AN INSTRUMENT OR TRUSS APPLICABLE TO THE NICKING OF HORSES' TAILS
Year: 1837

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WHITMORE
BAKER, of Dedham, in the County of Essex, Veterinary Surgeon, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Nineteenth day of July, in the first year of Her reign, did for Her-
self, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Baker,
Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Whitmore Baker, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Whitmore Baker, my exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "AN INSTRUMENT OR TRUSS APPLICABLE TO THE NICKING OF HORSES'
TAILS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said
Whitmore Baker shall cause a particular description of the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Whitmore Baker, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and the

page_text: manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawing annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is
to say) -
:-
My Invention consists of an instrument or truss to be worn by a horse, in
order suitably to support its tail, such truss or instrument being retained in
secure and proper position by straps or other proper attachments on the horse,
hence the animal can be safely turned loose if desired, in addition to which
the hair of the tail will not be disturbed or pulled upon, as was formerly the
case when weights were attached thereto in order to hold up the tail, as has
usually been practised, and as is well understood.
Figure 1 is a side view, and Figure 2 a plan, of the instrument or truss, it
being suitably made to enable the operator to give three incisions to the tail,
the cuts being made at the points a, b, and c, those at b and c having covers,
in order to close them, if the operator should desire it. The truss consists of a
plate of iron or other suitable material, cut and bent to the form shewn in the
Drawing, which I prefer to cover with leather and line with sponge, as shewn
at e, e, e, the covers f, g, for the openings being also lined with sponge, as will
clearly be seen by an examination of the Drawing. Figure 3 shews a horse
having my Invention applied thereto, h being an ordinary roller or girth, j is
a neck strap or girth. These girths or straps are secured to each other by two
side straps k, a strap 7 under the chest, and neck strap m, and the truss or
instrument for supporting the tail is attached to the roller or girth by two side
straps n, n, and a back strap o, as will readily be traced in the Drawing at
Figure 3, and it will be further seen that such is the construction of the
truss that the two ears p rest on the rump, and there are two short straps q, 9,
for fastening the tail within the truss; r is a strap by which the truss can be
more or less raised as desired by 'the operator.
Having thus described the various parts of the apparatus, I would remark
that variations may be made in some of the details, but I believe that the
arrangement of straps shewn and described is the best adapted for the
purpose.
I will now shortly explain the mode of putting the truss on to a horse. The
girth for the neck and that for the body are buckled on, and are capable of
fitting any moderate sized horse. These two girths are to be first placed
upon the horse, and secured to each other by the four straps, one under the
chest, one on each side, and one on the neck. The truss is next to be fixed
under the tail, and held close till the two side straps are fastened to the
lower part of the roller or body girth. The long back strap is to be next

page_text: fastened to the strap leading from the pad on the centre of the back, and the
two small ends to be fastened to the truss by the two buckles nearest the
rump, the short back strap to be next fastened to the long back strap and
to the two upper buckles on the truss. By means of these two straps the
horse's tail may be raised to any necessary height. The two small straps
upon the truss are merely to keep the hair even and in its proper place.
Care must be taken that each strap has its equal bearing, and particularly
the back and side straps, which may be easily regulated, and the whole
apparatus be kept even.
There are three openings if three incisions in the tail are requisite; the
first is without a brass plate or sponge, the other two openings have brass
plates with sponges, which may be taken off or remain on as the operator may
think fit.
It is desirable that the truss should be taken from the tail at least once a
day for a short time for the discharge to be washed off the sponge. The horse
may be safely turned loose, either in a stable or yard, without any friction being
occasioned by the truss; the hair will not be disturbed, and the truss and tail
will be always kept in their position.
In witness whereof, I, the said Whitmore Baker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.
WHITMORE (L.S.) BAKER.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of January, in
the year of our Lord 1838, the aforesaid Whitmore Baker came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.