The Range Horse 327 
popular on ranges where good winter pasture or feed is 
not available. Many of the smaller ranchers are breed- 
ing range horses, but these are of better type than for- 
merly and it is easier to find a market for them. A marked 
change has come about in recent years in the general 
type of range horse. Formerly, the thorough-bred and 
standard-bred stallions were favorites on the range, due 
to the production of saddle horses, but at present, on 
account of the small demand for light horses, these animals 
are not meeting with favor and heavier-boned stallions 
are being used. This results in a more rugged type of 
horse which for wearing ability and constitution is hard 
to surpass. 
RANGE MARES 
During the breeding season there are two methods 
of handling the mares. One method is to turn them 
loose upon the range and Jet them run, usually with more 
or less herding. The other method is to turn them on 
adjacent ranges or pastures, but to drive them to the 
corral for breeding purposes and also to take care of the 
colts when necessary. The latter method is becoming 
the more general as it results in the use of a better class 
of stallions and while as many mares may not get in foal 
as when the stallions run loose with them, the percentage 
of colts actually saved is larger. 
After the breeding season is over, the mares and colts 
are usually left free to seek their own pasture and very 
often they are not rounded up until fall as the colts are 
usually branded before the mares are turned out. The 
better horse-men herd their mares to some extent to keep 
them separated from other bands and on the better pas- 
tures. This treatment pays, as closer watch may be 
