432 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK in. 



the season, without any other food than hay, or any other covering than 

 that with which nature has provided them. 



Mr. Gilbert Murray, who reared from sixty to eighty foals every year, 

 communicated the following practical remarks to the " Farming World 

 Year-Book " : 



The foal should be taught to eat crushed oats and other artificial 

 foods while still sucking the dam. 



Foals should also be accustomed to be handled, and occasionally led, 

 from birth. A light leather headstall should be put on at a week old, 

 and allowed to remain. The 3'oung animal should have a leading 

 lesson at least once a week. 



At weaning time the foal is separated from the mare and confined in 

 an isolated yard or loose box with manger, and a liberal supply of pure 

 water. Unless there are several foals the young animal must be placed 

 along with a companion. A quiet old pony or even a donkej' will suit. 

 Being already accustomed to artificial food, the foal will feel the want 

 of the milk lightly, and it soon settles down to its altered circumstances. 



In a week it may be turned into a pasture-field during the day. At 

 the same time, an allowance of artificial food should be continued. The 

 auxiliary food should be carefully selected, and rich in flesh-formers. 

 The object here is to encourage muscular development. Heat and fat- 

 producers are required only to a limited extent. 



Experienced breeders never turn out their weaning foals on a bare 

 pasture, for the obvious reason that there is the danger of picking up 

 the eggs of certain parasites, which may effect a lodgment in the system, 

 to the subsequent injury of the young animal. Where breeding is 

 systematically carried on to any considerable extent, a pasture-field is 

 purposely set aside for the weaning foals. Meadow foxtail, cocksfoot, 

 and rye-grass are the favourite grasses. These are allowed to run to 

 seed, so that the foals, when turned in, only crop the seed stems. 



As the season advances, a shelter of some kind must be provided. 

 A sheltered shed with a roomy open yard answers best ; the shed is 

 eighteen feet wide, having a passage of four feet in the front of the 

 manger where the attendant goes in and places the food in the manger, 

 without in the least disturbing the animals. The boxes are divided by 

 swing rails. This puts a stop to kicking, and the foals can see their 

 companions in the next box. They generally stand in pairs. A water- 

 trough is placed in the manger, so arranged as to furnish a constant 

 supply. The young animals are let out to the pasture each day after 

 their morning meal, and return again in the evening. The hay is cut 

 into chaff, mixed with the proper quantity of meal, and steamed, but 

 not fed in a warm state, at least never over 60 F. Moss litter is used 

 for bedding, hence no drainage is necessary. 



Concerning light horses, Mr. Armstrong says, "most blood-stock 

 breeders try to get their foals to fall as early in the year as possible, so 

 that their early competitors shall be younger, or at any rate not a month 

 older than themselves. Hunter breeders have no such object, and the 

 best time for an ordinary hunter foal to fall is about April, soon after 

 which time a bite of new grass will stimulate the mare's milk, and also 



