"THERE'S NOTHING LIKE LEATHER." 67 



way where his foot would pass from his head, and 

 as he naturally, for his own convenience, brings 

 his head round as much as he can to meet the 

 foot (of course the hind one), it seems almost a 

 miracle he does not get entangled whenever he 

 may try the experiment. If he is tied up with 

 one shank, on bringing his head in contact with 

 his hind foot, the shank goes diagonally in an 

 opposite direction from his head, so that it is all 

 but impossible for him to get the leg over it ; at 

 least so I have found it, for such a matter never 

 occurred in any stable of mine. It may be objected 

 that some horses will bite at or play with others 

 over the standing, unless they have double reins or 

 shanks. I allow they will, if the stalls are narrow, 

 the standings low, and the shank left too long ; but 

 standings near the manger should be too high to 

 admit of these freedoms, which would often end 

 unpleasantly. And there is a sure rule to go by 

 as to the proper length of the shank. Bring the end 

 that fastens in the head-collar to the top rail of the 

 manger, let the shank then be of such length as 

 just to allow the bottom of the log to reach the 

 ground ; no matter whether the horse be sixteen 

 hands or a pony, that is the length, for each sized 

 animal has to lie on the ground. 



There is a fastening made to affix to the manger, 

 for which, I believe, a patent was taken out, but 

 I forget in whose name ; this is as secure as the 

 F 2 



