88 Reminiscences of 



generally carried on the sled, is inserted under the body 

 of the horse, which is pried up until a portion of the 

 fore part lifts on the ice, and then all hands, pulling on 

 the rope, slide out the horse on the stronger ice. If 

 with a pair of horses, the method is repeated with the 

 second, it being choked up to flotation while the first 

 horse is being pulled out. Unless the weather is par- 

 ticularly cold, and if the horse is not in the water too 

 long, it can generally get up on its feet. If not, it is 

 helped up, and moved about until it regains some 

 activity. Then harnessing up takes place, and we 

 move on. 



We never lost any horses, excepting in the instance 

 mentioned. Although the treatment given seems 

 rough, I have not known any injury from it, or even 

 a complaint from the patients, who, doubtless, were 

 grateful enough for escape from drowning by being 

 thus promptly treated. It is needless to say that the 

 equines employed on the lake roads are not up to the 

 standard valuation of the pedigreed stock we often 

 hear of, as frequenters of the lakes will readily admit. 



To break in when skating or fishing is a small mat- 

 ter, and one crawls out without difficulty, and if the 

 weather is moderate may go on, draining and warm- 

 ing up with active movement, but if the weather is 

 about zero, one should seek shelter. The danger from 

 breaking in when the ice first makes, and is thin, arises 

 from the inability to find sustaining ice about the break. 

 Then if one is without a long pole to lay on the ice to 

 spread his weight over some space, he is in danger with- 

 out extraneous aid, unless he is so near the shore that 

 he can break ice to it. 



The unifomiity of thin ice is a feature of great 



