CHAPTER X. 



DIFFICULTIES WITH AND DISEASES OF YOUNG 

 FOALS. 



IT is an undeniable fact in nature that "like begets like"; 

 in other words, applying this principle to the horse, a 

 sound and healthy dam and a sound and healthy sire 

 will produce, under natural conditions, sound and healthy 

 offspring. But, although it may be ever so important to choose 

 breeding stock from the best that can be had, or at least from 

 the best that one can afford, in order to produce the best off- 

 spring possible under existing circumstances, it must be remem- 

 bered tru.t the breeder's responsibility does not end in merely 

 producing. When the foal is young, however promising may 

 be the possibilities, the wise breeder will be careful to note 

 these possibilities and so care for and nurture the foal that it 

 may develop into the best possible at maturity. With this 

 end in view it is important to become familiar with difficulties 

 and diseases treated of in the following sections of this 

 chapter. 



1. Constipation. 



It is often a very troublesome matter to get the bowels 

 of a young foal to move naturally. 



Causes. — There are many conditions that may cause con- 

 stipation in young foals. The commonest being the previous 

 diet of the mother or the fact of not allowing the foal to 

 receive the mother's first milk. Should a mare be fed on dry 

 feed and foal early in the spring the foal is liable to be 

 troubled with constipation. 



Symptoms. — There is a noticeable fullness and less desire 

 to suck. He apparently has a desire to pass manure, as 

 indicated by straining, but without success. He lies down in 

 some cases and looks round at his side as if in pain. 



Treatment. — Give, with a syringe, injections of one pint 

 of lukewarm water containing a little raw linseed oil, three 

 or four times a day. It may be necessary in some cases, if 

 the manure balls be hard and large, to oil the finger, pass it 

 into the rectum and remove them ; care must be exercised, 

 however, in doing this to prevent undue irritation of the 

 bowels. Mix a teaspoonful of whisky and a dessertspoonful of 



