Collection : musée Fragonard de l'École nationale vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort / Photo Olivier Jourdanet / MCC

Hot docking iron

This cautery has a rod bent over itself, such that it has an empty space at the end. It was used to burn the stump after the tail was amputated. This was common practice to beautify a horse or to facilitate the use of a draft horse.