Morning journal and courier., 1889-05-15
COMMUNICATIONS.

Tight Cheeks and the Horses' Eyes.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 Very few people, even those who mean to be kind to their animals, take proper care of their horses eyes. The eye of the horse is as sensitive as our own. Think then, what We should suffer if our hair were falling over the upper part of our face, we had no hands to brush it away, and 1t had to remain, 6 constant source of irritation. The horse feels it as we would, but how many drivers ever think to clip the forelock and give him relief A fourth of the horses we meet are suHsring from bad binders. Sometimes they press in close against the eye, so that they rub against 1t constantly. When we remember that binders are made of sheet iron we can imagine what this means to the poor horse. Sometimes they close entirely over one eye, thereby making him blind on that side. Often on the work horses the strap that holds the bliaders to the bridle is broken and they go flap, flap, flap, flap, the blows upon the eyes keeping time to every step he takes. Put your own hands up to your eyes in this same position and try that Tapping yourself, and am sure you will not hesitate to speak word for the next horse you see in that condition.
 How many hours could you bear that
 motion before your eyes before becoming 8 fit candidate for 8 1unatic asyluma But the
 horse has to bear it, bear it patiently and silently until his sight begins to fail, and the light of the eyes goes out in utter darkness
 Then there is tight check rein, particularly
 the awkward overdraw, running from the
 bit over the top of the head. This American
 abomination (unless it is extremely loose)
 tilts up the horses nose so that the rays of
 the sun strike directly in his eyes. By pull- ing at his cheeks and stretching his neck, the
 poor thing tries to get relief for the aching
 muscles in his neck, cramped and
 strained from their unnatural position,
 and for his tortured eyes, blinded
 by the hot sun pouring into them. But in vain. The cruel bit presses up against the sensitive mouth and it is impossible for him to ease his head. It is held as in wise, In 8
 position that rebels against every law of his anatomy. Patient, long-sufering, much- enduring, faithful always to their duty, what our horses suffer, not only from willful abuse but from thoughtless cruelty, only their Maker knows. Looking into their beautiful, ! pleading eyes as I pass each one on the street my heart aches for the misery l see there. You who are fortunate enough to own horse sec to it that he Is made comfortable while he is doing your work. Loosen his check until hs can hold his head in its natural position without any pull upon the bit. If he hes a load to draw, remove the check altogether. Examine the mouth to be sure there ia no sore there, and that the bit does not hit it. Then when this faithful ser want has grown old in your service send him l mercifully to the happy hunting grounds, where whip and spur, checkrein and blind CTS, harness sores and docked tails, are un- known and forgotten. A hundred times over he has purchased his freedom. Is 1t not base ingratitude, then, on your part if in his cid age you condemn him to drag out the miser- able existence of blows and kicks and neglect that falls to the lot of so many worn out
 horses as they pass from hand to hand.
 A D. FoGG.