he average owner of horse-flesh, unless
with it he sees his animal capable of justifying his existence by the
amount of labour performed.

Criticised in this way, is the operation of neurectomy justifiable? Upon
that point the opinions of many practitioners, even at the present day,
differ. We have already partly answered the objections likely to be raised
on this score by stating that the work afterwards allotted the animal
should be fixed to suit his altered condition. It may be taken as a general
rule that in all cases where the animal's usefulness depends upon his
delicacy of touch, as, for example, animals used solely for hacking or
hunting, his future usefulness in that special sphere of work will be done
away with.

Percival himself, always a strong advocate for the operation, fully
recognises this. 'Does the neurotomized horse maintain the same step
as before?' he asks. 'To this important question,' he replies, 'I
unhesitatingly answer no; he does not. There can be no doubt but that the
horse _feels_ the ground upon which he is treading, and that he regulates
his action in consonance with such feeling, so as to render his step the
least jarring and fatiguing to himself, and therefore the easiest and
pleasantest to his rider.... Such impressions'--those of touch--'being
in the neurotomized subject, so far as regards the feeling of the foot,
altogether wanting, a bold, fearless projection of the limb in action will
be the consequence, followed by a putting down of the hoof flat upon the
ground, as though it were a block, creating a sensation alike unpleasant
both to horse and rider.'

Emphatic as Percival is upon this point, there are, nevertheless, others
who maintain with equal stoutness that the unnerved animal is positively as
safe, if not safer, than the animal who has not been so treated.

'That the tactile sense in the horse's foot is useful, it would be idle to
deny; but that it is absolutely essential, even to safe progression, no one
who has paid attention to the results of plantar neurectomy will maintain.
On several occasions for years I have hunted, hacked, and driven horses
which have been deprived of sensation in their fore-feet, and never had an
accident with them. Their action has not been impaired by the operation; on
the contrary, it has been vastly improved compared with what it had been
previous to it. And my opinion has not been single in this respect, as many
competent horsemen can give l