VI 
MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD MARE 
1. Selection 
According to Johnstone, 5 the mare must possess distinct femininity 
although loftiness of character is likewise to be insisted on. The mare 
is a bit more rangy but this must not be sought for at the expense of a 
strong back and deep flank. She must be roomy all the way through and 
of good bone. If the stud horse is a 2000-pounder get mares weighing 
1500 to 1600 pounds or upwards, and mares weighing 1000 pounds or less 
should be mated with 1650-pound stallions. 
Roberts 4 - describes the brood mare stating that she “should be of good 
size, considered from the standpoint of . . . breed to which she be¬ 
longs and the size of the progeny desired. Her body conformation should 
be rather open, or the reverse of a pony-build. She may be, and often is, 
a shade too long in body and slightly too coarse. But these defects, if 
they are defects, may be corrected in the offspring through the sire. 
The eyes should be prominent, bright and well-set; the head, fine for the 
breed; neck inclined to be, if anything, too thin, provided it be well set 
on the shoulders. Short, thick-necked brood mares are too often dis¬ 
appointing. The shoulders should be rather thin, moderately oblique, 
and withers high rather than low. The back (top line) may be a trifle 
long if the bottom line is correspondingly long, though a short top line 
coupled with a long bottom line is best. The hindquarters should be 
broad and deep, neither steep nor flat, with hips thrown well forward. 
The hips and short ribs should not approach each other too closely. A brood 
mare that is a little open-ribbed is preferable to one that is too close- 
ribbed. Such a structure usually accompanies a symmetrically set tail, 
a broad pelvis, and well-developed mammary glands. Symmetrical, clean, 
well-knit legs, a little short rather than a little too long, according to 
breed, placed rather well under the body, instead of on the ‘corners’ of 
the horse, should, if provided with good feet and nerve power, carry 
the dam safely through ten to fifteen years of strenuous life, while im¬ 
parting to her offspring her own characteristics.” 
Carlson 6 interprets femininity by “mildness and softness” or by “re¬ 
finement of character.” This is shown by refined head, ear, jaw, and 
neck. That femininity is a very important consideration in the selection 
of brood mares is attested by Carlson’s observations among barren mares 
that show masculine character. A bigger room is likewise sought for in 
the brood mare as evidenced by longer loins and wider and deeper ribbing. 
The ideal brood mare as a different individual from the stallion is 
described by Gay* in the following manner: “Her manifestation of sex 
character is found in a comparatively light forehand, a sweet, refined 
head and neck, and a matronly appearance throughout. In order to sus¬ 
tain the growth of the foetus well, she should be deep-ribbed and roomy, 
and somewhat more openly made, with more length, than is desirable in 
the stallion. She should possess every indication of capacity and vigor.” 
Hayes * says: “As a rule, the mare, as compared to the horse, has a 
lighter neck, a broader pelvis, is higher behind and slacker in the loins than 
he is. The fact of the spines of her withers being lower than those of the 
horse is no doubt the cause of her being relatively higher over the croup 
tiid.il ne is. 
To provide for increased roominess in the body of the mare Stonhenge? 5 
