NICKING. 439 



more or less erect, according to the whim of the operator or the depth to which 

 the incisions have been carried. 



The operation is thus performed. The side-line is put on the horse, or some 

 persons deem it more prudent to cast him, and that precaution we should be disposed 

 to recommend. The hair at the end of the tail is securely tied together, for the 

 purpose of afterwards attaching a weight to it. The operator then grasps the 

 tail in his hand, and, lifting it up, feels for the centre of one of the bones the 

 prominences at the extremities will guide him from two to four inches from the 

 root of the tail, according to the size of the horse. He then, with a sharp knife, 

 divides the muscles deeply from the edge of the tail on one side to the centre, 

 and, continuing the incision across the bone of the tail, he makes it as deep on 

 the other side. One continued incision, steadily yet rapidly made, will accom- 

 plish all this. If it is a blood-horse that is operated on, this will be sufficient. 

 For a hunter, two incisions are usually made, the second being about two inches 

 below the first, and likewise as nearly as possible in the centre of one of the bones. 



On a 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 will project into the wound, and must be removed by a pair of 

 curved scissors. The same must be done with the projecting portions from be- 

 tween the second and third incisions. The wounds should then be carefully 

 examined, in order 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 incision, and confined, but not too tightly, 

 by a bandage. A very profuse bleeding will alone justify any tightness of 

 bandage, and the ill consequences that have resulted from nicking are mainly 

 attributable to the unnecessary force that 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 

 inflammation, and even 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 incisions is concerned, is to keep them clean. 



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

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

 depression of the tail would remain ; and the animal would have been punished 

 for no purpose. The wounds must remain open, and that can only be accom- 

 plished by forcibly keeping the tail curved back during 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 by the weight keeping it in a certain 

 position for a considerable time, but by the depth of the first incisions, and the 

 degree m which the wounds are kept open. By every ounce of weight beyond 

 that which is necessary to keep the incisions apart, unnecessary suffering is 

 inflicted. Some practitioners 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. 



