The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-30
DOCKING TAILS.
Veterinary Surgeons Believe that Operation
Benefits Horses.
MIR. BERGH CONDEMNED
Opinions OF Owners Of Stock on His
Recent Action.

The recent action OF Mr. Bergh IN causing the arrest
OF the head groom the polo stables charge oil
unnecessary cruelty for having locked pony's tail
has rather amused he horse in this city. II
appears TO be par with the attack that was made
by Mr. Bergh against the habit OF clipping and SINCE
ing horses For centuries, especially IN England,
horses tails been docked In the opinion Of all
the leading veterinary surgeons Of the day docking
operation thar Is quite necessary to the horse,
under certain circumstances, as the extraction Of
teeth may be IN order TO preserve tue shape OF
child's mouth. There IL, comparatively speak
Ing. little or pain from tho opera
ton, ana il is all over in thirty seconds.
In England has always been customary 70 dock ell
hunters as It is generally supposed to strengthen the
spinal column well 10 obviato any accidents that
might from The tail getting caught or twistedin
any distractions that tho rorse may DO crossing lu
the Of polo also necessary TO have the tails
Of the PONIES kept short, as otherwise they might.
whiio switching ABOUT, interfere with tho direction
OF tho mallet and in other manners nconveni.
ence the player. Agsin, there arc many Instances IN
which the operation Of docking IS necessary. when
the morse may have crooked tail or have contracted
the habit Of switching Tho tail around the lines,
thus deprving tho drlver OF all power over The ami
NAL Il was only recently that the operation was
performed well known lroting mare, Is she
kept switching her tail much around tue lines that
II was found positively necessary TO shorten " III
order to give her driver control over her on the
track. On Filth avenue every day there are plenty
OF horses with tails be at every moment,
and although in instances the operation is per-
formed tor merely appearance sake there are many
other cases here the horse has been raised with
crooked or maiormcd tail, and then amputaton at
some of the Joints becomes necessary.
VETERINARY SURGEONS OPINION.
Yesterday afternoon HERALD representative took
walk around the upper portion Of tue city, IN the
ncighborIood where the horsemcn generally conere-
gate and iouna almost everybody Indignant at tho
treatment of the Polo CLUB trainer. There appeared
70 diversity of opinion TO whether the opera
ton strengthened the spinal column, but every
was unanimous IN the Keller that It was necessary
operation in many instances. The reporter called
upon one or the most guished veterinary sur.
goous IN the country and the following conversation
ensued -
RxrogrEa-l have called TO &c, your opinion as
veterinary surgeon upon the action Of MI Bergh In
arresting man Tor docking pony tail
VETERINARY SURGEON-I was sorry 10 see Mr. Bergh
take sucn step, as think he IS going trife too
Tar In his desire 20 guard the horse from unneces-
sAry cruelty Docking horses tails Is custom that
has been ~ vogue Tor many years, especially IN
England, where almost all tue cross country horses
ana riling hacks are turned out with short tails
REro.rER-I want 10 know II II is a very painful
epsrAuonr
| alton, as iti done very rapidly by separating the
| bone ~ the joint
kEroRrER-Is the operation 0. any practical benefit
| TO the horscr
| vxrsRxARY sURGxox-rhat Is a question that is
open TO discussion. Call docking u horses tail an
| operation OF fashion, although II Is sometimes
operation that actually necessary There are many
cases wnsre u - necessary to dock horses tail in
order 10 improve his general appearance, and some
parties also CLAIM that the operation strengthens the
| splna column
| REPoRrKk--ls IL an operation that the stud groom
| 10 capable ot pcrformlngy
vxrxRIs ARY suRoKox-In Europe, especially in
France. sns operation Is always performed uy
| vsLcr nary surgeon, but In tLis country The head
| groom generally does tho work.
/ RErORTEk-ihen you do not think II an unncces-
| sary cruelty TO "a norscr
/ VKrERISARY aUKGkox-I should certainly not call
OF altering, which, ~ the way, IL TAR painful.
Mr. BsFgh might Just az we'll arrest veterinary sur
geon for performing that operation, on tho ground
tnat was unnecessary cruelty think II would be
better Tor that gentleman 70 conhne his Efforts for the
pfotsction OF III used horses OF
v,cs
The HERALD representative then PAID a visit to the
veterinary institute presided over Dy Or. J. s. Cat
tanacn. Thai gentleman had JUST finished the exams
| nation OF u horse wneu the reporter called. la
hts reques, Tor information on tho subject
docking Dr. Caiiansch handed the reporter the io-
| lowing communication which, no SAID, he had just
4 On cArrASAcm ON DOCKING.
4 To rur tDroR or rnE HERALD.
dl.ss.ssea new torn, cruelty an,nasshai dock
..s 70 sii sa % h X:
action M Berrh oysr,,sppng shs limits q h.
h.vs yr,s,ia .r,s.sd for
ave more e.n 10 ihs
;s.s ;s.s s:s.lss y. ;.iI have asss. ,sa:
s..mns ssmsas ss In ss,ss,ss The dosing Of
sTssy " eaad.%aar ihoasans. horse: 10 liie o.
s-ss ,ss ..s.,s Of some ilan avenue mionua,s i.
is.y would purchase horse Tor their ear
rags tbs, carried Ls t.i % one side iise The ruadsr
.a as ne- ,hs sh.n.ss are ,ha. Il such horses
Tvs Il asadasry Tue operation Of dosing can be- per
@sa ~ ~ s,aa. epsIss.s !, thirty seconds aud ,Ss
Sues Il ss@s.. sss yssy horses saabi. any symp
sa saa. s,srss never yes saw horse rsuss
es.l .ssess q having saersone the operA''on Of
po,sise D.sssp s.av,csasLs
ss y .ss snss az sa%. b.. the haSs y
~sknx tsli The irirhtcned
sssa, ~ s@y 4 he t.sr a%a i I. me opinion Of
ss1sms c.ssss ssssssssss ~ s@psssiisS few jSias
p shs tail nd - ses ssss ~ psa, va. small POM used
sssas .ih ,s.. shl-s. g view Y. Is ls., :. essential
safaspa spss the h.re ip Of child
Tooth preserve The shape d ,he
NJ as.s. \. s,saa q ssas, ., sss. ssns
wses as.sslah Of aeesing think he
80 s. "a s. 1890 s s ~ . :. ,sasr.. "f pns
's ~, Me-. fs s,AisnaNa ..,s:
rmr uraasrlos srcss.ARr.
The Believing .s isstsr tsUrn another veterinary
1nfgeeA - as sa1lest.-
" sms kntt0e 80 taN HRanpt-
sssa ~ s.s, s,ss.ss = s..g.ea 0,. ~.
stasie. Assashsd " the pse gcunds Je-
a. ~asssss = .ss es a. sa.s ~ la performed lie
80. .a.ss, ssss.sx- .e'sA - "a. op,nlss 4 sho
Aas~.s ssa.sssasss a. sasass ss@.aaas sssir inter
.s.s. 90 .ssi s:ss sss s"ass % 3 .s s
pshvs ia.ss iars. this ees.sioa y