CHAPTER IV. 

 FOALING TIME. 



The mare generally brings forth her foal eleven months 

 after conception. Thus a mare served on April 1st should 

 foal about March 1st the following year; but some mares 

 invariably go over their time. Others do the reverse, while 

 young mares, carrying their first foal, are very uncertain in 

 this respect, but are more likely to anticipate their proper 

 date than otherwise. The author has also noticed that mares 

 that have been on very short rations during the winter, and 

 have got undesirably low in condition in consequence, almost 

 invariably exceed their time for foaling by periods varying 

 from one to three weeks. On the other hand, a mare that 

 has wintered not wisely but too well, generally foals 

 promptly to time, or several days in advance of it. All 

 mares should be closely watched for the usual signs of 

 approaching parturition when they get within a fortnight 

 of their expected date of foaling. Usually about four weeks 

 before the mare foals the udder commences to " spring " or 

 fill at night, but subsides during the day while the mare is 

 at liberty in the paddock. As the foaling time draws nearer 

 the filling of the udder increases, and exercise has no effect 

 on it. The penultimate stage is marked by the sinking in 

 of the quarters on each side of the croup, swelling of the 

 vulva, and the appearance on the end of the teats of little 

 nodules of wax-like substance. After from twenty-four to 

 forty-eight hours, this " wax " drops off, and milk begins 

 to drip away. Once this occurs the mare may foal at any 



