40 
PURE BRED DRAFT HORSES 
and in addition Kennedy remarks that although it has not been fully 
proven the breeding of young mares is supposed to render the mare a 
more reliable breeder. 
Hunt 75 believes in breeding the mare for the first time when coming 
4-year-old, while Allen 44 and Dadd 68 fix the breeding age at further ex¬ 
tremes. Allen 44 places the breeding age at 5 or 6 years. To secure the 
best breeding age, according to Dadd, 08 is to allow strength and beauty 
to become developed first, which comes at the age of 5 years. It is 
claimed that when bred at this age the offspring obtained is likely to 
be healthy and strong in constitution. 
Walley 45 is of the opinion that the breeding age is not a matter of any 
specific period. Rather the mare may be bred as soon as she is well- 
developed and has acquired sufficient vigor. 
Carlson 6 compiled figures relative to the prime breeding age of the 
brood mare. Observations were carried for 29 years and the deductions 
arrived at are as follows: 1. That the largest foal crop was obtained from 
mares ranging from 7 to 11 years of age, with the 9-year-olds topping the 
list. 2. That the 3 and 4-year-olds made low percentages, which was to 
be accounted for troubles in dentition. The 5-year-olds also showed a 
lower percentage than the more mature individuals. 3. That mares over 
14 years of age are low producers and their breeding, as a general 
proposition, does not pay. However, when these old mares have foals at 
foot, or if any way breeding has not been interrupted during their life, 
the breeding power is not altered. 4. That the 2-year-olds gave poor 
showing, but Carlson explains this on the poor feeding and poor develop¬ 
ment of the fillies under observation. 
Sanders 46 gives the most fertile period of the mare at from 5 to 15 
years of age. Crisp" 8 states that mares have been known to produce foal 
at 28, 32, and 38 years of age. Mention is also made of a Suffolk cart- 
mare which foaled at the age of 39. 
According to Law, 4 ' 1 difficult impregnation is often encountered with 
young and idle mares, which he ascribes at times to undue sexual excite¬ 
ment so that there occurs a spasmodic and rigid closure of the neck of the 
womb during the act of coition, or excessive expulsive contractions of 
the womb and the vagina causing the evacuation of the semen before 
impregnation takes place. Harper 78 states that from his experience it 
seems that about one filly in four will conceive as 2-year-olds. 
According to Miles 35 the employment of very young animals or those 
whose constitution is affected by abuse or overwork leads to the inherit¬ 
ance of the system which predisposes to diseases that might develop from 
slight causes. And it is further pointed out that such practice of early 
mating may transmit the diminished fecundity of the young parents and 
eventually gives rise to barrenness. The same principle applies in the 
transmission of defective development of the young mother. Miles cited 
that “precocious marriages are not only less fertile, but the children also 
which are the result of them have an increased rate of mortality.” 
On th other hand, delaying the breeding of females long after maturity, 
according to Law," 1 will result to difficult impregnation for the first time. 
Such a condition is frequently found in mares that have been worked for 
a long time. It is interesting to note also, that in mares not bred after a 
single conception marked diminution of the womb and passages result. 
Smith 111 says that mares bred late in life are often found barren. 
3. Breeding Season—Period of Heat—Signs of Heat—Time to Breed 
Smith 49 gives the breeding season of the mare from February to June 
or July. According to Mumford 79 the generative functions of the mare 
are more active in the spring season. Bergman, 41 too, states that the 
breeding season lasts from spring till summer. Harper? 8 believes that, 
besides the fact that mares breed naturally in spring, their breeding 
