i66 METHODS OF HORSE-CONTROL. 



slippery, or if the back tendons or suspensory ligaments of 

 the horse's fore legs appear unfit to bear severe tension. 

 In such cases both the strait-jacket and throwing gear 

 might be put on the horse, which might be made to lie down 

 with the former and have his head pulled round by the 

 latter; after doing which the strait-jacket could be taken off, 

 so as to give the animal entire liberty to kick as much as 

 he pleases. We might use body clothing on the horse to 

 save the point of his hip which is on the ground, from 

 getting chafed. 



I wish to impress on my readers the great value, for 

 overcoming stubbornness, of the foregoing method of 

 keeping a horse on the ground. 



The throwing gear is exactly similar in its action to that 

 described in Pratt's book, although differing from it in its 

 construction. Pratt used to employ a rope which was 

 looped round the neck and passed through the mouth, for 

 pulling round the head. He also had a single rope to form 

 both surcingle and crupper. The chief objection to Pratt's 

 method, as far as I can see, was that the ropes passing 

 through the mouth and under the tail were apt to hurt 

 those parts. 



The employment of the tail-rope (see Fig. 74) is an 

 improvement which I have devised, and which I have 

 found very useful ; although it is by no means indispen- 

 sable, especially if the operator be expert. As the 

 surcingle has to be girthed up tightly, I like to use a 

 felt saddle-cloth or numdah under it, to prevent it slipping 

 forward, in which case it might squeeze the withers, or the 

 crupper might rub the root of the tail. 



