Horses and Horsemastership. 7^ 



fore legs will help to prevent the horse resist- 

 ing. But a twitch is often necessary if the 

 horse is very restive, and one can be made as 

 follows : Get a broom handle ; cut it down to about 

 three feet long. Bor-s a hole through it about two 

 inches from one end, and through this hole loop some 

 stout, strong cord, such as window-blind cord. The 

 loop should be about six inches long when stretched 

 out. Tlie twitch is applied to the upper lip in this way : 

 Pass the loop over the second, third, and fourth fingers 

 and thumb of the left hand, allowing the handle to 

 dangle. Grasp the upper lip or nose with the same 

 hand, and let the noose or loop slide off your hand on 

 to the lip, and while still holding the lip twist the handle 

 rapidly with the right hand until the lip is securely 

 gripped by the nocse, and the horse is practically at 

 your mercy. If he budges give the handle a further 

 twist or two. Now raise his head by simply forcing it 

 up with the aid of the handle to the required height. 

 Your assistant now mounts a chair on the left (near) 

 side of the horse's head (never in front), places the neck 

 of the tin or bottle in the interdental space, and allows 

 the medicine to flow gently into the animal's throat. 

 On the least sign of coughing lower the head at once. 

 The horse must be soothed as much as possible through- 

 out the procedure by the voice and patting. 



