78 Stable Vices. 



it should be avoided if possible, as other horses are readily 

 kept awake by it. 



Hanging back in the collar is an attempt to get free by 

 bursting the throat-lash or collar-rein, and in some cases 

 great force is applied in this way so much so that many 

 horses have broken their hips from the sudden giving-way 

 of the halter, letting them back so that they fall over and 

 injure themselves irremediably. The only cure is a strong 

 chain and a head-stall that no force will break, after trying 

 to burst which a few times, the horse will almost always 

 desist. If the manger is not very firmly placed, another 

 ring should be fixed in the wall by piercing it and screwing 

 a nut on at the back. The groom should likewise watch 

 for the attempt, and well flog the horse from behind im- 

 mediately he sees him beginning. 



Leaping into the manger is generally a habit acquired by 

 remaining too long in the stable without exercise, or from 

 being too much threatened with the whip, as in dealers' 

 stables. If a horse is constantly attempting it, he must be 

 kept down by a short halter, which will not suffer him to 

 get his nose high enough. Sometimes there is some little 

 difficulty in bringing a horse down from his position ; but, 

 by going quietly up to his head and pushing him to the op- 

 posite side of the stall, and, at the same time, back, he may 

 generally be managed without risk to either man or horse. 



Turning round in the stall is avoided by the use of two 

 reins, as aleady mentioned in the description of the stable 

 and its appendages. 



Lying under the manger is an awkward trick which some 

 young horses have, apparently from trying to get out of 

 the way and hide themselves. Sometimes they are unable 

 to get up again from striking their heads against the under 

 side of it when they try to rise, and they must even be 

 drawn back by a girth round the breast before they can 

 be rescued from the position, which has been known even 

 to cause a fatal result. The modern low rack is a great 

 preventive of this vice ; but sometimes even with it the 

 colt will get his head under, and the only remedy is to 

 board all up flush. This expedient effectually prevents the 

 head going under, and should be adopted in all bad cases. 



