372 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



too small a compass. When such an animal is put to a well- 

 bred, larger mare, the foetus has abundance of room and 

 nourishment to develop and perfect the circumscribed out- 

 lines of the male parent, and acquire for itself increased 

 volume and character. The horse ought not to be less than 

 four or five, and the mare one year older before being put to 

 breeding. It would be still better to defer it for two or three 

 years, or till the frame is fully matured. 



The gestation of the mare sometimes varies from 44 to 56 

 weeks, but she usually goes with young from 47 to 50; and 

 it is advisable she should take the horse at a time, which will 

 ensure the foaling when the weather is settled, and there is 

 a fresh growth of grass. She will be the better for light 

 working till near the time of foaling, if well, but not too 

 abundantly fed. In a few days afier this, she may resume 

 moderate labor; and if not in the way or troublesome, the 

 foal may run with her ; but if she is exposed to heating, it 

 should be confined till she cools, as suckling them is deci- 

 dedly injurious to it. The mare is in danger of slinking her 

 foal from blows and over exertion, the use of smutty grain, 

 foul hay, or offensive objects or smell ; and when this has 

 once occurred, which happens usually in the fourth or fifth 

 month, she should afterwards be generously fed at that 

 period, and only moderately worked. When liable to slink- 

 ing, the mare should be removed from others in foal, lest a 

 peculiar sympathy should excite an epidemic. The mare 

 comes in heat from nine to eleven days after foaling, when 

 she should be put to the horse, if it be desirable to have a 

 colt the following season. She comes round at intervals of 

 about nine days each. 



Management of the colt. The colt maybe weaned when 

 five to seven months old, and preparatory to this, while with 

 the mare, may be taught to feed on fine hay, meal or oats. 

 When taken away, he should be confined beyond a hearing 

 distance of the dam, and plentifully supplied with rowen or 

 aftermath hay, rnashed or ground oats, or wheat shorts. It 

 is economy to provide a warm shelter through the inclement 

 season for all animals, and especially for colts, which with 

 all other young, should have an abundance of nutritious 

 food. They will thus grow evenly and rapidly, and attain 

 a size and stamina at two years old, they would not other- 

 wise have acquired at three. 



Castrating. The colt should be altered at about one year, 

 but if thin in the neck and light before, the operation may 



