Foaling Time. 45 



paralysis supervening allows the passage of the foal to take 

 place. If, then, a powerful twelve or fourteen-stone man, in 

 his well-meant efforts to assist the labouring mare, grasps 

 the foaPs legs, and adds his strength to the mare's desperate 

 heaving before the resisting muscles have become inert, he 

 is courting disaster. True, the foal is born, but a bad tear 

 or slit results, which may probably endanger the mare's 

 life, and will certainly jeopardise her future breeding possi- 

 bilities. 



THE MOMENT FOR ACTION. 



It is impossible to lay too much stress on the desirability 

 of allowing the mare to foal by her own unaided efforts, if 

 the presentation of the foal is normal. The mare will cease 

 heaving the instant that instinct tells her that tearing of 

 tissue is imminent ; and after allowing time for the resisting 

 muscles and ligaments to become inert, will try again with 

 the happiest results. Nature's plan is beautiful in its 

 simplicity. Parturition, as mentioned above, consists in 

 short spasms of heaving, alternated by short periods of rest. 

 Each few inches gained is followed by a brief respite to allow 

 muscle paralysis to supervene. Once the foal's shoulders are 

 through the pelvic outlet, which welcome fact will be made 

 known to the attendant by the sudden spurt with which the 

 foal slips forward, he may render assistance with impunity. 

 The danger zone is then safely passed. It is advisable, how- 

 ever, not to drag the foal quite clear of the mare, and also to 

 avoid rupturing the membraneous sac in which the foal is 

 enveloped. The former plan may deceive the mare into 

 thinking that parturition is not completed, while the latter 

 will prevent premature sneezing and whinnying on the part 

 of the foal, and thus will lessen the chance of the mare 

 struggling to her feet before the navel cord can be properly 



