THE ROPE-TWITCH. 113 



twitch for the ordinary one, by veterinary surgeons, 

 would certainly remove a grave reproach against 

 us which now exists. It is, of course, used by 

 them, only, faute de mieux. 



If, when the ordinary twitch is twisted up 

 tight, its stick be struck or jerked, as some do, 

 on the animal moving, it will doubtless have a 

 deterrent effect, as well as the one produced by 

 the brutal and needless infliction of continued 

 pain. 



The rope-twitch. Everything I have said in 

 the preceding paragraphs, respecting the halter- 

 twitch, applies equally well to its original form, 

 as described in Mr. O. S. Pratt's book, 'The 

 Horse's Friend,' which was published at Buffalo in 

 1876. Mr. C. G. Frasier, who was Pratt's as- 

 sistant for some years, in America, tells me, that 

 this twitch was not invented by Pratt, long before 

 whose time it was in use. He thinks that 

 it was, probably, the idea of the " horse-tamer," 



