The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1892-04-16
ARE BLihkERs HuarFUL,
Reasons Why They Harm Instead of R~.>-
~ Horses That Wear Tssm

Reasons why They Harm Instead .s a...
~ herses That Wear Them.
= When horse is used for the saddl.
no one thinks Of meddling with hi,
eyes, and We allow the animal 10 us1
Them freely. as nature has directed
But no sooner do we put the same an
imal into harness than we think onr.
selves bound " fasten black leather
nap over each Of his eyes 50 as 10 Ore.
vent INN from seeing objects at his
sides, and to limit his view TO those
which are in his immediate front.
ms Is done with the very best inten-
lions. the object being 10 save him
from being frightened by startling
and unwonted sights, and only TO
leave sufiiciency of vision where
WITH 10 guide his steps. Herein, Is in
feeding and stabling the horse, man
Judges the animal by himself, forget,
Jung, or rather having failed To notice.
ihat the eyes VI the horse are exceed.
ingly unlike our own. Our ewes arc
set IN the front OF our heads SO that
u blinkers were fastened 70 our tenn.
pies our range Of vision would be but
slightly limited. But the eyes of the
horse are placed on the sides of the
head. and are rather prominent, 50
that the animal can not only see on
either side. but by rolling his ewes
back wards. AS We see in a vicious
horse, can see objects almost in his
immediate rear. The effect of the
biinker is both physically and men
tally injurious TO the horse. In the
hrst place, especially when large and
brought near the eyes, il has the eff
feet Of heating them and hindering
The Tree passage of air over them. In
The next place. II causes the eyes TO be
aiways directed forward, and thus pro.
duces most injurious strain on the
delicate muscles. We know how
painful sensation is felt when we
are Obliged To strain our eyes either
backward or upward any length OF
Time and the horse suffers no less in.
convenience when ii is forced 10 keep
ITS eyes continually strained forward.
The worst example Of the binkers
that have ever seen were in the
United States, where the blinkers Tor
biihdefs As they are there named)
are often brought 50 closely together
IN front by means of a strap and "A
buckle that mere narrow strip barely
half an inch in width is left for
vision. This again is done with the
best intentions. the object being 10
save the animal from being afflicted
with snow blindness. Now the horses
eyes are ia many respects different
from our own. and are not affected.
as Is the case with ours, By the vas,
ehpanses of dazzling snow which are
rvhiered even more dazzling by the
clear atmosphere aud brilliant sun
shine OF America One of its safe.
guards lies III the remarkable structure
which is properly termed the 'haw,"
and scientifically the "nic,itatinp
This is a sort OF a third
eyelid sci beneath the true eyelids.
and capable of being drawn at will
over the eyeball, thus performing the
double duty OF shielding the eye from
The direct glare Of light and clearing
The surface from dust and any other
foreigh substance. This membrane is
seen IN perfection IN the birds Of prev.
~ that tie proverbial statement tina, |
The eagle trains itself 10 gaze al the !
midday sun has some foundation ia /
fact Public Opinion.