STABLE VICES 129 



through the door and as the horse does not follow 

 them they turn round and look at him, pulling 

 at the bridle at the same time. A horse will 

 never follow a man who is facing him ; he 

 naturally thinks he is expected to back. Gener- 

 ally if the stable door is wide enough, and I have 

 already insisted upon the necessity for all stable 

 doors to be wide, a horse can be induced to enter 

 by gentling him and after he has thoroughly 

 learned the lesson that there is nothing to hurt 

 him there will be no further trouble. If he is 

 very obstinate it may be necessary to use Pro- 

 fessor Galvayne's leading tackle or some similar 

 appliance. The most serious stable vice a horse 

 can have is crib-biting, for it has a serious effect 

 upon the horse's health as well as being a 

 most objectionable practice. Authorities differ 

 as to the cause of it. Some say that it is a 

 habit contracted simply by imitation. Others 

 again say that it is produced by idleness and 

 ennui ; whilst a third authority attributes it 

 to a particular form of indigestion. The latter 

 however may be an effect and not a cause of 

 crib-biting. 



In crib-biting the horse catches hold of some- 

 thing which is at such a height as enables him 

 to draw in his chin towards his breast and arch 

 his neck. The edge of the manger or the rack 

 chain are usually used as means of support, and 

 horses have been known on occasion to crib on 

 one of their forelegs. Having got his hold he 

 swallows a mouthful of air, emitting a curious 

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