644 OPEEATIONS. 



touching the ground, especially if the man behind him gives his 

 tail a pull to the near side. When the horse falls, the rope which 

 has been passed through the hobble on the near hind, is now 

 passed through the hobble on the off fore ; is pulled tightly so as 

 to bring the two fore feet and the near hind foot together ; and is 

 secured round one of the pasterns. The other rope is then pulled 

 so as to draw up the off hind foot; and is fastened to the 

 collar. If necessary, its free end can be passed over the off hock 

 (as in Fig. 163), so as to prevent the animal from straightening 

 his off hind leg. The great advantage of this method is that the 

 horse falls on the spot upon which he stood. 



3. By hobbles, which, in their simplest form, are four strong 

 leather straps that are buckled to the pasterns. Each of them is 

 provided with an iron D for a rope or chain to pass through. One, 

 called the " main hobble," has a larger D than the others. 



To cast a horse on his right side, pass a loop of soft rope or 

 webbing over the near fore leg, leaving the free end to hang over 

 the animal's off shoulder. The main hobble is put on the near fore 

 leg (or on the off fore if the horse has to fall on the near side), 

 and the remaining three are put on the other legs, the buckles 

 being on the outside. One end of a rope or chain is made fast 

 to the D of the main hobble, its free end is passed through that 

 of the hind leg on the same side, and so on until it returns through 

 the D of the main hobble again. Two assistants hold this rope or 

 chain, while one seizes that which passes over the shoulder. A 

 steady pull on the hobble rope will bring all four feet together, 

 and one on the shoulder rope will serve to throw the horse on his 

 side. 



We may release one foot, for an operation, by simply undoing 

 the buckle of that hobble. The horse in Fig. 163, has been cast 

 by hobbles. 



If, when the horse is on the ground, it is required, as for castra- 

 tion, to bring the uppermost hind foot forward, so as, for instance, 

 to expose the testicles, a loop of soft rope or webbing should he 

 placed over that leg just above the fetlock (Fig. 163). The free 

 CDd sJiould be placed over the withers, underneath the base of the 

 neck, and should be brought over the loop, and underneath and 

 round the gaskin (just above the hock) of the uppermost hind leg. 

 It should then be brought across the belly of the horse, in an 

 obliquely forward direction, and should be held by an assistant. 

 Another assistant should catch hold of this rope (so as to be able 

 to pull on it) as it comes up from underneath the base of the neck. 



Before the horse is cast, his eyes should be covered with some 

 convenient cloth, or with leather eye guards made for the purpose. 

 At the moment of throwing him, an assistant should stand at his 



