American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1909-02-20
FARMERS PLEA
FOR THE HORSE
Kindness is Wisdom, Cruelty
Worse Than Folly.
Kindness the Best Policy, Cruelty Does
Not Pay MANY Animals Ruined
by Ill Treatment Don't
Expect Too Much.

The following excellently expressed
appreciation of the horse is from the
pen of a farmer-writer, and appeared in
The Indiana Farmer
According to an old proverb Every
thing comes TO him who waits" There
fore it would seem that man with
much patience is sure of success. Man
ifestly this is true, but everyone knows
that the key to the garden of achieve
ment is not the power of continued
waiting, but rather push and ambition.
Patience is commendable quality in
its place, but an inspiration toward the
road that leads to the populous city of
Failure, when used indiscriminately
Unlike kindness, it is a dangerous
quality. Kindness never harmed any
one, but it has helped and aided
thousands. The kindly man has moth
ing to fear, but the patient man must
keep an unintermittent watch over
himself, as the distance from patience
to delay-waste of time and sheer lazi
ness-is very short indeed. Would it
not be better to say that Everything
comes to him who is kind?"
To the farmer, kindness is a priceless
asset, for without it he is seriously
handicapped If he is unkind to his
family, divorce may result; if he is un-
kind to his neighbors, he will be ostra-
, cised or banished from the social life of
the community; if he is unkind to the
dumb animals under his care, any one
of several misfortunes may visit him.
Cruelty does not pay
The man who is cruel to animals is
but himself a brute, and the man who
is cruel to his best friend, what is he?
Does the word exist which is applica-
BILE to the man who mistreats his horse?
Can it be possible that such man ever
stops to think what he would do if his
faithful friend, the horse, were taken
from him, and he could obtain no other!
He would be left helpless, stranded
He would have to revert to the ways of
his forefathers and use oxen. Truly,
how puny is mani
Cruelty accomplishes nothing, but it
is the direct route to failure and broken
hopes.
1t has been said that cruelty to dumb
animals is one of the distinguishing
vices of the lowest and basest of people
Wherever it is found, it is a certain
mark of ignorance and meanness. Sam
uel Smiles, the noted author and re-
former, has said ''The cheapest of all
things is kindness, its exercise requiring
the least possible trouble and self-sacri-
fice.' Another famous man has de-
clared: Kindness is wisdom. Think
of it! Kindness is wisdom. " Is it not
true? Who but fool delights in cru
city? A wise man knows that cruelty
only makes matters worse, and that
kindness makes them better.
Be kind to the horse. Don't berate
him because he does something which
should not have been done. Perhaps he
had the right motive, but in his dumb
way was unable to express it. Perhaps
he wanted to help you; possibly he
meant no evil, though outwardly he
seemed perverse and stubborn. Give
him credit for at least trying to be
good, for there are few horses which
are naturally bad. Many persons take
1t for granted that when horse does
wrong he intended to do so, and they
therefore punish him for it. Now, this !
action only agravates the matter, and I
II continued will result in an incorrigi-
Ole animal, made so solely by the mis- /
treatment of his master. This and this /
only explains why so many horses are
bad.
Gee wo-haw" says the farmer to
ms team. Get up-wo" he says. (
Now, what is the effect of these rapid
commands? Confusion. Restlessness.
BY the time the horse is ready to do
one thing, he is told to to do another.
In vernacular, he is kept jumping. " {
The commands come so fast that he is
confused, an therefore, either does
nothing, or makes an error If he does
this he is punished for it, which adds
only to his confusion. Then possibly he
commits other blunders. The driver
beats him over the head with stick or
ciup, and possibly kicks him. All of
winch is futile. The horse is worried /
and the only thing which will prove of
any advantage is kindness.
Inc best policy is to be kind to the
morse. Remember that he has no soul,
therefore only dumb animal. Don't