Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-11-04
Monomania in Horses.

IN 1CVS3 ouiiliS tilC CdNi t)dipU
il Austerlitz,a a Piednontese officer
possessed a beautiful, and in other
respects, a most servicable mare,
but which one peculiarity rendered
at times, exceedingly dangerous
for the saddle. She had deci-
ded aversion to paper, which she
Immediately recognized the mo
ment she saw it, and even in the
dark. If one or two leaves were
rubbed together. The effect pro-
daced by the sight or sound Of it
was SO prompt and so violent that
In many cases, she unhorsed her
rider; and in one case, bis feet be-
ing entangied in the stirup, she
dragged him a considerable way
over a stone road. In other re-
spects, this mare had not the slight.
est fear of objects that would terri
fy most horses. She regarded not
the music Of the band, the whist
ling of the balls, the roaring of
the cannon, the fire. of the BIZ
vouacs, or the glittering of the
arms. The confusion and noise
ofsan engagement made no impress
sion upon her; the sight of no 9th
er white object affected her; no
other sonnd was regarded; the
yiewof the rAstling of papers alone
reused her to madness. All pos
sible means were employed to cure
her Of this extraordinary ard dan
gerous alteration but without sue
cess and her master was at length
compelled to sell her, for his lie
was in continual danger.
A mare belonged to the French
Guard Royal from 1916 10 1921.
She was perfectly manageable, aud
betrayed no antipathy to the lru-
man being, nor to other animals,
nor to horses, except they were
Of light grey color; but the mo-
ment she saw grey horse she
rushed upon it, and attacked it
with the greatest fury. 1t was
ire same at ali times and every
where. She was all that could
be wished on the parade, on the.
route, in the ranks, In action, and
In the stable, but such was her ha-
tired towards grey or white horses,
that it was dangerous 70 place
them in the same stable with her,
at whatever distance. If she
once caught a glimpse of one.
whether horse or mare, she rested
not until she had thrown her r.
der on it with the greatest fury,
and bit it in a thousand places.
She generally, however, seized the
animal by the head or throat, and
held it SO fast that she would suf-
focate it, if it were not promptly
relieved from her bite. As she
grew Old, this mania was not quite
removed, bnt it was somewhat
weakened. No other body of a
white color appeared to make the
least impression on her.
A mare belonging to the fifth
squadron of French hussars, feared
on the contrary, all white anima-
ted obiects-such as white man.
ties, or coats, or even the sleeves of
shirts and chemises too much dis
played, and particularly plumes.
When any of those white bodies,
and especially in motion, were sud
denly perceived, if they were OF
magnitude, and their motion was
rapid, she was in dreadful fright,
and strove' to escape: but if they
were of. no great size, and moved
more gently, she rushed furlously
upon them, struck at them with
her fore feet, and endeavored to
tear them with her teeth. No
other colors produced the slight
est effect upon her, nor did the
appearance, however sudden, OF
white horses or dogs of the same
color; but if white plume waved,
or white sheet of paper foated
by her, her fear or rage was uDgov-
ernable.
These three cases of singular
and particular aversion possess all
the characteristics of true mono
mania.