THE HORSE BREEDING. 579 



Treatment at Foaling Time. The mare, left to herself 

 in a roomy, well-littered box-stall, will do better than to have 

 attendance in sight, except in rare cases of false presentation, 

 when assistance may be necessary to change the position of foal, 

 or even to use mechanical assistance. But these cases need ex- 

 perienced attention, and details for such exceptional cases must 

 be sought in veterinary works. 



The stall of the mare and foal should be free from chilling 

 winds or drafts, as nature has been heavily taxed, and the ex- 

 hausted system of the mare is not in condition to resist cold 

 and chills, as when in full vigor. The Arab's care of the 

 newly-born colt is suggestive. So attentive are tfyey that 

 they do not allow the colt to touch the ground before they be- 

 gin to rub dry, and follow with rubbing joints and muscles, until 

 they have moved every joint and produced a free and active 

 circulation in every part of the form and muscle. The colt is 

 then held up to the dam to suck, and from that time onward is 

 the pet of the family and the playmate of the children, as is 

 the dog on the farms of America. The mare is put to no hard 

 work until the foal is able to do without her milk. 



Oftentimes the foal is too weak to stand up. In such case 

 the foal should be wiped dry and well rubbed, and kept out of 

 drafts or chilling winds. Warmth is essential now. As soon as 

 it is rubbed dry, and the limbs have been rubbed well, to induce 

 active circulation, hold it up to the udder, and let it be strength- 

 ened by nature's supply of milk. If left to get chilled and 

 nature taxed, and left unattended or unfed, it is as likely to die 

 as live. In order to have the colt become strong and vigorous 

 and well developed, it must be well fed from the start, and it 

 should never go back for want of food suited to its condition. 



After Foaling. As a rule, the mare should do no work 

 for a month after foaling, but the farmer's necessities in the 

 spring-time for every plow-animal lead him to put the mare at 

 work sooner. This is attended with great risk. There is special 

 danger of fever if the system is taxed and heated and chilled, 

 as too often follow when the mare is put to plowing in the chill- 

 ing winds of springtime. It is not only a severe and cruel tax 



