A New or Improved Horse Twitch or Purn.
Year: 1898

page_text: I, GEORGE RUTTER, of 24, Ashfield Lane, Hillhead, Glasgow, Riding Master,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a twitch or purn for horses.
-
At present it is usual to employ a twitch or purn constituted by a long stick
or broom-handle with a thick cord or string looped on one end and this string-
loop is placed on the end of the animal's nose and twitched round and round to
a most punishing and brutal degree. My invention is designed for the purpose
of doing away with the use of such twitches as before described and substituting
therefor a twitch or purn which will not punish the animal in the same way.
In carrying out the invention I use two round wooden stocks which are pre-
ferably made with circular or spiral grooves on the outside and which are con-
nected together at their upper ends by means of links or eye-bolts. The stocks
are provided with handles whereby they can be gripped. A strap or other fasten-
ing device is provided for locking or securing the lower ends of the stocks together
when the device is fitted upon the animal's nose.
The device is fitted upon the animal's nose in such manner that the stocks
pinch it when the lower ends are strapped or otherwise secured together.
The device possesses the following advantage, viz., that it holds itself in position
on the horse's nose and does not require a man to hold it as with the ordinary
twitch. Further it does not mark the nose of the animal.
2
1000
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
A New or Improved Horse Twitch or Purn.
I, GEORGE RUTTER, of 24, Ashfield Lane, Hillhead, Glasgow, Riding Master,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:-
1
This invention relates to a twitch or purn for horses.
At present it is usual to employ a twitch or purn constituted by a long stick
or broom-handle with a thick cord or string looped at one end and this string-
loop is placed on the end of the animal's nose and twitched round and round te
a most punishing and brutal degree. My invention is designed to do away with

page_text: the use of twitches such as before described and to substitute therefor a twitch
or purn which, when used, will not punish the animal in the same way.
The annexed sheet of drawings shows the improved twitch.
Fig. 1 is a side view showing the twitch closed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of
the twitch Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the twitch opened. Fig. 4 is a view
showing how the twitch is applied.
In carrying out the invention I use two round wooden stocks a, a, which are
preferably made with a series of circular grooves b, or a spiral groove, on the
outside and which are connected together, at their upper ends, by means of metal
links or eye-bolts c, c¹. The stocks are provided with handles whereby they can
be gripped. A strap e or other well known form of fastening device is provided
for securing the lower ends of the stocks together when the twitch is fitted
upon the animal's nose. f is a buckle on the strap whilst is a screw by means
of which the strap is secured to one of the stocks a.
The twitch is fitted upon the animal's nose in such manner that the stocks
pinch it when their lower ends are strapped together by the strap e. Fig. 4
shows the method of applying the twitch very clearly.
The new twitch possesses the following advantages, vizit holds itself in
position on the horse's nose and does not require a man to hold it; it does not
mark the nose of the animal; it is not so brutal or punishing to the horse as
the usual twitch.
The twitch can be used for a "wicked" horse when clipping or singeing, and
when doing veterinary work or shoeing. It can be used on a horse that is bad
to mount or put in harness.
. Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I consider novel and desire to claim is :--
A horse twitch or purn made substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
1000