564 SLINGING. 



the animal to disengage himself are begun by elevating the 

 head and fore parts. The rope is tightened. The chain 

 is fixed by inserting a hook through one of the links, of 

 sufficient size not to pass the hobbles. When the opera- 

 tion is over, the screw which fastens to chain to the hobble, 

 first put upon one fore leg, is withdrawn. The chain then 

 flies through the D's of the other hobbles, and all the legs 

 are free, save the fore leg first alluded to ; the strap of this 

 has to be afterwards unbuckled. There are also other appa- 

 ratus used in casting, as a strong leathern case to pass over 

 the head, serving as a blind when the animal is being 

 thrown ; and as a protection against his rubbing the skin off 

 his eyes when down. Then a circingle is also used. This is 

 fastened round the horse's body, and from the back hangs 

 a broad strap and a rope : the strap is fastened to the fore 

 leg of that side which it is desired should be uppermost ; 

 the line is given to a man who stands on the opposite side 

 to the generality of the pullers. On the signal being given, 

 the men having hold of the hobble rope pull the legs one 

 way, while, he who has hold of the rope attached to the 

 circingle pulls the back in a contrary direction, and the 

 horse is immediately cast. 



Slinging is a restraint which horses did submit to with 

 great impatience, and not without much inconvenience, 

 from the violent excoriations occasioned by the friction and 

 pressure of the bandaging around his body. Graver evils 

 are also brought about by the abdominal pressure : some 

 horses stale and dung with difficulty when suspended ; and 

 inflammation of the bowels has not unfrequently come on 

 during slinging. The slings are, however, forced on us in 

 some cases, as in fractured bones, the treatment of open 

 joints, and some other wounds where motion would be most 

 unfavourable to the curative treatment. Suspension may be 

 partial or complete. Suspension of any kind will require 

 the application of pulleys and ropes affixed to the beams, 

 that the whole body of the horse may be supported. A 

 sling may be formed of a piece of strong sacking, which is 

 to pass under the belly, the two ends being fastened firmly 

 to pieces of wood ; each of about three feet long, and which 

 are to reach a little higher than the horse's back : to the 

 pieces of wood cords and pulleys are to be firmly attached, 



