12 THE HORSE 



that the meconeum Is retauied, and it must be extracted 

 by the oiled finger, supplemented by an injection of a 

 few ounces of warm water and linseed oil or glycerine. 

 This operation should be repeated until the feces 

 become yellow. 



If possible, let the foal follow the mare, if the mare 

 is at work. If this cannot be done, the mare should be 

 returned to the stable in the middle of the forenoon, 

 and again in the middle of the afternoon, so that the 

 foal can be nursed by its mother. This is important 

 for both of them. But the foal should not be allowed 

 to suckle the mare when she is heated, for in that con- 

 dition she is likely to give the foal indigestion and 

 diarrhea. 



If the foal loses Its mother. It can be brought up on 

 cow's milk, to which a little water and some sugar have 

 been added. A mare's milk is not quite so rich as 

 that of a good cow, but it is a little sweeter. Some 

 great horses. Including the famous Black Hawk, were 

 brought up on a bottle. 



When the foal Is a month old, if not before. It should 

 be halter-broken, and taught to lead. (I knew one 

 enthusiastic horseman who haltered a foal from a 

 favorite mare before It was quite born.) Care should 

 be taken not to let the foal break its halter, or get 

 away. But It Is well to tie the foal securely to a post 

 and then let him try to get away. When he finds that 

 he cannot break the halter, he will soon stop trying, 

 and will never attempt the same thing again. Another 

 method which may be used. If the foal Is so high-strung 

 that he might Injure himself by pulling on the halter, 



