MANAGEMENT OF FOALS. 81 



age at wliicli foals are weaned varies considerably in different 

 cases, and depends upon circumstances. If the mare is re- 

 quired to work, the foal should be weaned comparatively early, 

 while if she is running" out at pras® for the w-liole season, there 

 is no necessity to take her foal away from lier until the end of 

 October. If a mare which is suckling a foal falls away in 

 condition very much in consequence of the drain on her 

 system through yielding milk, the foal must not be left too 

 long with her, or she will be considerably weakened. So far as 

 concerns the foal only, the longer it is allowed to stay with its 

 dam, supposing, of course, that the latter continues to yield 

 an appreciable quantity of milk, the better will it be for its 

 growth and development, if the dam's milk is supplemented by 

 other food. 



Ag:e When to Wean. — Foals are weaned at ages vary- 

 ing fiom foui- and a.-half to six months. The most usual time 

 of weaning is fi'oin the second half of September till the first 

 w^eek in October. The w^eaning processi should be completed 

 quickly; for a fe\7 days, the foal may be allows ed to suckle its 

 dam once a day, and then the separation of the two sliculd 

 be final. The foal will soon accommodate itself to the change, 

 \l it has learnt to eat oats and hay whilst still witJi the dam. 



Treatment of Mare after Weaning;. — The udder 

 of the mare requires so^rie attention when the foal is weaned. It 

 should be bathed twice a day for a few days with vinegar, and 

 if it becomes much distended at first, after the foal has been 

 removed for good, the teats nmst be drawn so as to relieve 

 the tension. On no account, however, must all the milk be 

 withdrawn, as this Avill cause the secretion of more milk ; what 

 is required is to remove only a sufficient quantity to relieve 

 tension and ease the udder. Until the flow of milk has com- 

 pletely subsided, the diet should be rather meagre. Should 

 the secretion of milk after the removal of the foal be very 

 active, a drench composed of one pint of linseed-oil and four 

 di'achms of aloes may be administered, as this has a drying 

 effect on the How of milk. 



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