60 Sorse Racing. 



be 14 ft. in height, with a large window ai.d a 

 ventilating chimney in the centre, and a pump of 

 good water in the vicinity. The fences of the pad- 

 docks should be blackthorn, guarded by rails or 

 by wooden paling, which is preferable to stone or 

 brick walls. The land cannot be too well drained, 

 and the coarse grass should be fed down during 

 the winter by lean cattle. 



With respect to brood mares, whatever may be 

 the object in view — race-horses, hunters, or hacks 

 — there are some points never to be overlooked, 

 great width over the hips, deep slanting shoulders, 

 short clean legs, with large knees, sound feet, 

 and well-defined houghs. Mares which have never 

 carried a saddle are preferable to those which 

 have been trained or hard ridden, unless they have 

 distinguished themselves by tlieir performances. 

 If barren mares are used in light work, carting 

 hay and straw, they would be more likely to breed 

 than if they lived in idleness. When a mare 

 drops a foal, she ought to be fed with mashes of 

 bran and bruised oats, to keep her bowels in a 

 laxative state. She will be ready to take the 

 horse on the eighth or ninth day, and the best 

 reason for indulging her without further delay, is 

 because she is likely to conceive on her first pride, 

 and when she is in use her milk purges the foal. 



