Fad and Fashion 213 



If horses are to be docked or banged, there should 

 be a law passed making it severely punishable to fail 

 to provide fly-nets for all horses, whether driven or 

 ridden, during the necessary months. They can per- 

 fectly well be applied to the saddle-horse, and any 

 equestrian of ordinary humanity would realise it, 

 and see to it that this most necessary and inexpen- 

 sive provision was made for the comfort of his 

 patient hack. 



The humane societies make a tremendous flutter 

 over the use of " burrs " upon bridle-bits, etc., yet 

 overlook all these requirements of common sense 

 and common decency. They do not compel sanding 

 of streets, nor ensure the prompt destruction of 

 fatally injured animals by making every keeper of a 

 public stable a legal executioner, and instructing him 

 in the merciful performance of his duties. The so- 

 ciety has made itself an object of ridicule to horse- 

 men everywhere by such lack of intelligent effort, 

 and every one knows that, if docking is illegal, yet 

 still is practised, the crime lies at no door but that of 

 the society, which fails to suppress it and which could 



