NICKING. 57 



ii day with castile soap, so that it may be kept entirely 

 clean. The tail should be taken out of the pulleys 

 twice a week, the hair unplatted, and permitted to 

 remain down all night, and the horse changed to a 

 clean and large stall, with a good bed of straw, for the 

 purpose of sleeping and refreshing himself. Before he 

 is again confined, he may be rode two or three hundred 

 yards, slow, and without being fretted. Whilst stand- 

 ing in the pulleys, his legs should be frequently bathed 

 with pot-liquor, in which bacon was boiled; vinegai 

 and sweet oil, or lard and spirits of any kind ; and 

 a mash should be given him at least once a week, of 

 one gallon of bran or oats, with a table spoonful of 

 powdered brimstone, and one tea spoonful of salt- 

 petre; not permitting him to drink for six hours after- 

 wards. His halter should be made of substantial 

 materials, to prevent his breaking loose whilst confined 

 in the pulleys, pulling the hair out of the end of the 

 tail, and doing himself other injury. A bucket of salt 

 and water may be given twice a week during his con- 

 finement, which will be very grateful to the taste and 

 cooling to the system. 



12th. Great pains should be taken to have the weights 

 to the pulleys equal, in order to keep the tail in a per- 

 pendicular direction, and prevent it from turning to 

 either side during the time of healing ; as a horse that 

 carries his tail round to one side, instead of being 

 elegantly nicked, is ruined. The wounds, occasionally, 

 should be washed in blue-stone or copperas water, 

 which will cause them to heal rapidly; the horse 

 should have as much green and light food as he can 

 eat, such as bran, oats, &c. Some horses that are 

 nicked in this way, and are pulleyed only four or five 

 days, carry very handsome tails ; but I am of opinion, 







