To turn back to the subject of breeding a good class of hunters—a matter which I hope will interest ladies, for whom I write—I have already given my ideas respecting the best sort of mares to select for the purpose; and I may add that an animal during the period of gestation ought not to be by any means kept and fed in idleness. Gentle regular exercise, and plenty of it, will be good and healthful for a mare that is in foal. Her prospects of maternity dating from May, she can with advantage be lightly worked about a farm, or in any other way—provided that she has been accustomed to it—until Christmas; and even when actual work is suspended, daily exercise should be carefully continued.
Dry uplands, and grassy ground of a hilly nature, are excellent pasturage for brood mares, who should be kept perfectly cool, and free from excitement of all kinds. An abundance of fresh water should be allowed them—as much indeed as they care to drink—together with a varied supply of light nourishing food of a cooling nature. The shelter-shed ought to open to the south, the entrance to it being wide, and the flooring hard and very dry.
PREPARING THE STABLE.
The mare should be left quite to herself when foaling, except in extreme cases, which fortunately very rarely occur. It will, of course, be necessary to see that she does not make her way to any dangerous place—such as an ugly ditch, or cutting—a thing very commonly attempted in the country—but otherwise she ought not to be subjected to any kind of interference. This, I should observe, applies as a matter of course to strong healthy animals, such as are accustomed to pasturing out in almost every sort of weather; in other cases, it will be well to have a box at hand, thickly littered over, and lined about the walls with piled-up trusses of straw.
If you are the mare’s owner, and that she knows you and is comforted by the sound of your voice, keep close by her, and banish all others to a distance when her sufferings begin. These will most likely be short, but severe, and she will not in all probability bear them very patiently. Lead her quietly into the box that you have prepared; and on no account permit any fuss or excitement, or any peeping, to take place about her. In cases where much heaving of the flanks has occurred, I have seen small doses of sulphuric ether and cold water—an ounce of the former to three pints of the latter, well blended—given with seeming advantage; but I do not undertake to advocate any physicking whatever at so excessively trying a period, preferring for my own part to leave Nature to herself, except where danger is anticipated: in which case it will be best to send at once for the most skilled assistance possible.
As soon as matters are safely over, leave parent and offspring to themselves, ensuring for them the utmost quietude, as well as perfect freedom from even the very slightest noise. All that the mare will stand in need of at the conclusion of her troubles will be a pail of warm gruel, with a dash of old ale, or a little brandy introduced—the latter only in case of great exhaustion. The foal will require no care, except from its parent. Should the natural nourishment prove unprolific, the young one may be supplied with cow’s milk that has been skimmed, sweetened, and slightly warmed. An infant’s feeding-bottle will serve admirably for purposes of nutrition, or if such be not available, a hand may be dipped in the milk, and the tops of a couple of fingers lifted up. The hungry foal will very soon seize upon them; but it is, in my opinion, better not to feed at all, except in cases where the youngster shows signs of evident weakness, or that the mother is unable to fulfil her natural functions.
I always advocate holding up the feeding-pail when nourishment is supplied to the parent. It gives confidence, allays suspicion, and helps to tame the little one, which, after a while, will venture to pick from the hand.
The nursing-stable should be airy and well ventilated, without being subject to draughts, and the feeding for the matron should consist of moist mashes, composed of bran and scalded oats, varied with an abundance of cooling vegetable food, and a constant supply of fresh soft water.