OPERATIONS. 551 



most convenient way is to put hobbles on the feet, and run a chain through 

 the D's, and draw the feet all together, having a rope running from one 

 arm over the back, to make him fall on the side desired ; also, a good 

 man at the horse's head to prevent his throwing it around and falling on it, 

 and thus breaking his neck. Always put down a good bed beforehand, 

 for him to fall on. 



Rarey's plan of casting is good, in the absence of hobbles, viz: Tie 

 up one fore leg ; then tie a strap to the pastern of the other fore leg, and 

 pass it over the horse's back ; standing at the shoulder, push him over a 

 step, at the same instant pulling up the foot and bringing him to his 

 knees. He will do some rearing and jumping about, but when he gets 

 tired, he will lie quietly down^ when his legs can be tied and held down. 

 To prevent him from pounding his head, it is necessary to place a good 

 man there, who should put one knee on his neck and turn his nose up at 

 an angle of forty-five degrees. As a safeguard against too severe strain- 

 ing, tie a rope from just above one knee to above the hock of the leg on the 

 same side, and draw the legs as close together as possible, and confine 

 them there. This lessens his power to struggle. 



VI. Castration. 



The best age for castrating colts is from one to three years, tlie exact 

 time to be determined by the development of the neck and fore parts. 

 If these are heavy, castrate early ; if light, he will thicken up and grow 

 heavier, by being left entire another year. Prepare him by giving soft 

 food for a week previous, and nothing at all for about twelve hours be- 

 fore the operation. Cast him, and roll him up on his back ; tie the hind 

 feet down to a surcingle ; take the scrotum in the left hand, and draw it 

 over one of the testicles so as to bring the dividing line between the two 

 sides over it ; next draw a small superficial slit about half an inch from 

 the line, (one on each side of it,) thus marking the proper place to make 

 the incision ; then cut one slit through to the testicle, letting it out ; slit 

 open the inner coverings, one by one, till the testicle pops out clean 

 from all the coverings; (avoid wounding the testicle with the knife, as 

 this would cause profuse bleeding, and interfere with the work ; ) then sep- 

 arate the tunics from the small end, and let them drop down over the 

 cord; put on the steel clamps, to hold the cord while the ecraseur is 

 being applied; put the ecraseur on as low as possible, and with itbiteofi 

 the cord, still holding on to the latter with the clamps. Let go the cord, 

 and operate on the other testicle. Rinse out the sack with cold water, 

 and let him up. The emascnlator, a modern instrument, is becoming very 

 popular; it being handier and safer, less likely to be followed by hem- 

 orrhage, than the ecraseur. 



