BREEDING HORSES FOR FARM AND MARKET 309 



Sex.- — While the sex is of no great importance, the city 

 trade favors geldings. This is due to the liability of the 

 mare being in foal, and to the recurrence of her periods 

 of heat, which are objectionable, as many mares are less 

 efficient when in such condition. For the farm trade, 

 however, mares are often preferred, as many farmers buy 

 horses with the expectation of breeding them. 



Breed. — The farmer who is raising horses with the 

 expectation of marketing his surplus stock, is often at a 

 loss to know what breed to choose. The breed is of less 

 importance than the individual excellence. Fine speci- 

 mens of any breed will find a ready sale at a good price. 

 The farmer should study his local market closely, and if 

 it favors any one breed he will do well to raise what his 

 market demands. 



Matched teams. — The importance of uniformity is em- 

 phasized by the fancy price a well-matched team of horses 

 will command. The matching of horses is very profitable 

 and many persons make a business of buying horses 

 singly, then matching them, and selling them in pairs. 

 To be successful, however, this requires" native ability and 

 skill on the part of the horseman as it is really a difficult 

 task to match two horses in all of the important char- 

 acters. 



