Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-12-12
A Plea for the. Horse Cruelty of the
Check Rein.

anu VIC COpy IL Win TIC hofC VI
accomplishing much good by it;
1t would be quite as sensible
to bit and curb a bod carriers
head backward, by a strap buck
ling to the seat of his pantaloons,
and to set him to carrying brick
up ladder in this hampered con-
dition, as to brace a horses neck
towards his tail, as an aid in draw
inga wagon or getting fast over
the ground.
Three things occurred to esta-
blish this stupid tyranny upon
the horse, in England, we speak
of. But one thing,was necessary
to establish it inthe United States
that it was practiced in Eng
land. Notwithstanding our 4th
Of July, we are yet in a state OF
provincial servility to the fashions
and foolish opinions. of Britain,
aud we inevitably take.the check
rein from them, as the sham de-
mocracy take free trade from their
transatlantic masters.
To hold up the horses head
and make him look grand, among
the institutions Of England, was
undoubtedly the pulse to the use
of the check rein. 1t was also
found that it was Of use in even
ly matching the gait and carriage
Of the nobleman's pair. Some
timid fellow bethought him, on an
ancient occasion, of using it as
a sort Of tie to a post-hold thus
a spirited and dangerous horse,
and quite economically, too, for
ne made him hold himself.
In time, too, grew up in stables
and halls, a venerable and obsti-
nate belief, that the check-rein
prevented the horse from falling
Nobody with the fox-hounds at
the same time proposed to take
off the squire's suspenders to
brace his jaws back with them,
by attaching them to his crupper
He was left to nature in his pur'
suit OF the fox. Why was mol
the noble animal he bestrode lefl
to its instinct, and the laws Of it:
mechanical action?
We have frequently thought
that the field of politics had dis
played more human stupidity
than any other department o
mans action. Buta greater ant
more consistent display Of tha1
attribute has been made in The
management Of the horse thar
in any other business man hat
undertaken in this world. How
few gentlemen----how few sur
geons, even-know that horse
should be treated precisely as w
treat man. His muscles arr
like ours, and the laws that gov
ern the muscular and nervous
action in his system are the same
that we are subject to. The law
of health are the same in hors'
and in man--and the most intelli
gent vereterinary surgeons il
France, Germany and EnglanC
treat the interruptions OF norma
action in the two animal econo
mics in precisely the same way
and with precisely the same rem
edies-
Now, regard a German carrying
O bag Of oats on his back from
vessel to the warehouse. See ma
lures provisions for easy gettin,
along with the job. The ma
stoops forward. He stretches on
his neck. The weight Of his bo
dy is thrown in advance Of hi
center, so as to give him tend
ency to fall, and in that way al
his motion. How Stewpyd DOE
overlook this teaching when h
harnesses Godolphin for draggin
brick up a grade. The horse
head is pulled backward towar
his tail, anchored there, by tn
senseless and merciless check
rein. The arrangement is unnai
ural-the animal is constraine
by ii. He must inevitably los
strength by it-for it disturbs tn
vital force, and induces an unnat
ural action in the muscles of III
neck. head, and shoulders, an
mouth. There is actually lesser
ergy and vigor left for the limbs
and chest, than there would be
the stupid continuance were jerk
ed on and thrown over the neal
est fence. Treason cannot teac
this promptly to any man, jus
let him try tho experiment b
putting a martingale upon hin
self and go to wrestling, or puI
ting a check in tho jaws ola box
or that shall extend down hi
back to his belt. Who besid
the British use The check rein
save their free-trado slaves an