Feeding and Care of the Horse 182 i 



lie down and get up as much as he likes, but he cannot place the top 

 of his head on the floor and thus cannot roll. 



Tearing blankets 



There are at least two very common causes that induce horses to tear 

 their blankets. First, an itching skin; since his blanket prevents the 

 horse from biting the itching part, he bites and tears the blanket in order 

 to get at the part. Second, the salty taste that is found in the blanket, 

 due to sweating and other exudates from the skin, induces the horse 

 first to lick the blanket and later to tear it. 



In order to overcome this habit, a bar should be attached by one end 

 to the halter and by the other to a surcingle. This prevents the horse 

 from turning his head to either side and so he cannot reach the blanket 

 with his teeth. Another, and perhaps more desirable, device is made 

 by suspending small chains from the front, back, and sides of a nose-band 

 in such a manner that when the horse turns his head in order to seize 

 the blanket with his teeth, the chain appliance will prevent him from 

 so doing. The muzzle also is often used, but the objection to its use 

 is that it must be removed before the horse can feed. 



Lying down cow fashion 



This is a habit in which the horse doubles his fore legs back under 

 his chest when lying down, in such a manner that the heels press against 

 the elbow. The constant friction of the heels against the elbow causes 

 boils or tumors, usually called shoe boils, to develop at the elbow joint. 

 Such boils are very unsightly and may become painful. 



There are several common methods of overcoming this habit, such 

 as protecting the foot with a boot, shortening the inside of the heel of 

 the shoe so as to prevent it from rubbing against the elbow, or fastening 

 a scantling two inches square across the stall just back of where the horse 

 usually places his front feet. The scantling hurts the cannons when 

 the horse doubles them back under him, and in order to avoid the pain 

 he ceases to practice the habit. 



Gorging grain 



Many horses have the disagreeable habit of gorging grain and swallowing 

 it without mastication. This may result in colic. In order to overcome 

 the habit, the horse should be watered and fed some hay before he is 

 given grain. It is often a good plan to feed the grain in a large, flat- 

 bottomed grain-box, as this prevents the horse from getting too much 

 grain at one mouthful. Some horsemen recommend placing round stones 

 in the grain-box ; the confirmed grain-gorger, however, is usually an adept 

 at throwing the stones out before eating the grain. 



