66 The Practical Stud Groom. 



of bother to get it to the teat when the mare's milk supply 

 has become established. The most effective stimulant to the 

 milk secreting ducts will be a hungry foal continually suck- 

 ing at them, while liberal rations of linseed and bran mashes 

 for the mare will be found most efficient aids to milk produc- 

 tion. 



It may be conveniently mentioned here, while on the 

 subject of artificial feeding of foals, that there is no really 

 satisfactory substitute for mare's milk. Foals reared by 

 hand rarely do any good as race-horses, though in the case 

 of fillies, for breeding purposes they may prove worth the 

 cost and trouble of rearing. A foster mother, if one can be 

 procured and persuaded to take kindly to the little stranger, 

 is undoubtedly the best solution of the difficulty. The secret 

 of successful hand rearing of foals lies in feeding in small 

 quantities and at frequent intervals. A healthy foal with its 

 mother takes a little refreshment practically every two 

 hours. Feeding an orphan foal at such short intervals day 

 and night may entail expense and trouble, but it is the only 

 system which gives successful results. In the event of a 

 mare dying and a foster mother being unavailable, it will 

 be more convenient to substitute a basin or small pail for the 

 feeding bottle after the first few days; a hungry foal will 

 soon acquire the habit of drinking from these utensils. 

 After the first month the intervals between meals may be 

 gradually increased, and the quantity of water added to the 

 milk decreased, till at three months old the milk can be pre- 

 sented undiluted, but should at all times be warmed to the 

 temperature of the mare's milk, viz., about 100 F. One 

 pint of diluted milk every two hours will be ample for the 

 first month, and it will be a great advantage if the milk is 

 obtained from the same cow throughout. In fine weather 

 the foal should be turned out for exercise that it may (when 



