An “Old Timer” writing in the Breeders’ Gazette, suggests the following plan for a pregnant mare that is a bad kicker:
“Have a collar made of 1½ inch first-class heavy harness leather, long enough to go around the mare’s neck at the point where the collar fits, with 1¾ inch ring at the breast, then get a strap 1½ inches wide, the full length of a side of harness leather, cut tapering to 1 inch or less at the tip of the light end, with 1¾ inch ring in the other. Then get a 2½ inch strap just long enough to go around the pastern of the hind foot with ¾ inch ring in each end. Have the edges of this strap slightly champered. Slip the collar on the mare’s neck, put the short strap around the pastern of the left hind foot, the thin long strap through the rings on the pastern, then through the ring on the end of the long strap, and slip up snug and tight: next, run the strap between the fore legs and through the ring in the collar on the neck. Now draw it up snug when she is standing in her natural position and secure it with a slip-knot so that it can be easily removed when necessary.
There will be no excitement about this, and no punishment. It does not interfere with the mare’s lying down or getting up; all it will do for her will be to prevent her from kicking, simply because she cannot, and she will soon learn to live in peace with her stable mates. We have used this for many years without a failure, and we would be pleased to have all humane horsemen use it in preference to a long chain or heavy swinging block or padded stall.”
Secret Tricks in Horse Trading.
Secret of Shutting a Heaver.
Heaves or broken wind more commonly perhaps than any other unsoundness, offers opportunity and necessity for skilful handling by the trickster in horse dealing. There are numerous plans for the temporary relief of this disease, and so skilfully is the work done that often it is not suspected or discovered under twenty-four hours following a purchase. The “patient” receives no bulky food and all feed is wetted. Sometimes ammonia water is used in sprinkling the hay, and the observant buyer may detect this by the odor. Lime water or a solution of baking soda also is frequently used. An examination of the bit may show that it has been “medicated”; and allowing the horse to drink all the water he wants will be likely to disclose the heaves when he is made to gallop or pull a load. A pint of whiskey well diluted with water given as a drench also will be likely quickly to offset the effect of drugs.
It is not the province of this book to furnish formulæ of the mixtures or medicines used to “dope” or “shut” heavey horses, but rather to put the buyer on his guard so that forewarned he may be forearmed. Therefore, the following “dopes” employed for dishonest purposes are mentioned:
Arsenic, stramonium, lobelia, indigo, chloral hydrate, opium, melted lard, lead shot, raw eggs, milk, fresh ox blood, vinegar, kerosene, slaked lime in drinking water, etc., and in olden days a fistulous opening was made in connection with the rectum for the free and silent passage of gas.