178 A TREATISE ON HORSE-BREEDING. 



after foaling, a more liberal allowance of food than they 

 previously received. The provision of rich but close herb- 

 age suffices for their general requirements In early life, 

 too, foals are prone to contract dangerous diseases of the di- 

 gestive organs, and on that account it is undesirable that 

 they should be allowed, until several days old, to take the 

 whole milk supply of a free-nourishing or well-fed dam. 

 Under such circumstances the foal should not have access to 

 the mare until part of the contents of the udder have been 

 drawn off. After some days, when the foal has become 

 stronger, the above-named precautions are unnecessary. A 

 more liberal allowance of food may then be supplied, to be 

 regulated by the demands made upon her nutritive functions 

 by the growth of her foal and the wear and tear of labor to 

 which she may be subjected. 



In districts where the mare is not required to work until 

 the foal is weaned grass suffices for all her requirements. 

 The best old pastures should, however, be reserved for her 

 use. When these cease to afford sufficient green food by 

 reason of drouth or overstocking the deficiency must be 

 made up by an allowance of cut artificial grasses, lucerne or 

 clover, given with discretion. 



If at any time during the period of lactation the udder be- 

 comes inflamed, hot or tense, the diet must be promptly re- 

 duced, the milk reservoir very frequently emptied, and warm 

 fomentations adopted, to be followed by very gentle friction 

 with soap and water (greasy substances ought not to be 

 rubbed upon the glands, or, if used, the residuum should be 

 carefully removed by subsequent washing). If the foal is 

 dead, or can conveniently be weaned, a dose of physic may 

 be administered to the mare. Under other circumstances it 

 may be necessary to put the mare under medical treatment 

 of less drastic character. 



The usual time for weaning is when the foal has arrived 

 at the age of five or six months, when, if the mare has re- 

 conceived, or has been or is about to be severely worked, it 

 is for her benefit that the separation should not longer be 

 delayed. 



If the milk secretion is not excessive no danger need be 



