200 
JNO. P. HAINES. 
— 
four pairs of muscles. These latter are known as the two erec¬ 
tor es coccygis , the two depressores coccygis , the two curvatores 
coccygis , and the two compressores coccygis . They are all supplied 
with nerves of sensation and volition. To prepare a horse for dock¬ 
ing, the common procedure is to secure him firmly by a twitch 
on his nose, to raise one of his forelegs to his breast apd to tie 
it there, to cut the hair from around the stump of the tail, and 
to tie a string, or a piece of catgut, above the vertebrae which 
are to be removed. Finally, after the severance of the tail by 
the docking instrument, a. red-hot iron is applied to stop the 
bleeding. As regards the torture, the behavior of the animal 
while undergoing the operation is sufficient evidence. The 
horse’s first action is to jerk his head as violently as he can, but 
that movement is soon controlled by the twitch on his nose, of 
itself an instrument of torture ; he then crouches nearly to the 
ground, and screams or moans with pain. The operation ended, 
he is found to be dripping with sweat. As witnesses have ex¬ 
pressed it, u the water fairly runs off him.” 
Docking is advocated chiefly by grooms, who wish to spare 
themselves the considerable manual labor of caring for the tail ; 
and upon the recommendation of such men the thoughtless 
owner of the horse consents to the mutilation. 
The practice of docking was introduced into this country 
many years ago from England. That the custom is an old one 
we learn from Hartmann, in his “ Traite des Haras P p. 274. 
He reports that the Council of Calcliyd, which met in England 
towards the close of the eighth century, prohibited the practice 
of docking horses, on the ground that it was u a barbarous cus¬ 
tom.” I11 our day and country docking has been condemned by 
the most prominent veterinarians and horsemen, and also by the 
United States Veterinary Medical Association at their thirty-first 
annual meeting at Philadelphia, Pa., September 20, 1894. A 
standing reward of a large sum is offered by our Society for the 
arrest and conviction of any person found docking horses. 
The usual arguments for the mutilation are, first, that 
“ the operation is nearly, if not quite, painless, owing to the low 
degree of sensibility possessed by the tail, and to the rapidity 
with which the amputation is effected ” ; second, that “ remov¬ 
ing some inches of the tail prevents harnessed horses from 
throwing it over the reins, and so prevents running away or 
kicking.” These arguments are answered by Dr. George 
Fleming in a way that may be regarded as conclusive. 
“ Nothing,” says that author, “ can be further from the truth 
