Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1888-12-22
Breeding Mares and Colts.

am now fifty-fvo years old and
have had some considerable expert
ence during that time in stock breed
ing. For the last ten years l have
kept a stallion or jack, and raised a
good many colts. During that time
l have been close observer of the
many little things which are always
necessary to the accomplishment OF
greater things. Now, see that one
man wants to know what sort of a
mare he should breed to. / will say,
none but good ones. The mare should
be OF good blood and qualities, and
not under medium size; head rather
small, with good eye in it;
body long, hips broad, withers
deep, legs short. Still, mares of
other shapes bring good colts. Another
man wants to know what sort of a
horse or jack he should breed his mare
to. l say that they should be we'll
bred, good size, very compact and with
good eye. In raising horses it is Just
as important to have a good mare to
breed from as 1t is a good stallion, and
in raising mules it is all-important to
have a fine mare if you want fine
mule. 1t does not cost any more to
raise a fine horse or mule than scrub.
Then why not raise the best. Another
man vents to know how long a mare
will carry foal. Mares carry their
foals from ten months and thirteen DAYS
to eleven months and seventeen DAYS.
Eleven months and from three to seven
days, and eleven to fifteen days, is most
common, regardless of their age; some
persons think that old mares carry
their foal longer than young ones. AS
to how old the colt should be when
weaned, think it may be weaned at
five months, but six or seven months
is better time. Always have a good
pasture to turn them into at weaving
time, for the next three years to come.
When three years old the colt should
have better attention, as it will be
shedding its teeth at that time. As to
the best forage for colts in the winter,
would suggest oats, hay, German mil
let, with as much green pasture as
possible. Swamp cane is very good.
The colt should not eat much Indian
corn until it is four years old, and
should be kept in good growing con-
dition, but not too fat up to three
years old. After that work your
colt moderately all the time and feed
him well and he will make you a bet
ter horse or mule than if you had kept
him fat all the time and worked him
but little Now, about working mares
during pregnancy they may be worked
all the time until short while before
toaling time, say one month, with adj
vantage to the foal and mare. They
should, however, be worked slow and
kindly; never ride or drive them fast,
nor carry any thing heavy on their
lolns, not even a small child. The
reader may ask, "How do you
treat a mare that has been sinking
her coltsP" Treat her kindly, as
above recommended, and if your mare
has been Sinking her colts at five,
six. or seven months. as the case may
be, when she has carried the next one
nearly the same length of time you
should watch her very closely and if
you rec signs of abortion, give her one
table spoonful of powdered bark from |
the common blaek-haw root, pounded, |
once a day for few days. If her |
udder should spring up little and you |
see other signs Of abortion. double the
dose and give it twice 3 day until the |
signs disappear. I am raising from
three mares that have lost colts. and !