ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE STABLE 



Abortion, if it should occur during the early stages of 

 pregnancy, may take place without the fact becoming known 

 if the mare is turned out, and if so is an unimportant event 

 so far as her well-being is concerned, though the disappoint- 

 ment to her owner may be great and she herself may gain 

 an undeserved reputation for being a shy-breeder. During 

 the later stages of pregnancy, abortion is a more serious 

 matter, especially if it occurs about the time the mare is 

 due to foal. Unfortunately, too, the preliminary symptoms 

 are seldom clearly defined, and any uneasiness she may 

 display may easily be attributed to normal causes. It not 

 infrequently happens, moreover, that the unborn foal dies in 

 the womb, and thereby causes considerable danger to the 

 mare. The possibility of this being the case is shown by a 

 bad smelling discharge, the appearance of which necessitates 

 the immediate attendance of a professional man, and especi- 

 ally so if the mare seems to be ill at ease. 



Some mares are constitutionally disposed to abort, or, as 

 it is commonly termed, slip their foals, but the most u<ual 

 causes of the trouble are a sudden fright, eating injurious 

 food such as ergot, a long drink of cold water, overworking, 

 exposure, and the contamination arising from touching or 

 smelling the putrid discharges from other mares which 

 may have recently foaled, (See Breeding, Brood Mare, Ergot, 

 Foaling^ 



Abscess. — An abscess may be generally described as a 



I A 



