170 AVERY S OWN FARRIER. 



hoped that you will be able to find them all combined; 

 and when you can not, get as many of them as possible. 

 During gestation, the mare should have good keep; 

 she should not be kept too fat nor too lean, with sufficient 

 exercise by letting her run in a yard with shelter at- 

 tached; or if kept up to work, which she will be capable 

 of doing a great deal without injury, providing she is 

 carefully managed by being fed and worked regularly, 

 but should not on any account be worked so as to tire or 

 fatigue her, she should by no means be compelled to 

 wallow and flounce in the deep snows of the lumbering 

 districts, as is too often the case in those regions. As 

 the time of parturition draws near, she should have her 

 shoes taken off and be allowed a large stable without 

 being tied, and have plenty of roots to eat with her hay, 

 or be turned into good pasture which is preferable. 

 Previous to this, and during gestation, if she is worked, 

 feed a quart of wheat a w^cek, W'hich will prevent abor- 

 tion. But avoid feeding rye, buckw^heat, or giving slip- 

 pery elm tea, and do not allow them to see nor smell 

 fresh meat or blood at all, for the same reason. And 

 another thing should be remembered as the time of par- 

 turition draws nigh, which is, it is an instinct of this 

 species of animals to get near or into brooks or ponds of 

 water at this time, which is more particularly so with 

 young mares, whereby marty a fine colt has been drowned 

 before the ow^ner had seen it. Some people would think 

 it strange! a great pity! and just their luck (as they 

 would have it), whereas, if they had known the nature 

 of these animals a little better, they could have prevented 

 this misfortune. Therefore it is well to avoid turning 



