The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1892-02-19
RAISING COLTS ON THE FARM.
Useful Hints on the Treatment and sreal

Useful Hints OIL the Treatment and Break
ing of Colts.
Buy good young FLIES or mares of
which there is good proof that they are
not sold by ONE else because they
are poor breeders or don't breed at all,
and the heavier the better. Breed them
to the best stations within reach. Don't
hesitate about the stallion fee, as the
difference between the best and poorest
is not more than five dollars to eight
dollars, which is ii very slight difference
between the best and poorest colts. After
breeding the mare work her right along
carefully, feed well, but never gorge.
A mouth or two before foaling provide
the mare with IL good box stall and small
yard adjoining. By all means have this
yard fenced with boards; turn the, mare
loose in the box stall at nights and in the
yard days when she is not at work. A
few days before and after foaling feed
the mare very light, for fear of securing
the colt. Watch the colt for a few days
tosee that it does not become constipated.
After three or four days, if the colt. ap-
pears all right, gradually raise the mares
feed to about all she will eat up clean.
When the colt is a week or ten days old
you may begin working the mare. Work
very carefully for the first few days, and
do not keep the mare from the colt for
more than three hours at IL time. Do not
let the colt follow the mare under any
circumstances but let him remain in
the box stall until he becomes used tC
staying without her. and give him the
run of the yard also. When the colt is
about Il month old put a few oats in the
box and he will soon learn to eat. Let
the mare and colt run in the pasture rs
soon as the grass is good. Keep them
along in this way until about a month
before weaving the colt. then you may
take the mare out in the morning and
not return her till night. Now gradu-
ally increase the colts feed.
Ia about two or three weeks you may
put the mare in with tho colt for an hour
or two in the evening. then take her out
and tic her by herself, not returning her
to the colt until the next evening. In
two on three weeks your colt will be en-
tirely weaned without feeling the shock
OF worrying the mare. Let the colt re-
main in the box stall or yard, feed two
quarts of oats twice Il day with Il bran
mash at noon three times Il week. Feed
plenty Of good hay. water three times a
day and keep salt continually before tho
colt. Leave the colt in the yard in the
spring till the grass is good. Now some
bright morning take the colt with an
older horse to the pasture, bring them
back to the stable at night. In two or
three days You may take the colt to the
pasture without the horse. At night
take him out u little feed, as this will
keep him contented. Be sure that he
has found water. Now he may remain
in the pasture until the grass begins to
fail, then he should have q few oats I'M
til about the first>of November or De-
cember, when he should be taken to a
yard with an open shed and be treated
about the same as he was the first win
ter. During the next year treat him
something as you would your stock cat
tie, letting him run in the pasture dur
ing the summer and on blue grass pasture
during the winter. feeding some grain
during storms. Now in regard to break
ing my plan is not to touch the colt
until | am ready to begin spring work.
Then get the colt into the box stall, and
putting the harness on carefully have
an older horse .%harnessed and lead the
colt out and tie HIM strongly to the hame
Of the other horse. One man take tho
lines and another the colts hitch rein,
get them to the field as soon as possible,
drive them in the plowed ground for an
nonr, then hitch them to a brush made
for that purpose. Repeat this operation
for IL day or two and your colt will be
broken. MIR. Baxter at Iowa Farmers
Institute.