704 OPEEATIONS. 



gently take hold of the muzzle with the right hand, and make over 

 the stick of the twitch to an assistajit, who should twist it round 

 steadily, until the animal's muzzle becomes tightly squeezed by the 

 cord. When thus fixed, the horse will generally keep quiet, during 

 ordinary operations ; for, if he makes any movement, he will be 

 severely hurt by the twitch. 



This instrument may be easily improvised by placing a loop of 

 cord round the muzzle that is tightened by a stick passed through 

 it, and then twisted round and round until sufficient compression 

 is obtained. 



The twitch is sometimes put on one of the ears ; or round the 

 lower jaw, under the tongue, and over the bare space of the gums 

 (interdental space). The first-mentioned operation is objection- 

 able, because it is apt to make the horse unwilling to have his ears 

 touched for the rest of his life, and the second, because it is liable 

 to hurt the mouth and render it unfit for the bit for a long time. 

 Caution is hardly necessary against applying the twitch to the 

 tongue, which has frequently been horribly mutilated and even torn 

 out by this barbarous practice. 



In " Illustrated Horse-Breaking " I have described, with illus- 

 trations, other methods of twitching which' are free from the grave 

 objections possessed by the ordinary plan, of rendering horses sub- 

 sequently shy of being bridled or otherwise handled about the 

 head ; and of keeping the animal in a continued state of pain, the 

 whole time the twitch is on. These methods, which are particularly 

 applicable to breaking, are not quite so effective in veterinary 

 operations as the employment of the ordinary twitch ; but are 

 sufficient for all cases in which unusual severity is not required. 



