avery's own farrier. 179 



the stallion. 



Great care should be taken in feeding this animal 

 during the service season. In order that he may not 

 become exhausted, and be a sure foal getter, he should 

 not be let to more than from thirty to forty mares in one 

 season, fur his own welfare and that of his progeny, 

 without some artificial stimulant to strengthen and re- 

 plenish the genital organs, more than he takes in by way 

 of food. It is well known to the owners of this kind of 

 horse, that when they have let him serve from fifty to 

 one hundred mares, their horse was injured in proportion 

 to the number so served, or the colts have been weak 

 or decrepid (if he has any), and not unfrequently both. 

 Now, to remedy this evil, without losing the use of the 

 horse, would be a great desideratum with many; and 

 this difficulty is not to be wondered at when we take 

 into consideration the fact, that one ounce of sperm ex- 

 tracted in this way, is equal to the loss of forty ounces 

 of blood, or two pounds and a half. When we take this 

 view of the case, which is allowed to be correct, it must 

 be evident to any one, that unless modified in practice, 

 it must result in a total prostration of the constitution in 

 the end. Every attempt to remedy this difficulty, so far 

 as I am able to judge (except the one I am about to re- 

 commend), has resulted in a loss of tone and derange- 

 ment of the stomach, whereby the remedy has proved 

 equally bad with the difficulty it was intended to obviate. 

 The stallion should be kept in that state of health that 

 will ensure the greatest degree of excellence in his pro- 

 geny, which is not the highest state of fatness alone, 

 that is to be admired. 



