OVERREACH. 34| 



nately a little opened and then closed, and a noise is heard as if he were 

 sucking. If we may judge from the same comparative want of condition, 

 and the flatulence which we have described under the last head, either 

 some portion of wind enters the stomach, or there is an injurious loss of 

 saliva. This diminishes the value of the horse almost as much as crib- 

 biting; it is as contagious, and it is as inveterate. The only remedies, and 

 they will seldom avail, are tying the head up, except when the horse is 

 feeding, or putting on a muzzle, with sharp spikes towards the neck, and 

 which shall prick him whenever he attempts to rein his head in for the 

 purpose of wind-sucking. 



CUTTING. 



Of this habit we have already spoken, at page 252, and we would advise 

 the owner of a cutting horse, without trying any previous experiment of 

 raising or lowering the heels, to put on the cutting foot a shoe of even 

 thickness from heel to toe, not projecting in the slightest degree beyond the 

 crust, and the crust itself being rasped a little above the quarters ; and to let 

 that shoe be fastened as usual on the outside, but with only one nail on the 

 inside, and that almost close to the toe. The principle on which the shoe 

 acts, has been explained at page 252. 



NOT LYING DOWN. 



It not uncommonly happens that a horse will seldom or never lie down 

 in the stable. He sometimes continues in apparent good health, and feeds 

 and works well ; but generally his legs swell, or he becomes fatigued 

 sooner than another horse. If it is impossible to let him loose in the stable, 

 or to put him into a spare box, we know not what is to be done. No 

 means, gentle or cruel, will force him to lie down. The secret is that he 

 is tied up, and either has never dared to lie down through fear of the con- 

 finement of the halter, or he has been cast in the night, and severely 

 injured. If he can be suffered to range the stable, or have a comfortable 

 box, in which he may be loose, he will usually lie down the first night. 

 Some few horses, however, will lie down in the stable, and not in a 

 loose box. A fresh, well-made bed will generally tempt the tired horse to 

 lie down. 



OVERREACH. 



This unpleasant noise, known also by the terms "clicking," "over- 

 reach," &c., arises from the toe of the hind-foot knocking against the shoe 

 of the fore-foot. In the trot, one fore-leg and the opposite hind-leg, are first 

 lifted from the ground and moved forward, the other fore-leg and the 

 opposite hind-leg remaining fixed ; but, to keep the centre of gravity within 

 the base, and as the stride, or space passed over by these legs, is often 

 greater than the distance between the fore and hind-feet, it is necessary 

 that the fore-feet should be move'd alternately out of the way for the hind- 

 feet to descend. Then, as occasionally happens with horses not perfectly 

 broken, and that have not been taught their paces, and especially if they 

 have high hinder quarters and low fore ones, if the fore-feet are not raised 

 in time, the hind-feet will strike them. The fore-foot will generally be 

 caught when it has just begun to be raised, and the toe of the hind- foot 

 will meet the middle of the bottom of the fore-foot. It is a very disagree- 

 able noise, and not altogether free from danger ; for it may so happen thai 



