202 CONFESSIONS OP A HORSE DEALEB, 



CHAPTER VIII. 



BALLS AND DEENCHBS. 



EVERT man who keeps a horse should know how to ad- 

 minister a ball, it being both inconvenient and expensive 

 to employ a veterinary surgeon every time a horse re 

 ; quires an alterative. There are some horses that are 

 most difficult to manage during the administering of a 

 ball; these require the assistance of a V.S., or a very 

 experienced hand, but the majority of horses will take 

 them from any man who will take the trouble to follow 

 the instructions given in this article. 



The horse should be turned heads about in his stall, 

 with his croup against the manger or corner of his box, 

 to prevent him from running back, the operator speaking 

 kindly to him, and handling him lightly about the head 

 and ears, to establish confidence between them, after 

 which he will gently open the horse's mouth, and, 

 having his shirt sleeves turned up, take hold of the 

 horse's tongue with the left hand, being careful not to 

 press upon it with his nails ; he will draw it out on the 

 right side, and hold it firmly in the hand, and having 

 the ball ready in his right hand, he will pass it over the 

 tongue to the top of the gullet, and withdraw the hand 

 as quickly as possible; the operator should keep the 



