. BREEDING THE TROTTER 



PREPARING FOR THE FOAL. 



When the time approaches for the brood-mare 

 to produce her foal a box stall sixteen feet square 

 should be bedded down for her, with the bedding 

 a little higher around the edges of the stall than 

 elsewhere. The sides of the stall should be per- 

 fectly smooth. There should be no hay rack, 

 while the feed box should be detachable and taken 

 out after each meal. As the day of foaling ap- 

 proaches the mare should be fed moderately. 



The mare should be taken up and placed in a 

 stall at about ten months and twenty-five days 

 after being bred. 



The period of gestation varies. As a rule old 

 mares carry their foals longer than young mares. 

 One mare on the Village Farm carried her foal 

 twelve months and fifteen days. The period of 

 gestation often varies in families and is a char- 

 acteristic thereof. Estabella, and most of her 

 descendants under my observation, produced at 

 just eleven months. The average period is com- 

 puted by various authorities at from eleven 

 months and ten days to eleven months and twenty 

 days. 



About forty-eight hours before foaling, the 

 mare's udder will fill up, wax will form on the 

 nipples and it will be plainly noticed that the 

 pelvis has relaxed. When the mare reaches this 

 condition an attendant should remain with her, 

 in order to render any assistance the mare may 

 require in foaling and to help the colt to its feet 



