STALLIONS, BROOD MARES AND FOALS. 121 



may be conveniently done by setting three 

 posts firmly in the ground, about four feet 

 apart, and nailing strong oak or other hard- 

 wood boards to these posts, on both sides, from 

 the ground up to the required height, and then 

 capping them over with a board of the same 

 material. When trying the mare keep the. 

 horse well in hand, by the use of the bit pre- 

 viously described if necessary, and do not let 

 him get his nose further back than to the 

 mare's flank. If the stallion is a valuable one 

 and is expected to do much service it will be 

 best to have another horse of but little value 

 for a teaser, but when the service required is 

 but light it will work no injury to the horse to 

 let him do his own teasing. Occasionally a 

 horse will be found to have a peculiar aversion 

 to a certain mare to such an extent that he will 

 refuse to serve her. In such a case it is well to 

 bring into the same inclosure another mare 

 that is in heat, and when his amorous desire is 

 aroused by her presence he can .usually be made 

 to serve the one that he had formerly refused. 



THE NUMBER OF MARES TO BE SERVED. 



The number of mares that a stallion may 

 safely be permitted to serve during a season 

 has long been a subject of discussion among 

 horse-breeders. It is generally held that the 

 two-year-old stallion will be all the better for 



