60 HOESE-KEEPINQ FOE AMATEURS. 



hand, at a reasonable fee, very little outlay, beyond that 

 actually required for the keep of the foal, is wanted. A good 

 paddock, and hovel for shelter in bad weather, is really all 

 the stock-in-trade needful for embarking on the enterprise. 

 March, April, and May are the best months for foaling, except 

 for racehorses, whose birth dates from the 1st of January in 

 each year, and who, therefore, get a great advantage over 

 their compeers by a few weeks' superiority in age. With 

 these I am, of course, not dealing; and, for all other classes 

 of horse, the later months are far preferable, both on account 

 of avoiding the inclement weather, and also for the 

 fact that the mare cannot be expected to secrete so much 

 milk as when feeding on the green herbage of the spring. 

 Nothing so frequently causes a young thing to run to 

 weediness, and checks its growth, as either an insufficient 

 supply, or an improper quality of food. Next to food, I 

 would place sun, unhesitatingly, as the most desirable factor 

 in the foal's well-doing. Anyone who has watched a young- 

 ster's progress during a couple of weeks of sunny, genial 

 weather, will bear me out in this saying. Assistance 

 (veterinary if possible) should be at hand when the time 

 for foaling approaches; but after this has been satisfactorily 

 accomplished, all unnecessary intrusion should be carefully 

 avoided. ^ Watch if the foal is constipated (a frequent occur- 

 rence) ; in such case an injection, and gently laxative food 

 given to the mare, will generally put all straight. If, on 

 the other hand, it should suffer from relaxation of the bowels, 

 a quartern of bruised barley given daily to the mare will 

 probably remedy the evil. Should the diarrhoea, however, 

 proceed from some acidity in the foal's stomach, half a drachra 

 of carbonate of soda, given in a warm mash, twice or three 

 times a day, is an excellent remedy. 



At a very early age the foal will begin to eat corn, and 

 care should be taken to see that it gets its fair portion, as 

 the dam is apt to monopolise "the lion's share," especially 

 as the youngster gets older. The sooner they take to corn, 

 the better for their ultimate health and strength. When 

 the mare's milk gives indications of failing in quantity, corn 

 and linseed should be given liberally, to stimulate the supply; 

 as soon, however, as the milk gets poor and scanty, the 

 weaning process should take place ; and, in all delicate mares, 

 suckling should not continue any length of time. August and 



