HUNTERS 75 



horses invariably turn their backs to the storm, relying on 

 the shelter afforded by a flowing tail, down which the 

 rain-drops harmlessly drip. How is the short-docked horse 

 able to help himself under the same adverse circumstances ? 

 Moreover, the tail is again a protection when the animal 

 is lying on damp ground, and acts as a para-pluie, or a para- 

 soleil, according to circumstances. The animal provided 

 as Nature intended, with a bushy tail, should be much envied 

 by the one subjected to amputation, for when flies bother 

 a whisk or two soon settles them, and when storms 

 threaten it has plenty of thatch to protect itself also against 

 them. From an artistic point of view the removal of the 

 tail betrays a sad lack of culture, since the symmetry of 

 the animal is at once destroyed. Nature is a consummate 

 artist, and every detail is carefully thought out. The trunk 

 of an animal may be regarded as a table, balanced on four 

 supports, and then when a prolongation is added to one end, 

 to obviate a top-heavy appearance something must be 

 designed to add to the other end to balance the whole. 

 Thus, when the head and neck are appended, the tail is also 

 required for symmetry's sake; and a docked horse resembles 

 nothing so much as a teapot, with the spout intact but 

 with the handle broken off short ! The opponents of 

 vivisection are numerous, when most invaluable knowledge 

 for the benefit of the human race can only be thus gained, 

 but here are animals vivisected by the thousand for no 

 earthly reason except a silly fashion, bringing discomfort 

 and often misery to the victim for the remainder of its life.* 



* In July, 1911, before Mr. Cecil Chapman, at Tower Bridge 

 Police Court, a person was summoned for causing two horses 

 to be ill-treated, by docking them ; and his horsekeeper was also 

 summoned for ill-treating them by performing the operation. He 

 stated it was done to smarten their appearance, and to strengthen their 

 backs. Mr. Chapman said the docking of horses was founded upon 

 ignorance, and having become a custom it prevailed long after the 

 ignorance had been exposed. A horse that was docked might fetch 

 more money at a sale, but to enhance its value by inflicting pain was 

 not justifiable. In order to mark the importance of the case, the 

 owner would be fined £3, and £3 3s. costs, while the horsekeeper would 

 have to pay 2s. costs. 



