108 THE HORSE : ITS KEEP AND MANAGEMENT. 



Sometimes a good drop of her milk is wasted as it often 

 runs to the ground. If it is really necessary to use her more 

 after the foal is three or four months old I do not think it 

 does much harm, but it is much better if the mare can be 

 turned out to grass altogether, she naturally gives more 

 milk than she does when she is working. It is just the 

 same with young colts as it is with other young animals, 

 the better they are nursed in the first instance the finer 

 animals they turn out in the end, as there is a good founda- 

 tion laid. 



Foals usually get on better while they are with their 

 mother than after they are weaned. I am often asked the 

 question, " how long ought foals to be nursed by the mare ? " 

 or in other words, " at what age should they be weaned ? " 

 My answer is, " as long as the mare gives milk," which is 

 usually from six to seven months, that is the time breeders 

 usually allow the foals to suck. ,If they are allowed to 

 remain with the mother six months they will take no hurt 

 whatever. After the colt is taken from the mare many 

 people turn it out in a grass field, or let it lie in a 

 straw yard, and give it a little rough or mouldy hay 

 to eat. In this case the colt makes a great deal of 

 stomach, the hair grows very long on the body, and 

 the animal becomes poor. How can anyone expect 

 a young growing colt to get on well if it is fed on 

 nothing but rough hay and a little grass all the Winter. If 

 a person takes two colts of equal value from the mares in 

 the Autumn, and feeds one in the way I have mentioned, 

 and the other with a little corn, chaff, good hay, turnips 



