DISEASES AND TEEATMENT OF THE HORSE. 129 



DIFFICULTIES MET WITH IN A MARE FOALING. 

 Sometimes the labor pains come on and the mare wants to 

 foal, but the neck of the womb remains closed. In this case, oil 

 your hand, enter it into the passage to the womb and, in some 

 cases, you can open the neck of the womb very easily by pressing 

 it open with your fingers. If it is hard to open, saturate a sponge 

 with extract of belladonna and rub it around the neck of the womb, 

 leave it for a little while and you will soon find it easily opened! 

 In a case where the front legs and head appear, and the foal does 

 not seem to come any further with her straining, use gentle force 

 by pulling on the legs and head, and if this does not bring the 

 foal you may come to the conclusion there is something wrong. 

 In this case, oil your arm, or take warm water and soap, so as t^o 

 make your hand and arm slippery, shove the foal back into the 

 womb and give it a thorough examination and find out what is 

 wrong. If it is a case where there is dropsy of the belly (that is 

 where the belly is swollen up with water), take a sharp knife and 

 pass it back in (guarded by the hand so as not to injure the mare) 

 to the foal's belly and then cut a small hole, large enough for the 

 water to run out, start the legs and head again into the passage 

 and she will soon foal if she is given a little assistance. 



Sometimes the foal's head is enlarged with water on the brain. 

 In this case the foal will come out so far that only the legs and 

 the point of the nose will be seen. After using a little force, and 

 it will not come, shove the foal back and feel the state of the head 

 If It is enlarged take a sharp knife and cut a hole in the softest 

 part of the enlargement and allow the water to escape from the 

 bram. Now, by giving the mare a little assistance, you will find 

 it to come all right. 



The foal may come in various positions. We sometimes 

 have a case where the head and one front leg comes out and the 

 mare cannot foal. In this case shove the foal back and bring the 

 leg that is not up, forward, and you will find she will foal all 

 right The front legs sometimes come without the head, the 

 head being turned back. In this case shove the foal back, tike a 

 small piece of rope, four or five feet long, make a noose and slip it 

 over the foal's head onto his neck, have an assistant to pull on the 

 rope while you use your arm and hand in helping to straighten 

 the neck and head, when this is straight, have the assistant to 

 pull on the rope while you pull on the legs, and you will find the 



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