660 OPERATIONS. 



principally to an upward pull, which in all probability would 

 draw the rein up to the root of the tail, where the power of the 

 depressor muscles is at its maximum, and where the horse is 

 much more ticklish than lower down. As the end of a docked 

 tail is much more sensitive to pressure than that of an undocked 

 one, it is reasonable to infer that undocked horses are less liable 

 to get excited or irritable from tail interference than docked ones, 

 which is a fact I have amply proved by experience among all kinds 

 of horses. I consider that this increased sensitiveness more than 

 counterbalances any good effect which ordinary docking may have, 

 in preventing a harness horse from getting his tail over a rein. 

 Accidents which might arise from this cause, are certainly not 

 more prevalent in countries where long-tailed animals are used 

 in harness, than in countries where docking is in fashion. I have 

 never known or heard of anyone being hurt by such a mishap, 

 the chance of which could be reduced to a minimum in single 

 harness by the employment of a kicking strap. If docking were 

 a necessity for the prevention of this occurrence, the fashion which 

 prevails in England of having brougham and hearse horses un- 

 docked would not exist. Also, American trotting horses (" standard 

 bred ") are not docked. To reduce the chance of a horse in harness 

 getting his tail over a rein, there could be no objection to banging 

 his tail (squaring off the long hairs) close to the end of the dock. 

 Docking horses to prevent them from acquiring this vice is as 

 logical as would be the custom of cutting out their eyes in order 

 to prevent them shying. If a long-tailed horse had that habit, he 

 could be easily prevented from putting it into practice, by tying 

 his tail to the splinter bar. Sitting on the end of a long tail is the 

 usual custom among drivers of match trotters. 



The fact that horses are docked at a length which does not 

 prevent them from catching and holding a rein that gets under 

 their tail, is an unanswerable proof that the prevalence of docking 

 in England is due to the dictates of fashion, and not to considera- 

 tions of supposed danger. 



Hardly any horse will kick, on account of getting his tail over 

 a rein, if he has been mouthed according to the "long rein" 

 system which I have advocated and described in " Illustrated 

 Horse-breaking." 



In any case, this accident is possible only when the driver is 

 incompetent. 



3. That it prevents a hunter from soiling the coat of his rider 

 hy his tail. This idea is an absurdity, because an undocked horse 

 cannot reach his rider with his tail if it is banged short, which 

 is a fact known to all mounted military men. Besides, mud on 

 a hunting coat is " clean dirt." Thorough-breds, as we all know, 



