The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-05-16
Mares and Colts.

1 always feed my mares during the
time they are carrying the foal They
are each given large box stall, and
while they are out at pasture all day in
the spring, winter and fall are taken in
every night. / have man who tends
to the barn in which the brood mares
are stabbed and who has nothing else to
do. He is not particularly expert in his
line. He is simply farmer who has
raised one or two colts every year and
brings to his work love of the ami
mails that he is called upon to care for.
1t is impossible to secure good foal
unless you feed the mare. From the
time of the birth of the foal until it is
weaned the mare not only has the best
of pasture, but she also has crushed
oats and bran. This is the most critical
point of the foal's life, and once stunted
it is impossible afterward to make it up
no matter how much you feed After
the foal is weaned it is turned out into
the pasture lot with the other wean-
lings, and they not only have blue grass
pasture and pure water, which believe
to be two of the greatest requisites to-
ward making fine horse, but they are
also fed with oats and BRAN so that they
may have something from which to
make their bone. | want all the colts
on this place to have a fine quality of
bone, and there is no better way than
giving them plenty of bran and oats
with blue grass pasture.
A gA1 ~ An1x hp cd 1,,t h,
must be curried, his feet cared for, his
tech looked after, and properly bitted
and trained. 1t is too much the custom
Of the falmer of today when he has a
colt to break to get four or five fellow
tHrncrs around him. There are shout
iuy and yelling at the terrified colt, who
tor tn" 'r3t time has the harness put on
him u the cart 1un up on his back.
Struggle? or course he struggles. He
doesn't know what to make of it and re-
sorts to his only known mode of opposi-
ton, either kicking or running away.
If he drives about tolerably well, he is
considered thoroughly broken. This is
one reason of so many runaways and
such a number of people being afraid of
horses
With me the colt has bride put in
his mouth. He is thoroughly bitted
and allowed to smell everything used
about him, for that is the colts means
of finding out what things are. He is
gradually taught that while man is
master he is considerable master and
will not do anything to hurt him unless
the colt needs punishment, when it is
given him in such shape that he is not
likely to forget it. Establish a conf
dence between the colt and yourself
and then it is the easiest thing in the
world to do anything with him. Farm
ers may say that it is too much trouble
to bit colt, to teach him not to be
afraid of paper, baby carriages, rail
road trains or other things at which
horses shy or run away. Could they
raise anything or any crop that is so
profitable as pound of good horsehesh?
have just sold two half breds by Match
less, out of an ordinary trotting mare
like those owned by hundreds-yes
| thousands-of farmers in this country,
for 81, 900 apiece. These FLIES weighed
about 900 pounds apiece, so sold them
for over 81 pound. They did not cost
me cent more than a fat OK or fat
sheep per pound, and yet see the returns
l get for them. Any farmer can cas-
lily tell which it pays better to raise.
II enry Fairfan of Virginia, in Rura
Nelo Yorker.