152 THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN 



closeted with a vicious brute. Most people immedi- 

 ately retreat with precipitation, and thus place them- 

 selves at once at the horses heels, when the chances 

 are three to one in favor of a broken leg. The 

 better course is, if you see symptoms of a disposition 

 to bite or strike, at once to approach the head, and 

 seize the halter rein close to his nose. Few horses 

 will attack or resist a man that evinces determina- 

 te control them ; and this is equally true whether 

 you are in the saddle or at the head. If by this 

 means you check the animal into temporary tran- 

 quillity, the ostler will soon come to your aid, and 

 release you by picking up the fore foot, or some 

 other discipline by which he is usually restrained. 

 It is always prudent to distrust the safety of ap- 

 proaching a horse that stands in a separate stall, or 

 at the farthest stall in the line ; this being the place 

 generally appropriated to kickers. 



Crib-biting is rather a vice than a disease ; the 

 horse grasps the manger, and holding it with his 

 teeth, sucks in the .air, or at least appears to do so : 

 the effect of this bad habit is often, but not always, 

 to impair the digestive powers, and render the 

 animal poor. As it is not usually classed as un- 



