BREEDING 309 



The foal may be weaned in five or six months, 

 as may be determined from its strength. This is 

 done by gradually withdrawing it from the use of 

 milk, and after lessening the quantity for a week or 

 two, it should be turned into a rick yard, where it 

 can have benefit of both food and shelter during bad 

 weather, and occasional draughts of meal and water 

 given to it. The mare, in the meantime, should be 

 put upon dryer food, so as to lessen the secretion of 

 milk, and a little harder work will have a tendency to 

 give a different action to the fluids, and thus diminish 

 the supply. Should it, however, prove troublesome, 

 a physic ball and one or two diuretic balls will be 

 found beneficial in that case. 



After the foal has been separated from the dam, 

 he should be well fed until he has attained his full 

 growth. During the earlier stages, bruised oats, 

 bruised beans and pease, and also bran should form a 

 part of his daily food. This applies to all kinds of 

 colts, whether racers, hunters, draught, or saddle 

 kinds. During the time foals are sucking, the 

 greatest caution is necessary not to overheat the dams, 

 as this is sure to affect the milk, and proves most 

 injurious to the colt. 



To save the heavy expense of corn-feeding in 

 young horses, clover, lucerne, and tares, are substi- 

 tuted ; carrots have also been successfully used. But 

 no species of food is so nourishing as pease, half a 

 feed of which is about equal to a feed of oats. Young 

 horses should invariably be plentifully fed ; and a 

 want of attention to this has been the cause of many 

 of them acquiring the practice of biting their racks, 

 and thence called crib-biters. To prevent this practice, 

 a little hay or straw should be constantly kept in the 

 rack. 



