that the employment of the small loop may be dispensed with, and the leg-strap passed through the surcingle, or girth.
This method of suspending the leg is most useful, when gentling the fore-limb, and when shoeing a “difficult” animal; as the foot can be retained at any convenient height from the ground without irritating the horse, and, consequently, without inciting him to “fight.”
I have learned, on more than one occasion, by bitter experience, that it is possible for a horse to effectually cow-kick with the hind-leg of the side on which a fore-leg is tied up.
A stirrup leather, with two or three holes punched at convenient distances, will make a capital leg-strap (see [Fig. 16]). It has the advantage of having, at the back of the buckle, no leather keeper, which is always liable to give way, by reason of the strain exerted on it.
For suspending a fore-leg, we need punch no extra holes in the leather, if we take, as before
Fig. 16.—A stirrup-leather as used for holding up a fore-leg.
described, a few turns with it round the pastern, before passing its end through the lower part of the buckle. This way would naturally take a few seconds longer than if the holes were punched at proper distances, and, consequently, is not as applicable as the other, to horses that are extremely difficult to handle.
Blindfolding a Horse.—After the animal has been secured in the manner described, or after he has been simply haltered, a further step in the process of rendering him helpless may be taken, by throwing a rug, or other convenient cloth, over his head, and then applying the rope-twitch (see [page 113]). If he be dangerous to approach, the rug may be placed on the end of a long pole, and then brought over his head, or a blindfolding halter may be put on, now, or in the first instance. The originating idea of this appliance is, I believe, of French origin. It consists of an ordinary halter, with a cloth filling up the space between the cheek-pieces, brow-band, and nose-band; so as to cover the horse’s eyes.