Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-02-18

many colts. Unsoundnesses are not
transmitted to colts. but the weakness
es that are usually responsible for I'M
sound conditions are often transmitted.
The principal unSoundnesses are ring
bone. sidebone. SPAWN. bog SPAWN.
thoroughpin and curb.
Sidebone is bony formation at the
hoof head toward the heel. Ringbone
may be found in the same place, eX-
tending all the way around. or it may
be higher up on the pastern. in which
case it is known as high ringbone.
SPAWN is bony formation on the in
side of the hook Curb is bony en-
largement at the back of the leg just
below the point of the hook. 1t is most
usually found on sickle hooks" 1t
can be readily noticed by looking at
the leg from the side. Bog SPAWN
is soft enlargement on the inside of
the hook. Thoroughpin is smaller
enlargement extending through the
Joint. where it can be felt in the web
Of the hook. Neither bog SPAWN nor
thoroughpin is serious unless very
large.
The stallion should possess the same
general characteristics as the mares.
He should show masculinity In strong
head. a nose inclined to be Roman rath-
er than dished. fairly heavy crest
and large chest. In selecting stall
lion to breed to do not pick out the
cheapest one in the neighborhood.
Five or ten dollars difference in the
service fee will mean $50 to 500 diff
ference on the price of the colt when
it Is four years old. If there is not
good stallion in your immediate neigh
borhood. take your mares ten miles or
more if necessary, but do not use an
inferior stallion. Often fifteen or TWEEN
| ty farmers can go in together and buy
company stallion. Do not buy
horse that is ''peddled" by smooth
tongued agent. Such horse is likely
to besone that could not be sold in any
other way, and you will generally pay
twice or three times what it is worth.
The best plan is to organize the COM
pany first and then send competent
man to some reliable horse establish
ment to pick out the stallion.
The Value of Pure Bred Stallion.
The question of breed is largely one
Of individual preference. If the mares
of the neighborhood are nearly all
grades Of some particular breed 1t will
pay to get horse of that breed. Be
careful in the selection of breed and
then stick to it. Nothing will produce
mongrel lot of horses more quickly
than changing breeds every few years
Above all. get pure bred. A grade
may be good enough individual, but
he will not have the long line Of i'm
proved ancestry back of him on bott
sides to give him the prepotency thai
pure bred has. The grade has mon
grel blood in him, and it is bound t.
crop out in his colts.
Entirely too much stress is laid OF
the value of imported stations. For al
practical purposes home bred animals
, are just as good and can be purchased
for much less money. Size in stall
i lion is all important. A horse tina
t weighs less than ton in breeding
, condition should not be used. The
mere fact that an animal is bred in
, foreign country cannot add anything
! to his actual value, and the reasons
, that such an Importation is rated high
er than the domestic product are chief
ly sentimental. 1t is time that thi
unwarranted discrimination should b
3 brought to an end.
r Never patronize an overfat stallion
: Fat is a convenient means of cover
t ing defects, but it is hard on the AM
r mails breeding powers. When tn
e stallion is not in service he should b
! given plenty of exercise, preferably a
e some kind of work that is not too Sc
! we're. He should be in good conditio
] and good spirits when the breedin
season opens. During the breedin
j season he should be given regular e'
+ ercise and plenty of it. His fee
t should consist largely Of oats. with
e little corn, and an occasional mas
:. with little oilmeal added. Goo
<. bright timothy or clover hay in Unite
6 quantities will make up the roughae
n part of the ration.
d The stallion should be well traine
le and kept under perfect control. NJ
s. more than two mares should be serve