344 



OPERATIONS. 



It" the horse is in harness, it is seldom that he can rise until he is freed from the 

 shafts and traces. The first thing is to secure the head, and to keep it down, that he 

 may not beat himself against the ground. Next, the parts of the harness connected 

 with the carriage must be unbuckled — the carriage must then be backed a little way, 

 so that he may have room to rise. If necessary, the traces must be taken off; and 

 after the horse gets up, he must be steadied a little, until he collects himself. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

 OPERATIONS. 



These belong more to the veterinary surgeon than to the proprietor of the horse, but 

 a short account of the manner of conducting the principal ones should not be omitted. 



It is frequently necessary to bind the human patient, and in no painful or dangerous 

 operation should this be omitted. It is more necessary to bind the horse, who is not 

 under the control of reason, and whose struggles may not only be injurious to himself, 

 but dangerous to the operator. 



The trevis is a machine indispensable in every continental forge ; even the quietest 

 horses are there put into it to be shod. 



The side-line is a very simple and useful method of confining the horse, and placing 

 him in sufficient subjection, for the operations of docking, nicking, and slight firing. 

 The long line of the hobbles, or a common cart-roi)e, with a noose at the end, is fast- 

 ened on the pastern of the hind-leg that is not to be operated on. The rope attached 

 to it is then brought over the neck and round the withers, and there tied to the portion 

 that comes from the leg. The leg may thus be drawn so far forward that, while the 

 horse evidently cannot kick with that leg, he is disarmed of the other ; for he would 

 not have sufficient support under him, if he attempted to raise it : neither can he easily 

 use his fore-legs ; or, if he attempts it, one of them may be lifted up, and then he 

 becomes nearly powerless. If necessary, the aid of the twitch, or the barnacles, may 

 be resorted to. 



For every minor operation, and even for many that are of more importance, this 

 mode of restraint is sufficient, especially if the operator has active and detennined 

 iissistants ; and we confess that we are no friends to the casting of horses, if it can 

 »)0ssibly be prevented. When both legs are included in the hobble, or rope — as m 



