THE HORSE, BREEDING AND RAISING. 105 



severe draft upon her system.. Want of care may cause abortion ; and 

 if a mare once casts her foal, she is apt to do so at a corresponding period 

 of pregnancy afterwards, — more especially if like provocation occurs. 



Various other causes of abortion, some of which may be briefly adverted 

 to, for the purpose of pointing out certain preventive measures and sug- 

 gesting others. Blows, strains, and any violent excitement may have 

 this effect ; and it is said that to allow a mare to see and smell food to 

 which she has been accustomed, and of which she is fond, without suffer- 

 ing her to eat of it, will cause slinking. Feeding hogs or other stock 

 upon corn, in sight of a mare that is not also thus fed, is, for this reason 

 dangerous. Sympathy is a known cause : a pregnant mare, seeing an- 

 other cast her foal, is apt to be affected in like manner. Nervous spasms, 

 or a sort of animal hysteria, resulting from sympathy of the womb with 

 a diseased stomach or other organ, occasionally results in causing the 

 foal to be cast. Some affirm that a smell of blood, or of freshly slaugii- 

 tered meat, will do it. 



If a mare slinks because of a hurt, a strain, or some acute attack of 

 disease, she is not apt to fall into the habit of abortion, pro\aded proper 

 care is taken to guard against exciting causes at a corresponding period 

 of her next pregnancy. 



When once this tendency is established, however, it is difficult to coun- 

 teract it, as the slinking is more than likely to take place at times when 

 the mare is not under observ^ation. If symptoms of casting chance to be 

 discovered in time, it may be prevented by promptly burning pigeon 

 feathers, (or those of other birds, if these cannot be obtained), on a hot 

 pan, or a psm of coals, and holding them so that she will be obliged to 

 inhale the smoke. 



X. How to Raise Colts. 



If the colt is healthy and thriving, he should be weaned at from five to 

 six months old. If allowed to run with the dam after this period, he is 

 an unnecessary burden to her, since he has already learned to pick up 

 and devote to his own use other sustenance, and he may most judiciously 

 be taken away. If at this time the dam is still inclined to furnish milk 

 80 copiously as to render the udder painful to her, she should be looked 

 after for a few days, to see that the over fullness does not result in inflam- 

 mation and swelling. If necessary, draw away the milk by hand once 

 a day for three days. It is a good plan to keep her at this time on dryer 

 food than usual, and at more than ordinarily steady work. This course 

 .vill tend to prevent the secretion of the usual quantity of milk, and the 

 »dder will soon be dry. 



