FOALING. 157 



the mare herself, nor yet in the young creature. The most 

 frequent cause of difficult foaling is usually due to the latter 

 being in a wrong position. Usually the head and fore-feet 

 come first — the former being uppermost and between the latter, 

 and the enveloping membranes are intact, generally, until the 

 body has been partially or wholly expelled. 



The mare becomes uneasy, and moves about. Labour pains 

 or contractions set in suddenly and almost violently, the 

 abdominal muscles being those visibly involved. Soon the 

 head, feet, and shoulders appear externally, then the body, and 

 finally a powerful expulsive effort extrudes the hind-quarters : 

 this portion of the act being accelerated by the traction caused 

 by the weight of the fore parts of the foal, which hang down 

 against the mare's hocks — these foruiing a kind of launching 

 stocks or break in descent for the safe deposition of the new- 

 born creature on the ground, as the mare is generally in a 

 standing position when birth takes place. 



Should the expulsive efforts be violent and continuous for a 

 longer time than usual, which is sometimes the case with the 

 first foal, or if the mare is very fat, the circumstance demands 

 attention, and provided the attendant is sufficiently skilful and 

 careful, a manual examination may be made in order to ascer- 

 tain the position of the foetus — whether it has entered the 

 passage, and if so, whether it is in the attitude most favourable 

 for exit. If it is not yet in the passage, a little more time 

 should be given for it to get there ; or if it is there and is in 

 malposition, then it will be necessary to adjust it and otherwise 

 assist the mare in delivery. 



But all this requires so much experience and skill, that but 

 few men, beyond those specially trained to obstetrical Avork 

 among animals, and gifted with strength, patience, tact, and 

 rare manipulatory dexterity, can do anything beneficial in 

 difficult parturition in the mare. If, however, the attendant 

 cannot call in skilled aid, and has to rely on his own judgment, 



