The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-01-26
OUT IN n COLD.
Don't Leave Colts and Brood Mares There,
but Take Them In.

Don't Leave Colts and Brood Mares There,
but Take Them In.
Beginning with the point so often
made, good shelter is most material to
the successful wintering Of stock Of any
kind. This is so well known and withal
go 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 confirming together these
which are we'll 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, coy 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 III during the day, and
care should be taken to prevent their
suffering from the lnclemency 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 pelting
rain, while the "bosses" luxuriate in
the dry comfort inside. When the
mares are parted out, as the shepherds
say, judiciously, the weaker ones hud-
die together in comfortable warmth,
while the bad tempered ones. confined
together, soon come to an understanding
and become content to live in peace.
The prosperity of the farm is bound
up in the care of the brood mares. No
matter how good the stallion may be or
how we'll bred the mares, if they are not
taken good care of success will not at
tend their owners efforts.
Having located the mares for the
winter, the studmasUer 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
weanlings should be boxed by pairs.
In every stud there are 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
sible 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 in letting
a large number of colts run loose to-
gether than is experienced with brood
mares, but if only to protect against
broken bones and blemishes too many
should not be nj together. When it
comes to feeding time, it will be found
still more desirable to have them in
pairs. If there are not sufficient boxes
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 or anything else-to say, for in
stance, the 3-year-olds are the Oldest;
let us keep them in the shed. 1t will
almost always be found there are a few
which demand better care than the 9TH
ers. A good start made in this way is
al important factor in the successful
wintering of horses. -Horseman.