THE BROOD MARE 277 



each winter. Finally, if breeding pure-Sred animals, and 

 the object sought is to improve the strain, the advisability 

 of breeding a two-year-old filly would be questionable. 

 On the other hand, if working with grades and the object 

 is to produce draft horses for the market, there is no rea- 

 son why fillies cannot be bred at two years of age if they 

 are well grown and mature, and their owner is willing to 

 feed and care for them properly during their pregnancy. 



Perhaps one reason for much of the discussion as to 

 the wisdom of breeding a mare at two years of age is 

 from the fact that fillies at this age breed with much 

 difficulty. From practical experience it seems that only 

 about one filly out of four will conceive at so early an age. 



Breeding aged mares. — At about 12 years the pro- 

 ductive powers of many draft mares begin to wane, al- 

 though some breed freely for a much longer period, par- 

 ticularly if they have been bred continuously from their 

 maturity. As a rule, the lighter types retain their produc- 

 tive powers longer than the heavy types, although it is 

 rarely profitable to keep a mare for breeding after she is 

 15 years of age. 



Season of the year to breed. — Mares breed naturally in 

 the early spring. At this season their breeding condition 

 is more readily obser\'ed and they conceive more fre- 

 quently than at any other time during, the year. While 

 the, -spring of the year is the natural breeding season, on 

 many farms it is inconvenient to do so, because of the 

 season's work, this being the busiest time of the year. 

 This often necessitates breeding the mares so as to have 

 the colts come in the fall. 



Spring foals. — When convenient the spring is the 

 proper time to breed the mare, as this is attended by 

 many advantages. Not only is the mare's breeding con- 

 dition more readily noted and her chances of conceiving 

 much greater, but the foal comes at a time when it is 

 much more easily managed. The housing is simplified, 

 for if the weather is warm the mare and foal may be 



