62 The Practical Stud Groom. 



the foal gains its feet and starts nosing round her in search 

 of food, she will submit bravely; and although she will 

 tremble and cringe when her flank is reached, she will very, 

 very rarely kick her first-born. 



Does it not follow, then, that the attendant intruding 

 himself into an atmosphere so highly charged with nervous 

 tension, generated by suffering and novel experiences, would 

 be more likely to increase than to allay mental excitement. 

 There are exceptions to all rules ; with this reservation, it 

 may safely be laid down that in the case under considera- 

 tion, Nature's laws may implicitly be relied on to give satis- 

 factory results. Agreeably to the foregoing principles, the 

 attendant may safely confine his duties to close attendance 

 and watchfulness, in case the mare develops spiteful feelings 

 against her offspring. With maiden mares, the author's 

 practice has been, after applying No. 1 dressing to the 

 navel, and taking the foal round to the mare's head, to 

 refrain from going again into the foaling box until the foal 

 has got up and sucked. The mash and chilled water may 

 well wait till the maternal instinct is well roused and 

 established in the young mother ; and this happy consumma- 

 tion will only be retarded when the mare's attention is con- 

 stantly being distracted and her maternal fears aroused by 

 an officious attendant's presence. In the comparatively 

 rare case of the mare refusing to let the foal suck, or even 

 approach her, she must be bridled, a fore leg held up, and, 

 if necessary, a twitch applied ; the udder well handled, some 

 milk drawn away, and the foal then mano3uvred into the 

 necessary position for sucking. All violence and abuse 

 should be religiously avoided, to the end that the mare will 

 not connect the foal's sucking with punishment, and will 

 the sooner come to a proper appreciation of her duty, and 

 the disciplinary measures may the sooner be dispensed with. 



