432 THE HORSE. 



provided, and a strong halter must be put over the muzzle 'vvith 

 two cords, one of which should be held by a man on each side 

 These will serve to guide the horse in falling ; but it is extremely 

 diflScult to make sure of his going down where he is wanted to lie; 

 and there is also considerable time lost in securing him after he is 

 down, which the safety of the operator imperatively requires. 

 The eflfect of the chloroform must therefore be kept up for a much 

 longer time than if it is given after the horse is cast and secured. 



METHODS OF CONFINING THE HORSE. 



There are various plans adopted by veterinary surgeons to 

 bind the horse's limbs, so that he cannot injure himself or them 

 when undergoing an operation. Even when chloroform is em- 

 ployed, some coercion of this kind must generally be adopted, as 

 directed in the last section ; for if it is given in the standing posi- 

 tion, the horse is very apt to injure himself in falling, which is 

 often accompanied by powerful convulsive motions, and moreover 

 he cannot with certainty be placed in a suitable position. The 

 plan adopted by Mr. Rarey is seldom suitable, because it can only 

 be employed on subjects previously taught to go down without 

 resistance, for the severe struggle which the untaught horse makes 

 before he submits is calculated to produce injurious constitutional 

 disturbance, and, moreover, it would sadly increase any of the 

 various diseases of the limbs for which operations are so often per- 

 formed. Sometimes, however, it might advantageously be intro- 

 duced into veterinary surgery, as for instance in castration, when 

 the colt will not suffer his hind legs to be touched, but even then 

 it will be necessary to throw him two or three times, or he will be 

 in such a state of arterial excitement that inflammation will be 

 likely to follow. The usual methods of confinement are : 1st. 

 The hobbles. 2d. The side line. 3d. The trevis, or break. 4th. 

 The twitch and barnacles. 



Hobbles consist of four broad padded leather straps, provided 

 with strong buckles, and long enough to encircle the pasterns. To 

 each of these an iron ring is stitched, and to one of them a strong 

 soft rope, six yards in length, is securely attached. Provided with 

 four, or, if possible, five assistants, the operator buckles the hob- 

 ble with the rope attached to the near fore leg, and the remaining 

 three to the other legs. Then passing the rope through their rings, 

 and through the first also, it is held by three assistants, the nearest 

 of whom stands about a yard from the horse, so as to pull upwards 

 as well as away from him ; a fourth assistant holds him by the 

 head to keep him quiet, and to be ready to fall on it as soon as he 

 is down, and the fifth stands at his quarters, ready to push him 

 over on his off side. This place is sometimes occupied by the 

 operator himself when h is short of hands. Casting should never 



