56 THE BRIDLE BITS. 



straight into ours with a love and devotion so evident in 

 no other beast, the intelligence and devotion of the horse 

 are manifested in other ways without being so demon- 

 strative. ' ! 



Would it not be well, therefore, to consider the unrea- 

 sonableness, amounting to cruelty, of handling or holdingj 

 and guiding these two servants entirely by physical force? 

 To tie ujD a Newfoundland dog (the close friend, protector 

 and companion of man, woman and child), and keep him 

 in solitary confinement — while all he loves dearly as his 

 life are at play around the stoops and halls of the family 

 home, and perhaps all walk out and leave him chained 

 to whine, pine and cry for his liberty to join in the even- 

 ing stroll — is a kind of cruelty far in excess of flogging 

 and starvation. How many affectionate animals have 

 died of broken hearts, and how near does this kind of 

 cruelty go to the breaking of the spirit, if not the heart, of 

 favorite animals around us that, fearing inconsiderate 

 abuse, suppress their torturing grief as they fawn at our 

 feet and coaxingly, and in their own way, ask permission 

 to lick the chastenins: hand. 



The horse, like the dog, enjoys his freedom, and if he 

 does not wliine and cry, he neighs, and tries in other 

 ways to make known his wants. While he is subser\ient 

 in every respect to his owner's will, and would enjoy a 

 gallop on his own account in a grass field, he is closely 

 confined in a narrow stall from year to year, tied up to a 

 manger witli a short rope or chain as if he were a Beno-al 

 tiger ; and when he is put to his daily toil his education 

 is so neglected that he knows no moral restraint. He is 

 pulled, hauled and chucked with his mouth full of iron, 

 that being the only means adopted and used for his ouid- 

 ance, with no more consideration by some men than if he 

 were a saw log. The saddle-horse, however, is more 

 exempt than the harness horse from the usual tortures 

 and abuse, and needs the consideration due his nature 



