108 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



racked up, she was fixed as firmly as if she had been in the 

 stocks. She plunged violently, and in doing so her hind 

 quarters slipped and she fell sideways, her head still held 

 fast by the rack-chain. By loosing the girths she was 

 released from her perilous position, as she was almost 

 strangled ; but she never attempted to bite afterwards. 



Grib-hiting is one of the vilest habits a horse can acquire, 

 and one of the most intractable. The horse seizes the 

 manger with his teeth, while he stretches his neck forward, 

 and, after some spasmodic action of the throat, a slight 

 grunting sound is uttered, which appears to be accompanied 

 by a drawing in of air. The cause of this trick is not well 

 understood ; and whether it proceeds from a bad habit, or 

 a defect in the formation of the soft palate and back part 

 of the mouth, remains a question. 



One serious effect of this trick is the wearing down of the 

 teeth, and instances have occurred where they have been 

 broken. It has likewise been found that crib-biters are 

 more liable to colic than those without this vice. Whether 

 this proceeds from the loss of saliva occasioned by the 

 wearing down of the teeth is also an unsettled point. 



It has been found that crib-biting is acquired by horses 

 being in the stable with one which has the trick. Among 

 the expedients which have been resorted to for the cure of 

 crib-biting, the edge of the manger has been lined with 

 iron,! also with sheep-skin besmeared with aloes, tar, and 

 other disagreeable substances, but all with little efiect. 

 The ordinary preventive is the use of a strap buckled round 

 the neck, which has the effect of slightly compressing the 

 windpipe, and rendering it impossible to resort to it ; but 

 no sooner is the strap removed than the horse recommences 

 his old habit, so that it must be constantly worn to be of 

 use. Unfortunately, the continual use of it is apt to 

 produce irritation in the trachea, and this will terminate in 

 the affection termed roaring. A five or six months' run in 

 a field has also been tried without proving a remedy. 

 Crib-biters are generally in low condition. 



A muzzle barred across the bottom will prevent crib- 

 biting. This must be made only of sufficient width to 

 allow full action to the lips, so that the animal may pull 

 his hay from the rack and eat his corn, but so close as not 

 to admit of him grasping the edge of the manger. 

 Crib-biting is legally considered "unsoundness." 



