BEEEDIKQ.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[BEEAKING-rN". 



ehould invariably be brought to the house to 

 foal. 



Mares travelling with young foals ought not 

 to go above fifteen miles a day, and their pace 

 should be entirely regulated by the natural pace 

 of the foals, which must never be hurried so that 

 they be left behind. Every mile or two the mares 

 should be allowed to stop a little, and the 

 foal be permitted to suck and rest itself. 

 Thus the journey ought to occupy the whole 

 of the day. 



Mares having dead foals, ouglit to lose a 

 little Hood, he fed moderately on cooling masJies 

 with a little nitre, and on kg account be al- 

 lowed COEN. Moderate walking exercise is 

 very desirable for mares before foaling ; and 

 alternate mashes of plain and of scalded bran 

 are much to be recommended. 



It should be observed that geldings must 

 not be admitted among the brood mares, as by 

 leaping them, or harassing them about, abor- 

 tion may be occasioned. 



In five or six months, according to the 

 growth of the foal, it may be weaned. It 

 should then be housed for three weeks or a 

 month. There can be no better place for this 

 than the rick-yard, as affording both food and 

 shelter. The mother should then be put to 

 harder work, and have drier meat. One or two 

 urine balls, or a physic hall, will be useful if 

 the milk should be troublesome, or she should 

 pine after her foal. 



There is no principle of greater importance 

 than the liberal feeding of the foal during the 

 whole of his growth, and at this time in parti- 

 cular. Bruised oats and bran should form a 

 considerable part of his daily provender. Should 

 a dairy be upon the ground, a plentiful supply 

 of new milk will, in a wonderful degree, hasten 

 his development. The farmer may be assured 

 that money is w^ell laid out which is expended 

 on the liberal nourishment of the growing colt; 

 yet, while he is well fed, he should not be ren- 

 dered delicate by excess of care. A racing 

 colt is often stabled ; but one that is destined 

 to be a hunter, a hackney, or an agricultural 

 horse, should merely have a square rick, under 

 the leeward side of which he may shelter him- 

 self ; or a hovel, into which he may go at night, 

 or at any time run out of the rain. — By attend- 

 ing to these observations, their good efiects 

 will soon make themselves apparent. 

 142 



BREAKING-IN. 

 The process of breaking-in should commence 

 from the very period of weaning. The foal 

 should be daily handled, partially dressed, ac- 

 customed to the halter, led about, and even 

 tied up. The tractability, and good temper, 

 and value of the horse, depend a great deal 

 more upon this than breeders are aware. 

 Everything should be done as much as possible 

 by the man by whom the colts are fed, and 

 whose management of them should be always 

 kind and gentle. There is no fault for which 

 a breeder should more emphatically correct his 

 servant than for harshness towards the rising 

 stock ; for the principle on which their after 

 usefulness is founded, is early attachment to, 

 and confidence in man ; aud obedience, im- 

 plicit obedience, resulting principally from his 

 attentions. 



There is nothing of greater importance to 

 the owner of the horse than his being well 

 broken. To insure this, great care should be 

 taken to put the animal under the care of a 

 man well qualified for his duties ; for nothing 

 is easier than to spoil the mouth of a horse, if 

 left to the management of an injudicious person. 

 It has been observed that more horses ha^e 

 been spoiled in the breaking than can ever be 

 recovered afterwards, even if mounted by the 

 most skilful riders. 



After the second winter, the work of break- 

 ing-in the cart colt may commence in good 

 earnest. The animal may first be bitted, 

 with such an instrument as will not hurt his 

 mouth, and much smaller than such bits as are 

 in common use. With this he may be suffered 

 to amuse himself, aud to play, and to champ 

 for an hour, on a few successive days. 



Having become a little tractable, portions of 

 the harness may be put upon him, and, last of 

 all, the blind winkers. In a few days after- 

 wards he may go into the team. It would 

 add to his confidence and feeling of security 

 if another horse could be put before and an- 

 other behind him, besides the shaft horse. 

 Let there be first only the empty waggon, and 

 let nothing be done to him, except that he 

 may have an occasional pat or kind word. His 

 companion horses will keep him moving, and 

 in his place. In some instances not much 

 time passes, not even the first day, before he 



