242 UADD'S VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



litteit J down. The legs having been brought together, the assist- 

 ants must act in concert. One, particularly, should be at the head, 

 which must be carefully held throughout by means of a strong 

 snaffle-bridle; another should be at the hind part, to direct the 

 fall, and to force the, body of the horse to the side which is requi- 

 site. Pursuing these instructions, the animal may be at once rather 

 let down than thrown, by a dexterous and quick drawing of the 

 rope, the whole assistants acting in concert. The moment tha 

 hoise is down, the person at the head must throw himself upon 

 that member, and keep it secure ; for all the efforts of the animal 

 to disengage himself are begun by elevating the head and fore-parts. 

 The rope is tightened. The chain is fixed by inserting a hook 

 through one of the links, of sufficient size not to pass the hobbles. 

 When the operation is over, the screw which fastens the chain to 

 the hobble, first put upon one fore-leg, is withdrawn. The chain 

 then flies through the D's of the other hobbles, and all the legs 

 are free, save the fore-leg first alluded to ; '.he strap of this has to 

 be afterward unbuckled. There are also other apparatus used in 

 casting, as a strong leathern case to pass over the head, serving as 

 a blind when the animal is being thrown, and as a protection 

 against his rubbing the skin off his eyes when down. Then a sur- 

 cingle is also used. This is fastened round the horse's body, and 

 from the back hangs a broad strap and a rope. The strap is fast- 

 ened to the fore-leg of that side which it is desired should be 

 uppermost. The line is given to a man who stands on the oppo- 

 site side to the generality of the pullers. On the signal being 

 given, the men having hold of the hobble-rope pull the legs one 

 way, while he who has hold of the rope attached to the surcingle 

 pulls the back in a contrary direction, and the horse is immedi- 

 ately cast. 



Slinging. 



This is a rsstraint which horses submit to with great impatience, 

 and not without much inconvenience, from the violent excoriations 

 occasioned by the friction and pressure of the bandaging mound 

 his body. Graver evils are also brought about by the abdominal 

 pressure. Some horses stale and dung with difficulty when sus- 

 pended, and inflammation of the bowels has not unfrequently 

 come on during slinging. The slings are, however, forced on n? 

 in some cases, as in fractured bones, the treatment of open joints. 



