If, when the ordinary twitch is twisted up tight, its stick be struck or jerked, as some do, on the animal moving, it will doubtless have a deterrent effect, as well as the one produced by the brutal and needless infliction of continued pain.
The rope-twitch.—Everything I have said in the preceding paragraphs, respecting the halter-twitch, applies equally well to its original form, as described in Mr. O. S. Pratt’s book, ‘The Horse’s Friend,’ which was published at Buffalo in 1876. Mr. C. G. Frasier, who was Pratt’s assistant for some years, in America, tells me, that this twitch was not invented by Pratt, long before whose time it was in use. He thinks that it was, probably, the idea of the “horse-tamer,”
Fig. 19.—Pratt’s rope-twitch, first portion.
Fanchion, who practised his art many years ago in the States. Pratt calls it “the double-hitch Bonaparte bridle.” It is made as follows: Take a rope, and make a simple knot with it at one end, at a distance of about eighteen inches from which make another knot loosely, and pass the
Fig. 20.—Pratt’s twitch completed.
first knot through the second, so as to form a loop which will not draw tight. Make a halter by taking a turn of the rope through the fixed loop (see [Fig. 19]). Place the halter over the horse’s head, and the loop in his mouth. Make a half hitch with the free part of the rope, pass it over the horse’s head and under his upper lip, and draw moderately tight (see Figs. 20 and 21). By making the fixed loop long, one can obtain more power than with the halter-twitch.