OF FAKRIEHY. 



145 



CHAPTER XIV. 



ON CASTRATION, OR GELDING; AND HERNIA. OR RUPTURE. 



CASTRATION, OR GELDING. 



The operation of castrating a Horse is by 

 removing his testicles, he is then called a 

 gelding ; and of course by the operation loses 

 a considerable degree of firery disposition, 

 sometimes displayed in the entire Horse or 

 Stallion. However, the gelding is so much 

 more considered of general use, that few 

 entire Horses are kept, excepting in the racing- 

 stud, or by individuals to breed from. 

 . The proper time for castrating colts, is 

 when they are about twelve or from that to 

 eighteen months old ; but I have known, even 

 at that age, both testicles not having descended 

 into the scrotum ; when such is the case wait 

 a few months longer. Some breeders, accord- 

 ing to the custom of their locality, will 

 have their colts cut at a very early period, 

 that is about three months old ; but I consider 

 this more fancy than any thing else ; there- 

 fore, I should recommend, for all general pur- 

 poses, not to cut colts earlier than twelve 

 months ; the colt gets better formed, and it 

 being at a time he cannot be used for any 

 kind of work. In Yorkshire, they let them 

 remain a lone;er time, so Ions: as three or four 

 years old ; hence their high breed of coach- 

 horses. Breeders in that county work 



them until near four or more years old, then 

 castrate and bring them out at five years old 

 fit for the dealer, and with the exception of 

 cart-horses, are the most valuable kind lo 

 breed. 



There is great difference in castrating young 

 colts and old Horses, the former requiring no 

 preparatory means being employed, in conse- 

 quence of having been continually at grass; 

 this is not the case with old Horses, which 

 should be bled and have a dose of physic, and 

 fed on bran mashes for a week before the 

 operation takes place. 



The method of operating is to have your 

 Horse led out on to some soft straw or loose 

 manure, then put on your hobbles, cart the 

 Horse on his left side, secure the off hind leg 

 with the side line, and pass it through a web 

 collar buckled round the neck, take the line 

 round the heel of the Horse, and again through 

 the collar, when make perfectly and securely 

 fast, that there may be no possibility of its 

 breaking or giving way, when the Horse 

 struggles during the operation. Having every 

 thing in readiness, such as your smallest 

 scalpel, the clams armed with fresh tow, and 

 a curved needle armed with fine pack-thread 

 (in case of accident). Grasp one of the 

 sacs of the scrotum firmly in your left hand, 

 2 o 



