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to and in front of the shoulders, taking care not to have it too tight. Place the 

 knot in the loop on the side of the neck ; the rope is then carried along the side 

 of the shoulder, and over the back just behind the shoulder, and under the 

 chest, then make a half-hitch by putting the long end of the rope through the 

 part coming from the neck loop ; pass the rope along the side and put it over 

 the loins, around and under the belly, in front of the udder in the female, and in 

 front of the sheath in the male, bringing it up and making another half-hitch on 

 a line with the first. The free end is next carried behind and pulled ; the animal 

 quietly lies down. A. number of operations can be performed under this method 

 of restraint. 



1077. Charges— Or Plaster Bandages, are agents which act as external 

 supporters, and in many cases they have a decided beneficial action, such as in 

 windgalls, bog-spavin, thoroughpin, and sprung tendons. The most convenient 

 charge is made by melting over a slow fire, two parts of black pitch and one part 

 of Stockholm tar ; stir well together, and when nearly cool smear over the parts. 

 Plaster bandages are now greatly used for the support of sprung tendons and 

 weak shanks. They are specially made from adhesive matters, in various lengths, 

 breadths and colours. 



1078. Chloroform Bag, is an ordinary leather bag resembling a muzzle, and is 

 fixed on to the nose of the animal by a leather strap put behind the ears ; a 

 sponge saturated with chloroform is put into the bottom of the bag, and to 

 prevent the fumes escaping a towel is rolled round the top of the bag. A special 

 chloroform muzzle invented by my old master, Mr. Joseph Carlisle, is the best 

 and handiest. Previous to administering the chloroform the animal should be 

 cast, and properly secured to prevent it injuring itself when the chloroform is 

 taking effect, and passing oft. 



1079. Cra-dle. — This is a simple appliance made of cylindrical pieces of wood or 

 bamboo, about one-and-a-half inch in diameter, and varying in length from 

 15 to 20 inches, and about eight to twelve in number. They are fastened 

 together by cords, with^intervening spaces, and put round the horse's neck to 

 prevent it biting or rubbing the parts, after firing and blistering. 



1080. Docking, is the amputation of a portion of the tail of young horses. 

 Although it is considered by many to be an act of cruelty, the operation is 

 now more in vogue than it was in former years. There are various arguments 

 for and against docking, also at what age it is best to operate. In performing 

 the operation a portion of the tail, varying in length, is selected, the hair is 

 clipped off round the part, and the amputation is best done by a special docking 

 knife or scissors, and the bleeding stopped by the application of the hot docking 

 iron. All the instruments must be scrupulously clean, as both lock-jaw and 

 blood-poisoning occasionally follow docking. 



