'262 CYCLOPEDIA OF LITE STOCK AND COMFLJi;Tlil STOCK DOCTOR. 



obstruction to the due performance of the animal functions, and often 

 ending in premature death. This is in great measure owing to want of 

 exercise, but also to over-stimulating food ; and the breeder who wishes 

 his horse to last, and also to get good stock, should take especial care 

 that he has enough of the one and not too much of the other." 



XVI. Vices and Disabilities, and How to Know Them. 



A horse is reduced in value, in proportion to his disability for labor 

 or other use. A blind horse will do as much work in a horse power as 

 one that can see. For any labor where sight is required, he is prac- 

 tically useless. A horse "dead lame" is useless anywhere. Unsound- 

 ness is a disability. Vices are dangerous, and defects also detract 

 from the price of the animal, and, as in the case of stunil)ling, are 

 also dangerous. Balking, backing, kicking, pulling at the halter, run- 

 ning away, rearing, shying, etc., are vices, and all of them dangerous 

 ones. Crib-biting, the tail turned to one side, stumbling, etc., are 

 defects, and more or less serious, according to the use to which the 

 horse is to be put. For the saddle a stumbler, among defective hor- 

 ses, is next in danger to the horse with the vice of backing. Then 

 follows probably shying, which is a vice if occasioned by bad usage 

 of the trainer, or a defect if occasioned by weak eyes or cowardice. 



Youatt notes vices as follows : 



1. — Restiveness. — "The most annoying and the most dangerous of all. 

 Whenever it appears in the form of kicking, or rearing, or bolting, 

 or in any way that threatens danger to the horse, it rarely admits of 

 a cure," This is really the starting point of nearly all the vices of the 

 horse, and generally ends in some one or more determined vices, more 

 often perhaps in difficulty of shoeing, from the brutality of the smith. 

 The cure is difficult. The prevention of nearly every kind of vice 

 may be accomplished by firm, temperate, and yet kind management. 



2. — Backing or Gihbing. — "These are so closely allied that it is not 

 easy to separate them. It is frequently the effect of bad breaking. 

 To detect, rouse the temper of the animal. 



3. — Biting. — "There is no cure. It is caused by foolish or timid mas- 

 ters or servants, in handling a bad tempered horse. The biter will 

 usually throw back his ears, when approached by a stranger. 



4. — Getting the Cheek of the Bit Into the Mouth. — "This is to be 

 detected by bridling the horse, and enticing the movement of the 

 mouth. It is nc^ serious, since a round leather guard on the inside of 

 the cheek of the oit will prevent the vice. 



5. — Kicking. — "Examine the horse for swelled hocks, or other injury 

 about the hind leajs. Examine the stall for marks of kickinfr. Notice if 



