Weaning the Foal. 85 



The weaned foals will have settled down to the new 

 order of things after a couple of days, sufficiently to permit 

 of their being turned out in a well-fenced paddock. The 

 colts should be put in a paddock by themselves, the fillies in 

 another. This early separation of the sexes is advisable, 

 otherwise precocious colts may easily acquire tricks and 

 ideas which will not conduce to their orderly behaviour on 

 the training ground and race-course. For the first few days 

 the weaned foals will be too upset to do themselves justice 

 at their mangers, but once they are reconciled to the loss of 

 their dams, every effort should be made to push them on. 

 By gradual steps, regulated by the foals' appetites and 

 digestive powers, the corn ration should be increased till 

 eight pounds of well-crushed oats, mixed with a third of 

 that weight of dampened bran, are consumed daily. The 

 addition of a handful of thinly-sliced carrots will be 

 appetising and beneficial. Later on, when the summer grass 

 is over and prime hay has to be substituted, linseed and bran 

 mashes twice a week will keep the bowels regulated, the skin 

 soft and coat blooming. It is a good plan also to mix a tea- 

 spoonful of linseed oil in the mash. When this quantity is 

 taken readily, add a tablespoonful, gradually increasing the 

 amount till the foal will take half-a-pint of oil in a mash 

 without hesitation. By accustoming foals to take linseed 

 oil readily in mash, one avoids the trouble and risk of 

 " drenching " in cases of sickness, or when a mild purgative 

 is required after giving a course of worm powders as soon 

 after weaning as possible. Very few foals are quite free 

 from these internal parasites, and on the principle that it is 

 " better to be sure than sorry," the author always puts each 

 batch of freshly-weaned foals through a course of worm 

 medicine, in an endeavour to ensure them a fair start. 



