199 



mitted to " join the Regulars," even if he is only 

 minus an inch of his stern. We have often wondered 

 what this craze for long-squared tails in the Army 

 meant, but have never been able to ascertain the 

 object very clearly, while troopers do not hesitate to 

 condemn it pretty unanimously. If the tail were 

 switched it would perhaps add grace and beauty to 

 the charger, but a long, heavy -squared tail always 

 appears to burden a horse and to give him a peculi- 

 arly clumsy appearance, while it covers up his quarters 

 and keeps him less -cool. It is also a means of 

 accumulating mud and dirt, which necessarily add 

 to the stable duties of *' Mr Thomas Atkins." The 

 long tail is considered more advantageous than the 

 short one as it enables the horse more easily to 

 brush away flies that disturb him, and there is no 

 question that in warm countries where innumerable 

 flies are on the wing in quest of equine blood, it 

 may sometimes prove beneficial. In the British 

 Isles, however, there is no necessity for any such 

 extravagant appendage. It is quite time such a 

 stupid and ridiculous regulation was rescinded, and 

 docked horses introduced into the " Regulars," and 

 let comfort and convenience, instead of a fancied 

 fine efifect, be the primary motive in the fashioning 

 of the charger's tail. We have often seen a regiment 

 of auxiliary cavalry, the horses of which were all 

 docked, and in point of quality and substance they 

 would compare favourably with the best mounted 

 regiment in the British Army. Army horses should 



