456 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



make considerable difference in the growth 

 and strength ; yet many of these early foals are 

 almost worthless, because they have been 

 deprived of that additional nutriment whicli 

 nature designed for them. For other breeds, 

 the beffinnins: of May is the most convenient 

 period. The mare would then foal in the 

 early part of April, when there would begin 

 to be sufficient food for her and her colt, 

 without confining them to the stable. 



From the time of covering to that of foaling, 

 the mare may be kept at moderate work, and 

 that not only without injury, but with decided 

 advantange. The work may be conlinui d 

 up to the very time when she is expected to 

 foal ; and of which she will give at least a 

 day*s notice, by the adhesive matter that will 

 appear about the teats When this is veen, 

 it will be prudent to release her from work, 

 and keep her near home, and under the 

 frequent inspection of some careful person. 



When nearly half the time of pregnancy has 

 elapsed, the mare should have a little better 

 food. She should be allowed one or two feeds 

 of corn in the day. This is about the period 

 when they are accustomed to slink their foals, 

 or when abortion occurs : at this time, there- 

 fore, the eye of the owner should be frequently 

 upon them. Good feeding and moderate ex- 

 ercise will be the best preventives against 

 this. The mare that has once slinked her 

 foal is ever liable to the same accident, and 

 therefore should never be suffered to be with 

 other mares about the time that this usually 

 occurs, which is between the fourth and fifth 

 months ; for such is the power of imagination 

 or of sympathy in the mare, that if one of them 

 suffers abortion, the greater number of those 

 in the same pasture will share the same fete, 

 larmers wash, and paint, and tar their stables 



le 



to prevent some supposed infection : — lY 

 infection lies in the imagination. 



If a mare has been regularly exercised, and 

 apparently in health while she was in foal, 

 little danger will attend the act of parturition. 

 If there be false presentation of the foetus, or 

 difficulty in producing it, it will be belter to 

 have recourse to a well-informed practitioner, 

 rather than injure the mother by the violent, 

 and injurious attempts which are often made 

 to relieve the animal. 



As soon as the mare has foaled, she should 

 be turned into some \icll-sheltered pasture, 

 with a hovel or shed to run into when she 

 pleases: and as, supposing she has foaled in 

 April, the grass is scanty, she should have a 

 couple of feeds of corn daily. The breeder 

 may depend upon it, that nothing is gained 

 by starving the mother and stinting the foal 

 at this time. It is the most important time 

 in the life of the Horse ; and if, from false 

 economy, his growth be arrested now, his 

 puny form and want of endurance will ever 

 afterwards testify the error that has been 

 committed. The corn should be given in a 

 trough on the ground, that the foal may par- 

 take of it with the mother. When the new 

 grass is (lush and plenty, the corn may be 

 gradually discontinued. 



Our work is intended, principally, for 

 farmers : they well know that the mare may 

 be put to moderate work again a month after 

 the foaling. The foal is at firi«t shut in the 

 stable during the hours of work ; hut as soon 

 as it acquires sufficient strength to toddle after 

 the mare, and especially when she is at slow 

 work, it will be better for the foal and the 

 dam that they should be together. The work 

 will contribute to the health of the mother ; 

 the foal will more frequently draw the milk. 



