The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-08-08
CHECK-REINS.

We are aware that we subject ourselves
to the reproaches of all intelligent horses
by condensing Mr.. Agnell's pamphlet, but
space is limited, and we do the best we
can. The Hon: Chas L. Flint, in an ad-
dress delivered before the Massachusetts,,
Board of Agriculture said
eff man has hard DAVIS work to do
if he wants to exert his muscles and sin.
ews, he must have those muscles free and
uncontined nobody who has tried it can
deny that, yet how does it happen that a
principle which every farmer, every me-
chanlc, every laboring man OF any char
acter would admit in his own case, is SO
constantly disregarded in the case of the
hard working and often i'll used horse? ?"
An American gentleman travelling in
Europe made notes concerning the use of
check-reins, with the following result. In
Ireland and Scotland he did not see a
single check rein used on any draught
horses, and only loose reins were used in
the case of carriage horses. In England
italy and France they were scarcely US ed
at all, and never, or almost never, on
draught-horses.
Professor Prichard, of the Royal Vet
Urinary College at London, says:
Instead of preventing horses from fall
ing, the check-rein is calculated to render
falling more frequent. Other not uncom-
mon results of it's use are, distortion OF
its windpipe to such degree as to i'm
pede the respiration ever after wards, ex
coriation of the mouth and lips, paralysis
of the muscles of the face, etc. It is a
useless appendage, supported only by
fashion"
Mr.. Agnell adds that when horse falls,
the check-rein is always broken, a state
nent which seems to us rather broad,
although we hope it is true, for the often
er the rein breaks the more evident is it
that the instructive effort made by the
animal to recover himself is hindered by
the check. He sums up his case by the
following statements which are sustained
by the opinions of many veterinary sur
geons at home and abroad.
l. It's effects upon the circulation of
the blood.-It Will appear very evident
that this contriYence must seriously inter
fere with the return of blood from the
brain, and thus lead to an accumulation
of venous blood, producing eventually a
state of coma the severity of which will
depend upon the duration and intensity
of the compression and, further, it must
impede the flow Of arterial blood to the
brain. This deficiency of arterial blood
is characterized by want of nervous sen.
sation, and 4 disarrangemento Of the nerV-
Gus parts.
g. It's effects upon the vei2s.-The
sudden, intermittent and violent muscular
action of the neck, together with pressure
of the lower jaw, would induce more or
less permanent distention of the veins,
which in all probability would ultimate
ly become varicose.
3. Its effects upon the arterles.-The
pressure of the blood within the vessels,
and the unnatural muscular contraction
of the neck, would lead to laceration of
their inner coats, resulting in enlarge.
ment of the vessels, and thus form aneur-
isms.
The consequences of the above condi.
tfons would lead to increased pressure
upon the nerves Of the neck, causing pain
to the animal and, further, it would pre-
dispose the unfortunate victim of fashion
to such diseases as megrims, apoplexy,
coma, inflammation and softening Of the
brain
Mr. Frank B. Fay. secretary of the
Boston Philozoic Society, 46 Washington
Street, promises parenthetically on the
title page, that packages of the pamphlet
will be sent without cost to friends who
will distribute tn stable. keepers, team
sters, drivers and Others who have to do
with horses We can only hope that orders
will be sent to him, numerous enough to
encourage the gentlemen who pay for the
printing, and not numerous enough to ex-
haust the fund which they have SO gen.
erousy contributed Christian Union.