THE HORSE. 37 



nually, by retention and unsatisfied passion. It would 

 beside be most dangerous, indeed impracticable to 

 keep all stallions in a country where such immense 

 numbers of horses are in use, and so many must stand 

 together ; though it seems the general opinion that a 

 stallion is capable of greater labour than a gelding. 

 Nicking, or severing the joints of a horse's tail, in 

 order that a callus may be formed, and keeping the 

 tail drawn up by a pulley for days together, the ani- 

 mal in the mean time kept in constant torture, all this 

 for compelling him, against nature, to carry his tail 

 cocked upwards or thrust out — is an abomination, an 

 old fashioned cruelty, practised for no useful purpose 

 of common sense, and has rationally and fortunately 

 for our national character, been many years on the 

 decline, especially since bred horses or those with 

 much blood, have been used upon the road, and the 

 broom, or racing tail, has become fashionable. Crop- 

 ped horses likewise are, comparatively with former 

 times, now seldom seen. It is another needless cruelty 

 which merits disuse, leaving the internal ear un- 

 guarded and exposed. 



Trimming and shoeing remain to complete the 

 nag for his services. As to the former, the long hairs 

 around the eyes are pulled, and those upon the nose 

 and lips, cut with scissars. The hair in the ears, and 

 beneath the chin and jowl, according to ancient custom, 

 are yet, by too many proprietors, thoughtlessly permit- 

 ted to be singed with alighted candle, to the great terror 

 of most horses, and the necessity of barbarous usage. 

 To these parts the scissars only should invariably be 

 used, the hair of the ears being clipped exactly even 



