THE LEG STRAP. 



131 



In him, therefore, this first essential point was accomplished. 

 Cruiser also had a halter, strengthened with iron, and in him also 

 there was a means of laying hold of the head, which was eagerly 

 seized by the operator. The plan adopted in his case was to fix 

 an iron staple to the door-post, and then running through this a 

 strong leather strap, to which a spring hook was attached, the op- 

 portunity was seized when the horse came open-mouthed to the 

 door, and he was securely laid hold of and drawn up to the staple, 

 so as to compel him to allow the introduction of a bit. The gray 

 colt at Mr. Anderson's was bitted ; but the zebra was loose in his 

 cage, and I do not at all know how the gag in which he was ex- 

 hibited was forced into his mouth, but I believe it was effected 

 by a rope thrown round his neck and drawn up to the bars of his 

 cage. 



The second part of the apparatus is the leg-strap for the 

 near fore leg, being very similar to a stirrup-leather, which, with 

 the addition of a strong loop, can be made to answer the same 

 purpose very well. Before applying this strap, which at ouee 

 makes the horse harmless for offence, he must be rendered ap- 

 proachable, which, in ordinary animals, is effected merely with 

 the aid of the bridle. In Stafford, however, as I before remarked, 

 guide-ropes were used; and in the case of Cruiser, he was enticed 

 up to a wagon loaded with hay, under which was Mr. Piarey, and 

 through the wheel of which this leg-strap was quietly and cau- 



RAREY'S LEG STRAP. No. 1. 



tiously buckled on his leg. As soon as this is done the horse is 

 innocent of all mischief except with his teeth, for he cannot kick 

 on three legs, and even his mouth may be kept away from the 

 operator by drawing on the off rein. To bring him speedily to 

 submit to the power of the operator, the other leg must also be 

 confined, which is effected by first buckling on a surcingle, as re- 

 presented in the last engraving, and then catching the off fetlock 

 in the running noose of leg-strap No. 2, which is made in the an- 

 nexed form. Provided with this second strap in his pocket, and hav- 

 ing already applied the leg-strap No. 1, and the surcingle as shown 



