434 THE HORSE. 



ter being buckled to the bind pastern, which is to be secured. The 

 rope is then passed over the withers and brought back round the 

 bosom and shoulder of the same side as the leg to which it is 

 secured, and then passed inside the first part of the rope. By 

 pulling at the end of this cord the hind leg is drawn up to the 

 shoulder, and secured there with a hitch, but the plan is not nearly 

 so safe as casting. 



The trevis or break consists of four strong posts driven into 

 the ground, at the corners of a space six feet long by three feet 

 wide. They are strongly braced together by wooden stays, three 

 feet six inches from the ground on three sides, the fourth being 

 left open for the horse to enter, after which this also is made good 

 by a padded bar passed through stout iron rings fixed at three feet 

 from the ground to the uprights. By means of this framework, to 

 which sundry rings are bolted, the body of the horse is first 

 securely confined by two broad bands under the belly and two 

 above the shoulders and croup. Thus he can neither rear nor kick 

 to any extent sufl&cient to free himself, and all that is necessary is 

 to lay hold of any limb selected for operation, and confine it to one 

 of the uprights, or to some other convenient point. This is the 

 best plan to be adopted for firing and other operations on the legs, 

 and if the belly-bands are wide, strong, and secure, chloroform may 

 be administered in it, without the horse going down. 



The twitch is a short stick of strong ash, about the size of a 

 mopstick, with a hole pierced near the end, through which is passed 

 a piece of strong but small cord, and tied in a loop large enough 

 to admit the open hand freely. This is passed over the upper lip 

 close to the nostrils, and then, by twisting the stick, compression 

 is made to a painful extent, which will keep horses quiet for any 

 slight operation. Sometimes it is placed on the ear in preference, 

 but in either case the eflPect is dependent on the pain produced. 



Barnacles consist in the application of pressure by means of 

 the handles of a pair of pincers enclosing the muzzle, and held 

 firmly by an assistant. They are, however, not so useful as the 

 twitch. 



BLEEDING. 



In the early part op the present century bleeding was 

 resorted to on every appearance of the slightest inflammation, and 

 often without the slightest necessity. Many horses were regularly 

 bled " every spring and fall," to prevent mischief, as was supposed ; 

 but at last it always happened to every horse which lived long 

 enough, that the more frequently blood was taken the more the 

 operation was required, and when it was absolutely wanted to lower 

 the heart's action, such a quantity of blood must be taken that 

 the system was reduced to a dangerous degree. Stallions werp 



