30 



OPERATIVE TECHNIQUE. 



the ropes are pulled tight, drawing down the hind legs level with the 

 abdomen, and secured to the pastern with one or two half-hitches. The 

 fore legs are firmly grasped, brought alongside the hind, and secured 

 to them by a couple of half-hitches passed round the pasterns. This 

 method has the advantage of requiring no re-arran^ement of the ropes to 

 draw down the hind legs and so expose the field of operation for castra- 

 tion, though, as the hind limbs are at first comparatively free, the 

 animal can plant them wide apart, and the force required for casting it 

 is somewhat greater than in the method previously mentioned. It is 

 usually emplo\ed when castrating colts. Some operators use a stout 

 leather strap collar with iron eyes for the passage of the ropes, instead 



Fig. 46. — The hobbles appHed. 



of merely passing them through the improvised rope loop. When the 

 animal is very active it is well to affix a roller or surcingle to which the 

 collar or neck loop can be tied ; otherwise the latter may slip off. 



To work the above methods successfully requires thorough discipline 

 of and co-operation between the various assistants. Failure on the part 

 of anyone may entail serious accident or failure of the whole operation. 

 The method of casting, however, most frequently employed is that 

 illustrated in Figs. 46 and 47, which show the application of leather 

 hobbles. The hobble usually applied to the near fore-limb is called the 

 master-hobble, and carries a special key by means of which the chain 

 or rope is attached. Traction on the rope draws the feet together, the 



