STABLE VICE 135 



subjacent structures setting up a slow form of inflam- 

 mation, which ends in the production of a permanent 

 enlargement at the point of one or both hocks. 



In order to cure horses which kick against the stall 

 post you cannot do better than fix up a stout bundle 

 of whin or gorse on each post, for in this way you make 

 sure that the animal feels pain when the legs come in 

 contact with it, and so learns to avoid it. The stall 

 partition can be padded with this also, or else, if you 

 prefer it, you may use a coarse form of fibre matting, 

 sold especially for this purpose, and equally serviceable 

 in preventing the animal from rubbing his body. As 

 regards striking out with the fore feet, I will mention 

 two preventives. 



One of these is a form of cross hobble, such as any 

 saddler will easily make for you. Indeed, all that is 

 required in this appliance is : First, a stout strap, made 

 so as to buckle around each of the animal's fetlocks, 

 and also a cross strap, joining the two fetlock straps 

 together. At the middle of the cross strap a very 

 stout metal D is securely fixed in such a way as to 

 serve for the attachment of a rope. The rope being 

 safely tied to this is then passed several times tightly 

 around the chest of the kicking animal and hitched off. 



