Weaning the Foal. 83 



the eighth or ninth month) he never got a sign or suggestion 

 that the practice predisposed to abortion. As a matter of 

 fact, abortion was practically unknown amongst the prairie 

 herds, at least at that period, viz., 1887-1893. Apropos of 

 weaning, the author recalls a Canadian case in which a mare 

 foaled a filly in the spring of 1888, and eluding the annual 

 Spring " round up," and being fortunate enough to escape 

 the attentions of Indian stallions roaming at large on the 

 prairies, was not covered that year. She was again missed 

 by the " round up " party in the Spring of '89, but was 

 finally " corralled " that Summer. Her foal of 1888, now 

 one year and three months old, was still regularly sucking, 

 and to all appearance obtaining an ample supply of milk 

 from the complacent mare, while as to "fretting," no five 

 months' old foal ever fretted for its dam more than did this 

 fifteen-month old " baby " when separated from its mother. 



THE SEPARATION. 



At whatever age it is decided to "take off " the foal, 

 the procedure is very simple, and with ordinary care no 

 difficulties should arise. For the twelve hours previous to 

 separating mare and foal, the mare should be deprived of 

 food, and only a small quantity of water allowed her, the 

 foal's regular toll of the milk supply and the withdrawal of 

 the mare's food, combined, will ensure that, when the 

 actual separation is carried out, the udder will be prac- 

 tically depleted of milk. When separating the foal from the 

 mare the best plan, if possible, is to leave the foal in the 

 box it has been sharing with its dam, and to take the latter 

 to a distant part of the farm, where they will be out of sight 

 and hearing of each other. By this procedure the foal will 

 be less upset and will cease fretting sooner than would be the 



