268 MANAGEMENT AND BREEDING OF HOEEFS 



The mare. — In selecting breeding stock, the influence 

 of the mare in transmitting quaUties to the foal is often 

 underestimated, and frequently ignored entirely by horse 

 breeders. No doubt this accounts for much of the disap- 

 pointment in breeding horses. No matter what type or 

 breed is selected, the brood mare should be as nearly per- 

 fect as it is possible to obtain. She should be of good size 

 for the breed to which she belongs, ponies excepted. Her 

 conformation should be rather open, showing much chest 

 and girth capacity, and insuring constitutional vigor. 

 The pelvic region should be broad, to insure ease of 

 foaling. 



The legs and feet of the brood mare should be care- 

 fully considered. The bones of the limbs should be clean 

 and free from coarseness, so that the legs appear wide 

 and flat. The tendons should be prominent and free 

 from meatiness, and the hair fine, silky and glossy. The 

 feet should be of medium size, well shaped, dark colored, 

 tough, elastic and close of texture. Mares having poor 

 hoofs, too small, too large, too soft and spongy, too weak, 

 brittle, wide and low in the heels, too shallow and flat, 

 too steep and contracted, are not desirable for breeding 

 purposes. The wearing qualities of the horse depend 

 largely on the character of the legs and feet. 



The brood mare should have a good disposition. In- 

 firmities in temper seem to be transmitted to the off- 

 spring. Pregnant mares are often quarrelsome and many 

 distressing accidents occur when the mare has a naturally 

 mean disposition. 



The stallion. — If possible, choose a sire of known breed- 

 ing qualities. The stallion that is known for the produc- 

 tion of uniform colts of excellent quality is the one to 

 patronize. For this reason middle-aged stallions are 

 preferred to young ones. , 



Pure-bred sires always should be patronized, although 

 the individuality of the animal should be given equal 

 prominence with the pedigree. As a^i individual, the sire 



