TWITCHINO. 



693 



through it, and then twisted round and round until sufficient com- 

 pression is obtained. 



The twitch is sometimes put on one of the ears ; or round the 

 lower jaw, under the tongue, and over the bare space of the gums 

 (interdental space). The first-mentioned operation is objection- 

 able, because it is apt to make the horse, for the rest of his life, 

 unwilling to have his ears touched; and the second, because it 

 is liable to hurt the mouth and render it unfit for the bit for a 

 long time. I need hardly caution my readers against applying 



Fig. 179. — Applying the twitch. 



the twitch to the tongue, which has frequently been horribly 

 mutilated and even torn out by this barbarous practice. 



In " Illustrated Horse-Breaking " I have described, with illus- 

 trations, other methods of twitching which are free from the grave 

 objections possessed by the ordinary plan, of rendering horses sub- 

 sequently shy of being bridled or otherwise handled about the 

 head ; and of keeping the animal in a continued state of pain, the 

 whole time the twitch is on. These methods, which are particularly 

 applicable to breaking, are not quite so effective in veterinary ope- 

 rations as the employment of the ordinary twitch ; but are sufficient 

 for all cases in which unusual severity is not required. 



