Foaling Time. 51 



recuperating. If the mare gets up and has no symptoms of 

 pain, and the foal looks like being some time in getting on 

 to its legs, she should have half a bucket of chilled water 

 and the previously-prepared warm mash. With " maiden" 

 mares it is as well not to distract their attention wholly 

 from their first-born with food or water till it has been up 

 and sucked once. The membranes or " after birth," if 

 dragging on the ground, should at once be tied up in a loop 

 knot, so that it hangs on a level with the mare's hocks; this 

 obviates the danger of the foal lying upon, or later stepping 

 on it, and breaking it off, or, worse still, violently detaching 

 it from the wall of the womb, with very serious results to 

 the mare. What are called " after pains " at this stage 

 frequently cause anxiety to the attendant. They are 

 generally caused by the neck of the womb contracting after 

 the abnormal expansion it has undergone during the passage 

 of the foal, or in cases where the tissues have been actually 

 torn. The symptoms are similar to those of colic; the mare 

 paws, lies down, rolls, and gets up again. Some mares are 

 more stoical under pain than others. The attendant who 

 knows the temperaments of his charges will be able to gauge 

 the severity of the trouble from this knowledge. 



When " after pains " are present, and the mare is con- 

 te,nt to lie still, making no attempt to roll, leave her undis- 

 turbed ; the pains will gradually pass away as the organs 

 regain their normal state. But if the mare rolls violently, 

 sweating and blowing, she must be secured at once, as the 

 rolling may bring labour on again, and the much-to-be- 

 dreaded mishap, an inverted uterus. Two ounces of 

 chlorodyne in 1J pints of water will generally act like magic. 

 The author has found its sedative action most valuable in 

 these cases. It may be here noted that in cases of severe 

 haemorrhage, caused by the bursting of a large blood vessel, 



