290 Western Live-stock Management 



where all the foals are turned out when the mares are at 

 work, and the other is to turn the mare and the foal in 

 the pasture at night. Usually the latter method is the 

 easiest to put into practice. In either case, the colt 

 must be taught to eat grain if possible. This may be 

 brought about by putting an extra trough in the stall, 

 or by a creep in the paddock where they can run and not 

 be bothered by the other horses. Some arrangement of 

 this kind is necessary. Open sheds for wintering brood 

 mares are practical, especially when there is not sufficient 

 exercise in the form of work to keep these mares in good 

 physical condition. A mistake that is often made is 

 confining the mares closely, feeding them heavily, and 

 thereby getting them softer and fatter than they should 

 be. One way to avoid this is by the open shed system, 

 having a shed where the mares can run in and find protec- 

 tion, or run out into an open lot for exercise. Sheds of 

 this kind will keep the mares in good physical condition. 

 A horse barn is not complete unless it has maternity 

 stalls. By these are meant large, roomy box stalls, 

 where the mare may foal without being in cramped 

 quarters, if it is necessary that she foal in the barn. The 

 stalls are also useful for the mare and colt, as the common 

 small box stall is somewhat confining for the mare and 

 foal. Double stalls with a pole run between the horses, 

 which can be converted into large, roomy box stalls open- 

 ing on the outside are a very practical method of solving 

 the problem. During the winter the stalls will hold more 

 animals than if arranged in permanent box stalls. 



