DOCKING 299 



DOCKING. 



It has been a long-established custom to dock the 

 tails of horses convenience justifies it and fashion 

 guides it. The length of the stump varies with the 

 taste of the times, or the fancy of the owner. A 

 medium length is undoubtedly the best, and a very 

 short one is not only unseemly, but also a very great 

 injury to the animal, as he is thus deprived of that 

 which nature intended as a switch, and as a substitute 

 for hands to drive off insects. 



The operation of docking is performed at different 

 ages of the animal ; some consider it best to do it at 

 two years, while others think the earlier the better. 

 From what we have ourselves noticed, we coincide 

 with the latter opinion. At a fortnight it may be 

 done with perfect safety, and even sooner ; and it un- 

 questionably affects the foal less at this period than at 

 the age of two years. 



The manner of performing the operation is to fix 

 upon a part of the tail, and having determined on that, 

 take the one next joint to it ; let the hair be turned 

 up and fastened with tape for an inch or two above 

 the joint, while that which grows upon the vertebra 

 itself must be cut off. The horse is then restrained 

 by the side line, and the surgeon now applies his 

 docking machine, and cuts it through at the division 

 between the vertebrae at one stroke. It is not un- 

 common for farmers and other breeders to perform the 

 operation with a sharp knife, resting the tail on a 

 board, and striking the back of the knife with a mallet 

 or hammer. Although considerable bleeding is caused 

 by this operation, there is no danger to be appre- 

 hended from it. To stop this in the speediest manner 

 is to sere the stump with a red-hot iron, with a hole 



