STALLIONS, BROOD MARES AND FOALS. 159 



lowing from working the mare moderately from 

 the day after the foal is dropped. This prac- 

 tice, however, is not to be commended. 



GENERAL SUGGESTIONS AS TO FOOD AND NURSING. 



Many mares are at best but poor nurses. 

 Under the head of "Feeding the Young Foal" 

 will be found some suggestions as to the best 

 food to be used in case the milk of the dam is 

 not sufficient, but the food of the dam may be 

 made to greatly influence her yield of milk. 

 The foods that have been found useful in in- 

 creasing the flow of milk in the cow will have 

 the same effect upon the milk of the mare. 

 Wheat bran is especially valuable for this pur- 

 pose if mixed with some other and more nutri- 

 tious foods. It may be made into a sort of slop 

 and fed with ground oats or rye, mixed with 

 cut hay or sheaf oats. Plenty of good fresh 

 grass is one of the very best of aids to healthy 

 and abundant nutrition for both mare and foal. 

 Whatever grain ration is used I would recom- 

 mend that it be ground and fed wet, mixed with 

 cut straw or hay. 



When mares are worked while suckling it is 

 better that the foal should be left in the stable 

 and that the mare be taken to the foal for it to 

 suck at least three times during the day, ample 

 time being given for her to cool out thoroughly 

 before the foal has access to her, otherwise a 



