THE HORSE BOUNDING ON HIS HIND-LEGS 197 



move, wliich he can only do by raising the off fore-leg off the ground in 

 the action known as hopping. The moment this begins, the right hand 

 firmly draws the off leg up to the surcingle, and keeps it there, when the 

 horse must either bound into the air on his hind-legs, or he must go down 

 on the ground, supported from falling on his side in the attitude of kneel- 

 ing. To avoid mischief, therefore, the loose-box or yard where the operation 

 is carried on should be thickly beddod Avith straw ; for no knee caps are 

 stout enough to protect the joints from injury on hard ground ; nor, if they 

 escape being bruised, will the shock to the body on falling be at all safe. 

 Even straw can hardly be relied on, if the floor beneath is of brick, stone, 

 pebbles, or hard natural soil ; for it is apt to give way during the struggles 



rani HOUSE BOUNDING ON HIS HIND-LEGS. 



of the horse, and allow the knees to x'each it without the intended protec- 

 tion. When, therefore, there is no tanned riding-schcol, or other similar 

 surface, at command, a good solid bed of manure (which is always to be 

 had wherever horses are) should be spread a foot thick at least, and over 

 this clean straw may be laid. To return to the subject of the operation, 

 whom we left with the alternative of bounding in the air on his liind-legs, 

 or falling on his knees in the annexed attitude (page 198), the chief art in 

 managing this part of the process is to keep firm hold of the strap attached 

 to the off leg close to the surcingle ; the hand being protected by the glove, 

 can easily prevent it from slipping through during the struggles of the horse, 

 and at the same time serves as a point cVcip-jnti for the operator, so that he 

 can follow the movements of the bounding animal in whatever direction he 

 may progress. The operator must on no account attempt to stand away 

 from his patient, nor must he advance before the girth-place : but keeping 



