4:6 VETEKINAKY MEDICINE AND SURGEKY. 



Under the old rough-ridiug system, the most vicious liorses were occa- 

 sionally conquered by daring men Avith firm seats and strong arms, who 

 rode and flogged them into subjection ; but these conquests were tem- 

 porary, and usually personal • with every stranger the animal would be- 

 gin his game again. 



One advantage of this system is, that the horse is allowed to exhaust 

 himself under circumstances that render it impossible for him to struggle 

 long enough to do himself any harm. It has been suggested that a blood- 

 vessel would be likely to be broken, or apoplexy produced by the exertion 

 of leaping from the hind legs; but, up to the present time, no accident of 

 any kind has been reported. 



Treatment of the Horse after he is Doion. 



If the horse has fought hard in going down, he will then usually lie 

 perfectly still, and you can gentle him, scrape the sweat off, and rub him 

 down, smoothing the hair of his legs, and drawing the fore one straight 

 out. In this position you have the o^oportunity of making him perfectly 

 familar with you, and the more you fondle him and reconcile him to you 

 the better. His head, tail and legs should now be handled with freedom, 

 caressing and talking to him all the while. If he has hitherto resisted 

 shoeing, handle all his legs with a view to accomplish it, and if he attempt 

 to resist, continue until you subdue him, speaking to him with a voice of 

 authority. If he is a bad kicker you may be obliged to confine his fore- 

 legs; and with those tied, you may spend an hour in handling his legs, 

 tapping the hoofs with your hand or a hammer — all this to be done in a 

 firm, measured, soothing manner; only now and then, if he resist, crying, 

 as you paralyze him with the ropes, " Wo ! " in a determined manner. It 

 is by this continuel soothing and handling that you establish confidence 

 between the horse and yourself. After patting him as much as you deem 

 needful, say for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, you may encourage 

 him to rise. Some horses will require a good deal of helping, and it may 

 be necessary to draw out their fore-legs before them. The handling of 

 the limbs of colts in this condition, particularly requires caution. A 

 colt tormented by flies, will kick forward nearly up to the fore-legs. If 

 a horse, unstrapped, attempts to rise, you may easily stop him by taking 



