BREEDING FOR GENERAL PURPOSES 195 



nothing is gained by keeping the mother and foal on 

 " short commons " at this time. It is the most important 

 time in the life of the horse ; and if, from false economy, 

 his growth be arrested now, his puny form and want of 

 endurance will ever afterwards testify the error that has 

 been committed. The corn should be given in a trough on 

 the ground, that the foal may partake of it with the mother. 

 The mare will usually be found at heat at or before the 

 expiration of a month from the time of foaling, when, if she 

 be kept principally for breeding purposes, she may be put 

 again to the horse. 



One of the great things to be desired in a brood mare, 

 after having properly selected her, is to render her perfectly 

 familiar and quiet ; she should be brought to be as tame as 

 a pet sheep. Nearly all mares by kind and gentle treat- 

 ment may be brought to this. The being perfectly free 

 from alarm produces a general placidity of temper that is 

 highly desirable in any breeding animal as to their well- 

 doing ; fright, we all know, when in this state, has often 

 most fatal efi'ects both on mother and offspring. Reasoning, 

 therefore, on analogy, if absolute fright is often fatal, 

 constant alarm or apprehension must be prejudicial. Inde- 

 pendent of this, mares galloping about to avoid being caught 

 whenever they are approached is highly dangerous, and, 

 after the foal is produced, he naturally follows the mother ; 

 if she is wild, the colt becomes so, and learns from her to 

 avoid man as his enemy, whereas he should be taught to 

 hail him as a friend. The mare should be taught to come 

 up to man the moment he enters her paddock or pasture, 

 from always gaining caresses and indulgence when she does 

 so. A little corn from a sieve, or a carrot from the hand, 

 will soon teach her this, and if, when laid hold of, she gets 

 this and caresses, and is never suffered to be alarmed, she 

 will come as readily and willingly as a favourite dog. 



What, then, is the result of the tameness of the mother ? 

 The foal naturally follows her either to or from you, and, 

 from constantly approaching man, he becomes familiar ; 

 and, as a matter of course, never being hurt or alarmed, he 

 in a few weeks has no more fear of him than of his dam, 

 and will suffer himself to be handled in any way you please. 

 As soon as he is able to eat, he should get something from 

 the hand, and will, from this, watch for the approach of 

 man, instead of (as most colts do) galloping away to avoid 



