The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-02-03
The Horses Punishment.

The horse appreciates comfortR-
bly-fitting harness as much as be
does a properly fitted shoe. The
latter, when set too tight, or with
nail driven into or too near the sen
sitive tissues, produces positive
Iameness. Under this condition of
things he is promptly taken to the
shop for relief. But he may suffer
nearly or quite as much from the
chatting of badly fitted collar or a
narrow belly-band. drawn too tight.
Or from a check-rein shortened 80
as to form of itself one OF the sever
est punishments. Either of these
conditions will produce restiveness
in the dullest brute, and in the case
of an animal of nervous tempera-
ment, and having a thin, sensitive
skin, he is liable TO become frantic,
the obtuse owner or driver seldom
approaching the origin of the diff
Guilty.
No greater evidence can be ad-
vanced to establish horses entire
submissiveness than his willingness
to pull against the collar with por
tioc of the breast surface denuded
Of its skin, and showing the highest
possible state OF sensibility. The
average horse will do this, shrink
ing at every step. A horse learns
to dread the approach of the mas
ter or driver with harness in hand,
if this has previously been a source
of torment, or even discomfort. A
horse properly handled for a peri
cd, IN n well fitted harness, then
CHANGING to fall into the hands of a
bungler, will at once detect the un
due tightness or looseness of the
strap, aDd will not settle down to
his usual gait contentedly, while the
irregularity remains. A spirited
horse may, under such irritating in
fluence, do from downright fear
what may be wrongly charged as
viciousness. Heavy strokes Of the
whip may fall upon the irritated
beast only to be followed by evil re-
suits.
Among the every day torment Is
to which the horse is subjected, we
will enumerats the following: 1st.
Abrnded breast. I'd. Inhamed
back from defective saddle or har
ness pad. Sd. Sore mouth from a
too tight gag rein, a severe bit, or
both. 4th. A sore tail from a too
light or ill made crupper. st hn
abrasion under the body, caused by
a too tight or badly fitted belly
band. 9th. Irritation OF the eyes
from binders being strapped toe
close together, or on the other
hand are allowed to swing around
first striking one eve and then the
other. 7th. Ears chafed by the
brow band being placed too high,
or by metallic rosettes with a sharp
outer rim, the base of the ear press
ing across this at every motion.
Sth. The excessive fatigue of all
the structures of the neck under the
influence of the bearing rein. The
bearing rein, il made taut, and kept
so for any considerable length oil
time. is a source of great discom
fort to all horses, and an insuffera
BILE torment to many. A taut rein
can be used with fine propriety on
horses of fine easy up-carriage, es
pecially while in motion; but if the
muscles and bony structure Of the
neck extend forward horizontally
from an upright shoulder, rather
than striking out from a slanting
shoulder, then the most intense suf.
fering will be inflicted by straIniDg
the neck up to an angle entirely un.
natural to the animal, especially II
this strain be long kept up. To
strain 8 culprit up by the thumbs
till only his toes touch the ground
certainly one of the severest admIs
sable punishments that be inflicted
upon mortal, and the check-rein il
undoubtedly akin TO it, in its ex
treme application.