OBSERVATIONS ON INJURIES, ETC., AMONG ARMY HORSES. 71 
effects a saving in contracts by being more durable than rope ; 
no doubt they do, but Government is no gainer . 
A commissariat mule's head-chain weighs 6 lb., head stall 
1A lb., aud heel-chains 5 lb. As the troop horses have to 
feed off the ground, there is a liability to their legs being 
severely injured by head-rope or chain, the latter causing the 
greatest amount of tumefaction and excoriation in the heels 
and posterior parts of the legs. For many reasons ropes 
should be used and chains discarded. 
A heel-rope is usually about three yards long, one end 
attached to a peg that distance behind the horse when he is 
feeding, the other end attached by a padded leather loop to 
the coronet. One of this description may be fastened to each 
hind leg and run to the same peg, but it is usual to see a 
single rope bifurcate at four, five, or six feet from the peg, a 
branch going to each heel. The battery that uses chains in 
front uses chains for the heels, each weighing about 6 
lb. Twenty-five horses out of 130 were secured by double 
chains, a pair weighing 12 lb. Fifty-four out of 142 horses 
were fastened by double ropes, the remainder by single ones. 
If it be necessary to secure horses' heels, rope, and not 
chain, should be employed. Heel-ropes not only require less 
carriage on the march than heel-chains, but they are less 
likely to produce such serious injuries. 
We consider that the employment of heel-ropes is a most 
reprehensible practice, particularly as the system is carried to 
an unreasonable, extent. The ends that heel-ropes are 
supposed to serve are, to economise space, to allow of horses 
standing near each other without any intervening wall or 
other protection, to prevent accidents, and to maintain an 
uniform appearance along the lines. The first question we 
were asked on coming to India by an officer commanding a 
cavalry regiment was, “ Don't you admire the regularity with 
which the horses are picketed as compared with the custom 
in England? 5 ' We did. However, a short experience has 
taught us to admire much more the horses standing in 
irregular positions, but in comfortable attitudes. 
Heel-ropes or chains constrain and confine the movements 
of a horse ; he has not the free use of his limbs, in con- 
sequence of which he is often unable to assist himself ; in 
getting up and in rolling we have seen horses struggle 
violently and injure themselves, because their legs were fast. 
It is not an uncommon practice to shorten the head and heel 
ropes, by hitching them round their respective pegs, so much 
as to prevent the possibility of a horse moving, unless he 
plunges and draws one of the pegs; whilst being groomed, 
