CHAPTER XVII. 



SELECTING BREEDING STOCK. 



Importance of starting right — Selecting the stallion — Influence of dam of the 

 stallion on his progeny — Best age of service stallion — Selecting the 

 brood mare — Influence of the dam — Unsound mares as breeders. 



THE selection of breeding stock as the foundation on which 

 to build up a stud of horses, whatever the breed may be, 

 is not only the first step to be taken in this great enterprise, but 

 should be regarded as one of the most important of all ; for un- 

 less we start right we cannot expect to meet with full success 

 in this business, and may be compelled, later on, to close out 

 our whole breeding harem and begin anew. "We cannot afford 

 to do this, as life is too short to be wasted in follies of this kind, 

 to say nothing of the disappointments and expense attending 

 the same. 



As previously stated, I would first advise the beginner in 

 the horse-breeding enterprise to weigh well the matter of 

 selecting the breed most desirable for him to engage in breed- 

 ing. After this is done let him next determine to be an im- 

 prover of the breed selected, going into the business with the 

 full determination of leaving that particular breed in a somewhat 

 improved condition from that in which he found it. Such 

 breeders are an ornament to their profession, and like him who 

 " makes two blades of grass grow where only one grew before," 

 a benefactor to his country. 



Never use a poor stallion of whatever breed ; if you desire 

 good colts see that both the dam and sire are as good as you 

 wish the colt to be. 



SELECTING THE STALLION. 



It should ever be borne in mind that the stallion approxi- 

 mates to the one-half of the breeding stud composed of one 



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