CASTING AND SECURING HARNESS AND ROPES. 



123 



main rope begins at hobble ring of off bind ; then carry rope (g) 

 upward to and tbrongh "D" (h) on top of the body girth. As 

 will be observed by the nse of this process, the casting is done 

 by forcing the animal to flex his legs, followed by its slowly 

 falling on the bed. The legs being tied up to the body, their 

 extension is impossible ; muscular contraction is limited, and 

 excessive flexion of the vertebral column prevented. Besides 



Fig. 146. The Original Danish Casting Harness. 



this, the complete flexion of the extremities allows full view 

 and easy access to all regions, especially the inguinal. 



To cast the horse the head is held by an assistant; a pull 

 made at the same time on the chain and on the rope bringing the 

 legs together — the animal is cast. The chain is fixed in the 

 usual way and the rope pulling near hind leg close to the body 

 and towards the upper ring of the belt, is secured by half 

 hitches around the coronet. 



