DOCKING. 671 



end of a docked tail is much more sensitive to pressure than that 

 of an undocked one, it is reasonable to infer that uudocked horses 

 are less liable to get excited or irritable from tail interference than 

 docked ones, 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 bang- 

 ing 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 fro^m 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 aooording 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, a fact 

 known tO' all mounted military men. Besides, mud on a hunting 

 coat is " clean dirt." Thorough-breds are not docked, whether 

 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 



