38 THE HORSE 



animal is rationally treated, as he may have been 

 led to expect. Still, matters do not always proceed 

 as smoothly as may be desired, and then, unless the 

 groom is a practical man, the assistance of a veterinary 

 surgeon should be invoked. It may be remembered 

 too, that cases of abortion are not so infrequent as 

 may be supposed; but it may be added that this 

 misfortune is very often the result of unclean stables, 

 or of the mare being exposed to the contamination 

 of decaying animal or vegetable matter. Should the 

 mare abort, any other mares upon the premises 

 should be forthwith removed to a distance, else the 

 mischief may spread, whilst the utmost care should 

 be exercised in the disinfecting of her stable, and all 

 her bedding, and the foetus, etc._, should be destroyed 

 by burning. Doubtless, however, a veterinary 

 surgeon has been called in, and he will most 

 probably insist upon all this being done. 



It has been observed that worms sometimes 

 annoy foals exceedingly when they have attained 

 the age of three or four months, or even earlier, 

 but particularly when they are yearlings. The foals 

 should have access to rock salt, and small doses of 

 powdered sulphate of iron should be given morning 

 and evening in a little mash. Ten to fifteen grains 

 of calomel given in mash and repeated after an 

 interval of ten or twelve hours is a very effectual 

 remedy, from four to six ounces of linseed oil being 

 administered six hours after the last dose. 



The hoofs of foals require attention, and a little 

 judicious managem.ent at an early stage may save 

 much trouble and disappointment afterwards. 



