NICKING 303 



twenty-four hours after the operation, the bandage 

 may be thrown aside and the wounds kept clean, 

 which is all that will be required. 



The tail must be afterwards kept bent back for 

 some weeks until the wounds are healed ; because if 

 allowed to hang down, the edges of the cuts would 

 come in contact and soon reunite again. This is 

 accomplished by means of a cord from one to two 

 feet in length, which is attached to the hair at the 

 point of the tail, and this is affixed to another divided 

 cord, each division passing over a pulley on either 

 side of the back of the stall. To each extremity a 

 weight is suspended, sufficient to keep the cuts of the 

 tail open to the extent required ; but it is an act of 

 cruelty to hang too heavy weights to these, as the 

 smallest quantity beyond what is necessary inflicts 

 great pain on the animal. Some persons do not use 

 pulleys at all, but by keeping a slight girth on the 

 horse, attach a cord to the tail and pull it backwards. 

 However, whether the pulleys or simple cord are 

 made use of, the tail must be relieved from the 

 weight once or twice a day, and the horse exercised. 

 Ten days or a fortnight will be required to complete 

 the operation, as if too soon removed, the desired 

 elevation of the tail may not be effected. 



It sometimes happens that great irritation and 

 inflammation take place in nicking, and even locked- 

 jaw has been brought on by it. When the first of 

 these ensue, the weight must be removed from the 

 tail, and the parts carefully fomented with warm 

 water, and gentle purgatives administered. When 

 locked-jaw has taken place, the joints of the tail 

 should be amputated at the first joint above the 

 highest nick. 



