THE BREEDING AND REARING OF COLTS. 195 



appearance, and with a fresh drop of fluid at the lower part, which bein<r 

 touched will incline to extend. If she be gravid, the surface of the vagina 

 will be dry and of a dirty brown or rusty color, while the drop that 

 before was clear fluid, will be dark and brown. After the third month, 

 the belly will begiu to swell, and at the end of the fifth or sixth month the 

 movements of the foetus may be seen by watching ; or by standing the 

 mare at rest and pressing up sharply in the flank, with the thumb and 

 fore-finger closed, the foetus may be distincly f elt by the rebound. 

 XlX. How to Know the Foaling Time. 

 From one to Jthree months before the time of foaling, the udder begins 

 to fiH and swell, more or less, and this will continue increasino-. Durinf» 

 the three weeks immediately preceding the time of foaling, a f uiTOw-like 

 appearance is seen, reaching from the haunch to the tail on each side of 

 the spinal extension, as though the pelvis was separating its parts. This 

 will be more and more apparent as the time approaches. The udder will 

 fill, and two days, generally, though sometimes only one, before foaling, 

 a gummy subst^.nceAvill exude from, and stand at the end of, each teat. 



XX. The Pealing StaU. 



WTiatever the place provided for foaling, it should be so tight that the 

 mare cannot get her limbs through the interstices. It should be warm 

 and well-littered T\ath short, fine straw, and the mare should be left 

 entirely to herself, except in those rare cases when she may need mechan- 

 ical assistance in foaling. This, however, should not be resorted to unless 

 the size of the foetus requires it, or a false presentation is made. 

 XXI. Abortion, or Slinking the Poal. 



From the time when gestation has proceeded three months, and up to 

 the fifth month, there may be danger of abortion. To prevent this, the 

 mare should not be exposed to foul smells, nor to the sight of blood or 

 dying animals, nor should she be allowed to be frightened. She should 

 have better feeding, and less work, since from this time on her system 

 will be called on to nourish the fast-growing foetus. There are many 

 causes of abortion. Among the most prolific are, allowing her to see 

 food given others, that she does not get herself, and which she likes ; 

 sudden fright , sympathy with the distress of other animals ; and above 

 all, the germs arising in a stable in which there has been an abortion. 



The prevention is to avoid all these things, and to allow the animal 

 plenty of fresh air. If an animal once aborts, unless it is brought on by 

 strain or acute disease, or if once the tendency is established, it is some- 

 what difficult to overcome the predisposition, which generally arises at 

 about a concm-rent period of gestation. Hence, great pains should be 

 taken to prevent any liability to this disaster. 



