The horse / by William Youatt ; with a treatise on draught by I.K. Brunel ; and an appendix intended to advance the work to the present state of veterinary science by W.C. Spooner.

  • William Youatt
Date:
[1831]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The horse / by William Youatt ; with a treatise on draught by I.K. Brunel ; and an appendix intended to advance the work to the present state of veterinary science by W.C. Spooner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    THE COACII-IIORSK. 3/ There is no trutli so easily proved, or so painfully felt hv the nn«t master, at least in his pocket, as that it is the pace that kills A horJ^t dead pull, or at the beg-inniug- of his pull, is enabled, by the force of muscles, to throw a certain weight into the collar. If Jie walk four miles m the hour, some part of that muscular energy must be expended in the act of walking; and, consequently, the power of drawin.o- must be propor tionably diminished. If he trot eight miles in the hour, more animal power IS expended m the trot, and less remains for the draughtbut the draught continues the same, and, to enable him to accomplish his work, he must tax his energies to a degree that is cruel in itself, and that must speedily wear him out. Let it be supposed—what every horse cannot accomplish—that he shall t>e able, by fair exertion and without distress, to throw, at a dead pull| a weight into his collar, or exert a force equal to two hundred and sixteen pounds ; or, in other words, let him be able to drav/ a load which requires a force of two hundred and sixteen pounds to move. Let him next walk at the rate of four miles in an hour: what force will he then be able to employ ? We have taken away some to assist him in walking, and we have left him only ninety-six pounds, being not half of that which he could exert when he began his pull. He shall quicken his pace to six miles an hour—more energy must be exerted to carry him over this additional ground. How- much has he remaining to apply to the weight behind him ? Fifty-four pounds only. We will make the six miles an hour ten; for it seems now to be the fashion for the fast coach, and for almost every coach, and every vehicle to attempt this pace. How stands the account with the poor beast 9 We have left him a power equal to thirty-two pounds only to be employed for the purpose of draught. The load which a horse can draw is about fifteen times greater than the power exerted, supposing the road to be hard and level, and the carriage to run with little friction ; and the horse which at starting can throw into the collar a weight or force equal to two hundred and sixteen pounds, will draw a load of three thousand two hundred. Let him, however, be urged on at the rate of ten miles in the hour—deduct the power used in swiftness of pfw;e from the sum total of that which he possesses, and what remains? not a sixth ]mrt—not that which is equal to a quarter of a ton—or, if it be a stage-coach, the energy exerted in draught by the four horses will not be equal to a ton. The coach, and its passengers and its luggage, weigh more than this, and the whole is still drawn on, and must be so. Whence comes the power ? From the over-strained exertion, the injury, the torture, the destruction of the horse. That which is true of the coach-horse, is equally true of every other. Let each reader apply it to his own animal, and act as humanity and interest dictate. Many a horse used on our public roads is unable to throw all hia natural power or weight into the collar. He is tender-footed—lame; but he is bought at little price, and he is worked on the brutal and abominable principle, that he may be whipjKd soimd. And so apparently he is. At first he sadly halts; but, urged by the torture of the lash, he acquires a i)eculiar habit of going. The faulty limb appears to keep pace with the others, but no stress or labour is thrown upon it, and he gradually contrives to make the sound limbs perform among them all the duties of the un- sound one ; and thus he is barbarously whipped sound, and cruelty is undeservedly rewarded. Afierall, however, what has been done? Three legs are made to do thut which was almost too hard a task for four. Tlien
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