34 CAKE NECESSARY. 



taking care that no dangerous place is at hand, such as a 

 deep muddy ditch, pit, or the like ; for to such places 

 mares invariably turn when their labours commence. 

 Immediately after foaling the mare should be removed, 

 together with the foal, to a well-littered roomy box, 

 and have moist bran and beans, with a large supply of 

 water always at hand, and all other liberal, but not 

 heating diet. If the mare should be very weak, there 

 is no better food than bean flour, linseed gruel, and old 

 ale, given warm. If she prove an indifferent milker, 

 which can be readily ascertained by the colt not filling 

 himself, the best new milk should be given after the 

 foal has dried its dam, and a soda water bottle will 

 prove the most convenient feeder for this purpose. 



After a little perseverance, a colt will drink milk as 

 fast as a calf, and the future of a colt need in no way 

 be despaired of, either because it had a bad mother or 

 even if its mother die. The very names of Cade, 

 Milksop, and last and not least the gallant little Sauce- 

 box, almost make one wish many a colt were mother- 

 less ! But, whether with a mother or without, the foal 

 must have sufficient nourishment, or it will never come 

 to early maturity ; and I cannot deprecate the absurd 

 notion too strongly, that a colt should be left to itself. 

 Left to itself, forsooth, when it represents a debt to us 

 of something like 40/., putting aside the loss of an 

 object of one's wishes for the last twelve months ! 



Still, monstrous as this may seem, we daily hear men 

 give vent to such a pitiable and imbecile thesis. Indeed, 

 I am acquainted with one gentleman who goes to the 



