336 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY. 



contrary, if hard worked, there is little chance of the pro- 

 geny being good. 



The mare comes into heat early in the spring, and gene- 

 rally goes with foal for eleven months, although it not 

 imfrequently happens that they vary, even so much as from 

 a month to six weeks, either earlier or later. From the 

 time which the mare is covered until she foals, she may be 

 moderately worked with safety, and even with ad-vantage to 

 both parent and colt ; but we would recommend for a 

 week or two before foaling that she should not be worked, 

 but subjected to regular daily and moderate exercise. The 

 time can be pretty nearly guessed from the time she was 

 covered. About a day before foaling an adhesive matter 

 issues from the teats of the mare, and after this she should 

 on no account be subjected to any sort of work, but allowed 

 to go at large, and constantly watched bj some careful 

 person. 



After the mare is about half advanced in pregnancy, she 

 should be well fed, and from one to two feeds of oats given 

 to her daily, as a greater quantity of nourishment after this 

 period is required for the support of the foetus. If the 

 system is allowed to become debilitated from want of a 

 supply of food to meet the increased demand, then there is 

 a probability that her weakness may lead to her proving 

 abortive, to which mares are more liable at this period than 

 either before or afterwards. There can be little doubt that 

 good feeding and moderate exercise will be most conducive 

 to the prevention of dropping a foetus ; but after this 

 time hard work must be avoided, and also galloping or hard 

 trotting. Should a mare once prove abortive, it is extremely 

 likely to happen afterwards. It is a curious fact that 

 where two or three mares in foal are on the same pasture, if 

 one is abortive, the rest are very liable to the same occur- 



