Oakes Republican., 1904-02-26
The Stallion. Is. Patronixe.

The Stallion. to. Patronize.
The time is at hand when the farm
mares will be mated and more than
ever before is it important to select
suitable sire. There is pressing
demand for heavy draft geldings Of
good quality, weight 1000 pounds and
up, and no reason to conclude that
the demand will not continue for many
years to come. In breeding this year
decide not only upon the breed most
suitable In every way, but determine
that this breed will be stuck to faith.
fully until at least five top crosses
have been made. Where this is done
the resultant animals will be rracti.
cahy pure bred and after that stand.
ard has been attained no rctrogressive
step should be taken-no outcrossing
to an alien breed be permitted. In
examining the stallion to be used do
not look at his pedigree alone. That
may look attractive by reason of the
Eaudy seals attached. Look at the
horse first and the pedigree second
See that he is sound in all important
essentials. especially that he is free
from the following hereditary or trans.
missible unsoundnesses: Roaring
heaves, grease, stringhalt, chorea.
spawn, sidebone, ringbone, curb and
eye troubles. See, too, that he is
really q draft horse not merely a
large horse made to weigh a ton by
reason of the fat upon his ribs. Figure
what he would weigh If in ordinary
condition and then decide that # com
paratiyely thin he should tip the
scales ct not less than 1900 pounds.
Be sure that he has not only bulk, a
we'll rounded body, good heartgirth
and attractive head and neck, but
likewise grand quality, ample clean
nat bone, we'll defined strong -endons
and fully developed, well formed.
sound. tough feet. Avoid fiat, shelly,
brittle feet, with evidences o; side
bone, convexity of sole, rings or
cracks. This is all important. The
feet must be ample, Of good shape
and sound else we cannot expect to
breed rom the stallion horses for
hard work that will wear well for
years even upon hard pavements in
the city. Prefer too the horse that is
well rounded in body, but at the same
time possessed Of readily defined, long
and strong muscles at shoulder, back
and hip. Then see to it that he is a
tree. brisk walker and ,trotter fully
fiexing his joints, carrying his legs
straight forward n a right line and
turning UP his shoes both fore and aft
SO that the soles are shown to the OBJ:
server. It is necessary that. he should
be brisk walker for heavy draft
horses do their work at walk and
should get over the ground as rapidly
as possible When drawing a heavy
load. 1t is necessary that he should
be able to trot freely and well for
this ability indicates vim, vigor, activ.
ity and soundness. II possible select
a sire that has great individuality of
type and character as he will most
probably prove more impressive or
prepotent than a more ordinary stal.
lion. Having selected such sire con.
sider 1t an insult to mate with him
an old broken down, unsound mare.
1t is necessary that both parents
should be sound il we are to obtain
sound offspring. It is not always the
s:re's fault that the foals are poor in
quality for the unsound mare will
surely counteract the good qualities
of her superior mate. It is time to
stop expecting the impossible in horse
breeding. We should only expect
superiority in the progeny as the
sure legacy of superiority We should
not look for figs from thistles OF
sound foals from unsound parents.
Both parents should be sound at least
and unless they are sound they should
not be mated. We have already far
too many nondescript, mongrel, mis-.
fit, unsound horses In the country.
Why breed more of them "A. 8. Alex,
ander in Farmers Review