470 DOCKING. 



trimming the tail of a horse. There are so many controlling 

 influences to be taken into consideration, such as shape, 

 build, carriage, etc., that unless a person is thoroughly famil- 

 iar with horses of different stamps he should not place too 

 much confidence in his ability to anticipate results. 



The question of docking is seldom determined by the 

 merits of the dispute, but purely on personal desire — like the 

 shooting of birds or deer. If we are hungry the act is 

 condoned on the ground of necessity, while the killing of a 

 bird or animal for idle amusement is denounced ; yet the 

 pain to the creatures is in no way lessened or increased by 

 the motive of the destroyer. Though the necessity of dock- 

 ing is not as apparent as that of supplementing an ample 

 meal with a course of woodcock or a shoulder of venison, 

 yet it exists and always will, so long as this particular fash- 

 ion sways its power. 



As the operation of docking will in all probability be 

 performed for many years to come, notwithstanding that it 

 is forbidden by law in many states, the least painful means 

 of executing it is described. The animal can be spared all 

 the preliminary fear to which he is unnecessarily submitted 

 in being twitched, bound or otherwise confined. When the 

 time for the operation arrives, the blanket should be folded 

 back, the horse standing in his stall as under ordinary cir- 

 cumstances. The hair is then cut away for a foot or more 

 from below the joint that is to be severed, and that which 

 remains above is tied back with a cord. The skin is pulled 

 up over the bone as much as possible and then tied an 

 inch above the joint with a piece of catgut firmly, but not 

 as tight as it can be drawn. For the cutting a docking knife 

 should always be used to the exclusion of such crude imple- 



