116 MODERN FARRIER. 



masters of him, by throAving him down on the 

 ground, and in a convenient situation, so as not to 

 expose him or ourselves to injury. This operation 

 is called casting, and is usually thus performed. 



The first object is to prepare a thick bed of straw 

 or litter, not less than eight feet square, to prevent 

 the animal from being hurt in the fall. If the stable 

 be sufficiently large to admit of the bed being made 

 there, it is to be preferred, as, during the operation 

 to prepare for which casting is necessary, the parts 

 operated on will suffer less from exposure to the air 

 in the stable than without doors. 



But if there is not room in the stable, the bed 

 must be made in the stable-yard, or rather, if possi- 

 ble, in some field or park adjoining. 



The animal is now to be brought to one side of 

 the bed ; a strong leather strap, with a buckle at one 

 end, and leaving an iron ring fixed to it, at a conve- 

 nient distance from the buclde, is to be fixed round 

 the pastern of each of the four legs, in such a way 

 that the rings of the stra])s that are round the fore- 

 feet shall be directed backwards, and those of the 

 straps on the hind-feet shall be opposite to these ; 

 vv'hile the buckles point outwards, to prevent hurt- 

 ing the animal. A pretty strou.g cord, ten or twelve 

 feet long, is to be fastened to the ring of that strap 

 that has been placed on the fore-foot on that side of 

 the animal which is fartliest from the bed : from 

 tliis ring it is to pass through the ring on the hind- 

 foot on the same side, from which it passes through 

 the ring on the other hind-foot, then through the 

 ring on the other foi'C-foot, and lastly through that 

 to which it was fu-st fastened. The animal being 

 thus fettered, a number of men are to place them- 

 selves beside him, so that he may be between them 

 and the bed, while others are to stand on the oppo- 

 site side of the litter. Now, the men that are beside 

 the animal, laying hold of tlie end of the rope, are 

 to pull gTadually with considerable force, so as to 



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