100 CHAPTER 9. 



a strap drawn tight enough to prevent the trick, may not do injury to 

 the muscles of the throat, and thus produce serious mischief. It has also 

 been recommended to place a ball on a strap to give more pressure on 

 the windpipe. The use of a swinging manger in the box, and the absence 

 of any projection likely to be seized by the teeth has been found to pre- 

 vent this habit. It will, however, probably recur when opportunity 

 offers. 



Crib-biting is generally supposed to be very catching. No doubt the 

 trick is sometimes learnt by one horse from another, but inasmuch as it 

 generally arises from derangement of the stomach, this cannot be the case 

 to any great extent. In all cavalry regiments a few crib-biters may be 

 found, but though no trouble is taken to separate them from other 

 horses, it is not found that the habit extends. 



The Author has no great confidence in any wie of these remedies. It 

 is, however, advisable to try them one after the other, and perhaps one 

 may be found which will be successful with a particular horse. 



196. Wind- slicking, 



Wind-sucking is similar in its causes and effects, and requires the same 

 treatment as crib-biting. 



197. After a hard day's work. 



After a hard day's work the horse should, if possible, be given a loose 

 box. If he seems fatigued or has fasted long, a pailful of gruel given at 

 once, before the operation of cleaning is begun, will be acceptable and 

 easy of digestion. Whilst being cleaned he may be given some hay, of 

 which he will eat a little, and which will revive the powers of his stomach, 

 and get it into a state fit to assimilate the corn. As soon as cleaned, he 

 should have his feed of corn mixed with about a pound of linseed boiled 

 to a jelly, and afterwards his hay as usual. 



After he has been thoroughly dressed and cleaned, dry flannel ban- 

 dages, in lieu of those originally put on after washing or rubbing down 

 his legs, should be applied and left on during the night. The warmth 

 and pressure derived from them will help to reduce any little swelling or 

 effusion or " gumminess " arising from the day's work. 



On the following morning, after being thoroughly groomed and his 

 legs hand-rubbed, the horse, if standing in a stall, may be taken out for 

 half an hour's walking exercise ; but if in a loose box the exercise may be 

 dispensed with. At mid-day he should be again thoroughly groomed and 

 his legs hand-rubbed. Nothing refreshes the horse more, or sooner re- 

 stores the energies of the system, than grooming and hand-rubbing. If 

 the legs continue puffed, the bandages may be reapplied. 



A diuretic ball is commonly recommended after a hard day's work as 

 a means of reducing puffiness of the legs and joints. That it will pro- 

 duce this effect the Author does not question, because it will excite in- 

 creased action in the kidneys, and in this way draw off any superfluous 

 secretions from the system. But inasmuch as those secretions remain in 



