212 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



animal, and legislation should prevent; ordinary 

 good taste and humanity should discountenance it. 

 Docking is peculiarly inappropriate where our 

 American vehicles are used and the passengers sit 

 rather low behind their horse. The long tail, hang- 

 ing well down between and behind the hind legs, 

 forms an effective guard against flying mud, dust, 

 and pebbles, while the docked-tailed animal, par- 

 ticularly if he steps rather high, hurls the filth at 

 you in showers — and some horses, thus mutilated, 

 are quite unusable in the native runabout, buggy, 

 etc. Theory has it that the long tail gets over the 

 rein more frequently and more firmly than the 

 docked, whereas exactly the contrary is the case. 

 The docked horse not only " shuts down " closer, 

 but his tail affords no leverage if you would finally 

 lift it off the rein — when not improbably your clasp 

 (and the ensuing discomfort) brings to his one- 

 ideaed mind the thought that once upon a time some 

 one hurt him rig'ht there, and, as opportunity offers, 

 he proceeds to " get square " by kicking your head 

 off, and the wagon to pieces. 



