2o6 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



lianity are practical, progressive, or satisfactory if 

 they ignore these facts. The only worthy solution 

 of such problems is to educate the rising generations 

 beyond all such danger-points ; to legislate not for 

 the punishment of man, but for his enlightenment; 

 to see to it that every child in every school, public and 

 private, passes his examinations as to the care and 

 protection due dumb animals, as well as his " three 

 royal R's " of " reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic." 



But little general advance can be expected in such 

 matters as long as object-lessons are lacking, and 

 practical supervision and legislation remains so in- 

 ert and so inapt. Laws exist against docking, the 

 use of " burrs " on bridle bits, for the sanding of the 

 asphalt, for the provision of numerous and adequate 

 drinking-places for the refreshment of animals of 

 all sizes ; but the rich man defies or ignores them 

 all, and the poor man, following the lead of his 

 \vealthy neighbour, obeys them so far as he is 

 (obliged, or as he finds it convenient tO' do. 



The crying evil of the day, so far as horses are 

 concerned, is accepted to be the docking of the tail. 



