250 BREEDING, CASTRATION, &c. 



perfect, produces gTadual deterioration. Crossing should be attempted with great 

 caution. The valuable points ol' the old breed should be retained, but varied or ini- 

 i)roved by the introduction ot'some new and valuable quality, with reference to beauty, 

 strength, or speed. This is the secret of the turf. The pure south-eastern blood is 

 never left, but the stock is often changed, with manifest, advantage. 



A mare is capable of breeding at three or four years old. Some have injudiciously 

 commenced at two years, before her form or lier strength is sufllciently developed, and 

 witb the development of which this early breeding will materially interfere. If a 

 mare does little more than farm-work, she may continue to be bred from until she is 

 nearly twenty ; but if she has been hardly-worked, and bears the marks of it, let her 

 have been wliat she will in her youth, she will deceive the expectations of the breeder 

 in her old age. 



Yxom the time of covering, to within a few days of the expected period of foaling, 

 the cart-mare may be kept at moderate labour, not only without injury, but with de- 

 cided advantage. It will then be prudent to release her from work, and keep her near 

 home, and under the frequent inspection of some careful person. 



When nearly half the time of pregnancy has elapsed, the mare should have a little 

 better food. 8he should be allowed one or two feeds of corn in the day. This is 

 about the period when they are accustomed to slink their foals, or when abortion 

 occurs : the eye of the owner should, therefore, be frequently upon them. Good feed- 

 ing and moderate exercise will be the best preventives of this mishap. The mare that 

 has once aborted, is liable to a repetition of the accident, and therefore should never be 

 suffered to be with other mares between the fourth and fifth months ; for such is the 

 power of inaagination or of sympathy in the mare, that if one suffers abortion, others 

 in the same pasture will too often share the same fate. Farmers wash, and paint, and 

 tar their stables, to prevent some supposed infection ; — the infection lies in the ima- 

 gination. 



The thorough-bred mare — the stock being intended for sporting purposes — should 

 be kept quiet, and apart from other horses, after the first four or five months. When 

 the period of parturition is drawing near, she should be watched, and shut up during 

 the night in a safe yard or loose box. 



If the mare, whether of the pure or common breed, be thus taken care of, and be in 

 good health while in foal, little danger will attend the act of parturition. If there 

 is false presentation of the foetus, or difficulty in producing it, it will be better to have 

 recourse to a well-informed practitioner, than to injure the mother by the violent and 

 injurious attempts that are often made to relieve her. 



The parturition being over, the mare should be turned into some well-sheltered ])as- 

 ture, with a hovel or shed to run into when she pleases ; and as, supposing that she 

 has foaled in April,* the grass is scanty, she should have a couple of feeds of corn 

 daily. The breeder may depend upon it, that nothing is gained by starving the 

 mother and stinting the foal at this time. It is the most important period of the life 

 of the horse ; and if, from false economy, his growth i^ arrested, liis puny form and 

 want of endurance will ever afterwards testify the error that has been committed. 

 The corn should be given in a trough on the ground, that the foal may partake of it 

 with the mother. When the new grass is plentiful, the quantity of corn may gradu- 

 ally be diminished. 



The mare will usually be found again at heat at or before the expiration of a month 

 from the lime of foaling, when, if she is principally kept for breedintr purposes, she 

 may be jiut again to the horse. At the same time, also, if she is used for agricultural 

 ])urposes, she may go again to work. The foal is at first slmt in the stable during' the 

 hours of work; but as soon as it acquires sullicient strength to toddle ufti^r tiie mare, 

 and es])ecially when she is at slow work, it will l)e better for the foal and the dam 

 tJiat thcv should be together. 'J'he woric will contribute to the JK^altli of the mother; 

 the foal will more freciuently draw the milk, and thrive betti^r, and will be hardy and 

 tractable, and gradually familiarised with the olijects among wliich it is afterwards tc 

 lis'e. While the motlier, however, is thus worked, she and tiie foal should he wc^l, 

 fed ; and two feeds of corn, at least, should be ad<led to t!ie green food \^■hich they 

 get when turned out after their work, and at night. 



* By the present rules of the jockey-flub, the asre of turf-horses is reckoned from the Isf of 

 January ; but ibis has not by any coinnioii consent extended to the half-hreds. The Isi of 

 May is nearest to the general lime of foaling, and the aije of the cavalry- horses is daud Iroir 

 that period. 



