28 CASTING WITH HOBBLES. 



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. 45 the horse is provided with Bernadot and 

 Butel's apparatus for preventing broken back. The difference 

 between this and the Stuttgart method may be seen on reference 

 to Fig. 46. 



The advantage of the Stuttgart arrangement is that the ropes 



Fig. 45. — 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 casting. 



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. 47) 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 between the two. As a makeshift the chain 



