204 THE HORSE. 



use of gorse, nailed to the stall-post, which will almost invariably 

 quiet a low-bred animal, especially if a gelding, but high-bred 

 mares will sometimes kick at it all the more, for the punishment 

 they receive. A padded leather strap, buckled round the canna 

 bone, with a common sinker attached to it, or, instead of this, a 

 few links of heavy chain, will generally keep the horse from kick- 

 ing:, because in making the attempt he gives his coronet and pastern 

 a heavy blow. If, however, this plan is unsuccessful, it is liable to 

 cause lameness, from the inflammation produced by the blows, 

 and, therefore, the eff"ect must be carefully watched. Few horses 

 kick out with both legs, and a pair of hobbles buckled round the 

 hind fetlocks will, in a vast majority of cases, put an end to thn 

 trick as long as they are worn, without any risk, or producing 

 any serious annoyance, save only what is inseparably connected 

 with the prohibition of the indulgence in the desire to kick. A 

 narrow strap buckled round the part just above the hock, so as to 

 confine the ham string, will have the desired efi"ect, by giving in- 

 tense pain when any attempt to strike out is made, but is a most 

 annoyiug infliction to the horse, and generally prevents his lying 

 down, from the necessity which there is for bending the hock, in 

 reaching the ground. I should, therefore, give the preference to 

 the bunch of gorse, or if that is not readily procurable, to the sinker 

 of wood or iron suspended to a strap round the leg. 



In scratching the ear with the hind foot, the horse is very 

 apt to get his leg over the collar rein, if the sinker is not heavy 

 enough to keep the rein tightly strained between the head collar 

 and the ring in the manger. Impatient animals, also, which are 

 continually pawing at their litter, will sometimes get one of their 

 fore feet over it, but this is not so serious an accident. To pre- 

 vent the mischief occasioned in either case by the struggles to get 

 free, especially when the hind leg is thus caught, the rings for tho 

 collar reins are sometimes made to draw down with a spring-catch, 

 which releases them when pulled in that direction, but in no other. 

 When, however, the sinker is properly weighted, it is almost im- 

 possible for such an accident to occur ; and this simple invention 

 has now become obsolete. 



Tearing the clothes off is by no means an unusual stable 

 habit, and it is one very diSicult to cure. There are two efiectual 

 preventives, however: one of which consists in the regular employ- 

 ment of a rough horsehair cloth, made like that for hops, outside 

 the rug, and which is so disagreeable to the teeth, that no horse 

 will attempt to tear it; the other is carried out by means of a pole 

 of ash, about three-quarters of an inch in diameter, with an iron 

 eye attached to each end. One of these is fastened, by means of 

 a short leathern strap and buckle, to the side of the roller-pad, 



