OPERATIONS OF DECORATION. 109 



From this operation there is no danger of the horse dying 

 of lockjaw, nor of the tail being set awry, nor broken, as 

 sometimes happens after nicking. It requires a much longer 

 period to effect the elevation, but that is of no consequence, 

 since the horse need not be a single day off work. When 

 nicked he must be idle for several weeks. 



[The operation of nicking, or more properly pricking, as 

 given by our author, is barbarous in the extreme. As prac- 

 tised in America, it is much more simple, effectual, and less 

 painful. If the tail is to be docked, let that first be done, and 

 then permitted to heal perfectly. Perhaps this operation may 

 make the horse carry his tail so well as to prevent the neces- 

 sity of pricking. But if it does not, then let him be pricked. 



Operation.— The tail has four cords, two upper and two 

 lower. The upper ones raise the tail, the lower ones de- 

 press it, and these last alone are to be cut. Take a sharp 

 penknife with a long slender blade ; insert the blade between 

 the bone and under cord, two inches from the body; place the 

 thumb of the hand holding the knife against the under part of 

 the tail, and opposite the blade. Then press the blade 

 toward the thumb against the cord, and cut the cord off, but 

 do not let the knife cut through the skin. The cord is firm 

 and it will easily be known when it is cut off. The thumb 

 will tell when to desist, that, the skin may not be cut. Sever 

 the cord twice on each side in the same manner. Let the 

 cuts be two inches apart. The cord is nearly destitute of 

 sensation ; yet when the tail is pricked in the old manner, 

 the wound to the skin and flesh is severe, and much fever is 

 induced, and it takes a long time to heal. But with this 

 method, the horse's tail will not bleed, nor will it be sore 

 under ordinary circumstances more than three days ; and he 

 will be pulleyed and his tail made in one half of the time 

 required by the old method.] 



Dressing the Tail. — Sometimes the hair of the tail grows 

 too bushy. The best way of thinning it is to comb it often 

 with a dry comb, having small but strong teeth. When the 

 hair is short, stiff, almost standing on end, it may be laid by 

 wetting it, and tying the ends together beyond the stump 

 Sometimes the whole tail is moistened, and surrounded by a 

 hay-rope, which is applied evenly and moderately tight, and 

 kept on all night. It makes the hair lie better during the 

 next day, but seldom longer. Square tails require occasional 

 clipping. The tail is held in a horizontal position by the 

 left hand, while it is squared with scissors. The hair at the 



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