60 The Practical Stud Groom. 



WHEN HELP IS NEEDED. 



There is no need to labour the point further. Enough 

 has been written to show that in most cases all that is 

 required of the attendant is to be an alert but passive 

 spectator. Experience will teach him that this is best for 

 mare and foal and easier for himself. There are, of course, 

 occasions when he will be called on to render help. For 

 instance, when a young, inexperienced mare, by her rest- 

 less movements, is continually baulking the foal's search for 

 the teat, it is well to take her by the head and quietly 

 manoeuvre her flank into proximity to the foal's muzzle, 

 and hold her steady till the foal secures the teat. Again, 

 when the foal is really weakly, and shows unmistakably, 

 after an hour or so, that it has not the strength to get on to 

 its feet, the attendant, instead of wasting his strength in 

 lifting it on to legs that refuse to support it, should get the 

 feeding bottle, fill it with milk drawn straight from the 

 mare's udder, and give it to the foal while in a recumbent 

 position. 



It must be most clearly understood that anything in 

 the way of drenching must be strictly avoided. The danger 

 of choking and the milk " going the wrong way " in such a 

 young creature is self evident. The milk must be sucked in. 

 With plenty of patience and a little skill this can be 

 managed. Place a moistened forefinger against the foal's 

 lips; if it does not soon respond, very gently and slowly 

 insinuate the finger between the gums on to the tip of the 

 tongue. Do not despair if success does not come at once; 

 force spells failure, gentle perseverance success. When the 

 sucking instinct has been aroused, and the foal sucks the 

 finger heartily, the feeding bottle may be skilfully sub- 

 stituted, care being taken, by manipulating the elevation of 



