122 THE HORSE. 



leg or back has ensued from an open hay-rack, placed near the 

 ground, attracting the gambols of a foal. A few wooden bars 

 nailed across the opening effectual ly prevents this, while the addi- 

 tion of a low manger in another corner provides for the feeding 

 of the foal with kibbled oats, if such should be the plan adopted, 

 and the fourth is occupied by a water-tank. External to the 

 hovel the only provision necessary is a yard, which may be omitted 

 if the paddock is always dry from the land being well drained. 

 Unless this is the case, however, the yard should always be pro- 

 vided, as there are many days throughout the year when the 

 weather is fine enough over head to allow of the foal being turned 

 out of doors with advantage, if it can be protected from the wet 

 grass or wetter soil. A yard is, therefore, truly valuable in the 

 absence of a dry soil, and it should be paved with bricks, stones, 

 or pebbles, well covered with a layer of litter, to prevent slips and 

 strains. 



GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD MARE. 



WHEN IT HAS BEEN DECIDED to breed from a mare, if she is 

 not already thrown out of work, it will often be necessary to cool 

 her down, by turning her out to grass and taking away her corn, 

 before she will become stinted. Thorough-bred mares are not, as 

 a rule, allowed to take the horse while in work ; but sometimes 

 they are so constantly " in use/' that no other means will enable 

 the trainer to go on with his work of preparation. There is a won- 

 derful difference in this respect: some animals are rarely " in use/' 

 once or twice a year being the outside ; while others are so every 

 nine days throughout the spring, the average, perhaps, being in 

 that state at about intervals of two or three months from the time 

 of shedding their coats till the beginning of autumn. Again, some 

 are not upset in their work by this natural process ; while others 

 refuse to feed, lose condition, and cannot be depended on for half 

 their usual exertions. Either extreme requires a change of feed- 

 ing ; for, on the one hand, the cool temperament is excited by the 

 freedom of a run at grass, and on the other, the warmer one is 

 benefited by losing the heating qualities of her corn. At all events, 

 it is found, in practice, that though the majority of maiden mares 

 will become stinted while at work, yet that a large number require 

 a run at grass before they will become in foal. As I before re- 

 marked, thorough-bred mares are generally entirely devoted to the 

 stud from the time that they are put to the horse ; but there are 

 many others of lower breeding which their owners desire to work 

 on for some months afterwards. It is often apparent that the legs 

 of a hack or harness-mare are wearing out, and her owner decides 

 upon having a foal from her, but wishes to avoid the expense of 

 keep from the spring, when he puts her to the horse, till the next 



