The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1911-02-03
In Orchard and Field
GHappenings Of Moment the Man Behind the Pow
international Abuse of Horses.

nlntentioHal ADuSe OF f1OFsts.
Together with the arousing of pub
lie sentiment the evolution of the
horse has caused a great decrease in
| the old time cruelty. But this does
| not necessarily mean that cruelty
| has ceased, but what I do wish to
show is that the nature of the cruelty
| has changed as the disposition of
| the horse has changed.
1t is a very common thing to see
man driving a horse along the road
at its highest speed, kept UP by the
continuous twitching of the rein, or
| tapping of the whip or both-when
| he stops, he stops the horse sudden
| speed
| 1t is not so much fast driving that
wish to condemn as the manner in
which it is done. When you see a
horse driven as just mentioned you
will notice that it lasts about two
years and is then considered as
knocked out" for the roads; a new
horse is bought and he. too, goes
through the same grind.
1t has not been the number of
miles such horse has gone, nor the
number of beatings. nor starvation,
but the continual "naggng'' that
limited his usefulness to two years.
What ! mean by nagging is any
process that keeps horse continual
| ly nervous. Some people delight to
keep a horse con his nerve" or
Showing his mettle.'' little thinking
| they are practicing as dire cruelty
as the man who used club on his
low-bred horse.
I am not sure but that we will all
agree, when we understand all the
conditions. that he who used the
iclub was the most humane The
club was used most on thick hide.
a low. nervous organization and
slueg sh disposition. The nagging.
process is used on horse that has
mighty developed nerves. thin, sensi-
tive skin and hot blood.
The club bruised small area of
flesh and irritated a few nerves that
scarcely aroused the sluggish brain
Nagging throws the whole nerve sys-
tenn out of the normal, arouses a
sensitive brain and starts the blood
flowing at fever heat Such a horse
truly is on his nerve He uses his
nervous energy at rapid rate and
hence his quick decline. He ages
rapidly. rheumatism. stffened mus
Giles and indigestion result from such
a strain upon the nervous system.
When a horse is kept up to his
highest pitch. with his nerves on a
continual strain. it is nothing less
than torture. and torture of the
worst kind The more spirited the
horse. the greater becomes the tor
ture.
A small spot constantly irritated
on a nervous horse is often the
source of more annoyance than a
large running sore would be to
horse of less sensibility.
Just today my attention was call
ed to a highly bred young coach
horse that is developing an ugly
temper, which I found to be caused
by sore back. The young owner
had adopted fad of driving without
breeding, leaving the buggy to be
stopped by the back-band. This in
eyitably causes irritation, and at a
spot that is very sensitive
Custom sometimes allows this
form of torture to pass unnoticed,
while using horse with a wound
that would be odious to the sight
but far less severe to the horse,
would be sufficient cause for a heavy
fine.
Many people allow their horse to
become obstinate and balk or have
some sort of mad tantrum. This is
just about as excusable in a horse as
it is in child.
l have seen parents allow their
children to kick. bite and scream in
a paroxysm of madness, until the
child quit from pure exhaustion. No
attempt would be made to stop the
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