PRINCIPLES OF VETERiNARV SURGERY 209 



fully observed. It is accomplished in three separate steps: 

 (i) The first step or feat is to induce the horse to approach 

 near enough to the table to strap the body to it. Hood- 

 winked, there is comparatively little trouble in leading the 

 average horse to the proper position, but many horses will 

 obstinately persist in turning the hind quarters from the 

 table after the head is brought into contact with it, and in 

 spite of the aid of two or three strong assistants will cause 

 some annoyance. The difficulty is quite readily overcome 

 by patiently bringing the body parallel to the table without 

 touching it and then rapidly securing the foremost belt, the 

 halter shank and the neck strap before the patient is aware 

 of what is being done. (2) The next step is to fasten the 

 body firmly against the table and to secure the feet in the 

 hopples. The foremost belt, the halter shank and the neck 

 strap having already been fixed loosely, the next feat is to 

 push the hind quarters bodily against the table as the as- 

 sistant above takes up the slack of the hindermost belt; 

 Here the horse may struggle some, or may hang heavily in 

 the fixed belts, especially in the hindermost one. This is 

 generally met by delivering a few gentle raps to the.- but- 

 tocks with a strap, or by applying a twitch to the nose, 

 either of which will usually, promptly bring the horse to an 

 upright position. It is essential here to induce the horse to 

 stand upright before the remainder of the appHances are 

 adjusted, even though some difficulty is encountered in 

 doing so. When the standing position is satisfactorily at- 

 tained, or maintained, the middle belt is adjusted and the 

 slack from the others is taken up. The hopples may then 

 be buckled to the pasterns. The hindermost hopples must 

 be buckled to the outer legs, on the fore legs as well as the 

 hind ones in order to prevent the innermost leg from step- 

 ping over the chain attached to the outer one. The coronet, 

 pastern and fetlock of the outer hind leg (which will be the 



