18 The House Industky in New York State 



Possibly one reason for so much discussion as to the wisdom 

 of breeding a mare at two years of age is from the fact that a 

 filly at this age breeds with much irregularity. From experience 

 it seems that only about one filly in four will conceive at so early 

 an age. 



THE PREGNANT MxVRE 



The management of the pregnant mare should have for its 

 object the feeding of such a ration as will supply her demands 

 for energy, and in addition allow ample nourishment for the 

 development of the foal both before and for a short time after 

 birth, together with such a regulation of the work as will protect 

 the mare from becoming stagnant, tired or injured in any way. 

 The breeder who is painstaking and can accomplish this, will 

 experience little or no difficulty in managing brood mares during 

 and after parturition. There is no secret in raising colts further 

 than the feeding of a moderate amount of nutritious food and 

 providing sufficient exercise to keep the mare and foal in per- 

 fect health. 



In our attempt to favor the pregnant mare we often subject 

 her to very adverse conditions. Often she is placed in a stall, 

 fed most nutritious foods, and denied exercise, particularly in 

 winter, as w^e are afraid she will slip and injure herself or her 

 foal. Under these conditions she soon stocks up, her legs become 

 swollen and stiff, she takes on fat rapidly, and becomes soft and 

 flabby — all of which serve to increase the difficulty at parturi- 

 tion time. It is much better to keep the pregnant mare at 

 moderate work even up to the day of foaling as this will provide 

 the needed exercise which is so essential to the well-being of both 

 mare and foal. 



SPRING FOALS 



Mares breed naturally in early spring. At this season tlipir 

 breeding condition is more readily observed and they conceive 

 more frequently than at any other time during the year. While 

 the spring of the year is the natural breeding season, on many 

 farms it is an inconvenient time because of the season's work, 

 this being the busiest time of year. This often necessitates breed- 

 ing the mare so that the colt will be dropped in the fall. 



