26o 



ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. 



plunging. If the animal refuses to move towards the boat, splashing 

 water on his back will induce him to. When once swimming the rope 

 should be drawn up towards the boat, which is slowly rowed to the ship. 

 It is important that the boat should not go faster than the horse can 

 swim or his head will be dragged under water ; for this reason the rope 

 should not be made fast but held and regulated by the hand (p. 141). 

 On reaching the ship's side the hook and tackle should be lowered, 

 passed through the sling's eye and the horse hoisted as previously 

 described (p. 258). 



Disembarkation. 



Landing: 

 in boats 

 or flats. 



Swim- 

 ming 

 ashore. 



Disembarkation is carried out in a similar manner to embarkation, 

 the details being reversed. The stalls nearest the hatchways should be 

 emptied first and the side rails or parting bars, as they are successively 

 removed, placed where they will not interfere with the free passage of 

 subsequent horses. 



It is generally better to get everything belonging to men and 

 horses out of the ship before horses are landed, as the men have 

 not then to quit them after disembarkation, but in hot climates the 

 atmosphere between decks when the ship is stationary may cause such 

 sweating and distress that the landing of the horses iDecomes the 

 first consideration. The ordinary head-stall and bridoon will be put on 

 the horses before landing, and when slung the guy rope will be tied to 

 the lower ring of the back strap and the bridoon knotted up to prevent 

 entanglement. A straw or sand bed must be laid on the wharf for the 

 reception of slung horses to prevent injuries from plunging. If exercise 

 on board has not been feasible, attention to this point is the more necessary, 

 as animals are cramped and apt to injure their knees unless carefully 

 handled. 



Landing m boats or fiats. — Great care is necessary in lowering from 

 the vessel, especially if there is any swell : the tackle must be slacked 

 and detached from the sling the moment the horse touches the boat in 

 order that he may be able to get his footing. If there are no piers or 

 landing stages, boats must be beached and the horses made to jump 

 out. 



Swimming ashore may be practised on emergency. The horse should 

 be slung over the ship's side, without breast or quarter ropes being 

 secured, and with a neck rope, as described previously (" Embarkation by 



