THE CARE OF MARE AND FOAL 6i 



without which quahfications it is quite unHkely any 

 really good foals will be produced. The foahng season 

 extends from, or approximately so, February to the end 

 of May or early in June, but the best months for foals to 

 be born are March and April, so that when the grass is 

 just beginning to spring the mare will be able to take full 

 advantage of the succulent herbage, and the foal have the 

 opportunity of outdoor exercise, pure air, and rapid 

 growth. It is customary to fix the date of thoroughbred 

 horses from January ist, and all other horses from May 

 1st. The period of gestation, or the time which a mare 

 carries her foal, is eleven months, or within a week of this 

 period. Sometimes a mare will foal a few days before or 

 after the specified time. It is of very little importance, 

 under these circumstances. With some mares it is not 

 an easy matter to ascertain whether they are "in-foal " 

 or otherwise, and the only satisfactory manner of doing 

 this is to make a manual examination. Towards the 

 later phases of gestation, say the eighth or ninth month, 

 the abdominal dimensions increase until within a week 

 or so before foaling ; the udder enlarges and the teats 

 begin to wax, followed by milk secretion in the gland. 

 A mare may come into milk without being in foal, but 

 the supply soon passes aw^ay. Every " in-foal " mare 

 should be kept in a loose box for several weeks prior to 

 the time she is expected to foal, so that she may become 

 accustomed to her surroundings. Never take any risks 

 by tying a mare up in the stable within a couple of months 

 of her tim^e for foaling, the writer having seen some nasty 

 accidents arising from having done this. Another 

 " don't " is never leave a mare out at pasture at or about 

 foaling time. Seclusion is necessary when a mare is in 

 labour, and the less she is disturbed the better. If all is 

 going on well the foal will be delivered without any 

 assistance, and during dehvery the mare may be either 

 standing up or lying down. It makes no difference. In 

 every instance the birth of the foal is immediately 



