12 DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 



be born weak in those parts, and the disease i- very liable to de- 

 velop some time (hiring its life. 



CARE OF THE MARK. 



A mare should have a certain amount of .special care during 

 the time she is carrying the colt. Regular, gentle work, and good 

 feed, is to be preferred to no work and half feed. During the last 

 two or three months of gestation, great care should be taken that 

 the mare is not excited, pulled or run too hard, and should he 

 kept away from the smell of fresh blood. 



The usual time for a mare to carry a colt is eleven months. 

 although it may vary between ten and twelve months. Time 

 should be arranged so that the colt will come at a time when 

 there is .some grass, as the mare will do better when not confined 

 to dry feed. The virgin mare, or one that has not had a colt for 

 at least one year, should be bred when in season. The mare that 

 has had a colt will be found in season (heat) on the eighth or 

 ninth day, and should be served at that time. After serving the 

 mare, the days for trial are the ninth after serving, the seventh 

 after this, and the fifth after this again. Some commence again 

 on the ninth day, and follow up as before, making forty-two days 

 in all. 



The mare and colt should be well fed and cared for. Moderate 

 work, with good feed, will not, as a general thing, interfere with 

 the colt's growth, but we ,think a mare has enough to do if she 

 supplies the colt with sufficient milk for its growth and strength. 

 If the mare is being driven, or doing farm work, the colt snould 

 not be allowed to suck while the mare is hot, and the milk fev- 

 ered. When the colt is about six or seven months old, it may be 

 weaned, and should be turned into a good pasture away from the 

 mare. To thrive and do well, the colt should be fed a little oats 

 and bran once a day. If possible, keep your colts and hor-e- 

 awav from barbed-wire fences, as it disfigures and ruin< a large 



