DOCKma. 661 



are not docked, whether they are used for racing, chasing, or 

 hunting, and military horses are also exempt from this operation. 



4. That it may he necessary, in order to remove a deformity, 

 injury or disease in the tail. This argument is, of course, valid 

 in the extremely rare cases to which it applies; supposing, of 

 course, that the remedy was not worse than the complaint. 



I venture to think that the conclusion we should draw from the 

 foregoing observations is that docking, with the exception just 

 mentioned, is cruelty, because it causes unnecessary pain. The 

 suffering inflicted during the operation is a mere trifle compared 

 to the misery the mutilated animal has to endure in the open 

 during hot weather. In this respect, brood mares which have 

 been docked are particularly to be pitied, and men who dock 

 fillies or get them docked, merit the contempt of all lovers of 

 horses. Apart from the stud question, a docked mare " in 

 season," especially when ridden by a lady in the hunting field, 

 is a disgusting and indecent sight which should not be tolerated 

 in a civilised country. 



THE OPERATION.— Much as I object to the custom of docking, 

 I think I am justified in describing how it should be performed; 

 because, as I have already said, the operation may be necessary in 

 order to correct deformity of the tail, and, in any case, it is well 

 to have it properly done. Its performance by ignorant persons is 

 often the cause of much needless suffering. 



Although the pain of this amputation is more or less propor- 

 tionate to the age of the animal operated on, it is much better to 

 defer the docking till the colt or filly is taken up from grass, than 

 to shorten the tail at an earlier age, so that the youngster may 

 escape as much annoyance from flies as possible. Besides, when 

 the animal is taken up from grass, say, between three or four 

 years of age, his owner, even if he is partial to docking, may 

 see fit to leave the horse's tail alone, as, for instance, if he wants 

 to sell the animal for remount purposes, or to go in a brougham. 



Having selected the site of operation, which is generally 4 to 8 

 inches from the end of the dock (solid portion of the tail), the 

 hair of the remaining part is turned up, and tied tightly with a 

 cord, which acts as a tourniquet. The hair round the intended 

 point of incision is cut off* with a scissors, and the exposed skin 

 is disinfected (p. 70). To prevent the animal kicking during 

 the operation, it is advisable to suspend the near fore leg, by 

 connecting it with a stirrup leather to a roller or surcingle put 

 round the horse's body. This method of suspending a fore leg 

 is described in " Illustrated Horse-breaking." A good plan of 

 fixing the part is that recommended by Mr. Slocock, F.R.C.V.S. 



