The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-03

To rnE EpIroR or THE HhRALp.-
beg to state my Vows also as to the expedcncy
and cruelty the process OF ..dockngn ampu
OF the tails OF horses The advanced Tor thus
mutiating a healthy mombcr OF the horses body
follows:
First-lhc fashion OF the day.
Second-rho convenience OF the owner.
1hird-symmetrical Improvement, Tor tho purpose
OF increasing tho commercial value OF the animal
ForA-fhat shortening tho tail adds strength to
the IONS.
AS tho plea OF fashion, II the practice OF docking
horses tails be allowed Difference TO the gences
Of fashion, tncre Is no saying whore such demands
Will stop. Ears cropped close TO tho head we'll as
tails only three inches long very ash ion-
able England. and II even became a fashion
at ono time In London 10 cause total blindness
In horses, for the purpose OF increasing knoe
action, tho assun ption that bind horse nfts his
feet higher than one whose sense OF vision Is per-
feet. Fortunately such barbaiity Is not practsed In
this country, and "nigh steppcrs" arc produced
without deprving the animal OF Its sight.
As regards the question OF convcn icnce to tho
owner II the horse DO ridden through muddy streets
and animal should whisk soil the boots
OF It's RIDER amputaton OF tho offending caudai OK
tremly is substituted by your veterinary correspond
ents In lieu Of the more sensible and humane tying
up OF tho tail or Dy shortening tho switch
Again. II tho tail DO used for Of the purposes for
cntansles tho tho unfortunate animal Is accused
Of guilty intent, and tho Offending organ must DO
forthwith amputatcdi Would 1t not be a moro IA.
tona proceeding Tor the driver TO elevate himself or
have the reins elevated by single support tho vo-
bice sucsrtly high TO keep tho reins clear from on
tanglcmensf
a TO tne fashion Of docking the tail being condu
Give TO strength OF ioin, tnis popular fancy prevailed
time when every species Of barbarity was prac.
atsoA I'm hnr and LA hal.
educated veterinary surgeon In England at tho pres
ont day could he found who would indorse such nm
My stable recoections embrace . period OF nfty
ycars--or since was twelve years OF age. entered
pracuscd very generally. anu sound joints even
nrcd with tho view OF strengthening thom, along with
other baroarl.ios. lremembcr seeing many OF those
operations performed and have srcn where gan
Rrene and modification have thereby extended from
tho tail TO the spIne and caused tho death OF the
mails have also seen some cases where aud
death have supervencd. | have bat ono case,
but have read anu heard OF others, where a second
docking mas been rosortcd 10, the tail having
! commenced TO rot from tho effects OF the
nrsl Those VINO talk giDiy OF Inc
| pain being only .nomcntary,n or as nothing moro
Inan srLe sting OF humble bee, appear 10 me 10 DO
sadly lacking experience oil The subject thuy write
about add should Know mat these practices have met
4 with the condemnation OF veterinary teachers and
authors oil the highest cmncncc during the past gen
eranen. ! could give many quotations. IN proof Of
tins, but cannot iorbcar citing Tho following one
from George Fleming, namc mat ranks foremost
among ,iving veterinary authon-
i
Of barbarous operations winch are now all but
lee. Not many years ago horses used To be submit
ted 10 tho most uhreas0n able punishmcnts having
some oil their organs mangiod. distorted and
amputatcd Tho ears wcre cropped, Just us loo ears
ampulatcd cIoso to tho body and thon nickcd-that
", nad the muscles winch depress tho tail wnich
serve a very osciui purpose, divided IN two places,
ana The intermediate portions removed through
oi tho incisons. This made the unfortunate horse
carry hts tail moro or less curved upward, aud
II was thought his appearance was improved; but
when flies alightcd his legs unable to
switch thom on These operations, and especially
docking, are most PAINFUL and accompa MED by great
danger OF tetanus lockJ,w. when very frequently
sets and causes death. In very faro tho tail
may DO diseased and then require amputation No
college ought 10 encourage sucn depravcd fancy rs
dock: or ana nickng"
Fearing to make THIS communication too cng,hy
VIII forbc1r making any iurtncr statement OF
Against the practicc oil tail amputation IL may, how
ever DO desirable 10 state that Ia lar
ing crooked laii IL concerncd there 10 no necessity
for even inc operation Of nickiDg, as the objects
sought 10 be attained by That process be realized
without pain ana With equal certainty by taxing a
little more time and without the loss OF tho AM fnal,s
services TINS method Of catmc ut IN thus descrI bed
by Herbert frank Forrestcr) In MS Hints 10 Horse
menr:-
"a more humane way OF setting up the horses
tail, TO give him moro stylish appearance. is by
simply Weighing lev hours day in the stall un-
I'll ~ obtains the desired elevation. TINS Is done by
having two puIcys at the top OF tue STALL each
sic through which are passed two ropes winch come
togetner and are fastened to tue ta tho ropes having
al their other ends weights, which must De light
fret and may be increased iron day TO day. The
Weighing should be continued until the TAIL Ia ton
. permanent position az dcslrod"
Permit mo TO conclude this communication with
another quotation slightly modified. IRON the pen OF
tho gifted writer nave already quotcd-name "
George Fleming, editor Of tho Yeterndry Journal oi
LOnuon
"lhe immense wrong hoapod In tho shape OF
cruelty upon tho helpless animals, which profession
ally the veterinarian ~ supposed 10 rescue IRON pain
and DISTRESS the greater wrong, PERHAPS 10 done 10
morality by tho iorce OF example, ana by teaching
the practice oil unmitigatcd and useless punishment
creatures, which, 50 FAR IRON deserving H. merit
our very kindest treatment; ana the extremely pre-.
judicial consequences which must result 10 society at
large IRON those coJointy all demand that this false
aoctrnc Of she utility Of docking horses tails be at
onoo suppressed ny the student and veterinary
teacher less than by tho kindly OF humanity
ana Tho potent arm OF the law.
JOS. u. COLEMAN, Veterinary Surgeon,
N. r. u. " u. OF England, and Veterinary Surgeon to
the Society Tor the Prevention oil Cruelty 20 Aui-