52 The Practical Stud Groom. 



the deadly leakage goes on without any of the violent 

 colicky pains, nor is there any abnormal flow of blood from 

 the vulva. The blood forms a large clot in the uterus, and 

 the first symptoms of trouble are generally the last, viz., 

 cold perspiration and trembling, quickly followed by con- 

 vulsions, and death from heart failure. 



MALPRESENTATIONS . 



In the foregoing the bright side of foaling operations 

 has been pictured; the darker side, which even the best 

 regulated studs do not escape, may now be briefly touched 

 upon. The most common cause of trouble is wrong pre- 

 sentation of the foal. As previously noted, the proper way 

 for the foal to arrive is fore feet first, head between knees, 

 and belly downwards. If the attendant finds, after labour 

 has been in progress some few minutes, that, in spite of extra 

 efforts on the mare's part, only one leg is coming, he should 

 watch closely, and if, when the knee is through the vagina, 

 there is no sign of the other hoof, he should at once roll up 

 his sleeves, well vaseline his right arm and make an internal 

 examination. If he finds the foal's nose just inside the 

 vulva and the missing hoof close by, he should seize the 

 latter, and, timing his efforts to the mare's heaving, 

 endeavour to bring it forward. If he finds it yield, he 

 should persevere, using as little force as possible, till he has 

 it level with the leading knee, and then leave the mare to 

 finish unaided. But if he finds it impossible to bring the 

 laggard hoof forward, he should, while still retaining his 

 hold of it, place his left hand on the protruding leg at the 

 knee, and push it back into the vagina, when he will prob- 

 ably be able to bring the other foot forward to its proper 

 position, and all will end well, and he will be able to thank 

 his stars that his examination revealed nothing more serious. 



