CHOICE OF THE MARE, 14 



generate blood for the nourishment of her fcetus as well as 

 of herself. Green succulent grasses and roots are excellent 

 at this time, as clover, lucerne, green corn sowed broadcast 

 and cut young for the purpose ; ruta baga turnips and, best 

 of all, carrots. Large quantities of oats or of corn should 

 not be given — if the latter be used at all, it should be old 

 and thoroughly dried — though it is not advisable tc cut 

 tliem off entirely ; from four to eight quarts of oats may 

 be given daily with advantage, and bran mashes, with the 

 oats added to them, steamed or moistened witli hot water, 

 will be found the best method of administering them. 

 There is no more certain method of insuring the produc- 

 tion of a poor, under-sized, starveling and weak-constitu- 

 tioned foal, than to starve the mother, or to feed her on 

 ill-suited or improper food during her gestation, or to keep 

 her cold, or wet, or exposed to violent changes of tempe- 

 rature. Equal care should be taken of both mother and 

 foal, after the birth of the young animal ; and it will be 

 found well to repay the extra expense if both are furnished 

 with a little oats and with nutritious food of the descrip- 

 tions named above, so long as the young animal is suck- 

 ing the dam. 



" Lastly, the temper," says the same authority on whom 

 we have already drawn so largely, " is of the greatest im- 

 portance, by which must be understood, not that gentleness 

 at grass which may lead the breeder's family to pet the 

 mare, but such a temper as will serve the purposes of the 

 rider, and will answer to the stimulus of the voice, whip 

 or spur. A craven or a rogue is not to be thought of as 

 the mother of a family ; and if the mare belong to a breed 

 which is remarkable for refusing to answer the call of the 

 rider, she should be consigned to any task rather than the 

 Btud farm. Neil her should a mare be used for this purpose 

 which had been too irritable to train, unless she happen to 

 2* 



