04 THE HORSE. 



put to gentle work two or three weeks aftei parturi- 

 tion. Her work should be moderate, and her diet 

 substantial. She is often treated as if work could 

 have no influence on her milk. When she has much 

 to do, the milk is neither good nor abundant, and 

 the foal is half-starved. The foal is sometimes per- 

 mitted to follow his dam to the field, where he may 

 occasionally suckle her. This renders the foal fami- 

 liar, and at an early age reconciles him to subjec- 

 tion, and prevents engorgement of the udder. Bad 

 weather, or the nature of the mare's work, may for- 

 bid the practice. When the mare comes home, the 

 foal is put to suck her. In some places, the milk is 

 previously stripped on to the ground, and the udder 

 bathed with cold w^al er, or vinegar and water. This 

 is not necessary. It is supposed that the milk is in- 

 jured and pernicious when the mare is overheated ; 

 but, in the first place, her work should never be so 

 severe as to overheat her ; and, in the second, the 

 milk is not apparently altered when she is. Hard 

 work will diminish the quantity of milk, and render 

 it less nutritious, but it will do no more. If the foal 

 be withheld till the udder be gorged and distended, 

 a little inflammation will take place, and the milk 

 will be bad. In such cases it is proper to draw off 

 a portion before the foal is put to it; and it may also 

 be proper to bathe the udder with cold water. But 

 to empty it or to bathe it merely because the rnare 

 has been perspiring, is absurd ; and to neglect both 

 mare and foal till the udder needs such treatment, 

 betrays very bad management. 



Sometimes a mare, especially with her first foal, 

 will not permit sucking. She requires to be held, 

 to have the udder rubbed with the hand and strip- 

 ped. Hold her by the head and keep her steady till 

 the foal is satisfied. Do so five or six times a day. 

 On the third day, or thereabouts, she usually begins 

 to perform her duty without interference. In gene 



