132 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



I believe answers well, but constantly having 

 a bit in the mouth is conducive to sqre 

 lips. 



Curiously enough I have never ovv^ned a crib- 

 biter ; is it because I always gave my horses 

 plenty of work and a regular supply of rock salt in 

 their mangers ? The reader must form his own 

 conclusions. I once however had a crib-biter in 

 my care for a few weeks. She was a good mare 

 that had been shown at several of the principal 

 shows near home during the summer and she had 

 been very well — indeed too well kept and had far 

 too little work. And when she had been a few 

 days in my stable I saw what was the matter 

 with her. She only ' cribbed ' occasionally, and I 

 gave the stable fittings a good dressing of solution 

 of aloes — by the way Capt. Hayes recipe is a 

 solution of aloes and dog's dung mixed, which 

 one would think the acme of nastiness. She 

 got no worse whilst I had her and none of 

 my horses acquired the habit. I sold her for 

 my friend to a gentleman in the neighbour- 

 hood and for a big price, of course telling him 

 of her infirmity. She did very w^ell, carrying 

 him for some seasons and she never got any 

 w^orse. 



Wind-sucking may be defined as an exaggerated 

 form of crib-biting. The horse does not take 

 hold of any support with his teeth. The vice is 

 discribed by Harper in the following words : 

 *' The horse begins by moving his lips in an up- 

 and-down motion, then he suddenly lowers his 



