If the animal is dangerous to handle, only, behind; the breast-band may be put on, and the breachen attached to it, in the manner just described, but without putting it over the quarters. A rope can now be fixed to the D in the centre of the breachen, which, by the aid of the rope, can be pulled over the croup into its proper position, by an assistant from behind. Before doing this, the traces should be let out, to be pulled tight, the moment the breachen slips over the tail. In this and other cases of difficulty, ropes may be attached to the ends of the traces, so that the assistants who hold them, need run no risk of getting kicked.
When the horse strikes out, as well as kicks, the different parts of the strait-jacket may be connected together, with the exception of, say, the near trace, the end of which may be held by an assistant, while another helper holds a rope attached to the D which is on the near side of the breast-band. The loop formed by the breast-band and its back strap is, now, passed over the horse’s neck, the end of the near trace passed through the near side D of the breast-band, and the remaining fixings accomplished. Or, if the animal be not very violent, the gear may be connected together; the loop made by the breast-band and its back strap, passed over the head and neck; and the breachen pulled over the croup by a rope.
If the precaution of putting on the rope-twitch be taken, no difficulty need be experienced in subsequently applying the strait-jacket.
Lifting up a hind-leg.—The two methods to which I need direct my readers’ attention, for performing this operation, are as follows:
1. If the operator has two assistants—one to
Fig. 27.—Picking up a hind-leg.