342 



STABLES 



habit. Various measures are adopted for its prevention, such as muzzling, 

 tying the head up, using a cradle, attaching a rod from the stall-collar to 

 the girth (fig. 585), or attaching a piece of strong leather to the head collar 

 or head stall behind the jaw so that it projects a little beyond the lower lip. 



Similar measures may be employed to prevent the tearing of bandages. 

 Smearing the bandages with some bitter material may be tried, and is 

 often effective. 



Horses putting their Feet in the Manger. — AVhen horses acquire 



this habit, there is often considerable difficulty in overcoming it. Mangers 



Fis;. 585.— Side Rod 



should be placed as high as can be reached when the horse is feeding, and, 

 where possible, a loose-box should be used. Very few horses will persist in 

 the habit when they are placed in a loose-box, in which the manger is 

 fixed at a fair height. 



Pawing and Scraping in Stable. — This habit, besides rendering 

 the stable untidy, is occasionally responsible for a blemished or enlarged 

 knee, with the resulting depreciation in value. The injury is caused by 

 the horse striking a sharp edge of the manger. In these cases the position 

 and shape of the manger require attention, and where attainable a loose- 



