178 THE BROOD MARE. 



after her work is done, with profit at the 

 stud. Often a mare will breed when quite 

 old, in some cases over twenty, though we 

 do not say she will begin to breed at any 

 such age. From ten to fifteen she probably 

 will, so it is advisable to put her to horse 

 at that age at the latest. A modern custom 

 is to have a mare covered at three years old, 

 so that she may have bred a foal by the 

 time she is herself fit to be put into regular 

 work. This plan is often now adopted with 

 good results, the young mare thus helping 

 to pay for her keep before she can actually 

 earn it. Should this plan, however, be 

 adopted, she should be sent to a horse of 

 mature age, say eight years at least, since 

 it is not advisable to breed from two very 

 young or two quite old parents; one at 

 least of them should be in the full vigour 

 and prime of life. 



Before being sent to the horse, the mare, 

 if in work, should be relaxed a bit in con- 



