726 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



On no account should any part of this work be performed 

 by boys ; the temptation to teaze is apparently irresistible, 

 and the foal would grow up fidgety, flighty, and wanting in 

 trust and confidence of the biped. 



Weekly lessons of this kind lasting but a very short time 

 may be given the whole time the foal is suckling, and 

 should be continued as a regular routine throughout early 

 life. 



What a difference such an early upbringing would be to 

 horses, with what confidence they would regard man, for 

 ill-use or harsh words would never be required ! Instead 

 of this our present product is a nervous, irritable animal, 

 frightened of its own shadow, frightened of everything 

 which is strange, that resents a head collar, resents being 

 handled, feet picked up or a hand passed over the body. In 

 fact an animal that resents everything that restricts its 

 freedom and the exercise of its own will. 



On top of this irritable frame of mind has to come the 

 lesson of carrying a man on its back, with all the attending 

 exhibition of fear, excitement, and frequently temper 

 later on. 



The whole of these are practically abolished by the 

 system laid down of handling all foals from the time they 

 are born. What this simple system would add to their 

 useful life cannot be overestimated, and would be the 

 means of preventing a considerable amount of cruelty. 



Feeding. — The feeding of foals is a matter of paramount 

 importance, they should be induced to take both oats and 

 hay long before the date of weaning arrives. A little may 

 be placed on the ground for them when their dam is fed ; if 

 the corn is not scalded it should be crushed. In this way 

 when the day of separation arrives, we have the feeling of 

 certainty that though the foal may sulk as the result of 

 separation, it, at any rate, will not starve. 



If a foal is required to grow up strong and healthy it 

 must be fed ; the common practice adopted of giving very 

 little more food than is required to keep the animal alive 

 results in stunted growth and want of development. 



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