Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-11-25
CARE IN HORSE BREEDING
A Few Cursoray Suggestions Regard
ing the Selection Of Founda-
ton Stock.
Sires Of Undoubted Pedigree and from
Prize Winning Ancestry Should
be Selected.
How to Avoid Barb Wire Blemishes-
Proper Care of Foals and
Manlings.

Missouri slope country for the profit
sorry suggestions as to methods that
should be pursued will possibly not be
considered out of order in a journal
published in a country where stock
growing constitutes so material a fac
tor in its resources.
The first great consideration of the
breeder should be in the selection of
well bred stock, and more particularly
so with reference to the sire. While
all cannot make a start with pure
bred dams, no mare should be allowed
to go to the service of a sire whose
breeding Or performances will not en-
title him to registration in the stud
book of his respective breed. Nor
should the simple fact of registration
entitle a sire to a place at the head of
a stud of selected dams; for owing to
the ~carelessness of some breeders
many strains of the different breeds
have been allowed to degenerate until
their progeny will not produce even
mediocre types of their kind. Sires
of prize winning ancestry, as we'll as
those of sound constitution, breed con-
formation and solid substance should
be selected. One illustration of the
value of good breeding horses is here
made, more for the purpose of leav-
ing an impression, than from it's rar-
ity. When a few years ago the late
Marcus Daily paid $4,000 in money
"and some other consideration" for the
thoroughbred mare Lady Reel, that
being before the present boom in
horses had materialized, it was
thought the Montana millionaire was
seeking an avenue for dispensing a
small slice Of his rapidly accommodating
fortune, but when on October ], at a
New York sale arena, this mare and
two of her fillies-one of them a foal-
brought $4,000. it was discovered his
estate was richer by a good round
profit. In this connection it will be
borne in mind that while the impress
of the dam is seen in only one offspring
in the season that of the sire extends
to the product of the entire herd or
of the community where he is kept for
service. Thus the urgency of select
ing a sire of u%ndoubted prepotency.
Next in Importance to the selection
Of foundation stock is the care of foals.
Those who r kept on the farm and
occasionally turned out in the pasture
Or paddock will be apt to become
blemished by contact with barbed wire
unless great precaution is taken to
avoid it. If a fresh deep furrow is
maintained on either side of the fence
and the wires kept well frightened the
danger from this source will be greatly
minimized. The attention of the colt
running ait play will be attracted by
the furrow, for it is the nature of all
animals ITO look where they are about
te step, and thus contact with the wire
will be avoided. On the farm the
matter of training the foal to eat grain
Will need little or no attention, for it
will soon learn to square around to the
dams feed box at meal time. But on
the ranch the foal should begin to get
a little grain at least a month before
weaving time, which should be at
about o months. or before or at the
failure OF the grass to supply a full
flow of milk from the dam No bet
ter Investment can be made by the
farmer OF ranchman than to keep up''
feed and halter break the weanIines
during the whole of their first winter.
1t is much less trouble to teach them
the use of the halter at that time, and
the lesson will never be forgotten, and
the extra growth they will make will
more than pay for the trouble and ex-
pense. Colts thus cared for the first
year of their existence will need no
further attention until it is time to fit
them for use, other than to be provided
with an open shed where they may
seek shelter in case of a storm. Horses
thus reared are bound to possess
strong constitutions if they are the
offspring of sound ancestry. While
1t is possible to grow them larger,
when kept in closer quarters and sup
piled with a grain ration the year
round, they will be less hardy in con-
%stitution, with far less power of en-
durance. # - -"
f. Reference to the market quotations
reveals the fact that ais a rule horses
bring the best prices at from 4 ito 8
years old. II horses are to be fitted
Tor eastern markets they should be
thoroughly broken, trained and a.
nered before leaving the farm or ranch.
as the work can be much more cheap1y
and effectively done there than In the
city. However, that is a matter that
will probably be given little or no con-
s~ideratton so long as the rapid deveI-