524 Breeding and Manarfement of Horses on a Farm. 
nature, and somewhat more than her usual allowance, provided 
she be able to digest a larger quantity than is commonly given to 
her. I shall not stop here to consider the subject of feeding, 
which will be duly noticed in another part of this paper. Should 
the mare drop her foal at a period of the year when pastures are 
bare and artificial grasses are not in season, she must have a 
plentiful allowance of good corn and hay, otherwise her offspring, 
whose chief nourishment is derived from the dam, will become 
weak, puny, and unthrifty ; its coat will stare on end, while it will 
become pot-bellied and listless, evincing in every movement a 
want of that sprightliness and vigour which sufficient nourishment 
alone can impart. With the exception of those men who are 
extremely careless and unobservant, there are not many farmers 
who do not take proper care of a draught-mare after foaling ; as 
they are generally put to the hqrse at such a time as to ensure 
their dropping the foal at a period when grass, tares, lucerne, 
«Scc. are plenty ; but there are at the same time not many who 
understand that on the keep and condition of the mare during 
gestation materially depend the growth and vigour of the newly- 
dropped foal. 
A short time before a mare is expected to foal she should he 
placed in a loose box or shed, plentifully littered with straw, and 
carefully watched in order that proper assistance may be rendered 
to her in the event of her requiring it. A warm mash, or a pail- 
ful of warm gruel, should afterwards be given to her, and for a 
day or two she should be left to recover from the effects of partu- 
rition, and be but little annoyed by visitors. She may then, if the 
weather be fine, be turned into a small meadow alone with her 
foal, until the latter acquire strength sufficient to follow her, when 
they may be removed to pasture of greater extent, if requisite. 
During the first period of suckling it is important that the mare 
be kept perfectly quiet and away from other horses, as she is 
frequently at first extremely irritable, running at and biting any 
animal that approaches her foal ; and the constant excitement 
produced by the approach of other animals deteriorates both the 
quality and (|uantity of her milk. Moreover, a mare will often 
be horsing within a short time after foaling, and in this case the 
mock gallantry of her male companions will not fail to be in- 
jurious to her. It is not desiiable at any period that her pasture 
be extremely luxuriant ; a redundancy of grass, without the ne- 
cessity of some exercise to obtain a due quantity of food, inducing 
grossness and plethora. 
Six weeks after foaling, or perhaps a little earlier if absolutely 
needed, the draught mare may be put to gentle work, and if the foal 
be strong and vigorous it may be suffered to accompany her provided 
her labour be near home. The nearly or quite thorough-bred mare 
