44 
PURE BRED DRAFT HORSES 
to successful impregnation. It is desired that mares be driven or led 
moderately when being brought for breeding and should not be ridden. 
That excitement is harmful in breeding operations is attested as follows: 
According to Carlson, 6 in both instances where casting harness have 
been used in throwing down the horses, the percentage of those that 
conceived from capsule breeding was very much lower, in comparison 
with the success obtained by simply applying the capsules in a standing 
position. Another investigation carried out by him brings out that the 
highest percentage of foals was produced by those led by the halter 
whereas lower percentages were observed in mares that were ridden, 
driven double to wagon and driven double to buggy. 
Dadd 68 says it is better to breed the mare when a whitish discharge is 
seen from the vulva. At this time she often neighs and shows great 
desire for the male. Dadd disfavors breeding early in the season for 
the reason that by so doing the mare not only has to furnish nourish¬ 
ment for the suckling foal but also to the developing fetus, besides 
herself. 
The best mating is said to result from the use of a relatively old 
horse with a young mare (Biddell, Douglas, Dykes, Fleming, Macneilage, 
Murray, Trotter 82 ), while Walley 45 says that equality in size between the 
male and female should be insisted upon in breeding operation, and he 
further maintains that a small and young female bred to a dispropor- 
tioned stallion might cause some trouble in parturition through certain 
abnormalities in the development of the body. But a roomy and mature 
mare can be mated with a stallion differing much in size and still good 
results may be obtained. Allen 44 believes that much of the success ob¬ 
taining among the Arabian and Eastern breeders is due to the fact that 
mares larger than the stallion are used in breeding operations. John¬ 
stone 5 recommends the mating of a ton stallion with mares weighing 
1500 to 1600 pounds or upwards, and the 1650 pounder with mares weigh¬ 
ing 1000 pounds or less. 
7. Artificial Insemination 
That artificial insemination, whether it be by the syringe or by the 
capsule method, can be undertaken successfully, is without question 
(Johnstone 6 ). Riley 83 states that this practice has been followed by 
stallion and jack owners for over 20 years. It is resorted to not only in 
America, but also in France, Germany, Russia, the British Isles, India, 
and other countries. (Axe. 38 ) 
In a comprehensive way Brown 84 enumerates a number of advantages 
accruing from an artificial insemination, as follows: 
“First—Stallion owners are able to restrict the services of their animals 
to one period a day, thus conserving the virility of the sire and contribut¬ 
ing to more vigorous offspring. 
“Second—By effecting a division of the semen from 7 to 18 mares may 
be easily bred from a single service. 
•“Third—That a higher percentage of foals results for the reason that 
insemination is certain and the stallioner soon learns to detect and re¬ 
ject mares showing evidence of confirmed sterility. 
“Fourth—That impregnation is far more certain in case of atresia of 
the cervix, a tortuous or elongated cervical canal, together with various 
pathologic conditions of the vaginal tract and numerous other condtiions. 
“Fifth—The opportunity for conveying contagious or infectious genital 
diseases is greatly lessened and reduced to the minimum by the observ¬ 
ing operator. 
“Sixth—That the opportunity for physical injuries to either stallion 
or mare is practically nil by this method. 
“Seventh—That the offspring are equal to and generally should be 
