(2.) This method may be rendered more complete by the assistant passing his arm from behind forward over the animal’s head between its horns, and then grasping the nostrils as above described, whilst one of the horns is firmly held with the other hand (Fig. 58).
(3.) A third method consists in fixing the head to a post, tree, fence, or other solid body, by passing a rope round the base of the horns and tying it to the object selected.
CONTROL OF THE LIMBS.
To prevent the animal kicking or moving about during an operation it is sometimes necessary to fix the limbs. A front leg may be lifted as for shoeing, or may be kept lifted by means of a rope passed around the fetlock, over the withers, downward between the front legs, outside the forearm, in front of the chest and inside the pastern, after which one or more turns may be made around the pastern to prevent the rope slipping.
A hind limb may be secured in a simple way by passing the end of the tail round it in front of the hock (Fig. 284); any violent and extensive movement of the limb is then necessarily painful to the animal owing to the tension of the tail.
Fig. 284.—Fixing the head and a hind limb.
Greater security, however, is given by passing a rope backward and forward around the hind legs, above the hocks, in the form of a figure of eight (Fig. 285). This does not prevent all movements of the hind limbs, but it limits them and secures both animal and operator from danger.
Fig. 285.—Fixing the hind limbs.