The morning times., 1896-07-19
CRUELTY OF THE CHECK REIN.
1t Not Only Causes Suffering, but
Injuries the Health of Horses.
From the Ae,e York Tribune.


To the Editor of the Tribune.
Sir-in a valuable article before me, "A
Lover OF Horses, enumerates the crueities
heaped upon the horse, and adds: But
all these things put together do not hurs ike
the check rein; that portion OF the spine
in the neck constantly irritatcd by the
check( Is, in horse, as in u man, very SEN
sitiye- II a mans neck be forced into any
constrained position and held there, the
keencst suffering quickly follows. II .
horses head be fastened down a foot below
its Datural place, he will suffer, but not a
tenth part rs much as ir it is fastened
foot above it. The great strain,- he
adds. rs felt at the top of the neck and
another common effect OF the check Is
stiff shoulders and weak knees He
tells us that for years he has observed in
New York city that car and omnibus horses
although hard worked and on hardest pave
ments, very rarely become stiff forward.
because their heads are free: while even in
the country livery horses wearing tight
check reins are almost sure to become
snff.
The check doubtless explains why so
many good torses travel stiff, almost as il
foundered. How often we see trotting
horses in the park with their heads I'M
naturally fastened back, often eight or
ten inches higher than they would naturally
carry them- All the tossing and twisting
and jerking is their pitiful appeal to get
relief from the suffering caused by that
unyielding strap. The bor se's supple
strength and freedom of action are in
that long, wonderful neck; when the neck
is contracted and stiffened by this taut
contrivance, the strain OF drawing or OF
locomoiiOn must fail, not on his neck
muscles, as nature intends, but on every
other part of his sore body.
Physicians assure US that high heels,
throwing the weight OF the body forward.
are injurious TO eyes and spine, the strain
resulting because the body Is out OF po.
sition. So serious is this evil that soms
physicians have refused TO attend pa
uents who persisted in their use The
first thought OF the architect is TO have
his building on a firm, solid foundation
to have his building square and true.
Surely of no less importance is it to have
a travelling machine properly poised.
But horse is out of plumb just in pro-
portion as his head is forced out OF its
natural position.
Doubtless biacksmiths are, as a rule,
ignorant as yet Of the perfect art of shoe
ing; but if they could persua dc their clients
to discard or moderate this device Of tor
nlent and disease, they would in many ca ses
save their own reputation, and have sound
horses instead Of lame and fore ones. A
year or more ago comparatively few car
riage horses were harnesseG with checks
What a pleasure it was to see them stand
ing at rest in perfect comfort and reposel
now the cruel fad Comes back again, and
the suffering is evidenced by the desperate
tossing OF heads as the carria ges Of fashion
stand before our churches, our shops and
private dwellings. stamped with this ..taoige
or cruelty" as ignorant as it is senselcss
What a state Of useless, rcrvpus suffer-
Ing they tell! They who So Ecartlessly
impose 1T upon these helpless creatures
would not endure it for themselves our
moment. HUMANITY.