868 THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



indulge in this vice during meals or during the intervals between 

 meals, and repeat it with more or less frequency and persistence. 

 Some desist from the practice in the presence of strangers ; others do 

 it only when they are alone in the stable ; the greater number, how- 

 ever, indulge in it whenever they experience the desire ; and there are 

 some in which the accidental arrival of some one in their stable pro- 

 vokes the desire to crib. This vice is not always equally easy to detect. 

 Certain subjects must be carefully watched for a long time ; in some 

 cases the observer is even obliged to conceal himself to detect them. 

 The expert should never neglect this precaution when he has any 

 doubts as to the case. 



Long periods of intermittence in the manifestation of this act have 

 been recorded. Bellanger tells us of a cribber which, during the Italian 

 campaign of 1858, had never cribbed, but which resumed this habit 

 upon his return to his stable in Paris. The same observation may be 

 made every day. Very often the removal or change of the body which 

 acts as a support will be sufficient to cause the disappearance of this 

 defect. Unfortunately, this remedial measure is only temporary in its 

 effect ; the animal soon manages to find a new place, and the habit is 

 recommenced. 



Many remedies for cribbing have been devised. The one which 

 seems to give the best results is a leather strap placed more or less 

 tightly around the neck at the level of the throat. In conjunction 

 with work, it produces good effects upon vigorous horses which become 

 restless through a too prolonged standing in the stable. We have per- 

 formed tenotomy upon the two sterno-maxillary muscles, but without 

 success. Cribbing horses are subject to flatulence of the intestines, as 

 has been said. The quantity of air which they swallow is sometimes 

 so enormous that it causes a distention of the intestines accompanied 

 by colicky pains. Fortunately, the latter are not of a serious charac- 

 ter. Brisk exercise and the occasional application of the whip, if 

 necessary, forcing the animal to run, jump, and kick, will soon cause 

 the expulsion of the gas. But it escapes through the auus and not 

 through the oesophagus. 



Cribbers are, moreover, a source of useless expense to their owners, 

 because they mutilate the hay-rack, the manger, the harness, etc., upon 

 which they apply their teeth. Besides, the wear of their teeth is some- 

 times so marked that they experience inconveniences from it, princi- 

 pally when their incisors are shortened to a level with the gums. 

 Horses that crib have been supposed to require a longer time to eat 

 their oats, and to lose a portion during feeding, which led to their 



