308 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



be in the same field should be removed to another 

 pasture. 



If mares are in good health while in foal, there is 

 little danger of any mischance during parturition ; 

 but should any such occur, either as regards a diffi- 

 culty in parting with the foal or a wrong presentation, 

 recourse must instantly be had to a regular ex- 

 perienced veterinary surgeon, who, from practice, is 

 most likely to afford the necessary relief, and will 

 save the suffering animal pain, and frequently save 

 her life. Many fine mares have been lost, or rendered 

 useless, by unskilful persons attempting to afford relief. 



It would be absurd in a limited treatise to attempt 

 laying down rules for enabling persons to perform 

 those duties successfully, which can only be acquired 

 by a lengthened course of study ; and which, conse- 

 quently, would far exceed our limits. Mares gener- 

 ally come in heat about the tenth day after foaling, 

 and thereafter every third week. 



Whenever parturition has been accomplished, the 

 mare with her foal should be turned out into a 

 pasture, which ought always to have a shed to 

 retire to for shelter. If this happens to be early in 

 the spring, that is, in April, before the grass has 

 become sufficiently plentiful, then the mare should be 

 supplied with three feeds of oats daily ; otherwise 

 she will be unable to supply the foal with a sufficiency 

 of milk, a lack of which is sure to lay the foundation 

 of weakness, and in all probability arrest his growth, 

 as this is the most important time in the life of a 

 foal. In a week or two the foal will be able to take 

 crushed corn along with the mother. Bran and 

 shielings are also very fit food for both mother and 

 foal at this period ; but after grass grows more 

 plentifully, both kinds of food may be discontinued. 



