I read with horror and dismay the front-page story about mutton busting at the Litchfield Fair (“6-year-old busts mutton in Litchfield,” Sept. 9).

What a cruel way to treat an innocent animal. What an awful and cruel lesson for children. The story tells about the protective gear the child wears and the terror the animal experiences. This practice should be banned.

Whoever thought this up should be busted.

Nancy Blethen

Hallowell