THE HORSE. 401 



oupfht not to be covered oftener than once in two years, although it 

 is very possil^Ie to have a foal from lier every year, for she ficfiuent- 

 ly comes into season towards the 11th day after foah'no:, i^"d she 

 goes with young for a term which varies between 333 and 346 days. 



A brood mare may be employed in ordinary work during tlic first 

 period of her pregnancy ; but when the time is further advanced, 

 when she is in the tenth month, for example, every possible precau- 

 tion must be taken against accident. This is the period at which 

 we withdraw our brood mares from the common stable, and put them 

 into separate boxes. After she has foaled, the mare receives in 

 small quantities and frequently repeated, warm drinks and bran 

 mashes. While she is giving suck, her food ought to be of a more 

 substantial or better kind than that which is generally allowed. 



The mare may be put to light work twenty days after she has 

 foaled ; but it is requisite not to demand anything like exertion from 

 her within eight or ten weeks after this event ; she then goes out 

 accompanied by her foal which is generally suckled for aljout one 

 hundred days. Foals are frequently brought up in the stable or in 

 the loose box ; this is our practice in Alsace ; but it is well, with a 

 view to the growth and health of the young animal, that it be taken 

 out every day. On quitting the teat, foals are fed upon choice hay ; 

 ill the course of the second year a portion of the hay should be re- 

 placed by an allowance of oats, and in the season the use of green 

 clover cannot be too highly recommended. 



According to Thaer, the daily allowance to a horse of middling 

 heiglit, and doing ordinary work, may be regarded as good when it 

 consists of: 



Hay 8.2 lbs. = Hay 8.2 lbs. 



Oats 9.2 =Ditto 14.2 



Allowance reckoned in bay 22.4 



In England the following allowance has been particularly men- 

 tiond as that of certain well conducted stables. 



Cut Hay 11.0 lbs. = Hay 11.0 lbs. 



Cut straw. 2.2 =- Ditto 0.55 



Oats 11.0 = Ditto 16.9 



Beans 1.1 —Ditto 4.7 



Allowance reckoned in hay. 88.2 



According to M. Tassey, veterinary surgeon in the Municipal 

 Guard of Paris, the provender of the horses in this corps in 1840 

 consisted of : 



Hay 11 lbs. =-Hay 11 lbs. 



Oats. 8 —Ditto , ..., 12 



Straw for litter 11 — Ditto 2J 



Total allowance 25^^ 



The same authority reckons that horses employed in severe 

 draught receive or require : 



Hay 16',lbs.-na7 16^ lbs. 



Oats 17' —Ditto 26 



Total allnwar.-*^ 42i 



39* 



