THE HORSE’S POINT OF VIEW
If a horse could talk, he would have many things to say, especially when winter comes.
He would tell his driver how a frosty bit stings and sears his lips and tongue when it is thrust into his mouth without first being warmed.
He would tell how it feels to have nothing but ice-cold water to drink, when he is already shivering from the cold.
He would tell of the bitter winds that frost his sides when he halts, steaming from exertion, and is tied for hours in an exposed place without a blanket.
He would talk of slippery streets, and the fear of falling on cruel city paving-stones. He would tell of the bruised knees and wrenched joints, the tightened straps and the pain of the driver’s lash, and the horrible fright of it all.
Yes, the horse would say a good many things if he had the power of speech. And having horse-sense, he would urge his driver to “play fair,” not merely for the sake of kindness, but for the sake of keeping a faithful servant in good condition.
—The American Humane Education Society.
MEMORY GEM
Sketched from the seal of the Massachusetts S. P. C. A.