THE FOAL 489 



per cent, carbolic acid) injected into the cavity. Support 

 the strength of the patient with milk, and give iodide of 

 iron and phosphate of iron, 5 grains of each, in milk three 

 or four times a day. The prevenlative treatment is the most 

 important: the boxes in which mares are intended to foal 

 should be whitewashed, and the floors swilled with a dis- 

 infectant, and the bedding should be regularly changed. As 

 soon as the foal is dropped, the umbilical cord should be 

 tied with a silk ligature and the part sponged with carbolic 

 lotion, one of the acid to forty of water." The person under- 

 taking the tying should disinfect his hands with carbolic 

 solution before touching the navel ; also the silk should be 

 soaked in the solution previous to being used. 



A foal is weaned when it is five or six months old, say 

 a spring-born foal early in October ; then it should be housed 

 at night. But from the time it is a month old, it should be 

 firmly but kindly treated and trained for a short time every 

 few days to be led, by means of a light head-collar, which 

 should remain on permanently, and have a short dependent 

 end left to lay hold of. The operation of haltering, if delayed 

 till weaning time, is attended with danger to the animal, 

 due to the resistance which is usually made, and requires 

 great care. A cattle-shed with bare walls and a few inches 

 of dung under foot is a good place to select. A cart rope 

 should be fastened round the neck of the foal to draw it 

 up to a fixed point such as a hole in the outer wall through 

 which the rope is passed so that it is made to know what 

 it is to be held. The struggle at first is often severe, and 

 perspiration flows freely with the excitement and the exertion. 

 After all this is over, the foal must be kept in a warm place 

 till it is thoroughly cooled down. Gentle treatment and 

 constant handling are necessary to give the creature con- 

 fidence. Leading should from the first be done as frequently 

 by the " off-side " as by the " near," to accustom it to turn as 

 readily to the one side as to the other. The young animal 

 should also be taught to eat a few bruised oats and bran, 

 so that it may be prevented from losing the foal flesh 

 at weaning time. When circumstances permit, and the 

 superior quality of the foal warrants it, this condition is 

 most effectively maintained by allowing it to suck through 

 the winter. The mothers of valuable foals should usually 



