468 NICKING. 



some persons deem it more prudent to cast liim, and that precaution wo 

 sliould be disposed to recommend. The hair at the end of the tail is 

 securely tied together, for the purpose of afterwards attaching a weight to 

 it. The operator then grasps the tail in his hand, and, lifting it up, feels 

 for the centre of one of the bones — the prominences at the extremities will 

 guide him^from two to four inches fi-om the root of the tail, according to 

 the size of the horse. He then, with a sharp knife, divides the muscles 

 deeply from the edge of the tail on one side to the centre, and, continuing 

 the incision across the bone of the tail, he makes it as deep on the other 

 side. One continued incision, steadily yet rapidly ruade, >vill accompHsh 

 all this. If it is a blood-horse that is operated on, this will be sufficient. 

 For a hunter, two incisions are usually made, the second being about two 

 inches below the first, and likemse as nearly as possible in the centre of 

 one of the bones. 



' On the hackney, or cocMail, a thii'd incision is made ; for fashion has 

 decided that his tail shall be still more elevated and cui-ved. Two 

 incisions only are made in the tail of a mare, and the second not very 

 deep. 



When the second incision is made, some fibres of the muscles between 

 the first and second will project into the wound, and must be removed by 

 a pair of curved scissors. The same must be done with the projecting 

 portions from between the second and third incisions. The wounds should 

 then be carefully examined, in order to ascertain that the muscles have 

 been equally divided on each side, otherwise the tail Avill be carried 

 awry. This being done, pledgets of tow must be introduced deeply into 

 each incision, and confined, but not too tightly, by a bandage. A very 

 profuse bleeding will alone justify any tightness of bandage, and the ill 

 consequences that have resulted from nicking are mainly attributable to 

 the unnecessary force that is used in confining these pledgets. Even if 

 the bleeding, immediately after the operation, should have been very 

 great, the roller must be loosened in two or three hours, otherwise swell- 

 ing and inflammation, and even death, may possibly ensue. Twenty-four 

 hours after the operation, the bandage must be quite removed ; and, then 

 all that is necessary, so far as the healing of the incisions is concerned, is 

 to keep them clean. 



K, however, the tail were suffered to hang down, the divided edges of 

 the muscles would again come in contact >vith each other, and close ; the 

 natural depression of the tail would remain ; and the animal would have 

 been punished for no purpose. The wounds must remain open, and that 

 can only be accomplished by forcibly keeping the tail curved back during 

 two or three weeks. For this purpose a cord, one or two feet in length, 

 is afiixed to the end of the hair, which terminates in another divided cord, 

 each division going over a pulley on either side of the back of the stall. 

 A weight is hung at either extremity sufficient to keep the incisions 

 properly open, and regulated by the degree in which this is wished to be 

 accomplished. The animal will thus be retained in an uneasy position, 

 although, after the first two or three days, probably not one of acute pain. 

 It is barbarous to increase this uneasiness or pain by affixing too great a 

 weight to tlie cords ; for it should be remembered that the proper elevated 

 curve is given to the tail not by the weight keeping it in a certain 

 position for a considerable time, but by the depth of the first incisions, 

 and the degree in which the wounds are kept open. By every ounce 

 of weight beyond that which is necessary to keep the incisions apart, 

 unnecessary suffering is inflicted. Some practitioners use only one pulley ; 

 others do not use any, but put on a hght girth; and tie a cord from the 

 end of the tail to the girth, bending it over the back. The double pulley, 



