NICKING. 329 



the bones ; the reason of which is, that the incision, in order perfectly to 

 divide the muscles that bring down the tail, must be so deep, as, in the 

 neighbourhood of a joint, to endanger the wounding of the ligament which 

 ties the bones together, or the substance which is interposed between the 

 joints, and thus by destroying the joint to render the tail deformed. 



On the hackney, or cocktail, a third incision is made ; for fashion has 

 decided that his tail shall be still more elevated and curved. Two incisions 

 only are made in the tail of a mare, and the second not very deep. 



When the second incision is made, some fibres of the muscles between 

 the first and second incisions will project into the wounds, and which must 

 be removed with a pair of curved scissors. The same must be done with 

 the projecting portions from between the second and third incisions; and 

 the wounds should be carefully examined, to ascertain that the muscles have 

 been equally divided on each side, otherwise the tail will be carried awry. 

 This being done, pledgets of tow must be introduced deeply into each gap, 

 and confined, but not too tightly, by a bandage. A very profuse bleeding 

 will alone justify any tightness of bandage ; and the ill consequences which 

 have resulted from nicking are mainly attributable to the unnecessary 

 force which is used in confining these pledgets. Even if the bleeding, 

 immediately after the operation, should have been very great, the roller 

 must be loosened in two or three hours, otherwise swelling, and infiamma- 

 tion, or death, may possibly ensue. Twenty-four hours after the operation, 

 the bandage must be quite removed ; and then, all that is necessary, so 

 far as the healing of the wounds is concerned, is to keep them clean. 



If, however, the tail were suffered to hang down, the divided edges of the 

 muscles would come again in contact with each other, and close ; the natural 

 depression of the tail would remain; and the animal would have been pun- 

 ished for no purpose. The wounds must be kept open, and that can only 

 be accomplished by forcibly keeping the tail curved back, for two or three 

 weeks. For this purpose, a cord, one or two feet in length, is affixed to the 

 end of the hair, which terminates in another divided cord, each division 

 going over a pulley on either side of the back of the stall. A weight is 

 hung at either extremity, sufficient to keep the incisions properly open, and 

 regulated by the degree in which this is wished to be accomplished. The 

 animal will thus be retained in an uneasy position, although, after the first 

 two or three days, probably not one of acute pain. It is barbarous to 

 increase this uneasiness or pain by affixing too great a weight to the cords; 

 for it should be remembered, that the proper elevated curve is given to the 

 tail, not hy the weight keeping it in a certain position for a considerable time, 

 but by the depth of the first incisions, and the degree in which the wounds 

 are kept open. By every ounce of weight beyond that which is necessaj-y 

 to keep the incisions open, unnecessary suffering is inflicted. Some prac- 

 titioners use only one pulley; others do not use any, but put on a light 

 girth, and tie a cord from the end of the tail to the girth, bending it over 

 the back. The double pulley, however, is the least painful to the horse, 

 and more perfectly secures the proper elevation and straight direction 

 of the tail. 



Tne dock should not, for the first three or four days, be brought higher 

 vhan the back. Dangerous irritation and inflammation would probably be 

 produced. It may, after that, be gradually raised to an elevation of forty. 

 five degrees. The horse should be taken out of the pulleys, and gently 

 exercised once or twice every day ; but the pulleys cannot finally be dis- 

 pensed with, until a fortnight after the wounds have healed, because the 

 orocess of contraction, or the approach of the divided parts, goes on for 



