CHAP. iv. MANAGEMENT IN BREEDING STUDS. 429 



and about the time of foaling ; whilst, however, there is no occasion to 

 have these mares shod, their feet should have careful attention and be 

 dressed at regular intervals, care being taken to prevent the hoof 

 breaking. The toes should be kept short, and the hoof of a round 

 open shape, and the pressure brought to bear on the frog and heel. 

 In this way the hoof-head is kept open and round and the heel wide, 

 two of the most important characteristics of a sound foot. 



Mares kept both for work and breeding make up by far the most 

 numerous class in Scotland. Absolute unanimity appears to prevail 

 amongst breeders to the effect that mares in foal should be carefully 

 worked in cart-yoke at all times, should not be "backed," and for two 

 or three months before foaling should only be worked in plough, and 

 more and more leisurely and carefully as the foaling-time draws near. 

 There is equally general agreement that mares thus carefully handled 

 have usually the easiest foaling-time, and the strongest, most thriving, 

 and healthiest foals. 



The management followed at the Linkwood stud, Elgin, affords a 

 good general description of the treatment of mares kept both for work 

 and breeding. The ordinary rations for work-mares in foal are 168 Ib. 

 bruised oats per pair per week, with a small allowance of Swedish 

 turnips, and hay ad libitum. A small dose of Epsom salts, about 

 2 oz. each, is given occasionally on a Saturday night. As some mares 

 are at best but poor nurses, their food may be so modified as to greatly 

 influence the yield of milk. At Balmedie, mares that foal early and 

 have little nourishment for their offspring are generally fed on sloppy 

 food, consisting of boiled barley, oats, turnips, and cut hay, mixed with 

 some meal. Bran is considered specialty valuable for this purpose, 

 and should never be omitted. The quantity' recommended for one 

 meal is : 1 Ib. oats, \ Ib. barley, 1 Ib. bran, 1 Ib. bruised oats, and 

 1 Ib. cut hay and straw, with a few turnips, and a little salt and 

 treacle, three times a day. 



There are, however, mares whose milk is alike plentiful and strong, 

 causing diarrhoea in the young foal. This is an evil to be guarded 

 against, and it is found useful in such a case to put the mare on dry 

 food and straw fodder; and if at grass, she is put on to the oldest, 

 where it is least succulent, and sometimes it may be advisable to draw 

 off some of the milk by hand. These cases are, however, com- 

 paratively rare. 



The Radley stud, Berkshire, comprises 16 mares, and all are 

 regularly worked till within a fortnight of foaling ; but for a month 

 previous to that they get the lightest part of the work, and are never 

 allowed to be put between shafts from the moment they are seen to be 

 with foal. After foaling they are fed witji chaff, bran, and a few oats, 

 until the foals are strong enough to lie out. The reason of this is, of 

 course, that the foaling season is much earlier in England than in 

 Scotland ; and hence, no doubt, in some measure, the earlier maturity 

 of English-bred horses. 



Before concluding our remarks on the breeding of horses, as 

 contained in this and the preceding chapter, a few notes on some 



