DOCKING HORSES.
{"newspaper_name": "The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register.", "edition": "01", "page": "p3", "byline": "It's imhoZlicy and cruelty,"}
Mr.. EdAor.-I have long considered the
practice of docking horses highly injurious;
and now ask the favor of little space for
the insertion of my protest against it. In
Spain, France, and Italy, long tails are uni
versal. The cossack, Arabs, and South A
mercans, who almost live on horseback, new
er dock their horses.


The tail is, to the horse, highly useful and
ornamental; nature makes no mistakes; no.
thing superf1uous is given to any animal.
As defence against the cold in the winter
and the flies in the summer, its use is obvious
A horse that looses the smallest particle OF
his tail bone never has the free use of it.
That he carries it more gaily in consequence
of having been docked, is a mistake.


AS to nicking and foxing, practices of the
same origin, still more cruel and absurd,
they have gone so much out of fashion, that
it Is unnecessary to say any thing as to them.
Nothing but a vtiated taste could have toll
Grated mutillation productive of so much de-
formity. am happy to acknowledge that
the practice of which complain is gradual
! ly subsiding. The tail of two year old
colt appears to be too large for his body, oe-
cause one has got its growth the other not half
When he arrives at maturity, this dispro-
portion vanishes-all is symmetry.


But you will be told that carriage horses,
particularly gig horses, must be docked,
or they will throw their tails over the reins!
That saddle horses must be tlockcd, because
in wet weather, their tails get muddy!--and
that all horses must be dock d to improve their
beauty-rherc is no accounting for taste,
To oimprove appearance, the African files his
teeth to resemble a saw; the Indian slashcs
and distends his ears, whilst the females OF
more ciuHi-ed life are content with boring
holes thro' the bottom of their children's cars,
thereunto suspending punches of beads, CO.
rails &c. The Chinese compress the feet OF
their females until they are useless.


Those who breed horses for sale, lose
more in this way than they are aware OF


Bring to market two colts, as equal in merit
as possible, one dockc;, the other not-and
a preference of from 10 to 30 per cent. will
be given to the one with natural tail.


Gentleman who do not reside on their es-
tates, should prohibit their overseers, those
great sticklers for customs, from docking
colts. have known several instances OF fine
colts being ruined in this way.


/ am surprised that no notice has ever
: been taken of this grievance, Ito the horse .
: sore one,) by Agricultural societies. Know
, ing you to be warm friend of this nobl,
; animal, submit his Case in this respect, tc
your care-he has many wrongs to COM
plain of.-.dmerican Farmer.