The times., 1899-03-12
BIinhcr- ON Hnrrcs.
thc Elitor o. Ths LINES.

To thc Editor 81 Tie Tines
Nmarg Ja- multitude of unreasonable. hid,ous,
and hlrIsr.r. fashions and practices in what
pass iar ciui.zrd society, IL j. doubtful ii an
thing can De-. ilgEd mare At war with relS5a.
observation. and common -eI-c-rnt 10 -Iv cr.-.
lSiienri humanity trf which W. claim So iu1obi
than ll' almost universal habit % pit'iu..
b.indei~ on tie brides Of horse, and mulr-
th'r' j. rI ever was an arEum Ht ia is
favor 1T is tlJt the animal T., le-S likely 90
scare or r1n away 1T prevented from seeing in
any direction except that in which hc Is wanted
10 20. This IS-tIrIfs a iIyt what uo one q
sense or the least observation viii admit. tHa-
horse does not rea~oE-i7 a. mere machine. and
acts only Is he Is acted upon \ bliej recital
of little rem5niseener st an occurrence wit
messed by the writer VIII illustrate this ar.l-
inent much better than abstract reasoning In
q city ut the South Nashville. Teun--Whcrr
hr resided number oi yeI.s. and y,h-r,. through
the city press. hc had the satisfaction uf know
lns that great evolution in The rcpIiiItiau Il
tins tLrblruu> custom: effected the writer
-Iw one day gentleman and lady driving has
tilv to a railroad station. Whils the horse
uuuld see ths approaching train hs WIS rot
in the least disturbed Presently the driver
turned his head 20 liIgGt NJ tlc station. when
the animal. not -tein- but hearing the lpFT1leh-
iHI tram and arguing thIr there might be- DIN
ger, reared and plunged IA lis great fright till
the driver, recognizing tie iJvt that hr was
dealing with 4 reasoning. ~'uJirut being. turn
ed the horses head - that u- could see the loco
motive and trIck- when. reasoning that be- WIS
danger. ie gUi"trd down 1T once Every
body has witnessed such a ~rruc. and few rea,l
be told TINT, bat f5r the blill,lS, u, trouble
would have occurred.
The origin uf thC custom was about rs s5l-
lows: some hundreds OF wears ago am English
nublrmln having, in riotsuS living. -tullutlrrrl
nIgc uf his estate. ioit obliged 10 sell his horses
and carriage Tn EIr~,- It.u. blind b.. wished
To conceal this fact from observation. 4ud
hIntasei thsig ewes as To- conceal tEi, great
defect. Ns an English lord lrd pat binders on
hts horses. 1t was supposed ir wis She right
thing 70 do, impyri1u- Is fashion especially
II started hy IH English uohlrman
From close observation aud experience J rrlSc
and am prepared To- defend the assertion that
thrse-fuurti-S ut jh' runIvIy- aHI accidents IN
connection Herewith are ;rIsylhc directly sr
tine further allegation aUj prepared 60 prove
10 that tIsce-iuurtiS ct the cJ~gs OF blindness
in horses are directly uacclhlc g thc Use ot
the binder.
ANY intelligent and observing veterinary STR
gclu VIII bear ogt in the assertion that the
intense strain the nerves 1t the suiu.aI's
eyes resulting from fright (Which. but for Oh,
hlin'ier. need not oecurJ, and which rrs1rIt ia
blindness, directly trdccIhle To this cause
In this Indie uIsrt against the orthodox hslJ
iog the poor. noble, lud patient horse | have
made No illusion 90 thc moral or ethical side
OF the Question: We iIyc Just oHrr.cI from =
war fought out cHtiJey on humanitarian lines
This shows hiShwater mark in uIs Advancement
nation. VIII such i nation continue, to priC-
tice on this noble animal 4 blrbaris;r cycclicd
lay nothing in the niedilcval l.eps aud that too
in the face Of the face that their own interests
and security. to sIy nothing ot the robIess i'm
tion? V. FELL, n D.
M:shington d. C.