228 BREEDING 



north-easterly winds. As, however, they will soon require to be turned 

 out to grass, overheating of the stable requires to be strictly guarded 

 against by free but carefully regulated ventilation. 



Neglect of these precautions sometimes conduces to serious, if not fatal, 

 pneumonia. 



To keep a foaling-box too cold is pardonable, to overheat it is culpable. 

 As soon as the weather permits, both mare and foal should go to grass. In 

 turning them out for the first time, that part of the day should be selected 

 when the sun is out, the wind in a favourable quarter and not too brisk, 

 and when the ground is fairly dry. After confinement, foals in their 

 gallops and gambols often become overheated, and in a state of fatigue 

 throw themselves down on the wet, cold ground, or stand about in a biting 

 wind, causing serious, if not fatal, consequences. 



In the early spring the weather is prone to rapid and extreme changes, 

 and bright warm sunlight is often followed by piercing winds and driving 

 rains; and with these adverse forces to contend with, the careful studsman 

 will arrange his first turn-out within easy reach of shelter and protection. 

 This will not be needed long, for foals soon adapt themselves to an outdoor 

 life. 



Even when a turn-out is not desirable, foals should be provided with 

 plenty of room to move about, and have in addition forced exercise under 

 shelter of a shed. A little movement helps to straighten up a foal and 

 put him fairly on his legs. 



When the turn-out comes, it will require to be considered as to how far 

 grass should be supplemented with manger food. This will, of course, 

 depend a good deal upon the state of the weather, the nature of the soil, 

 and the stage of growth of the herbage. Cold weather, with a shortage of 

 grass, will call for a liberal daily ration of dry food. 



Young mares which enter upon their maternal duties at three years old, 

 and old ones whose yield of milk is insufficient, should always receive a 

 couple of feeds of crushed oats daily for two or three weeks after being 

 turned out, or until the grass comes to its best. 



In both these circumstances the foals should be encouraged to eat 

 manger food with the dam, so that any lack of milk-supply occurring as the 

 season advances may be met by a further addition to the corn ration. 

 Without this precaution the foals of young growing mares, and those of old 

 ones whose vitality has been lowered by age and hard work, seldom make 

 good growth and develop size and constitution. 



Mares with foals at foot should have good range of pasture, and in 

 addition an occasional change is most desirable. 



