REMEDIES FOR STABLE VICKS. 259 
the stable as a cribber. This may be a valid reason for rejecting its use 
for dealers’ horses, but in a gentleman’s stable, utility and humanity 
ought to have precedence of such a feeble argument. ‘The price of the 
bar muzzle is 15s., which to a poor man is a consideration, as compared 
with the plain leather strap to be obtained for ls. 6d. When the bar 
muzzle is adopted, it should always be kept on, excepting, of course, when 
the bridle replaces it for work or exercise, or while the head is being 
dressed. 
KIcKING THE WALL OR STALL POST is sometimes a very annoying trick, 
and though not always done in a vicious manner, it is objectionable, 
because the kicker is liable to lame himself, or one of his neighbours. 
In mares it is often of a sexual nature, and in them it is much more 
common than in geldings,—the extent to which it is carried by them being 
generally greatest at the beginning and end of their being “in use.” At 
such times some mares go almost mad, if they have an irritating neigh- 
bour, who keeps smelling them, and I once had one who kicked herself 
to pieces in a paroxysm of this kind, which nothing but tying up the 
fore-leg could restrain. There are several remedies in common use, but 
none can be relied on in all cases. Foremost among these is the use of 
gorse, nailed to the stall-post, which will almost invariably quiet a low 
bred animal, especially if a gelding, but high bred mares will sometimes 
kick at it all the more, for the punishment they receive. A padded 
leather strap, buckled round the canna bone, with a common sinker 
attached to it, or, instead of this, a few links of heavy chain, will gene- 
rally keep the horse from kicking, because in making the attempt he gives 
his coronet and pastern a heavy blow. If, however, this plan is unsuc- 
cessful, it is liable to cause lameness, from the inflammation produced by 
the blows, and, therefore, the effect must be carefully watched. Few 
horses kick out with both legs, and a pair of hobbles buckled round the 
hind fetlocks will, in a vast majority of cases, put an end to the trick as 
long as they are worn, without any risk, or producing any serious annoy- 
ance, save only what is inseparably connected with the prohibition of the 
indulgence in the desire to kick. A narrow strap buckled round the part 
just above the hock, so as to confine the ham string, will have the desired 
effect, by giving intense pain when any attempt to strike out is made, but 
it is a most annoying infliction to the horse, and generally prevents his 
lying down, from the necessity which there is for bending the hock, in 
reaching the ground. I should, therefore, give the preference to the 
bunch of gorse, or if that is not readily procurable, to the sinker of wood 
or iron suspended to a strap round the leg. 
IN SCRATCHING THE EAR with the hind foot, the horse is very apt to 
get his leg over the collar rein, if the sinker is not heavy enough to keep 
the rein tightly strained between the head collar and the ring in the 
manger. Impatient animals, also, which are continually pawing at their 
litter, will sometimes get one of their fore feet over it, but this is not so 
serious an accident. ‘To prevent the mischief occasioned in either case by 
the struggles to get free, especially when the hind leg is thus caught, the 
rings for the collar reins are sometimes made to draw down with a spring- 
catch, which releases them when pulled in that direction, but in no other. 
When, however, the sinker is properly weighted, it is almost mmpossible 
for such an accident to occur; and this simple invention has now become 
obsolete. 
TEARING THE CLOTHES OFF is by no means an unusual stable habit, 
and it is one very difficult to cure. There are two effectual preventives, 
See 
