PURGING. 97 



an assistant; both should be tall, or make themselves 

 so by standing on firm Stools or a form. 



The assistant must raise the horse's head till his 

 mouth is above the level of his forehead, and keep it 

 in that elevated position steadily while the drench is 

 administered — such position being necessary to facilitate 

 the passage of the liquid down the throat by its own 

 gravity, the tongue not being here an available agent, 

 as with the ball. 



The operator, taking the wide end of the horn in his 

 right hand, can steady and assist himself by holding 

 the upper jaw with his left, and, leaving the tongue at 

 liberty, will discharge the drench from the horn below 

 the root of the tongue if possible. 



A proper drenching-horn should be always kept at 

 hand, and be well cleaned after use. 



A glass bottle should never on any account be sub- 

 stituted for the proper instrument. 



PURGING. 



Whenever an animal accustomed to high feeding and 

 hard work is from any cause laid by, it is most desir- 

 able (in pursuance of the golden rule that prevention 

 is better than cure) to take such opportunity to relax 

 the hitherto tightly-strung bow, by administering a 

 mild purge. 



The object of this precaution is, that the absorbents, 

 having been accustomed to a perpetual call as the re- 

 sult of perspiration induced by work, are liable, when 

 the beast is left at rest for several days, and this call 

 is thus discontinued, to take on unhealthy action, and 



G 



