50 NICKING. 



quarter of an inch of the outer sides of the tail, next to 

 the hair. There are three arteries ; two large, on the 

 outer side and immediately under the tendons, and one 

 in the centre between the two nearer the bone, all 

 running into a longitudinal direction, and decreasing 

 in size to the extreme end. 



To perform the operation of nicking, it is first neces- 

 sary the horse should be well secured, to prevent his 

 kicking or doing other injury ; a twitch is to be put on 

 his upper lip, but not so high as to prevent his breath- 

 ing; a cord is to be made fast to the fetlock of one of 

 his hind legs, thence carried forward and made fast to 

 his fore leg above the knee, which will effectually 

 prevent his doing injury during the operation. — \_See 

 Plate.] 



Being now confined, j^ou are ready to commence 

 the operation, w^hich chiefly consists in a transverse 

 division of those depressing tendons of the tail, and 

 such a position afterwards as will keep their extremi- 

 ties again from coming into contact ; so that an inter- 

 vening callous fills up the vacuity, and elevates, erects, 

 and props the tail. There ai'e three different modes 

 of nicking, all of which I will proceed to explain, 

 giving an opportunity to any person, about to perform 

 the operation, to make their selection. 



To make a horse carry an elegant tail, is attended 

 with some uncertainty, as much depends upon the 

 spirit, disposition, form, size of the bone of the tail, 

 &c. &c. &LC. A horse of good spirit, tolerable shape, 

 and a small bone in the tail, can be made to carry an 

 elegant tail with the greatest ease ; particularly if he 

 carried a tolerably natural tail. But a dull, leather- 

 headed, flop-eared horse, with a remarkable large bone 

 :n his tail, will set you a task, although you may break 



