242 DADD’S VETERINARY MEDICINE ANuv SURGERY. 
littered down. The legs having been brought together, the assist- 
ants must act in concert. One, particularly, should be at the head, 
which must be carefully held throughout by means of a strong 
snaffle-bridle; another should be at the hind part, to direct the 
fall, and to force the body of the horse to the side which is requi- 
site. Pursuing these instructions, the animal may be at once rather 
let down than thrown, by a dexterous and quick drawing of the 
rope, the whole assistants acting in concert. The moment the 
horse is down, the person at the head must throw himself upon 
that member, and keep it secure; for all the efforts of the animal 
to disengage himself are begun by elevating the head and fore-parts. 
The rope is tightened. The chain is fixed by inserting a hook 
through one of the links, of sufficient size not to pass the hobbles. 
When the operation is over, the screw which fastens the chain to 
the hobble, first put upon one fore-leg, is withdrawn. The chain 
then flies through the D’s of the other hobbles, and all the legs. 
are free, save the fore-leg first alluded to; ‘he strap of this has to 
be afterward unbuckled. There are also other apparatus used in 
casting, as a strong leathern case to pass over the head, serving as 
a blind when the animal is being thrown, and as a protection 
against his rubbing the skin off his eyes when down. Then a sur- 
cingle is also used. This is fastened round the horse’s body, anc 
from the back hangs a bread strap and a rope. The strap is fast- 
ened to the fore-leg of that side which it is desired should be 
uppermost. The line is given to a man who stands on the oppo- 
site side to the generality of the pullers. On the signal being 
given, the men having hold of the hobble-rope pull the legs one 
way, while he who has hold of the rope attached to the surcingle 
pulls the back in a contrary direction, and the horse is immedi- 
ately cast. 
SLINGING. 
This is a restraint which horses submit to with great impatience, 
and not without much inconvenience, from the violent excoriations 
occasioned by the friction and pressure of the bandaging a:0und 
his body. Graver evils are also brought about by the abduminal 
pressure. Some horses stale and dung with difficulty when sus- 
pended, and inflammation of the bowels has not unfrequently. 
come on during slinging, The slings are, however, forced on ur 
in some cases, as in fractured bones, the treatment of open joints 
