POCKING HORSES TAILS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1645, 11 January 1913, Page 8

POCKING HORSES TAILS.

A-WARNING AGAINST PRAC- : ' " ■;-.!■':■; "■:•;■■■ TICK.- ■;.'/•;:•,. : .; ■' A warning.-against tho nll-Joo-common practice of docking ■'horses' tails is' published - in. ■ the -"Pastoralists' Review.' Though the fly nuisance is hot nearly as troublesome in Now Zealand as in warmer countries working horses should not be deprived of the means of ridding themselves of the irritating: attentions, of the fly. The'Tteview" says .that the present season in Australia is one of the very worst, on reoord so far as flies are. concerned. -They, swarm ill myriads throughout the country, and inflict absolute torture on both man and beast. Reports from several districts' state that cattle and horses aro driven,frantic in their efforts to.escape; tho persistent torture of tho:flies, and the demand for fly-veils' for horses has been far greater than country townships can supply. -These veils certainly assist in alleviating the suffering, -but this is a very suitable opportunity for referring to the cruel,practice of docking horses' tails. The sufferings of horses deprived of. their., most'-useful adornment cannot bo'described, and it is quite time for the'barbarous custo'm-to be abolished by" legislation! ;No voice is raisedagainst the refined system of-torture caused by depriving, the horse of its tail, and sending it forth with a ■ disfigured, useless stump, completely at the/meroy of: the fiies. The practice of docking horses-originated in Europe, whero horses are generally, carefully housed and rugged and-'protected in many' ways' from the flies; but when applied to Australia the custom is absolutely oruel. Everyone fa-

miliar with country life has soon the way horses pair up head to ; tail for mutual protection against the flics, and it is equally' well known that tho bob-tailed horse cannot find a mate for this form of protection.. No horse will pair with him, and his tortures are therefore immeasurably increased. New Zealand is a far greater offender as regards docking horses than tho Australian States, and New Zealand horses in tho Commonwealth nro having a very bad time indeed. During tho year 0615 horses wero exported from . tho Dominion to Australia, 312 to tho Islands, CO to India, and a to the Argentine. • All theso countries nro subject to fly pests, so that tho New Zealand authorities, as well as tho Australian Government, could well tako stops to prohibit tho cruel and senseless custom of docking horses' tails. If sentiment will not induce a reform, .€ s. d. may, because many buyers of horses in Australia already refuse to bid for horsea that have beon maltreated In tbja JTW-