BLOWS
—inconsiderately given, in passion, to harmless, inoffending animals, are nineteen times out of twenty productive of repentance, when probably repentance comes too late. A horse sometimes, and most commonly from the inattention of the rider, steps almost unavoidably upon a flint or rolling-stone; and in the very exertion of recovering himself from nearly falling, he at that critical moment receives a severe and unexpected blow behind the ear from the stick of his philosophic, patient, humane rider, which brings him instantly to the ground, giving and receiving ample proof, that "the remedy was worse than the disease." No conjectures need be formed upon the loss of eyes annually sustained by blows from petulant masters, as well as the most rascally servants; injuries of this kind may be daily seen by observers with their eyes open in every part of the kingdom.
Blows will most assuredly sometimes happen from accident, though most of this description arise from folly, ignorance, or indiscretion; as for instance, the very common circumstances of carelessly giving a horse's head or eye a blow against the stall in turning, or the hip-bone very frequently against the post of the stable door, and this by the stupidity of those who seem to think a horse can turn within as small a space as themselves; or rather, perhaps, by those who seem unfortunately destined by Nature never to think at all. In general, the good or bad usage of servants to horses, or other animals under their care, may be conceived a very fair and unerring criterion of the depravity or integrity of their own hearts; and such should be emphatically told, that not only broken bones, but instantaneous loss of life, has frequently followed passionate blows, and cruel usage, by the law of retaliation, in the resentment of an animal capable of distinguishing between a fault committed, a reproof given, or any unjust injury sustained.