NICKING. 329 



the bones ; the reason of which is, that the incision, in order perfectly to 

 divide the muscles that bring down the tail, must be so deep, as, in the 

 neighbourhood of a joint, to endanger the wounding of the ligament which 

 ties the bones together, or the substance which is interposed between the 

 joints, and thus by destroying the joint to render the tail deformed. 



On a hackney or cocktail, a third incision is made ; for fashion has de- 

 cided that his tail shall be still more elevated and curved. 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 incisions will project into the wounds, and which 

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

 with the projecting portions from between the second and third incisions ; 

 and the wounds should be carefully examined to ascertain that the muscles 

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

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

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

 bleeding will alone justify any tightness of bandage ; and the ill conse- 

 quences which have resulted from nicking are mainly attributable to the 

 unnecessary force which 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 swelling and in- 

 flammation, or death, may possibly ensue. Twenty-four hours after the 

 operation, the bandage must be quite removed ; and then, all that is neces- 

 sary, so far as the healing of the wounds is concerned, is to keep them 

 clean. 



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

 the muscles would come again in contact with 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 be kept open, and 

 that can only be accomplished by forcibly keeping the tail curved back, 

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

 is affixed 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 pro- 

 perly 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 the cords ; for it should be remembered, that the proper ele- 

 vated curve is given to the tail, 7iot by the weight keeping it in a certain 

 jjositionfor 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 open, unnecessary 

 suffering is inflicted. Some practitioners use only one pulley ; others do 

 not use any, but put on a light girth, and tie a cord from the end of the 

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

 is the least painful to the horse, and more perfectly secures the proper ele- 

 vation and straight direction of the tail. 



The dock should not, for the first three or four days, be brought higher 

 than the back. Dangerous irritation and inflammation would probably be 

 produced. It may, after that, be gradually raised to an elevation of forty- 

 five degrees. The horse should be taken out of the pulleys, and gently 

 exercised once or twice every day ; but the pulleys cannot finally be dis- 

 pensed with, until a fortnight after the wounds have healed, because the 

 process of contraction, or the approach of the divided 'parts, goes on for 



