THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY *2l3 



exercised towards them. Moderate exercise is also 

 essential ; but when the mare is used in harness it is 

 very dangerous to use her on bad roads, or to pull 

 heavy or dead weights. When the period of foaling 

 draws nigh, she should be separated from other horses; 

 and in the act of bringing forth, nature generally per- 

 forms the operation infinitely better than when human 

 aid is called in ; but in some cases there may exist a 

 little difficulty, and an apparent uneasiness and un- 

 usual labouring, then assistance is useful, but even then 

 it requires some judgment. Having foaled, turn the 

 mare into a fine pasture, in which there is a shed to 

 shelter her if the weather comes on wet. The foal may 

 be weaned at five or six months old. Although it is 

 known that mares take the horse early after foaiing, 

 the breed is much finer, and the mare herself retains 

 her vigour and utility much longer, when put to the 

 stallion only every other year. 



Disproportioned copulations are also bad, as a large 

 horse and small mare ; the size of a horse should be 

 produced by gentle gradations, and this is evidently a 

 better way to arrive at beauty as well as strength. 



Breeding in and in, as the term is, proves a sure 

 mode of procuring improvement. That is to persevere 

 in the same breed, and making selections of the best 

 on both sides. Much judgment and circumspection 

 is necessary at all times in crossing the breed, and 

 many errors and faults arise from the carelessness or 

 ignorance of breeders in tnis respect, whose only am- 

 bition is to procure a colt that they may shortly sell at 

 seventy or eighty guineas ; and, failing in this, without 

 any thought they still return to the same system, never 

 giving a moment's reflection or forethought as to the 

 cause of their first disappointment. 



Mares which have once slinked their foals are very 



