41 

 CRIB BITING. 



Cause. — Acidity of the stomach, arising from sameness 

 of food — oats and hay continuously without any change to 

 mashes or green food. In other instances the number of hours 

 at one time some horses are allowed to pass in the stable is 

 an exciting cause; the animal becomes restive and irritable, 

 and resorts to this vicious pastime. Hot, unhealthy stables, 

 water which has remained for hours absorbing air and other 

 gases in the stable, given to the animal, are also potent 

 influences to crib biting. Young mares particularly are sub- 

 jects of this vice. In many instances it is learned from some 

 old stager who is well up in the business, and nearly always 

 gives rise to heartburn and indigestion. Thus it is perceived 

 how crib biting is at once both a cause and an effect of indi- 

 gestion, sadly interfering with a horse's endurance, and 

 constituting unsoundness. 



Symptoms. — Licking the stable walls or any cool sub- 

 stance, retraction of the upper lip, stretching the nose, gen- 

 erally precedes the act. Cribbing is not exactly biting; the 

 animal merely rests his upper incisors on some firm sub- 

 stance, stretches his neck and body backwards, and, after 

 much effort, a portion of gas is emitted. A cribber is easily 

 known by the worn and ragged appearance of the outer 

 edges of his teeth. 



Treatmient. — Place a large piece of rock salt and chalk 

 near the animal's head. Let the feed be damp and 

 sprinkled with a little magnesia for a few days. Let the 

 atmosphere of the stable be well ventilated. Or, instead of 

 the magnesia, give half an ounce of ginger and gentian 

 twice a day. To hinder cribbing, remove the rack and place 

 his food on the ground in some such way as to make this 

 habit impossible. 



SPASMODIC COLIC, BELLY ACHE, ETC. 



Cause. — This is the more dangerous form of the disease, 

 and must be carefully distinguished from windy colic, also 



