THE BROOD MARE 279 



turned to a small paddock or pasture. If the mare is 

 worked during the day she should be fed her evening 

 meal, before going to pasture, as she needs the more 

 nutritious feed, the grass being too succulent to meet the 

 demands made upon her system. The grass she eats will 

 serve to keep her in good physical condition and stimu- 

 late the flow of milk. This gives the foal the range of the 

 field that it may take the much-needed exercise, without 

 which no foal can develop endurance. Soon the foal 

 will learn to nibble the grass, and this will prove very 

 beneficial, as grass is a very good supplement to milk 

 for a suckling colt. If the foal is given a little grain at the 

 same time the dam receives her ration, it will thrive and 

 develop in a manner very difficult to equal with a fall colt. 



Aside from the inconvenience of the foal while work- 

 ing the dam, the chief objection to a spring colt is that 

 he must be weaned in the fall just about the time of 

 going on dry feed. At this time the colt must receive 

 extra feed and attention or he will lose flesh and perhaps 

 receive a setback that will retard his future development 

 and usefulness. 



Fall foals. — On grain farms the pressing work begins 

 in March and continues until August, while in dairy dis- 

 tricts where there is much hay to harvest and silos to fill 

 it may last until October. When fall foals are to be 

 raised the mares should be bred so as to foal as soon as 

 convenient after the season's work, providing the foals do 

 not come when flies are cruelly annoying. Time of breed- 

 ing and other details will be modified by circumstances. 



While the mare is not so likely to breed in the fall as in 

 the spring, due, in part at least, to her thin condition 

 after the summer's work, yet by increasing the food, es- 

 pecially the grain ration, by blanketing, and by mod- 

 erate and regular exercise, the desired results can often 

 be attained. The bowels should be kept free from consti- 

 pation by feeding moderate amounts of succulent food. 

 In short, make the conditions as springlike as possible. 



