THE BROOD MARE. 181 



When her time arrives, she is best left 

 absolutely alone, and in a vast prepon- 

 derance of cases all goes well. When a 

 presumably valuable youngster, for whose 

 procreation a high fee has perhaps been paid, 

 is expected, there is naturally a degree of 

 anxiety on the dam's behalf ; but the less 

 this is manifested the better. Careful watch 

 may of cou.rse be kept, but it should not 

 be obtrusive, nor should the mare be 

 interfered with without the most absolute 

 necessity. Eor it often happens that the 

 greater care exercised, the less happy the 

 result, and vice versa. 



A rather recent experience affords a 

 remarkable confirmation of this opinion. A 

 thoroughbred mare, winner of many steeple- 

 chases, though sent to a sire well known as 

 "a sure foal-getter," had missed the year, 

 while her previous foal by an equally good 

 horse had proved a disappointment through a 

 bad attack of " joint-evil," a form of synovial 



