124 Centaur ; 



The first nick, as it is called, is started, say tliree inches, 

 from the riirap, and the others at equal distances according 

 to the length of the tail. 



The most cruel part of the operation consists in taking or 

 drawing a portion of the tendons out of the tail. 



The amount of pain which the horse endures during the 

 process of docking and nicking, rests more or less with the 

 operator ; but in any case it is extremely painful, so much so 

 that many proprietors of horses have feelingly determined to 

 set their faces against the S5^stem altogether ; in fact, the 

 very cruel and unnecessary'' practice we hope will soon be 

 fast dying out, and happil}^ become the exception, not the 

 rule. 



"We give an extract from the Midland Evening News, 

 October 20th, 1884:— 



Docking Horses. — The fashion of mutilating horses tails haa 

 now become so common that for the heavier kinds of horses required 

 in the army it is sometimes almost impossible to procure a sufficient 

 number without taking some which have been submitted to the 

 injurious operation of " docking." The military authorities have 

 been advised to reject all such mutilated horses, as horses with short 

 tails are practically unfit for service in the tield, where flies are 

 troublesome. 



From the following illustration it will be seen that the 

 practice of " docking " is not only cruel, but illegal : — 



Docking a Horse's Tail. — At the Bridgnorth Petty Sessions, 



recently, T. H and J. J. W , horse dealers, and J. H , 



were charged with cruelty to a horse, by " docking " its tail with a 



butcher's knife. — J. H said he "docked" the animal himself, and 



was in the habit of doing so to other horses, but did not consider it 

 cruelty. — Mr. Cann, Veterinary Surgeon, was called, and gave it as 

 his opinion that, according to the evidence, the horse had been 

 cruelly illtreated. — The Chief Constable remarked that after the 

 horse was " docked " it was immediately harnessed and driven about 



the town. — The Bench said the case against H and W would 



be dismissed, as there was not sufficient evidence to convict them ; 

 but J. H would be fined 15s. and the costs, making a total of £2. 



