524 A HISTORY OF THE PEECHEEON HOESE 



add lise bran mash as a bowel corrective. He should 

 have 4 to 6 miles of exercise daily, except Sunday, 

 when he should rest and not be used. If the stallion 

 does not settle his mares by May 1, put him to 

 work, either to a wagon or at farm work, from 2 to 

 4 hours per day. The stallioner should be a kind 

 man and yet have his stallion under complete con- 

 trol. Never stril^e your horse, but guide him, control 

 him. It is sometimes necessary to reduce your stal- 

 lion to subjection, but never when you are in a 

 passion. 



' ' Select the type of mare that suits you best. "We 

 prefer the rather lengthy mare of good-reaching 

 neck, with a sweet, feminine head, a good pair of 

 shoulders, a deep body closely ribbed to the point 

 of the hip, a gently sloping hip, and flat-boned legs 

 with springy pastern joints. At the throatlatch she 

 should be much lighter and cleaner than the male. 

 The prominent eye and the medium-sized hoof, dark- 

 colored and sloping but not steep, should be sought. 

 Get your mares of similar conformation, so that 

 when mated with a stallion of opposite good points 

 they will produce foals of distinctive conformation 

 or type that will build your reputation as a studious 

 breeder of all that is best in Percherons. Color in 

 the mare is not so essential as in the male. The 

 mare should weigh from 1,750 to 1,900 pounds and 

 be a square walker, with no wobbly joints. Per- 

 cherons are of good disposition, and it stands us in 

 hand to have it so remain, but it requires care in 

 mating and care in handling the colts. 



"Thirty days before the foaling date the mare 

 should be fed on bran mash and clean, sweet hay, 

 with a light ration of oats. Two days before foaling 

 she should be placed in a thoroughly cleansed and 

 disinfected boxstall, not less than 12 by 12 feet. A 



