52 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



the foal to join the mother, which it will very soon learn 

 to do. This is also an excellent time to accustom the colt 

 to be handled and later to be introduced to the halter. 

 But this, as Kipling says, "is another story." Young 

 mothers make much better milkers, as a rule, than mares 

 who do not begin breeding until later in life. Whatever 

 the breeder can do he should to assist the mother in pro- 

 ducing a plentiful supply of milk. It is from the rich, 

 succulent pastures of Great Britain that the horses and 

 cattle of great size have come. The scanty feed on the 

 Welsh hills and mountains has produced ponies. Whatever 

 you do, provide soiling-crops for your mare and foal. 



Feed is the making of breed, but it is the making of 

 breed so far only as to produce variation in size. Variation 

 of characteristics comes, not from food, but from the imprint 

 of a desire. 



Flies have robbed more owners of animals that would 

 otherwise have been a credit to them as breeders than any 

 other one thing that can be mentioned. On this account 

 it is better to have the colt come in January or in the 

 autumn, so as to have attained the size and strength neces- 

 sary to fight for his life, as he is almost required to do 

 during the fly season. What would many of us not give 

 to have a colt out of our favourite hunting mare that should 

 be a credit to the mare? How many thousands have tried 

 and failed ? Let the writer's anxiety to point out what he 

 believes to be the cause of such failures, and his kindly 

 interest in hunting men in general and every high-class 

 hunting mare in particular, be his excuse for this over- 

 grown chapter. 



