UnEEDIXO.] 



:M'>i)i:iix vi:ti:im x A i; V practice. 



[iJUKKDISa. 



on the ground, that the foal may partake of it 

 with the mother. AVhcn the now grass is 

 abundant, tlio quantity of corn may be gradually 

 lessened. 



After foaling, the mare maybe made to per- 

 form a moderate amount of labour in about a 

 montli. The foal is at llr-it shut iu the stable 

 during the hours of work; but as soon as it 

 acquires sufficient strength to toddle after the 

 mare, and especially when she is at slow work, 

 it will be better for the foal and the dam that 

 they should be \ ogether. The work will con- 

 tribute to the health of the mother; the foal 

 will more frequently draw the milk, and thrive 

 better, and will be hardy and tractable, and 

 gradually familiarised with the objects among 

 which it is afterwards to live. While the 

 mother, however, is tlius worked, she and the 

 foal should be well fed ; and two feeds of 

 corn, at least, should be added to the green 

 food which is supplied to them when turned 

 out after their work, and at night. The mare 

 will usually be found again in " season," at or 

 before the expiration of a month from the time 

 of foaling, when, if she be kept principally for 

 breeding purposes, she may be put again to the 

 horse. 



To return, however, to the foal. It is not 

 generally known that the refusing to suck, 

 which is the cause of the death of many foals, 

 as well as the scouring, which about the third 

 day kills many more, are both produced by irri- 

 tation, and consequent inflammation of the 

 bowels, from the retention of a few small hard 

 faeces in the rectum. These are generally more 

 in quantity in proportion as the keep of the 

 mare has been higli. 



The cure is simple* a few hours after the 

 foal has been dropped, a tallow candle sJiould 

 invariably he passed into the rectum; and when 

 the passage has been sufliciently softened, the 

 faeces can easily be extracted by the finger. 



In cases where scouring kills foals at a sub- 

 sequent period, it is generally to be attributed 

 to the foal heating itself by violent exercise. 

 Consequently the mare, for the first day or two 

 that she is let out — supposing her to be housed 

 — ought only to be walked about with a halter, 

 and the same practice pursued at the time of 

 her first " horsing." 



Some mares will not allow their foals to suck. 

 This arises from the tenderness of their teats. 



In such cases thoy should have their lieads tied 

 up, and, if necessary, bo otlu-rwise prevented 

 from kicking while they are milked by hand. 

 Tliu milk should be rubbed over the teats for a 

 short time, after which they will allow the foal 

 to suck. 



Should the mare's milk be obstructed ano 

 fail, either from her having taken cold orolier 

 cause, if out, she should immediately be tn«eu 

 up to the house, and enticed to lie down itpDn 

 a largo and deep-littered bed of fresh straw, in a 

 loose box, and every method adopted to cuin- 

 fort her, and to encourage the secretion of milk. 

 To promote this end, as much warm mild ale 

 should he allowed as she will drink. Sliould 

 she refuse this she may be drenched with a 

 couple of quarts, to he repeated as frequently as 

 may appear necessary — her food being the 

 finest and most fragrant hay, sweet grains, 

 with mashes of corn and pollard. In cases of 

 chill, and great weakness, tlie old well-known 

 article, cordial ball, may be given iu warm 

 ale. 



Should, however, the case be inflamma- 

 tory, from previous high condition and fulness 



of blood, COEDIAL BALL AND ALL STIMULANTS 



SHOULD BE STitiCTLT AVOIDED, aud the regimen 

 confined to warm water and gruel, in as copious 

 quantities as can be administered. Should 

 further measures of similar tendency be indi- 

 cated, a mild solution of Epsom salts — ten or 

 twelve ounces in a pail of warm water — may be 

 given, which she may be induced to drink by 

 means of being kept short of water. Should 

 the symptoms demand it, a moderate quantity 

 of hlood may he drawn, but not otherwise. 

 Daily walking exercise abroad, the mare being 

 clothed, if necessary, should follow this treat- 

 ment, until she is sufficiently recovered to bo 

 returned to her pasture. 



During her inability to give suck, the foal 

 must be sustained on cow's milk. This alien 

 milk will generally disorder and gripe the foai, 

 tor which the best remedy is two or three spoon- 

 fuls ofrhuharh in powder, tvilh an equal quantity 

 of maynesia, in warm gruel. This medicine 

 should be given to the foals of working marcs, 

 which are often griped by sucking pent milk. 

 The disorder arising from wet and cold, a table 

 spooiful each, of the best brandy and syrup 

 of white p)oppies, may be given several times. 

 Mares that give birth early, aud in bad weather, 



141 



