FOALING. 161 



days after birth, until the young creature can safely digest 

 it ail. 



Should the supply of milk be scanty and grass not 

 abundant, scalded oats mixed with good bran, or perhaps 

 better, mashes of boiled barley, are iiseful — such mashes may 

 have added to them some salt and treacle, to render them more 

 palatable and milk-producing. Oatmeal or flour gruel is also 

 good. The udder should be frequently and gently rubbed, and 

 the foal often allowed to try the teat. When it cannot obtain 

 sufficient milk after a short time, it must be reared artificially, 

 or, which is in every way preferable, put to another mare, or 

 fed with another mare's milk. 



When brood mares are suckling, and they cannot be de- 

 pastured, then they should either receive cut grass or good hay, 

 boiled barley or scalded oat mashes, and if procurable, pulped 

 roots, with an abundant supply of good water. 



Attention should be paid to the udder of suckling mares, 

 as it is liable to become hot, hard, and painful — inflamed, in 

 fact. If this condition is serious veterinary advice should be 

 obtained ; but if slight, fomentation of warm bran-water, gentle 

 friction with the same, and frequent milking, will probably 

 quickly relieve it. A changed or reduced diet will, in some 

 cases, be necessary ; but unless the foal can be taken ofi) physic 

 or other medicine must not be given. 



Draught and harness mares are sometimes put to work 

 while suckling, but it is not judicious to do this until a month 

 has elapsed since foaling, and then food must be given in pro- 

 portion to the amount of work, which should neither be heavy 

 nor fast, nor should the mare be kept many hours from the 

 foal. 



The foal is usually weaned at from four to six months, and 

 this should be gradually effected — the intervals between the 

 times being extended until the foal can entirely subsist on the 

 food it is able to masticate ; the food of the mare is somewhat 



