THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 149 



horse had been given all sorts of tonic medicine without any good 

 effect, and finally selected for itself the young shoots of thorn- 

 trees, eating these with a great relish, whilst it would take no other 

 food unless mixed with these. They were evidently just the fillip 

 the stomach was in need of, the tannic acid contained in the 

 thorn being the very thing Nature required. Since that time, 

 in the spring and summer months, I have used them with great 

 success, chopping them up, and giving them mixed with dry oats 

 and bran. In other cases the animals will fancy the green parts of 

 gorse (common whins) ; and in winter or early spring, when an 

 animal — the horse in particular — is slowly recovering from some 

 debilitating complaint, such as influenza, etc., and very shy about 

 taking its food, whins chopped up and mixed with its food answers 

 splendidly, or a good stem, cut with a quantity of bushy sprigs on it, 

 hung up in the box for the animal to pick at when inclined, will 

 induce a sickly horse to eat when all other things have failed. 

 Another form of indigestion is due to an excess of acidity in the 

 stomach, being more common in young foals and calves than adult 

 animals. This particular form of indigestion is known by the names 

 of 'pica' or 'licking complaint,' owing to the subjects licking the 

 walls, eating soil, bones, stones, etc. As treatment for young stock, 

 giving lime-water or carbonate of soda in the milk answers splendidly ; 

 for adult animals, change the diet, and give J-ounce doses of car- 

 bonate of soda night and morning in the food. 



246. Crib-Biting is when the horse gets hold of the side of the 

 crib, the bar of a gate, or any other handy object, with its teeth, and, 

 by arching its neck, gulps in air, the while making a peculiar noise, 

 and filling the stomach with wind. This habit is often due, in the 

 first instance, to idleness, or a form of dyspepsia. The front portions 

 of the incisor teeth of horses with this habit get gradually worn 

 round ; but this is also seen in horses that bite at the manger or 

 stall on being groomed. The best remedy I know of is to use the 

 new iron fittings (made by Musgraves, Belfast), in which the front 

 of the crib is of iron, and too broad for the horse to get a hold of. 

 Brick troughs with a broad mould on the top, a strap round the 



