CHAPTER XIX 



GIVING BALLS, DEBILITY, TEMPERATURE, PULSE 



There is a critical second when giving a ball. 

 It should be made use of. Open the mouth and 

 firmly, but rather gently, grip the root of his 

 tongue. Just when the tongue is gripped is the 

 opportunity which must not be lost. The ball, 

 rightly given, should be defdy slipped down the 

 patient's gullet and the hand removed quietly — 

 the very reverse of jerkily. Almost before the 

 horse has time to think of swallowing, his neck 

 is being patted, his nose softly rubbed, whilst 

 the ball trickles down, plainly enough for a 

 looker-on to watch it go down. 



Some horses hold balls for quite a long time, 

 many minutes, and require a gulp of water to aid 

 them. Or they have an aggravating habit of 

 coughing them up just when the giver of the 

 ball expects they are about to swallow it. This 

 is irritating for a vet, who feels that he may be 

 scoffed at for doing his work like a poor amateur. 

 Horsey-men like to see a vet give a ball without 

 a balling-iron, as they consider it is one of the 

 tricks of the profession to be able to do so 

 without getting a scratch. 



A point which the holder of the horse's head 

 ought to know is that he has a big say in the 



