I've read of horses and dogs drowning themselves. This
horse had been clipped, and his tail was docked, and he was turned out
to graze. The flies stung him till he was nearly crazy. He ran up to a
picket fence, and sprang up on the sharp spikes. There he hung, making
no effort to get down. Some men saw him, and they said it was a clear
case of suicide.
"I would like to have the power to take every man who cuts off a horse's
tail, and tie his hands and turn him out in a field in the hot sun, with
little clothing on, and plenty of flies about. Then we would see if he
wouldn't sympathize with the poor, dumb beast. It's the most senseless
thing in the world, this docking fashion. They've a few flimsy arguments
about a horse with a docked tail being stronger-backed, like a
short-tailed sheep, but I don't believe a word of it. The horse was made
strong enough to do the work he's got to do, and man can't improve on
him. Docking is a cruel, wicked thing. Now, there's a ghost of an
argument in favor of check-reins, on certain occasions. A fiery, young
horse can't run away, with an overdrawn check, and in speeding horses a
tight check-rein will make them hold their heads up, and keep them from
choking.
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