Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-26

How Cvalissd MAJ Rewards the Services e
Faithful D1mb Brute
SSHORsEs ARE GREAT SUFFERERS
IL from toothache," said . veterinary sur.
geon TO q STAR writer. The complaint ID the
real causs Of many a runaway that 10 attributed
TO viciousnsss. Horses teeth are very subjec,
to decay, and no attention is paid to dentistry
for their benefit, as ought to be the case. Thu
it sometimes happens that the metal bit strik.
ing upon the exposed nerve Of tooth viii sci
the animal wild in . moment and start him OF
upon the run. In fact, for the time being. the
poor beast is actually crazy and not rssponsi-
BILE Tor what he does.
THE CHECK RrrN AND Brf.
Man, who Is usually merciful TO other ami
mails. Is most cruel to the horse The iatter ID
patient under pain which would make dog or
cat cry aloud, and this 10 one reason why Id
suffering is not regarded. Not only is the
beast. as rule. literally worked to death. but
all sorts OF unnecessary fortunes and mutilations
are inflicted upon 1t. The familiar check rein
Is one OF the mldest Of these tortures, though In
Itself bad enough: the bit 10 another more
severe. People think il is fine to see a noble
pair OF horses finging their heads in the air
AND tossing foam from their mouths. In reality
the poor animals toss their heads to relieve the
painful strain Of the check. which makes the
DIT 80 distressing TO the mouth. causing the
saliva to fow. When you see them shake their
neads so nobly. making rafting Of the harness,
IT Is to relieve the corners Of their mouths from
the CALLING of the bits. Check reins ought 10
be forbidden by law. They were in fashion a.
far back a. the time Of the Pharaohs, a. ancient
sculptures In relief show, and were. doubtless.
adopted to hold up the horses head and make
him look spirited.
DOCKING THE TAIL
"Fashion combines with ignorance TO Torture
the horse. To achieve sweetness the FIRST thing
necessary is to cut away the name % as to imi-
tate the beasts which draw the sculptured
cbariots Of antiquity. Nature has provided the
animal mercifully with tail for brushing away
the flies against which he Is otherwise helpless.
Therefore the mode requires that this useful
and necessary appendage shall be chopped OF
short. which signifies not merely the cutting OF
the hair. but the amputation of several Of the
terminal bones Of the spine, the stump being
scared with a red hot iron to make it heal.
horses tail Is to seriously subtract from the
creatures beauty; but what does that matter Il
fashion has promulgated her decree?
ut is upon the improvement Of the hoofs OF
horse, however, that human ingenuity has
been well-nigh exhausted After the farrier,
in shoeing the animal, has scooped the sole to
the thinness OF paper, cut away the frog, re-
moved the pegs lowered and cut open the
heels and burned away the wall with red-hot iron
the groom takes the matter in hand. Hoofs
are naturally mottled with various shades OF
brown, gray and black, but this does not please
the professional eye OF the stableman. 30 he
blackens and polishes them carefully with
grease and lampblack, thus choking up the
pores in the horn and preventing the needful
Transportation.
THE pIABoLIcAL BINDER.
Another diabolical invention for the dis
comfort Of the horse is the binder, the OBJ
ject Of which is to prevent the animal from
seeing things that will brighten him. But the
fact is that binders cause fright instead Of pre-
venting it, because, like ourselves, this useful
beast fears the imperfectly known. He is not
afraid OF what he sees and understands, but
with binders ON he can neither see nor under
stand anything.
speaking Of runaways, there is Q contriv-
apce which will stop the most Infatuated horse
within few yards without infiicting any pain.
1t is made of brass. like bracelet, and when
fitted over the animals nose it is not at all
conspicuous II the beast attempts to run
away the driver or rider has only to pull q
strap, which has the effect Of closing the nos
trils. The horse. when its nostrls are closed,
Is helpless. not being able to breathe. and ID
brought quickly to standstill. Indian squawt
have q similar method of teaching their babies
not to cry. When an infant raises it's voice the
mother closes its mouth and congresses its nos
trils, and, as the process 10 repeated whenever
the child cries, IT very soon learns to be silent.
Consequently such a sound as the crying Of 9
baby is never heard in an Indian CAMP"