312 HANDLING AND LEADING HORSES. 



because it is more difficult to perform ; it is more dangerous, 

 especially in the case of lifting up the off hind ; it is less 

 effective, in the event of the person who lifts up the foot 

 wishing to clean or examine the foot ; and it places him at a 

 disadvantage in trying to hold up the foot, if the horse makes 

 an attempt to free his leg. We need hardly wonder that the 

 large majority of horses in this country swerve to the left 

 when they refuse a fence, and that thrush is much more 

 common in the off feet than in the near. 



If in order to hold up a fore leg, a man passes his hand 

 "under the fetlock or pastern, as is frequently done, the 

 horse, by bearing a portion of his weight on the man's hand, 

 can greatly inconvenience him, and can easily kick with 

 either hind leg. The foot of an unshod horse should on the 

 contrary be held by the spread-out fingers and thumb 

 grasping the front part of the hoof. The shod foot 

 may be held up by the front part of the hoof, under which 

 the fingers pass, while the thumb presses down on the sole. 

 In either of these cases, the animal will avoid placing 

 weight on the man's hand ; for by doing so, the joints 

 of the foot would become bent in a painful manner " 

 (Illustrated Horse-breaking}. 



When wishing to hold up a hind leg for any considerable 

 time, as for instance, in order to dress it for thrush, we should, 

 if on the near side, place the leg on the left thigh, while 

 holding the ham-string with the left hand, and the pastern 

 with the right hand. 



" The best way to hold a fairly docile horse while standing 

 at his near side, is to draw the snaffle reins over his head, 

 take them at the centre in the full of the left hand, and catch 

 both reins near the rings of the snaffle with the right hand, 

 having the little finger between them. While holding 

 the reins in this way, we have good command over the 

 horse when leading him. If we wish to hold him for 



