58 BREEDING. 



months (which accurately taken are just the 

 same) ; or that the exact given time varies in 

 different subjects, and is so regulated by age 

 or constitution, that there has yet been no 

 criterion fixed for a nice distinction. The 

 matter, however, if at all entitled to consi-^ 

 deration, may be most easily reduced to a 

 certainty, by any gentleman having a variety 

 of brood mares in his possession, who will 

 note those who have taken the horse but once 

 in the season, and take the trouble to book 

 the day of their brhiging forth; when, by, 

 comparing the zohoh, the exact time of ges^ 

 tation will be nearly demonstrated, wherq 

 no second covering has intervened to render 

 the decision imperfect. 



The treatment of mares after being co-' 

 vered is regulated entirely by the class to 

 which they belong ; for, having twice refused 

 the horse at the periods of time before stated, 

 they are then said to be stinted, and conclud- 

 ed in foal. But this is by no means always 

 the case, for it frequently happens that such 

 mares produce no foals, although appear- 

 ances are so much in their favour. Thorough 

 br^d mares (that is, mares whose blood i« 



