82 THE HORSE BOOK. 



close a mare may be worked to her book date no 

 man can tell at long range, but nsnally np to 

 within ten days, if the work is straight going 

 and does not require backing up. Never make 

 an in-foal mare back up a load. The most in- 

 fallible sign of approaching parturition is the 

 appearance of the wax on the end of the teats. 

 This begins to show generally about three days 

 before the foal comes. When the mare is let 

 up, say about the 326th day, give her a roomy 

 boxstall, cutting the grain ration in half, but 

 seeing to it that she gets plenty of exercise at 

 first. Eeduce the proportion of grain and in- 

 creasing the proportion of bran, but what- 

 ever food she is getting, make no sudden change 

 — merely reduce it in quantity. See that the 

 stall is freely disinfected, thoroughly cleaned 

 and freshly bedded — and then keep it scrupu- 

 lously clean. 



After the wax forms on the dugs see closely 

 to the mare, but do not bother her. Unseen 

 watch her as well as it may be done, but by no 

 means fuss around her, for there is no mare that 

 will bring forth her young in the presence of 

 man if it is to be avoided. It is necessary that 

 the caretaker must be handy by at night to ren- 

 der assistance if it is needed, but the mare will 

 be harassed hurtfully if she is aware that she 

 is being watched. I have known a mare to stand 

 all night when everything indicated imminent 

 parturition, and then when I went to get a hur- 



