196 PROFITABLE STOCK RAISING 



should indicate strength and show that nerves, 

 muscles and tendons are made of the very best ma- 

 terial. The tendency among stallion salesmen is to 

 show the animals at a trot. The trot is of little 

 value to a draft horse and should be disregarded. 



Do not buy a stallion excessively fat, for this 

 extra flesh covers a multitude of defects. One in 

 fair condition will be most satisfactory. 



Be sure and test the stallion's wind. Without 

 good lungs he is of no value. This is seldom done, 

 but it should be done in every case. Horsemen 

 generally recognize that defect in wind is trans- 

 missible to colts, so that it is of the very highest 

 importance. The present-day stallion of any of 

 the above draft breeds should weigh from 1,800 to 

 2,000 pounds when in moderate flesh. Two or 

 three hundred pounds can easily be added by a 

 little feeding if this is ever found desirable. 



Another thing of utmost importance is to avoid 

 buying a stallion with a bad disposition. They are 

 not only difficult and dangerous to handle, but dis- 

 position is transmitted, producing colts that are bad 

 actors and resulting in loss in more ways than one. 

 Grade stallions should always be avoided. Occa- 

 sionally a grade stallion has every appearance of 

 being as good as a pure bred, but his colts will not 

 be as uniform, and a number of states are now pro^ 

 hibiting the standing of grade stallions. 



HANDLING STALLIONS 



Upon the handling of a stallion will depend his 

 usefulness in a community. This refers to exer- 

 cise, shelter and feed. Corn is a very poor feed 

 for a stallion. Grass and alfalfa is undoubtedly 

 the best. Oats and bran rank second, while oats 



