The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-12
Breeding Mares and Colts.

HrGeG1QS MdToS anu GClIS
Saws A. ]. Brooks in the Southern Guilt
rator: For the last ten years l have kept
n stallion or jack, and raised a good many
colts. During that time Ihave been a close
observer of the many little things which
are always necessary to the accomplish
ment of greater things Now, one man
wants to know what sort of q mare he
should breed to, would say, none but
GOOD ones. The mare should be of good
blood and qualities, and not under medium
size: head rather small, with a good eye in
it: body long, hips broad, withers deep, legs
short. Still, mares of other shapes bring
o. cd colts. Another man wants to know
what sort of borse or jack he should breed
his mare to. l say that they should be well
bred, good size, very compact and with good
eve. In raising horses it is just rs impor-
tant to have good mare to breed from as
it is a good stallion, and in rearing mules it
is all important to have Il fine mare if you
want fine mule. 1t does not cost any
more to raise a fine horse or mule than d
scrub. Then why not raise the best. An
other man wants to know how long a mare
will carry her foal Mares carry their foals
from ten months and thirteen days to eleven
and seventeen days. Eleven months
months and from three to seven days, and
eleven to fifteen days, is most common, re-
CARELESS 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 l think
it may be weaned at months, but
6 or Z months is better time. Always
have good pasture to turn them into at
weaving time, for the next three years to
come When 8 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 milet, with as much green
pasture as possible. Swamp cane is very
good The colt shonld not eat much Indian
corn until it is years old, and should be
kept in good growing condidition, but not
too fat up to 8 years old. After that work
your colt moderately all the time and feed
him well aud he will make you a better
horse or mule than if you had kept him fat
all the time and worked him but little
Now, about working mares during preg-
macy. They may be worked all the time I'M
til a short while before foaling time, say
one month, with advantage to the foal and
mare. They should, however, be worked
slow and kindly; never ride or drive them
fast, nor carry anything heavy on their
loins, not even small child. The reader
may ask: How do you treat mare that
has been sinking her coltsg' Treat her
kindly, as above recommended, and it your
mare has been Sinking her colts at 5, 6 or
7months 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 see signs of abortion, give her
one tablespoonful of powdered bark from
the common blackhaw root, pounded, once
a day for few days If her udder should
spring up a little and you see other signs of
abortion, double tn dose and give it twice
day until the signs disappear, / am rails
ing from three mares that have lost colts,
and / treated them as above stated, with
perfect SUCCESSES they all brought their
colts in due time and did well.