FOOD 147 



An account of the diets required for working horses will 

 be found in detail on p. 118. 



The feeding of pregnant mares depends upon whether they 

 are at work or not. The common practice with farm mares 

 is to work them up to near the end of gestation, and pro- 

 vided the work towards the end, viz., the last three months, 

 is not severe, there can be no doubt the practice is sound. 

 In regular breeding establishments where the mares are 

 absolutely idle, it is evident the food requirements are 

 different. 



A working in-foal mare should be fed liberally, but 

 very bulky food is objectionable. Hay should be given in 

 moderation, oats and a few beans are necessary, linseed 

 occasionally, and bran liberally. Maize as a food for 

 any of the pregnant herbivora is a mistake, as it is very 

 deficient in salts. 



Care should be taken to carefully regulate the mare's 

 work, and water and feed her with great regularity, as an 

 attack of colic at such a time might prove disastrous. 



For idle mares the diet should be less stimulating, but 

 they must not be starved; the usual foods may be employed 

 depending on the time of year, but with a liberal amount 

 of bran in order to keep the bowels in proper order. 



In both cases it is desirable when indications of approach- 

 ing parturition are apparent, to get the bowels in good order 

 with bran mashes, which should represent the chief article 

 of diet about the expected day of foaling. 



After foaling the mare may be fed more liberally, for the 

 first few days with care, then gradually increased as all 

 risk of complications is past. 



Foals are weaned about the fifth or sixth month, up to 

 this time they require little else than the mare's milk, but 

 from now the diet should consist of grass, hay, and corn. 

 The principle of feeding foals may be shortly summed up— 

 give them as much as they care to eat. The general feel- 

 ing on the subject is to give as much as will support hfe, 

 and but little more. The absurdity of such a system cannot 

 too freely be condemned ; if the foal be underfed, it is 



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