BLINDERS. 



257 



Fig. 311. — Fashion. The Blinders 



as now Formed. The Eyes 



Completely Covered. 



eye almost a quarter of an inch, so 



as to cause serious injury. The blinders 



had been pressed close up to the side of 



the head, and against the eye to such 



a degree as to attract my notice. This 



is a common occurrence, as the clinch 



of the wire holding the ornament either 



extends beyond the surface of the leather, 



or becomes raised more or less, and hence 



is a very common cause of injury to the 



eye. I have frequently found the outer 



edge of the eye.abraided and raw from 



this cause. 

 ; A horse is naturally suspicious and 



afraid of anything he does not plainly 



see, or does not comprehend the nature 



of, and hence he must either be pre- 

 vented from seeing objects at all, or be 



permitted to see tfyem plainly. Any one 



can understand that if compelled to look 



through a small slit or narrow space, 



it not only in the first place increases the difficulty of seeing, es- 

 pecially while moving, making 

 it very trying on the eyes, but 

 it makes it clearly impossible 

 to see things as plainly as if 

 the eyes had entire freedom. 

 This is just the effect blinders 

 have upon the horse's eyes. 



Now, of late years, in the 

 large cities especially, the 

 fashion has become quite com- 

 mon of making the blinders 

 not only very large, but in the 

 form of a bowl, that is, hollow 

 in the center, and the edges 

 brought forward in saucer 

 shape, carrying it to such an 

 extreme that they really cover 

 up the eyes and prevent the 



horse from seeing at all, or but very little out of the front corner of 



the eye ; and harness-makers throughout the country are foolishly 



adopting this plan of forming blinders. 



Jta. 312.- 



-The Eyes so Covered that the Horse 

 Cannot See. 



