OF FARRIERY. 



273 



skewer through the plait, and double at the 

 end of the tail. Then take another pulley, 

 one end of which is to be fastened to a beam, 

 or joist, immediately behind the Horse, and 

 as far back as possible. Now, the line you 

 fa.stened to the pulley on the roller, pass 

 over the one just nailed up ; to the end of 

 this line you must suspend your weight. By 

 this pulley being in a right line with the 

 centre of the stall, the Horse is in no danger 

 of having his tail grow aside ; but if you 

 should perceive the animal have a tendency 

 to rest on one side the stall more than the 

 other, take a bundle of furze, and nail against 

 the side of the stall he may be so inclined to 

 bear against, and vice versa. The weight 

 for the first day or two, should not be more 

 than will keep the tail straight ; then by ad- 

 ditional weight, elevate the tail a little from 

 tile horizontal line, advancing every two or 

 three days, until you have acquired the height 

 jou wish to go to : but never go to the per- 

 pendicular, or erect position. The elevation, 

 however, ought to depend on the height we 

 wish the tail to be carried in future. The 

 carriage of the tail should therefore be exa- 

 mined every two or three days; keeping in 

 mind, that after it has altogether done with 

 the pulleys, it frequently droops a little. 



I have now given you a description of the 

 apparatus requisite in performing the opera- 

 tion of nicking, and the method of performing 

 it; it only remains for me to mention the 

 treatment, and food the Horse ought to haye. 



With regard to giving the Horse exercise, 

 during the time the tail is in pulleys, this I 

 should say was decidedly wrong, and which 

 would cause the Horse great and excruciat- 

 ing pain on being placed in them again. It 

 would be very like tearing open an old wound. 



But there is a means of keeping the Hors« in 

 health, without exercise, by giving him an 

 ounce of nitre in his water, two or three times 

 a week, and an alterative pov/der (see medi- 

 cines,) every day in his feed, which should be 

 half bran and half oats, made moderately wet, 

 so that the powders might easily adhere to it ; 

 not sloppy, that the medicine can run off. 



There will require some attention with re- 

 gard to the tail, to prevent the hair coming 

 off; but this will happen in some measure, 

 take what care or precaution you may. At 

 the end of about seven or eight days, take the 

 tail out of the pulleys, and unplat it, then 

 carefully comb it out, and apply a little hog's 

 lard to the roots of the hair ; when make fa«i 

 again. This should be done every five or six 

 days ; and it is the only and best means to 

 keep the hair on, though as I before men- 

 tioned, you cannot prevent some from falhne 

 oflf. 



Now the only things to be mentioned arc 

 the casualties attending the operation of nick- 

 ing, the principle of which is inflammation. 

 This may run so high, as to produce morti- 

 fication, locked-jaw, &c. ; but as we have 

 before treated of these specifically, there is uo 

 necessity of a repetition, as they will be found 

 under their separate heads. 



CROPPING. 



Custom has nearly abolished the practice of 

 cropping. Still circumstances may occur to 

 render it necessary ; such as one ear becom- 

 ing blemished ; therefore, at the makers cf 

 surgical instruments, we always can obtain a 

 sort of curved clams, called cropping-irons. 

 Into these, one of the ears is introduced, and 

 the upper part is cut off" at one stroke, with a 

 knife of sufficient length. The portion cut oft 

 3 z 



