320 BREEDING, CASTRATION, &c. 



If the mare, whether of the pure or common breed, be thus taken care of and 

 be in good health while in foal, little danger will attend the act of parturition. 

 If there is false presentation of the foetus, or difficulty in producing it, it will 

 be better to have recourse to a well-informed practitioner, than to injure the 

 mother by the violent and injurious attempts that are often made to relieve 

 her. 



The parturition being over, the mare should be turned into some well- 

 sheltered pasture, with a hovel or shed to run into when she pleases ; and as, 

 supposing that she has foaled in April *, the grass is scanty, she should have a 

 couple of feeds of corn daily. The breeder may depend upon it, that nothing is 

 gained by starving the mother and stinting the foal at this time. It is the most 

 important period of the life of the horse ; and if, from false economy, his growth 

 is arrested, 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. When the new grass 

 is plentiful, the quantity of corn may be gradually diminished. 



The mare will usually be found again at heat at or before the expiration of 

 a month from the time of foaling, when, if she is principally kept for breeding 

 purposes, she may be put again to the horse. At the same time, also, if she is 

 used for agricultural purposes, she may go again to work. The foal is at first 

 shut in the stable during the hours of work ; but as soon as it acquires sufficient 

 strength to toddle after the mare, and especially when she is at slow work, it 

 will be better for the foal and the dam that they should be together. The 

 work will contribute to the health of the mother ; the foal will more frequently 

 draw the milk, and thrive better, and will be hardy and tractable, and gradu- 

 ally familiarised with the objects among which it is afterwards to live. While 

 the mother, however, is thus worked, she and the foal should be well fed ; and 

 two feeds of corn, at least, should be added to the green food which they get 

 when turned out after their work, and at night. 



In five or six months, according to the growth of the foal, it may be weaned. 

 It should then be housed for three weeks or a month, or turned into some 

 distant rick-yard. There can be no better place for the foal than the latter, as 

 affording, and that without trouble, both food and shelter. The mother should 

 be put to harder work, and have drier meat. One or two urine-balls, or a 

 physic-ball, will be useful if the milk should be troublesome, or she should pine 

 after her foal. 



There is no principle of greater importance than the liberal feeding of the 

 foal during the whole of his growth, and at this time in particular. Bruised 

 oats and bran should form a considerable part of his daily provender. The 

 farmer may be assured that the money is well laid out which is expended on 

 the liberal nourishment of the growing colt : yet while he is well fed, he should 

 not be rendered delicate by excess of care. 



A racing colt is often stabled ; but one that is destined to be a hunter, a hack- 

 ney, or an agricultural horse, should have a square rick, under the leeward side 

 of which he may shelter himself; or a hovel, into which he may run at night, 

 and out of the rain. Too often, however, the foal, after weaning, is left to 

 struggle on as he can, and becomes poor and dispirited. He is to be seen 

 shrinking under a hedge, cold and almost shivering, his head hanging down, and 

 rheum distilling from his eyes. If he is made to move, he listlessly drags his 

 limbs along, evidently weak, and generally in pain. He is a sad specimen of 



* By the present rules of the jockey-club first of May is nearest to the general time of 



the age of turf horses is reckoned from the 1st foaling, and the age of the cavalry horses is 



of January, but this has not by any common dated from that period, 

 consent extended to the half-breds. The 



