242 A QUEER NOTION 



this mean nailing it down ?) " There were no reasons 

 given why you should do so ; but I tried it several times, 

 and thought that it had a good effect, though I would not 

 recommend its use, especially stitching his ears 

 together." 



Well, Brother Jonathan has some queer go-a-head 

 notions about horse management. But what would be 

 said to stitching a bad horse's ears together, or fastening 

 them down every time he was shod, to prevent him kick- 

 ing ? I rather think Mr. Martin's act would be decidedly 

 at variance with this principle ; and what will be thought 

 of Mr. Rarey, with all his philosophy and gentle art, 

 battening down a horse's ears ? A twitch is sometimes 

 applied by us to the ear of a vicious horse, to hold him 

 until the blacksmith takes up his fore leg to begin shoeing 

 him ; and we knew, before Mr. Rarey did us the honour 

 of a visit, that a horse cannot kick very easily when 

 standing on three legs, although few would practise this 

 cruelty of driving him some distance when thus manacled, 

 as advised. " If he is the most kicking horse that ever 

 raised a foot, you need not be fearful of his doing any 

 damage while he has one foot up, for he cannot kick, 

 neither can he run fast enough to do any harm ; and if he 

 is the wildest horse that ever had harness on, and has run 

 away every time he has been hitched, you can now hitch 

 him in a sulky, and drive him as you please. If he wants 

 to run, you can let him have the lines, and the whip too, 

 with perfect safety, for he can go but a slow gait on 

 three legs, and wiU soon be tired." 



Now of aU the cruelties (necessary operations omitted) 

 upon the poor horse, I say that whipping him along a 

 hard road on three legs in an American sulky is one of 

 the most diabolical and cowardly acts that the greatest 



