19^ ADMINISTERING MEDICINE. 



held there firmly with the left hand grasping it as near the root 

 as possible, but to a certain extent yielding to the movement 

 of the horse's head, so as not absolutely to tear it out. While 

 the tongue is thus held, the ball is placed between the fingers 

 and thumb of the right hand, extended in a wedge-like or 

 conical form, so as to pass as far down the swallow as possible ; 

 and the hand in this form, with the arm bared to the shoulder, 

 is carried over the root of the tongue till it feels the impedi- 

 ment caused by the contraction of the swallow, when the fingers 

 leave the ball there, and the hand is withdrawn quickly yet 

 smoothly, while at the same moment the tongue is released, and 

 the head is held up till the ball is seen to pass down the gullet 

 on the left side of the neck, after which the head may be released. 

 When the balling-iron is used, the oval ring of which it is com- 

 posed is passed into the mouth, so as to keep it open, being 

 first well guarded with tow or cloths wrapped around it ; the 

 handle is then held in the left hand, together with the halter, 

 so as to steady the head, and yet to keep the horse from biting ; 

 and while thus held the hand can be freely carried over the 

 tongue, and the ball be deposited in the pharynx. When a 

 horse is very determined, it is sometimes necessary to keep the 

 iron in the mouth by means of the check-pieces of an ordinary 

 bridle buckled to the sides of the oval ring ; but this expedient 

 is seldom required if the halter is firmly grasped with the handle 

 of the iron. 



In the usual way the horse to be balled is turned around in 

 his stall, which prevents his backing away from the person 

 in charge ; and if the latter is not tall enough, he may stand 

 npon a sound stable-bucket, turned upside down. Balls 

 should be recently made, as they soon spoil by keeping ; not 



