FOOD OF THE MARE AFTER FOALING. 541 



All the ordinary prized forage grasses, and the artificial 

 grasses, contain most probably in sufficient proportion the 

 mineral simples required for the development of the foetus 

 chlorine, sulphur, phosphorus, silicon, potassium, sodium, cal- 

 cium, magnesium, and iron. Fluorine, which is required in 

 very small proportion, probably exists in most articles used as 

 food, though it appears to have hitherto escaped detection in 

 most vegetable substances. It would not be a very outrageous 

 application of theory to mingle a little powdered fluoride of 

 calcium (common fiuor or Derbyshire spar) with the food of 

 breeding-mares and of foals, by way of insuring the perfect 

 chemical composition of the young bones and teeth. 



The treatment of the mare during parturition hardly falls 

 within the plan of this treatise. For instructions on this head, 

 such works as the ' Book of the Farm,' and ' The Horse in the 

 Stable and the Field,' may be consulted.* 



The mare recovers quickly after parturition, so that, in fine 

 weather, she may be allowed to go to grass on the second day, 

 which is usually early enough for the foal to be perfectly able 

 to follow her. If the grass be not far enough advanced to 

 support her sufficiently, recourse should be had to boiled tur- 

 nips or carrots and corn for a mess at night, and warm bran- 

 mashes during the day.f At first the oats should be given in 

 the shape of gruel, made slightly tepid. Eye-grass is cultivated 

 and cut for the mares by those who have early foals ; but though 

 it is better than hay, it is not accounted so proper as good up- 

 land clover-grass. " Lucern," Stonehenge says, " is excellent ; 

 but it cannot be grown so early as rye-grass, particularly Italian 

 rye-grass." All these articles of food contain enough of albu- 

 minoid material to maintain the blood of the mare in a state fit 

 to afford a properly nutritive milk, and the ash of the same is 



* Stephens, vol. ii. pp. 153-157; Stonehenge, pp. 136, 157-1G1. 

 t 'Book of the Farm,' vol. ii. p. 189. 



