SELECTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT 559 



terially to the rapid development of the youngsters. 



"We make it a rule to wean the foals about Nov. 

 1. They have been haltered some time before this, 

 but are not tied up until we are ready to wean 

 them. We place a strong leather halter on each 

 one, but also take the precaution to run a rope 

 through the halter rings and tie it around the neck, 

 fastening it to the manger, so that there is no possi- 

 bility of a colt 's breaking loose when first tied, there- 

 by acquiring bad habits. The mares are turned out 

 in pasture but are brought back the following day 

 and the foals are allowed to strip them out once. 

 After this the mares are turned back in a separate 

 pasture and do not see their young again for some 

 weeks. The foals are kept tied up for two or three 

 days, until they have become accustomed to the 

 halters and have forgotten in some degree about 

 their mothers. We then begin turning them out 

 during the daytime, keeping them tied up at night. 

 We take the time at this period in their growth to 

 halter-break them thoroughly. From this time until 

 the following May they are turned out regularly 

 on bluegrass pasture every day and are kept in at 

 night. The only exception to this is in case of a 

 cold, wet storm during the winter. They are kept 

 in out of the storm. 



"From the time the foals are weaned until the fol- 

 lowing spring we give them alfalfa hay for rough- 

 age, and for grain allow each about 3 ears of corn 

 per day, and in addition to this all of the oats and 

 bran mixture they will eat. This system is followed 

 until the pasture grass is very good the following 

 spring, usually about the 10th or 15th of May. From 

 this time until the hot weather and flies begin to 

 bother the oolts they are allowed to run out on 

 pasture, both night and day. The stallions are sep- 



