196 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



him. A flock of sheep follow the shepherd from habit, and 

 finding him their friend. A herd of deer, from want of 

 habitual intimacy with man, avoid him, but a tame deer is 

 as tame as any other pet ; and so will mares and colts be if 

 properly treated. Even supposing there was an inherent 

 vicious propensity born with a colt, by beginning thus early 

 with him it would, in most cases, be eradicated ; if not, it 

 would to a certainty be most materially softened. 



To return, however, to the new-born foal. It is not 

 generally known that the refusing to suck, which is the 

 cause of the death of many foals, as well as the scouring, 

 which about the third day kills many more, are both pro- 

 duced by irritation, and consequent inflammation of the 

 bowels, from the retention of a few small hard fasces in the 

 rectum. These are generally more in quantity in proportion 

 as the keep of the mare has been high. 



The cure is simple : a few hours after the foal has been 

 dropped, a tallow candle should invariably be passed into 

 the rectum, and when the passage has been sufficiently 

 softened, the fseces can easily be extracted by the finger. 



In cases where scouring kills foals at a subsequent period, 

 it is generally attributable to the foal heating itself by 

 violent exercise ; consequently the mare, for the first day 

 or two that she is let out (supposing her to be housed), 

 ought only to be walked about with a halter, and the same 

 practice pursued at the time of her first horsing. 



Some mares will not allow their foals to suck. This 

 arises from the tenderness of the teats ; and in this case 

 they should have their heads tied up, and, if necessary, be 

 otherwise prevented from kicking while they are milked by 

 hand ; and the milk should be rubbed over the teats for 

 some short time, after which they will allow the foal to 

 suck. 



Should the mare's milk be obstructed and fail, either 

 from cold caught or other cause, if out, she should immedi- 

 ately be taken up to the house, and enticed to lie down 

 upon a large and deep-littered bed of fresh straw, in a loose 

 box, and every method taken to comfort her, and to encour- 

 age the secretion of milk. To promote this end, as much 

 warm, mild ale should be allowed as she would drink, or 

 should she refuse it, she may be drenched with a couple of 

 quarts, to be repeated as may appear necessary, her food 

 being the finest and most fragrant hay, sweet grains, with 



