HORSE SENSE. 59 



rather than an aid to impregnation, and it will be of no advantage to 

 breed the mare although she is in heat. 



jNIares troubled this way, will remain in heat much longer than those 

 in a healthj' condition. The disease acts as a local irritant and keeps up 

 the excitement. The treatment of this difficulty, consists in cleansing 

 the parts by a thorough syringing with warm water and best English 

 castile soap, and then follow with an injection of an infusion of Witch 

 Hazel leaves (Hamamelis). a half an ounce of leaves to a quart of boil- 

 ing water; let stand, covered, until only blood warm, then use with a 

 syringe as before. This cleansing process should be continued daily 

 until the mare is well, when she may be bred with success. 



EARLY GRASS NATURE'S RENOVATOR OF THE SYSTEM. 

 Early grass is Nature's great renovator of the system, and for this 

 reason, mares are more certain to conceive after grass comes than be- 

 fore. Many advocate fall breeding, but there is where the difficulty 

 comes in; if the mare's generative organs are healthy, it is all right; but 

 too many are badly debilitated from a hard summer's work, to make it 

 anything like a sure business generally. 



EXAMINATION OF WOMB. 



If mares are kept fat during the winter, it is important to make an 

 examination, to ascertain that the mouth of the womb is open; and if 

 closed (which fat often does) it should be gently dilated before she is 

 bred, or there is little or no use of the service. The fingers coated with 

 belladonna ointment will serve to aid in the dilitation. Some use the 

 soft rubber impregnitator, which remains in place during copulation 

 (service) and aids the seed in being carried to the proper place. 



TRYING THE MARE. 



There is but little trouble in determining when the mare is at the 

 proper stage of the heat for successful breeding; she will plainly indicate 

 it w-ithout the excessive teasing and annoyance usually gone through 

 with. No doubt many of the irritable dispositions of our horses could 

 be traced to the terrible ordeal their dams went through with at the 

 teasing rack. Don't allow your mares to be "chewed up" at the "try 

 pole." Take them to some other horse, rather than have them seriously 

 annoyed by a stallion in the hands of thoughtless or careless grooms. 

 You are laying the foundation for future generations of horses and it 

 behooves you to have nothing interfere with the successful beginning. 

 As little excitement with both mare and stallion before and at time of 

 service, we believe to be the best for the progeny. If the mare can be 

 left for a time in sight and hearing of the stallion, it is preferable, if she 

 is naturally nervous. 



RETURNING THE MARE FOR TRIAL. 

 If the mare was bred at Ihe proper time, she should be returned in 

 twenty-one days, and if she then refuses, don't tease her, but return in 



