PICKING UP A HIND-LEG. 131 



hold the horse, the other to hold up, say, the 

 near fore-leg he may get alongside the animal's 

 near hind ; catch the tendo A chillis (the hamstring) 

 with the left hand, and the pastern, backhanded, 

 with the right hand ; give a signal to the assist- 

 ant to let go the near fore ; then lift the leg, 

 and place it resting on his left thigh (see Fig. 27). 

 If he has no one to hold up the near fore, he 

 may "pick it up " in the way previously described ; 

 grasp the hoof with the right hand, while facing 

 to the horse's rear (see Fig. 28) ; take a step 

 forward with the left foot ; catch the hamstring 

 with the left hand (see Fig. 29) ; let go the near 

 fore, and, at the same moment, seize the pastern, 

 backhanded, with the right hand ; and place, as 

 before, the animal's leg on the left thigh. This 

 method, which, I believe, I have been the first 

 to devise, ensures almost complete immunity from 

 danger. As long as one has hold of the fore-hoof 

 with the hand, one can get forward, out of danger, 



if the horse tries to kick. The grasp of the left 



K 2 



