CASTING WITH HOBBLES. 



31 



horse begins to lose its balance, and at the critical moment the rope 

 attached to the surcingle is pulled, one or more assistants helping if 

 necessary by pulling on the tail. The hobble rope should be pulled 

 in a backward direction, as this to some extent neutralises the strain 

 on the assistants, and prevents the animal's legs being pulled directly 

 from under it and so bringing it violently to the ground. The assistants 

 should be well drilled beforehand, and the operation carried out as 

 quietly as possible. In Fig. 47 the horse is provided with Bernadot 

 and Butel's apparatus for preventing broken back. The difference 

 between this and the Stuttgart method is clear on reference to Fig. 48. 



• / tit J^^ ( I'i,'? U « •»■ 



Fig. 47.— The hobbles applied together with Bernadot and Butel's apparatus 

 for the prevention of broken back. The strip of webbing passed round the 

 off forearm is intended to afford a purchase when pulling the horse over in 

 the act of castin?. 



The advantage of the Stuttgart arrangement is that the ropes run 

 more easily, as each only passes through one link ; and as the direction 

 of pull is opposite for the two groups of men, there is no tendency to 

 bring the horse down violently on its side. 



The horse having been brought to the ground is kept down by the 

 man at the bridle firmly pressing on the head, and other persons sitting 

 on the shoulder and haunch respectively. The four feet having been 

 tightly drawn together are fixed by passing a key (Fig, 49) through a 

 link of the chain. The spring key shown is perhaps less convenient 

 than the D-shaped spring key, though there is no essential difference 



