Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1894-12-28
U IN THE COLD.


VOn'C eht 1 hUu 11EOOu N1AIeb lnoT6s
but Take Them In.
Beginning with the point SO often
made, good shelter is most material tc
the successful wintering of stock Of any
kind. This is SO we'll known and withal
so frequently stated that it is astonish-
ing so many breeders provide such poor
accommodations for their horses. The
first thing to be done, then, is to thor
oughly inspect the brood and young
stock with a view to making proper al
lotments and combining together those
which are well matched as to age, size
and temperament. 1t is not wise to run
large bands of young and old horses to-
gether.
Beginning with the mares, which by
this time are beginning to "show
their foals," they should be given
warm, cozy quarters facing the south or
west. They should be divided up into
pairs if possible, at any rate into groups
of as small size as possible. Each pair
or group should have a separate yard or
paddock to run in during the day, and
care should be taken to prevent their
suffering from the inclemency Of the
weather. In dividing them up it should
be seen to that the cross ones are
placed where they will not be able to
damage the weaker ones. How often
have we seen a good tempered mare
outside the open shed in the peltlng
rain, while tho 'bosses'' ~luNuriate i'll
the dry comfort inside. When the
mares are parted out, as the shepherds
say, judiciously, the weaker ones hud-
die together il comfortable warmth,
while the bad tempered ones, confined
together, soon come to an understanding
and become content to live i'll peace.
The prosperity of the farm is bound
up in the care of the brood mares. NO
matter how good the stallion may be OF
how we'll bred the Mares, if they are nos
taken good care Of success will not at
tend their owners efforts.
Having located the mares for the
winter, the studmastor should then
turn his attention to the colts. The
same principle which governs the sep
aration of the mares should govern also
the grouping Of the youngsters. The
weaulings should be boxed by pairs.
In every stud there arc at this time Of
the year always a few foals which have
not thriven during the grass season, and
| these should be first picked out, paired
off and given warm stalls. Then the
| others should be matched as well as pos
! siblo and boxed two and two.
1t is we'll enough to have two stalls
| open into one paddock, and if the young
| sters agree let four run together during
the day. There is less danger i'll letting
"a large number of colts u loose to-
| gether than is experienced with brood
mares, but if only to protect against
broken bones and blemishos too many
should not be run together. When it
comes to feeding time, it will be found
still more desirable to have them in
pairs. If there are not sufficient boXe,
to accommodate all the colts, the most
rugged and hardy should be chosen to
winter in the shed. 1t will not do to
pick them out haphazard or on account
of age OF anything else-to say, for i'll
stance, the 3-year-olds are the oldest;
let us keep them in the shed. 1t will
almost always be found there are d few
which demand better care than the 9TH
ers. A good start made i'll this way is
an important factor in the successful
wintering of horses. -Horseman.