

 mers' bank accounts. 



Good shelter brood mares must have. The 

 ideal condition is when each mare can have a 

 boxstall to herself, but few mares are equipped 

 in this way. The ideal breeding stable con- 

 sists of boxstalls facing the south, with a small 

 yard in front of each, the yards being separated 

 by fences over or through which the mares may 

 hob-nob for company's sake, yet not injure each 

 other. Every farm, though, should have at least 

 two such boxes. A good tight shed well protect- 

 ed on the north and west and open to the south 

 will do very well for mares in cold weather if 

 they have plenty of room. A spacious yard 

 should be in front of the shed, facing to the 

 south and well drained. A comfortable dry bed 

 of straw should always be provided for horses 

 young and old, no matter how they are kept. It 



