Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-06-19
Effects of the Check Rein.

gradually lowered, bringing immense
pressure upon the sensitive corners and
root of the mouth. The saddle Is with
every movement of the horse tipped
forward, instead of riding naturally fiat
upon the back. If the horse be at all
nervous, the firing of the neck is ac-
companled by the constant tossing of
the head, which materially aggravates
the trouble. In consequence we see
sore mouths and abraded cheeks, poll
evil or the formation of an abscess on
the head from the constant pressure on
the check, and sore backs from the con-
slant chatting Of the saddle. The
larynx and trachea are composed of
narrow bands so arranged as to form a
complete set of incomplete rings, joined
at their ends by small elastic band.
and when the air is taken into the
lungs it is necessary that they should
stretch with each inspiration. This
action is very much i'm peded when the
head is elevated beyond it's normal linn
it, and the larynx and trachea held in a
fixed position, and whistling or roaring
is often produced by these means. An
other thing which is often overlooked is
the altered position assumed by the
limbs when standing. In a tightly
checked horse it will be noticed that he
apart or braced-as direct result Of
the changing OF the center Of gravity.
High checking is, without much doubt,
prolific cause of sprung knees and
similar deformities Of the limbs. 1t Of
ten has far from beneficial effect on
the muscular structure of the hips, loins
and lumbar region of the back, and
MANY so-called weak-backed horses
may trace their infrmity to this cause.
To the frightful category of evils enum-
Grated by DIR. Gardner may be added
paralysis of the muscles of the face, dis
orders of the brain and nerves and-as
stated by J. w. Axe, professor Royal
Veterinary College, London, whose tes-
timony is given as the result Of eleven
years. experience in the post mortem
house and dissecting room OF the col
lege-'a variety of structural alterations
burden and shorten its span."
Any one of the aforementioned dis
eases represents an intolerable amount
of needless suffering which the horse is
forced to endure by man, who is SO often
his merciless tyrant instead of his mer-
ciful master. On the other hand there
are no diseases that are caused by not
wearing checks.
Mr.. Fleming, army veterinary inspec-
tor, London, gives the following twelve
reasons against the bearing rein:
l. 1t is an unnecessary expense to
purchase it.
2. II adds to the weight ofthe harness
Fand the time required to clean it.
3. It worries the head and neck of the
horse by the constrained unnatural po-
sition in which they are fixed.
4. It spoils the appearance of the
horse, and largely detracts from his free
and graceful movements.
5. The long-continued pressure of the
lower jaw tends to give the animal a
hard mouth, and therefore renders it
less obedient to the drivers rein.
6. 1t does not prevent stumbling, but
on the contrary predisposes the horse
| to fall, and with much more severity
than if it were not used.
Z. In hot weather, or during extreme
exertion, it may directly or indirectly
produce an attack of giddiness or apo
plexy-the last probably terminating in
death.
s. In heavy draught, in addition to
the torture it occasions, it causes large
portion of the horses power to be lost,
from the animal being unable to get
his head and neck down, and thus to
throw more of the weight of his body
into the collar.
9. The powerful muscles which pull
forward the shoulders and indirectly
the forelimbs, and which are attached